《The Mighty Dragons Are Dead》 Chapter 1: The Dragon, the Elf, and Fresh Flower Town Chapter 1: The Dragon, the Elf, and Fresh Flower Town Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions He had spent a week recuperating from wild fruit poisoning and was also making an effort to adapt to his new identity after transmigration. Liszt often felt incredulous. The overworked self who died suddenly at work has actually been reborn as a noble. Moreover, a noble in a different world. This different world was somewhat simr to medieval Europe, a ce where castles and knights ruled everything. However, it was a magical fantasy world with the existence of dragons and elves. Knights could cultivate Dou Qi, and there were mysterious magicians. Even he himself had cultivated ¡°Basic Dou Qi¡± to be an Apprentice Knight. ¡°Primary Dou Qi, huh.¡± A stream of energy flowed endlessly through his body and, guided by his will towards his hands, he instantly felt his palms heating up, filled with immense power. That slightly tingling swelling sensation made him feel as though he could tear tigers and leopards apart with his bare hands. It was Dou Qi, which symbolized power, that allowed knights to rule the vastnds. Dou Qi cultivation. An ¡°Apprentice Knight¡± would master Primary Dou Qi, an ¡°Earth Knight¡± would master Intermediate Dou Qi, and a ¡°Sky Knight¡± would master Advanced Dou Qi. Liszt¡¯s father, Hereditary ¡°Coral Ind¡¯s Count,¡± Li Weiliam Tulip, was a Sky Knight who had mastered Advanced Dou Qi. He possessed absolute power over life and death on his territory, Coral Ind, which was asrge as a prefecture-level city, and only needed to swear allegiance to the Sapphire Duke. Regrettably. As the third son of the Earl, he had not inherited the Tulip Family¡¯s talent for Dou Qi. Even though he had already reached the age of sixteen, he was still an Apprentice Knight. His elder brother, Levis Tulip, became an Earth Knight at thirteen and was now an elite among Earth Knights, capable of challenging three Earth Knights single-handedly. His sister, Lvera Tulip, also became an Earth Knight before reaching adulthood. He also had a half-brother, Lytton Tulip, who was twelve years old and was said to be on the verge of bing an Earth Knight. Liszt inherited more of his mother¡¯s appearance, thete Countess. His light golden, slightly curly short hair, deep sapphire-like eyes, handsome features, fair skin, and slender figure all gave him the air of a naturally elegant nobleman. However, his aptitude was unfortunately poor. Perhaps because he looked so much like his mother, the Earl once had high hopes for him. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. As he grew older, his father becamepletely disillusioned with him, even disying indifference. His brother Levis was temporarily ennobled as a ¡°Hereditary Viscount¡± and was destined to inherit the title of ¡°Hereditary Earl.¡± His sister Lvera also received the title of Baron of Falcon Town, bing a rare ¡°Hereditary Baroness¡± with her own territory in the Grand Duchy of Sapphire, rather than a life peer withoutnd. As for him, he was merely ennobled as a Baron, just like his sister, but of Fresh Flower Town, the most remote ce on Coral Ind. Liszt, who had a personality like his mother¡¯s, was always soft and weak, constantly bullied by his brother and sister. As he grew older, hismunication with the Earl diminished even further, to the point where he would rather live in the Knight Academy than return home. ¡°Thankfully he was an unnoticed ipetent; by taking his ce, no one would realize the difference¡ And having my territory, with hereditary and unquestionable rights over life and death, is wonderful,¡± Liszt had already gotten past the initial panic and was making efforts to blend into this world. And he had to blend in, to live like a native. Because in this world, transmigrators didn¡¯t have much of an advantage¡ªmagic and Dou Qi surpassed technology¡ªhe couldn¡¯t simply make nuclear weapons and spread destruction, so the idea ofpeting with magic and Dou Qi using technology had to be put aside. Even more so after understanding some of the situation, he felt the need to keep a low profile¡ªmetal resources were entirely provided by dragons, while lush vegetation couldn¡¯t exist without elves! Without dragons, without elves. The idea of farming or having an industrial revolution was somethingpletely out of reach! But dragons and elves are rare essences in this world, and the Duchy of Sapphire has only one dragon¡ªthe Sapphire Dragon, which was the mount of the Sapphire Duke 150 years ago, and the entire Sapphire Family was established on the back of this dragon. It is said that a dragon can live for a thousand years, which means that the Duchy of Sapphire can enjoy its national fortune for hundreds of years toe. Elves are more numerous than dragons, but their ranks are clearly defined. Liszt¡¯s father, Li Weiliam Tulip, possesses a ¡°Tulip Great Elf,¡± which helps the family cultivate arge number of tulips, thereby establishing the family, and even changing their surname to ¡°Tulip.¡± The Great Elf can live for two hundred years and, barring idents, the Tulip Family can still enjoy fortune for over one hundred and fifty more years. Beneath the Great Elf are the Minor Elves, who can live for one hundred years. The Tulip Family owns twelve Minor Elves, which help the family cultivate various nts. Beneath the Minor Elves are the Elf Bugs, beings birthed from within nts with a lifespan of ten years, capable of affecting nt growth. If they encounter a stroke of fortune within those ten years, they can evolve into Minor Elves. As for the Elf Bugs themselves, it is only by a lucky chance that one might be birthed from a nt. The Tulip Family has cultivated Coral Ind for over twenty years, reaping more than a hundred Elf Bugs, and considering those that have died, there have only been a little over one hundred and fifty in total. Among them, only twelve have evolved into Minor Elves. ¡°Elves¡ It¡¯s a pity that the previous soul indeed displeased the Earl, even Li Vera has obtained a Minor Elf, whereas I, have only four Elf Bugs!¡± At Liszt¡¯sing-of-age ceremony, the Earl of Coral Ind announced his ennoblement as the Baron of Fresh Flower Town and gifted him four Elf Bugs. That was all. ¡°My lord, dinner time has arrived, shall we dine now?¡± Butler Carter knocked on the door and came in, bowing slightly. ¡°It¡¯s already dinner time, eh? Very well, please invite the two teachers to join us,¡± Liszt said, not so elegantly stretching his back. His time spent nurturing his health had bored him terribly. Soon, the two teachers arrived together. The one with blond hair and tailed coat was Goltai, the family tutor, already forty-five years old. He was a down-on-his-luck Honored Knight who depended on the Tulip Family, mainly responsible for Liszt¡¯s schrly education. Of course, his primary job was as the Administrative Officer of Fresh Flower Town, helping Liszt manage the whole town. ¡°Liszt, you look much better. Thank heavens; it¡¯s good to see you healthy and lively again,¡± Goltai said with yful ease, quite casually. The other with a serious expression and meticulous movements was Liszt¡¯s knight teacher, Marcus. His strength had reached that of an Earth Knight, but he had not yet gained a noble title. His family had been Retainer Knights for the Tulip Family for several generations, and in his generation, he was the first to be an Earth Knight. Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°Now that both teachers have arrived, Mr. Carter, please proceed with the meal.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord,¡± the old butler Carter left the parlor gracefully to inform the kitchen downstairs to serve the meal. ¡°Teacher Marcus, my health has mostly recovered, and I hope to continue my knight training sses from tomorrow,¡± Liszt said. Marcus¡¯s square face was expressionless: ¡°Possible.¡± Seeing this, Liszt smiled faintly, knowing in his heart that this Earth Knight harbored some resentment. He had hoped to earn distinction on the battlefield, win the title of Honored Knight, and join the ranks of high society as a noble member. Instead, he was dispatched here to serve as Liszt¡¯s knight teacher, trapped in the backwater of Fresh Flower Town. And within the Tulip Family, Liszt was notoriously inept, which meant, following Liszt, the chances of bing a noble were almost nonexistent. Soon, the old butler arrived with the maids and manservants, bringing the ted meals. The meal was not borate. The quality of life in Fresh Flower Town was low, and production was limited. Liszt, being a son not favored by the Earl, had meager resources and could not support avish lifestyle. Still, Liszt ate with great seriousness. Transmigration is a technical affair, and bing a noble was already a great fortune. One should know that in this world, aside from the nobles, mostmoners are but sheep to be ughtered at will. His two teachers included, were in fact his servants, and he could decide their life or death with a single word. Chapter 2 - 0002: Serpent Script Composed of Smoke Chapter 0002: Serpent Script Composed of Smoke Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Grilled goat meat, boiled seven-gill eels, a small portion of apple puree and pear slices, hop-vored barley beer, and white bread made from fine wheat flour. This was Liszt¡¯s dinner. The slightly Western-style meal did not suit his taste, but he was incapable of cooking and could not prepare the home-cooked dishes he liked. Moreover, in this world, nobles are strictly forbidden from entering kitchens, storehouses, or any other ces meant for servants, as doing so would be a breach of noble etiquette and subject to ridicule. Of course, the court was an exception. The chefs and servants of the court were all attended to by aristocrats from the various small fiefs. Liszt¡¯s father, the Earl of Coral Ind, had once served as a stablemaster for the new generation of the Sapphire Duke, responsible for caring for the Duke¡¯s beloved steed¡ªa horse with a mix of dragon blood in its lineage. To this day, the Earl of Coral Ind would asionally enter the court to fulfill the role of stablemaster. He relished this task, fearing that another noble might rece him as stablemaster and impede his close rtionship with the Grand Duke. In the same vein, the Sapphire Duke also served as a personal valet to the lord of his sovereign state, the Steel Ridge Kingdom, attending to His Majesty the King¡¯s every need. Essentially,moners are the servants of the nobility, and the lesser nobility serve the greater nobility. Only by bing king of a country does one be a true master. ¡°Thankfully, here in Fresh Flower Town, I am the sole master and need not attend to anyone,¡± Liszt thought contentedly while eating his less-than-satisfactory dinner. The Earl was his father who didn¡¯t care for him and would hardly bother him. After dinner, Butler Carter would direct the maids to clean up the dishes, and a personal valet would bring water for washing and assist Liszt with rinsing out his mouth. When the routine was done, Carter left with the other servants, ¡°I will be just outside the door, Master and the two gentlemen, please call upon me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Carter,¡± Liszt said, smiling with a gentleman¡¯s grace. In terms of noble etiquette, he was influenced by his predecessor and didn¡¯t need to learn it actively; it came naturally to him. Even towards the lowliest servants, one must maintain politeness and respect¡ªin private, it mattered not whether they were beaten or killed or subjected to any sort of mistreatment, but publicly, one must maintain noble demeanor. ¡°It is my honor to serve you,¡± Carter said as he smoothly closed the door. ¡°Liszt,¡± Goltai said, taking a sip of tea sweetened with honey, ¡°we must quickly make use of the Elf Bug, but the town¡¯s finances are in terrible shape. The previous administrative officer was a fool who did nothing but oppress serfs and left us with a mess!¡± ¡°I know, Teacher, please investigate as soon as possible to see which areas are suitable for the Elf Bug cements.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my duty.¡± Liszt then turned to Marcus, ¡°Will it be difficult to investigate the magical beasts near Thorn Ridge that are close to Fresh Flower Town? As thendlord, I must take seriously the matter of these beasts frequently harassing the farmers.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Thorn Ridge is vast, and the magical beasts don¡¯t have a fixed pattern of activity. With only four Retainer Knights at your disposal, even if I learn all about the magical beasts, we still won¡¯t be able to defend against them. The Patrol Team is absolutely unreliable; they are a bunch of ruffians and scoundrels who would wet their pants at the sight of a magical beast.¡± Fresh Flower Town is located at the northeastern extremity of Coral Ind and is surrounded by Thorn Ridge¡ªa ce teeming with magical beasts, which is why few merchant caravans are willing to trade here. The town can only produce and consume its goods; without the help of elves, the farmers struggle to support themselves, yet they still must pay taxes to the Tulip Family, who rule over Coral Ind. And the nobility is only concerned with how much tax they can collect, paying no mind to the farmers¡¯ survival. The Tulip Family is no exception. However, the present Liszt could no longer remain indifferent. As a youth bathed in the glorious banner of mutual ownership, having be the lord of a region, he waspelled to rescue the people from dire straits¡ªit was his duty. Only with the prosperity of Fresh Flower Town could he, as thendlord, enjoy betterforts. For both public and private reasons, he had to develop Fresh Flower Town. ¡°There must be a way to cope with it. Teacher Marcus, after tomorrow¡¯s knight ss, I¡¯d like you to apany me for a walkthrough of Thorn Ridge. As thendlord, I have yet to really see what Fresh Flower Town looks like.¡± ¡°Liszt, this is not a good idea. It¡¯s better to just stroll around the town. Thorn Ridge is not a ce to go. Don¡¯t forget, you nearly died in Thorn Ridge,¡± Goltai immediately objected. Liszt shook his head, ¡°Last time I carelessly ate poisonous berries; this time I will be careful.¡± Marcus simply said, ¡°I will notify your four retainer knights tonight and arrange the patrol route through Thorn Ridge to ensure your safety.¡± ¡°Thanks for the trouble.¡± ¡°You should be careful and cautious,¡± Goltai said helplessly. Liszt didn¡¯t say much more, for the two teachers didn¡¯t know his real ns; his body had notpletely recovered and, given his nature, he would definitely prefer to fully recover before venturing out¡ªBut as a noble travels, he either goes by carriage or on horseback, and unfortunately, he had no carriage. Riding a horse wasn¡¯t an easy task either, for there were no saddles or stirrups here¡ªknights with Dou Qi didn¡¯t need such equipment to ride horses, or any mount for that matter. ¡°On the contrary, a saddle would restrict the fusion of a knight¡¯s Dou Qi with his steed¡ But without a saddle, it always chafes the behind¡¡± Liszt thought after seeing off the two teachers. ¡°My lord, at what time do you n to retire?¡± his personal attendant came in to ask. ¡°After ten o¡¯clock, Thomas. Add another candle to my study for now; I wish to read,¡± Liszt directed his personal attendant. Disappointment shed across Thomas¡¯s face; for several consecutive days, he hadn¡¯t had the chance to prove himself. Liszt always sent him away rather than requiring his personal attendance. As a personal attendant, he felt he hadn¡¯t earned the baron¡¯s favor and worried about his job. The truth was, Liszt didn¡¯t like having a personal attendant; every time Thomas helped him dress, it made Liszt¡¯s skin crawl¡ªThe abominable nobility system! Why couldn¡¯t a male noble have female personal attendants? As Thomas brought in a candle and then left, the study became brightly lit. Liszt got up, pulled the curtains apart, and through the castle window, he could see a few faint lights from the town nearby. Quite dim. A town where the people couldn¡¯t even get a full meal had no nightlife, only endless silence. ¡°This is my territory, isn¡¯t it? Poor and backward, yet it belongspletely to me, an entire town that¡¯s my own independent kingdom¡ I will turn it into an utopia!¡± he mused. In a trance. Faint smoke appeared before Liszt, the mist twisting into abstract characters, formed like countless little serpents entwining each other. This was the standardized script of the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡ªSerpent Script, with origins so ancient, no records of its inception remained; chronicling history was not customary here. As a transmigrator inheriting all previous memories, Liszt could read the Serpent Script. A message that had baffled him for a week. ¡°Mission: As thendlord, you need to understand everything about your domain. Please make a round through Fresh Flower Town to grasp the crises within yournd and prepare for future development. Reward: The sublimation of Dou Qi.¡± The content was brief and notplicated. But what Liszt couldn¡¯t understand was why he could see the Smoke Serpent Script; searching through the memories of his predecessor, it had always appeared since he was a child. However, back then, the smoke was so thin and blurred that he couldn¡¯t make out the Serpent Script at all, thinking it was a mere illusion. It wasn¡¯t until after the soul transmigration that Liszt could clearly see the text. Startled for a moment, he reached out to touch the smoke, but it disappeared immediately, which supported the notion of it being a hallucination. Now, Liszt didn¡¯t think it was an illusion; perhaps this was a transmigrator¡¯s perk, a manifestation of some system? Unclear, he decided to verify it. As long as he patrolled the territory, the mission would beplete, and whether he could receive the reward would be proof. If there was no reward, it would mean it was just a hallucination. If there was one, it would mean it was a perk. The transmigrator¡¯s ace in the hole¡ªBefore the transmigrator made a move, did the ace go first? Chapter 3 - 0003 The Servants in the Castle Chapter 0003 The Servants in the Castle Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Thomas left the study with a heavy heart. As he descended the stairs, he paused at thending, intending to light a cigarette, but then he realized he had hidden his tobo under his pillow. Mr. Carter, the butler, strictly forbid the servants from smoking within the castle. ¡°Thomas, what are you loitering here for?¡± A maid in her thirties, dressed in a ck and white uniform and carrying a mop and bucket, ascended the stairs from below. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Has the master still not allowed you to attend him personally?¡± Thomas, annoyed, pped the wall, ¡°Maisie, tell me, why doesn¡¯t the master like me? Although I¡¯ve never been a personal valet before, I¡¯ve served as the first manservant for Viscount Roosevelt. I¡¯m capable of doing the job.¡± ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m not a maid from Tulip Castle. I¡¯ve never met the master before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just asking if there¡¯s anything I¡¯m not doing well enough.¡± ¡°You should be asking Mr. Carter or Mrs. Morson about that¡ And I don¡¯t think you have anything to worry about. The master only has three manservants, Jessie is an assistant, Tom is clumsy, and honestly can¡¯t attend to the master. Maybe that¡¯s just how the master is. There¡¯s no one in this town better suited to be a personal valet than you.¡± Thomas felt a bit heartened, ¡°Yeah, I heard that the master isn¡¯t highly regarded at Tulip Castle and might remain the Baron of Fresh Flower Town, living in this poor countryside for the rest of his life.¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°Maisie, do you regret following the master here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. Life in the castle, no matter how bad, is still better than going back to the farm to starve to death. I¡¯ve already sold myself to the master. There¡¯s no use in having regrets.¡± Just as Thomas was about to respond, he was abruptly interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t you both have work to do? Thomas, Maisie, mind your behavior. No whispering outside your chambers and the kitchen!¡± Coming up the stairs, it was Butler Carter who managed this humble little castle. He was carrying a string of keys and a bottle of red wine, inspecting the entire castle. ¡°Right away, Mr. Carter. I¡¯ll get back to work,¡± Thomas and Maisie scurried off, each to their own tasks. If small nobility serves the higher nobility, then manservants and maids are indeed the servants of butlers. The system of nobility has always had such distinct stratification. The castle might be small, but there was no shortage of work. Even with only one noble like Baron Liszt to serve, the daily workload was immense. Take cleaning, for instance: every morning and evening the whole ce needed to be scrubbed down. And there were clothes to wash, hot water to heat, food to prepare, toilets to clean¡ªa majority of these tasks fell on the manservants and maids. But this didn¡¯t mean Carter was without work. On the contrary, in addition to managing the servants, he was also responsible for greeting guests, pouring wine, supervising the serving of meals, receiving and sending correspondence, safeguarding high-end tableware, managing the wine cer, and looking after the most important guests. Old Carter was fifty years old this year. In an era where the average lifespan was barely fifty-five, he was already well advanced in years. Dong dong dong. He knocked on the door of the study. ¡°Come in,¡± replied Baron Liszt from inside, his voice gentle and carrying the fashionable ¡°Steel Ridge ent¡± so esteemed by countless nobles in the Kingdom of Steel Ridge and its client states. Old Carter took a deep breath. During his time at Tulip Castle, he had little to do with Baron Liszt, mainly looking after an earl¡¯s lodge. At the recenting-of-age ceremony for Liszt, the earl assigned him to serve as Liszt¡¯s butler. It was a promotion in terms of position¡ªafter all, the role of butler is the ultimate goal for all servants. But the benefits had certainly diminished. However, Carter harbored noints. Since selling himself into the Tulip Family¡¯s service at fifteen, thirty-five years had passed without marriage or family¡ªCarter had long since considered himself part of the Tulip Family. If he could spend his final years with Baron Liszt, a descendant of the Tulip bloodline, it would be a happy ending indeed. ¡°My lord, reading at night is damaging to the eyes. Remember to take care. No amount of candlelight canpare to the sun¡¯s light during the day.¡± Liszt gave a slight smile, his eyes shifting away from the thick parchment book on the table to look at the somewhat elderly butler, ¡°Mr. Carter, have you checked all the rooms?¡± ¡°Except for the servants¡¯ rooms that still need work, all other rooms have been locked.¡± ¡°Very well, then, let¡¯s have a drink together.¡± Liszt had already noticed the red wine in Carter¡¯s hand. Nobles were as fond of wine as life itself, creating an informal custom that the lord of a castle would have a few drinks with the butler before going to bed at night, discussing the matters of the castle. Liszt didn¡¯t like to drink, but his predecessor did, so much so that his body required alcohol. However, the alcohol content here was very low; unless he drank it like beer, it was hard for him to get drunk. One ss of red wine each. They touched their sses gently. Swirling his ss, Liszt took a small sip, ¡°Can the castle¡¯s expensesst until this year¡¯s taxes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s going to be difficult. You didn¡¯t bring much wine or flour from Tulip Castle, and Fresh Flower Town is very remote with no caravans willing toe here. Even if we have gold coins, it¡¯s hard to buy wheat and wine. But the good news is, there¡¯s plenty of wild fruit on Thorn Ridge, so we don¡¯t have to worry about running out of fruit.¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t highly regarded by the Earl, and of course, he received very little when he became independent. ording to his memory, when his sister Li Vera became independent, her carriage was filled thirty times over, but he¡ didn¡¯t even have a single carriage, just some horses and a group of porters with some luggage. The difference in treatment was like heaven and earth. His predecessor had harbored too much resentment, but for him, it wasn¡¯t much of an issue, since he wasn¡¯t the Earl¡¯s true son. At most, it would be awkward when meeting with his father and trying to express closeness. ¡°We can¡¯t do without wheat,¡± Liszt put down his wine ss and dered with undeniable certainty, ¡°Fresh Flower Town must develop quickly, the trade route has to be opened!¡± Bread was the staple food here. Without the wheat for white bread, they could only eat the rough and hard-to-swallow ck bread made from rye and oats. Liszt already couldn¡¯t have his favorite hometown dishes; if he also couldn¡¯t have the soft white bread, he would starve to death. ¡°Opening trade routes is not an easy task. Thorn Ridge is too dangerous.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯ll solve it. The future of Fresh Flower Town won¡¯t be limited by poverty, nor will the castle remain this crude, without even a name,¡± Liszt said earnestly. Only a magnificent castle could have a name. Given the simplicity of Liszt¡¯s castle, to call it a castle was an overstatement, and naming it would be subject to the ridicule of other nobles. ¡°Have the Elf Bugs been well taken care of?¡± ¡°Very well, milord.¡± ¡°Good.¡± They finished their wine. Old Carter, recognizing it was time to leave, took his leave, ¡°Milord, please rest early, I wish you a good night.¡± ¡°Good night to you too, Mr. Carter.¡± After Carter left, Liszt spent some time looking at the thick parchment book about the culture and customs of the Duchy of Sapphire; the book was as thick as a dictionary. Its content, however, was sparse¡ªtrue to its name, the thickness of one page of parchment was almost that of pigskin. ¡°How was paper invented?¡± Liszt wondered. He was pleased to find his memory quite sharp, remembering the papermaking process he had seen online, ¡°Once I have the time, I must also invent paper¡ An industrial revolution seems unlikely, but there are still many ways to get rich.¡± In a trance, he zoned out again. Sure enough, the Serpent Script formed by smoke appeared before him again. ¡°Quest: As andlord, you need to understand everything about yournd. Please inspect Fresh Flower Town to understand the crisis of your territory, and prepare for future development. Reward: The sublimation of Dou Qi.¡± Chapter 4 - 0004: The Knight with Bursting Dou Qi Chapter 0004: The Knight with Bursting Dou Qi Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Early the next morning. Marcus arrived at the castle early, but did not enter. Instead, he waited outside. Looking at the low, dpidated castle, his heart was cold. Perhaps he was thinking that his future would be as bleak as this castle. The castle was built on a mound in the southwestern corner of town. There were no tall walls, no towering watchtowers, no battlements to stand upon, no broad moats, and no massive gatehouses. It was just a slightlyrger two-storey house. The stone walls were beginning to show faint cracks. Gradually, several tiles fell off the roof, raising concerns about leaks when it rained. It was said that this modest little castle was over a hundred years old. When Coral Ind was not yet under the Earl¡¯s dominion, nobles had lived here, but it had fallen into decay. After the Coral Ind was conferred to the Earl, he had it renovated as an alternate residence for inspecting Fresh Flower Town, though he never once stayed there. Until now, when Baron Liszt took up residence in the little castle. And he, a former Earth Knight of the Coral Ind Knights, who had been full of ambition to distinguish himself on the battlefield and be honored with an award, was going to be a frequent visitor to this little castle. Together with Baron Liszt, staying in Fresh Flower Town that didn¡¯t even have a gravel path. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Marcus,¡± greeted Servant Thomas respectfully, carrying an empty bucket and ready to fetch water from the town well. Marcus responded indifferently, ¡°Good morning.¡± He couldn¡¯t remember Thomas¡¯s first name, but he remembered hisst name, which seemed to be ¡°Pigpen,¡± a typicalmoner¡¯s surname. Even he himself did not have a noble-sounding surname; his was ¡°Wheel,¡± because his grandfather had been a coachman who constantly rolled wheels around. Commoners were like that, taking whatever surname they could get. He envied the nobles for their surnames, he envied the Earl¡¯s surname¡ªTulip, such a noble surname! How much effort would he need to put in to change his own surname to something simr? All the noble surnames were not to be used bymoners: Flowers, gemstones, metals¡ Nobles would definitely not allowmoners to degrade them! Soon, four tall men d in leather armor arrived behind Marcus. ¡°Teacher Marcus,¡± they all greeted one after the other. ¡°Karl, Rom, Gray, Auden, you¡¯re here,¡± Marcus acknowledged them one by one. These four men were Liszt¡¯s Retainer Knights. Retainer Knights were not knights but merely attendants to knights. They were a kind of servant responsible for taking care of knights on the battlefield¡ªcarrying spears, leading horses, washing clothes, and cooking. Essentially, Marcus was also a kind of Retainer Knight. It was just that he was a freeman, while Retainer Knights were bonded servants. Shortly after, Baron Liszt, still not quite awake, walked out from the castle¡¯s drafty main door. In the morning, Liszt had changed into simple and neat training attire¡ªa modest white, which paired with his enviable face, tall figure, and distinguished temperament, made for an excellent appearance. ¡°Good morning, Teacher Marcus, Karl Ironhammer, Rom Barrel, Gray Scythe, Auden Insole, anddies and gentlemen.¡± Ladies were female servants and gentlemen were male servants¡ªregardless of their marital status, nobles could address servants this way. Just as a male butler, whether married or not, is addressed as ¡°Mister,¡± and a female housekeeper, whether married or not, is addressed as ¡°Madam.¡± The rigid system of the nobility¡ªLiszt¡¯s body had been ustomed to it for sixteen years and now instinctively greeted them this way. ¡°Baron, we shall begin the knight¡¯s training ss,¡± said Marcus. ¡°Alright.¡± On the mound in front of the castle, Liszt began his knightly training. His four Retainer Knights, who had not learned Dou Qi, were merely toughening up their bodies on the side. Dou Qi training emphasizes bloodline inheritance, and very fewmoners are able to learn it. Li Si Te actually felt that Dou Qi was rted to nutrition. How could themoners who couldn¡¯t even get enough to eat refine power in their bodies into Dou Qi? Among the nobles, as long as one was diligent, there was nobody who could not produce Dou Qi. This was also the reason the nobility held on to their ruling positions so firmly. With money to eat well, they could cultivate Dou Qi, wield power, oppress themoners, and then be richer, eat even better, have stronger Dou Qi, greater power, and oppress themoners even more. The morning milk paired with bread provided Liszt with a steady supply of nutrients. Under Marcus¡¯s guidance, he kept practicing ¡°Basic Dou Qi¡± From the age of six, he had been cultivating using this secret manual. Unfortunately, the effects were minimal. Dou Qi certainly made him stronger than themoners, butpared to an Earth Knight, an Apprentice Knight appeared very weak, and Marcus could defeat him with just one hand. ¡°The mysterious aura, an experience I¡¯ve never had before, the practice¡ I wonder what the elevation reward for Dou Qi will bring me after Iplete the task¡ªcould it possibly turn me into an Earth Knight?¡± Feeling the Dou Qi within his body, Liszt practiced diligently. A whole hour passed before morning practice ended. ¡°Teacher Marcus, have some water. We¡¯ll take a ten-minute break and then head out.¡± Liszt wiped the sweat from his forehead, finding the morning practice quite exhausting. The old butler Carter had already brought the servants over with the nutrient-rich milk tea. All four Retainer Knights each got a cup of milk tea with minced meat, milk, and eggs, savoring the delicious beverage in small sips, forgetting the hardship of the past hour. Marcus and Liszt got an extra dessert¡ªcheese biscuits. Once they had finished eating and changed their clothes, the personal servant Thomas had already brought Liszt¡¯s horse, an adult chestnut who was almost pure in color. This was a gift from the Count of Coral Ind when he turned twelve. It was still a foal at the time, but now it had grown particrly majestic. Snort. The chestnut horse blew a loud snort, then rubbed against Liszt¡¯s arm affectionately. ¡°Fire Dragon, my old buddy, you must be bored stiff staying in the castle all the time.¡± Comforting his mount, Liszt smoothly mounted it with a swift leap. Behind him, Marcus and the four Retainer Knights each mounted their own horses. Marcus¡¯s was a yellowish-gray horse, also quite majestic¡ªhis personal mount. The Retainer Knights¡¯ horses were allmon yellow-maned horses, belonging to Liszt¡¯s property but assigned to the Retainer Knights for rearing. ¡°My lord, may you have a safe journey,¡± Carter wished him well. ¡°Thank you for your good words.¡± Liszt lifted his horsewhip, and the Fire Dragon Horse let out a long neigh and broke into a run. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Liszt, riding at the front, wore Magical Beast Leather Armor that only nobles could afford. It was lightweight and breathable, yet offered better protection than ordinary armor. The ck Magical Beast Leather Armor was girded at the waist with a One-Handed Sword. He also wore a ck Magical Beast Leather Helmet, crowned with the magnificent feathers of a male pheasant, adding to his martial appearance. His Retainer Knights, apart from their own weapons of one-handed swords and shields, also had to carry for Liszt arge-sized Knight Spear as well as backup weapons like a longsword, war hammer, and il, along with their lunch and water for noon. Marcus, apart from his favorite short spear, also carried a bow and arrows, for he was a Divine Archer. More than his identity as an Earth Knight, being a Divine Archer highlighted his worth. This was also the reason he was so ambitious and stood out among the Coral Ind Knights filled with Earth Knights, hoping to earn the standing of an Honored Knight. Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop! The sound of horses¡¯ hooves striking the solid earth rang out sharply, and before long, they had reached the small town. Liszt was to inspect his territory, and the town was a priority. Chapter 5 - 0005: The Magical Beast of Thorn Ridge Chapter 0005: The Magical Beast of Thorn Ridge Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The geographical location of Fresh Flower Town is at the northeast corner of Coral Ind and the area is not small. However, howrge it specifically is, Li Si Te (Liszt) was clueless. As a remote small town on Coral Ind, it was only simply divided to the northeast side of Thorn Ridge, without any marked boundaries. That meant, as long as Li Si Te (Liszt) didn¡¯t encroach on the towns to the southwest of Thorn Ridge, he could arbitrarily decide howrge Fresh Flower Town was. Even if he were to include all of Thorn Ridge, probably no one would me him¡ªafter all, the ownership of Thorn Ridge on Coral Ind was also undefined. Over twenty years of cultivation by the Tulip Family, in fact, less than two-thirds of Coral Ind had actually been converted into farnd with a settled poption. The remaining one-third was wilderness. Thorn Ridge was such a wilderness where thendlord¡¯s knights needed to campaign abroad, and these wildnds must be opened up by serfs andmoners. Thend of Thorn Ridge was extremely barren and uneven, making it of low development value. Moreover, facing magical beasts, ordinary people were just a delicious meal; even hunters dared not lightly test the waters of the magical beast¡¯s depth. Of course, there were some adventurers who would still go hunting magical beasts, and each beast, every piece of flesh, every inch of fur, could be exchanged for gold coins. Li Si Te (Liszt), riding on his Fire Dragon Horse, was filled with enthusiasm for this inspection. Enclosingnd was an innate instinct of every noble; howrge Fresh Flower Town was would depend on where his horse¡¯s hooves could reach. At this moment, the hooves were trotting along the town¡¯s streets, which were dirt roads, very dirty, with the feces of livestock and humans apparent everywhere¡ªonly the nobles would build toilets. ¡°Sanitation, it must be changed,¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) said as he turned to speak to Ma Ku Si (Marcus). Ma Ku Si (Marcus) could not deny it; he was not an administrative officer and was not interested in these matters. What heated his blood was the authority of the nobility, especially the serfs andmoners constantly bowing to Li Si Te (Liszt) along both sides of the street. These people, with their sallow faces, harbored admiration and fear toward the nobility. They would shiver all over. The ones kneeling were serfs; those bowing were freemen. Serfs made up the overwhelming majority, having sold themselves to the nobles, and were Li Si Te (Liszt)¡¯s private property. Matters of marriage and burial were decided by Li Si Te (Liszt). Even if Li Si Te (Liszt) exercised his droit de seigneur, these serfs were obliged toply and send their freshly bathed daughters and wives into the castle. Freemen were rare; they were mostly craftsmen such as hunters, tailors, and the like. The town was very small and rundown, not housing many residents. Even if all the town¡¯s popce had gathered along both sides of the street to pay respect, there was still no trace of a warm atmosphere. Gazing around, Li Si Te (Liszt) found that the town might only have a few hundred people¡ not even as many as the student poption of a school. The lowly hovels made of mud and thatched with straw stretched over arge area. The size of the town was mostly supported by these dpidated houses¡ªwith two-story buildings being a rarity, with only three or four households visible. This time, he truly felt the poverty of themoners¡¯ lives. His heart was heavy with countless emotions. And he felt even more fortunate that he was a noble, able to live in a castle and eat fine white bread made of refined wheat flour. The Fire Dragon Horse quickly carried Li Si Te (Liszt) through the town¡¯s only north to south thoroughfare, and with a slightly heavy heart, he proceeded along the safe route nned by Ma Ku Si (Marcus) towards Thorn Ridge. Throughout the ride, surrounding the town were patches of farnd, but Li Si Te (Liszt) could not name most of the crops. These crops didn¡¯t look promising; they were sickly and twisted, with many weeds growing alongside them, clearlycking any scientific management. This era certainly had incredible creatures like dragons and elves, as well as unimaginable divine forces like Dou Qi and Magic, but it was rtively underdeveloped. Industrial revolution was out of the question, but introducing some scientific development methods was still very promising. Liszt was full of confidence in managing his territory and leading the development of Fresh Flower Town. ¡ The journey was not long before the small town was far out of sight. Leaving the tnd, they entered a hilly area with sparse woods, which marked the edge of Thorn Ridge. ¡°Baron, magical beasts often appear around the edge of Thorn Ridge, so I hope you will follow me closely without being reckless,¡± Marcus said, leading the way upon reaching the area, and he instructed the four Retainer Knights, ¡°Protect the Baron at all costs. Unless you be corpses, do not let any magical beast advance a single step. Can you do that?¡± ¡°We can!¡± Karl and the others responded loudly. They came frommoners, who did not have to go to war in this region, a burden borne only by nobles and knights. But although Retainer Knights were ofmoner status, they also needed to go to war¡ªserving as logistical soldiers, they had the responsibility to die for the noble if they were seeking better treatment. To avoid magical beasts, the group of knights could only make their way along the edge of Thorn Ridge. The trees were still lush and asionally one could see wild animals, like rabbits and foxes; but the edge of the Thorn Ridge was not rich in food, so it was rare toe acrossrge wild beasts. ¡°In spring, summer, and autumn, the food within Thorn Ridge is enough to meet the needs of magical beasts, so Fresh Flower Town does not often encounter them. But in winter, starving magical beasts will invade Fresh Flower Town, and every year a few unfortunate souls be food to satisfy the beasts¡¯ hunger,¡± Marcus exined without mincing words despite his poor mood. ¡°Ah, magical beasts, I wonder if we could encounter one today,¡± Liszt thought, recalling from the predecessor¡¯s memories having seen several types of magical beasts. The biggest difference between them and ordinary wild beasts was their magic power, enabling them to release some greatly powerful magic spells. At Tulip Castle, they had also raised a small magical beast¡ªthe Fire Rabbit. The Fire Rabbit, capable of casting small fireballs, was delicious, with glossy fur preferred by nobles for its meat, and noblewomen for its fur to make coats. He had also seen the fur of a powerful magical beast¡ªthe Giant Barbarian Bear, which Coral Ind¡¯s Count¡¯s favorite chair was upholstered with, the terrifying bear¡¯s face fully tanned, exuding an intimidating and ferocious aura. To hunt down the Giant Barbarian Bear, the Coral Ind Knights had lost eight Earth Knights. The death of eight Earth Knights amounted to a severe blow to the Knight Order, even more casualties than a territorial battle might cost. Moreover, many more Apprentice Knights had perished. All the way, Liszt kept recording the terrain of Thorn Ridge, including ces suitable for building defensive fortifications, ces fit for water conservancy projects, locations where fortresses could be erected, and areas appropriate for opening farnds. These were all duties for andlord noble invested withnd to fulfill. ¡°It must be time for lunch, Auden. Let¡¯s prepare lunch right here.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Auden Insole immediately dismounted, found a t area to spread out a carpet, and then arranged the dry rations on it. The simple lunch included bread, caviar, fruit sd, and milk tea. And specially prepared for Liszt, dried goat meat. Just as they thought it was going to be a simple lunch, Marcus¡¯s expression changed abruptly after swallowing a piece of bread, ¡°Baron, there is a situation. It¡¯s the scent of a magical beast!¡± Chapter 6 - 0006 Earth Knight and Wind Blade Wolf Chapter 0006 Earth Knight and Wind de Wolf Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions As an Earth Knight, Marcus¡¯s Dou Qi was keenly perceptive to things like magic power and Dou Qi. If he said there were magical beasts, he was certainly not wrong. Liszt immediately became tense. The four retainer knights hastily packed up the tableware. They were ordinary people who hadn¡¯t even cultivated Dou Qi, so facing magical beasts meant certain death for them. Marcus had already mounted his horse, ¡°Don¡¯t bother packing up the tableware, protect the Baron and get him on his horse, and prepare forbat!¡± The retainer knights hurried over to assist Liszt. But Liszt, an Apprentice Knight with Primary Dou Qi, was much stronger than ordinary people. Suppressing the nervousness in his heart, he had already mounted his horse. The Fire Dragon Horse, majestic though it might be, was a young horse who had never faced battle and was equally nervous. Liszt had to reach out and stroke his mane to calm its nerves. Snort! The Fire Dragon Horse, encouraged by its master, rxed its tense body. As a birthday present from the Earl to his son, its bloodline was not inferior, inheriting from the magical beast, the zing Steed, and it had a strong adaptability. In a few breaths¡¯ time. The magical beast that Marcus sensed had poked its body out from the depths of the dense forest; it was a massive gray wolf with two pale cyan patterns on its body. ¡°It¡¯s a Wind de Wolf! A low-level magical beast! Step back, I¡¯ll handle it!¡± Marcus raised his short spear, and while it was called a short spear, it was actually a Knight Spear meant for closebat and was longer than a person. Speaking of which. Marcus suddenly let out a mighty roar, ¡°Hah!¡± Intermediate Dou Qi resonated and vibrated in his mouth, like a bomb exploding, the tremendous roar made the surrounding leaves rustle. He hoped to scare off the Wind de Wolf. The Wind de Wolf crouched down a bit and seemed to back away, as if it was going to retreat, but that was just a prelude to its attack. But as soon as Marcus squeezed his horse¡¯s sides, he rode his dusky-yellow horse and charged forward with his spear for a strong attack. The Wind de Wolf also leaped forward, dashing toward Marcus, while several pale cyan Wind des abruptly appeared in front of it, spinning and slicing towards Marcus. The tip of the Knight Spear trembled, a faint milky white light attached to it, swiftly striking and shattering each Wind de. Then, with a swing of his spear behind him, Marcus drew an oval trajectory with his Knight Spear, charging from the other side and hitting the leaping Wind de Wolf precisely. In a moment of crisis, the Wind de Wolf twisted its body, dodging the Knight Spear, but the milky white light on the spear inflicted a wound, causing blood to flow continuously. Once itnded, it sent out several Wind des chaotically. Marcus moved as one with his horse, narrowly dodging the Wind des. By now, he had put some distance between himself and the Wind de Wolf and attempted several charges to engage in closebat. However, the Wind de Wolf was intelligent, always maintaining its distance andunching Wind des to wear him down¡ªanother difference between magical beasts and ordinary wild beasts was their intelligence. In such a war of attrition, and with the magical beast¡¯s rapid magic power recovery, it was hardly an issue. However, a knight¡¯s Dou Qi couldn¡¯tst. But Marcus proved his strength and why he was confident in winning honors and the noble title of Honored Knight on the battlefield. He sheathed his Knight Spear and swiftly drew his bow from behind, instantly letting loose two arrows in tandem, the arrows infused with Dou Qi shot out like beams of light. The Wind de Wolf¡¯s eyes shed with disdain, as it could easily dodge the arrows¡¯ attack range with just a light twist of its hips. But the next moment, the Wind de Wolf¡¯s expression changed from disdain to fear. Two arrows collided in mid-air, rapidly changing direction and sinking fiercely into the back of the Wind de Wolf. ¡°Such profound archery, truly worthy of being the Knight Order¡¯s Divine Archer!¡± Liszt, who was watching the battle, was genuinely astonished, and his nervousness had faded away. With such an Earth Knight for protection, he could conveniently paddle leisurely by the side. It¡¯s good to live as a Landlord, always avoiding exertions in situations that don¡¯t require effort. Servants waited on him in life, while knights risked their lives on the battlefield. As the saying goes, things can happen in the blink of an eye. Watching Marcus draw another two arrows, the Wind de Wolf, bleeding nonstop on its back, shed a hint of resentment in its eyes and twisted its body to flee into the dense woods, disappearing from everyone¡¯s sight in the blink of an eye. Marcus watched the direction in which the Wind de Wolf vanished and slowly lowered his bow and arrows. Karl Ironhammer, who had been watching excitedly, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Teacher Marcus, why not pursue it? Two more arrows and the Wind de Wolf would surely be dead. That¡¯s a magical beast more valuable than pearls.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t just one magical beast like the Wind de Wolf in Thorn Ridge, and it wasn¡¯t as seriously injured as it appeared. It was just a ruse to lure us in¡ It definitely haspanions waiting in the woods. If you aren¡¯t afraid of dying, feel free to chase it,¡± Marcus responded coolly. Karl Ironhammer scratched his head and fell silent, not daring to speak. Marcus ignored him and turned to Liszt, ¡°Baron, this ce is dangerous, let¡¯s hit the road.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Liszt readily agreed, touring his territory only for the mission; he wasn¡¯t willing to face danger¡ªan old saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a copsing wall. Perhaps encountering a magical beast on the edge of Thorn Ridge in spring made Marcus a bit anxious, so he quickened the pace of the inspection thereafter. On the way, Liszt asked curiously, ¡°Teacher Marcus, your archery skills are impressive, even capable of deflecting arrows. What kind of archery is that?¡± ¡°Double Arrow Intersect, an advanced technique of standard archery skills, requiring the guidance of Dou Qi to perform.¡± ¡°That archery technique is both cool and practical. Teacher Marcus, when will you hold an archery ss to teach me?¡± Liszt was very eager. Marcus responded without much enthusiasm, ¡°Advanced archery techniques require the exterior release of Dou Qi to study. Before bing an Earth Knight, Baron, what you first need to do is to strengthen and enhance your own Dou Qi and learn the knight¡¯sbat skills, not shy archery.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll learn archery after I advance to Earth Knight,¡± said Liszt. Afterpleting the mission and receiving the Dou Qi Sublimation reward, perhaps that would be the moment he advanced to Earth Knight. In the next three hours, they did not encounter any more magical beasts. After inspecting Thorn Ridge, they arrived at the other side of Fresh Flower Town¡ªthe Sea of Azure Waves. The Duchy of Sapphire was situated in the northeastern corner of the continent, formed by the Sapphire Archipgo. Coral Ind was in the northeastern corner of the Sapphire Archipgo. Fresh Flower Town was in the northeastern corner of Coral Ind. Therefore, the vast blue sea Liszt saw at that moment was the border of the Duchy of Sapphire, the Sea of Azure Waves stretching into the unknown. ¡°Teacher Marcus, what¡¯s beyond the sea? Are there other inds, or continents, or perhaps other countries?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. The fleet of Earl has never ventured into farther seas. However, legend has it that, beyond the Sea of Azure Waves, lies the Devil¡¯s Sea haunted by devils, where no one can navigate.¡± ¡°Not even with dragon riding?¡± ¡°Dragons are the pirs of a nation; no Dragon Knight wishes to ride dragons and take risks everywhere. The continent has countlessnds waiting to be developed. Baron, why care about the seawater that holds nothing? Not to offend you, but you should learn from the Earl and seize morend.¡± His words carried a hint of seduction¡ªonly through war could new Nobles be created. Chapter 7 - 007: The Sublimation of Dou Qi Chapter 007: The Sublimation of Dou Qi Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` Seawater with nothing in it? Liszt would never agree with that. In his homnd, the struggle for the ocean was no less than that fornd, and a bluewater navy was the ambition of every country. While maritime resources were indeed difficult to exploit, they were in no way less abundant than those onnd; in this world, he dared not conclude whether there were any mineral deposits beneath the sea¡ªafter all, ording to the information currently avable, only dragons could produce gemstones and metals. But the fishing resources in the sea were absolutely incalcble in their enormity. In the Duchy of Sapphire, there were many wastnds, and a severe shortage ofbor, not even enough to farm thends, let alone develop fisheries. Yet a critical issue arose: elves were held in the hands of nobles who could not affect so much of the arablend, resulting in very low agricultural yields. Just like Fresh Flower Town, the farnd area was definitely not small, but the poption it could support was minimal. The fewer the people, the more they were bound by the nobility and the feudal system to thend, helping the nobility to farm, payingrge amounts of tax, and supporting the noble¡¯s luxurious life. ¡°The development direction of Fresh Flower Town lies in this vast expanse of azure Sea of Azure Waves!¡± Liszt¡¯s heart zed with fervor. As long as there was a nearby fishery, food could be supplied continuously; only when themoners were well-fed could they work hard to increase the poption, and with arger poption, more taxes could be collected. With more taxes, his own life could improve! Of course, these were not the urgent matters at hand; the development of fisheries could not be separated from ships, and Fresh Flower Town was still some distance away from shipbuilding, not to mention his savings could not buy many ships. ¡°Let¡¯s go, after inspecting the final stretch of the border, we¡¯ll head back.¡± He flicked his riding whip and the Fire Dragon Horse neighed loudly as it galloped along the sandy beach of the Sea of Azure Waves. The sand was a light yellow, clean and clear, with asionalrge trees simr to coconut trees growing. The afternoon sun was blocked by them, casting shadows in ce after ce. With a bit of development, it would be a perfect summer resort. The beach inspection over, returning to the starting point at the edge of Thorn Ridge, Liszt officially finished his inspection mission of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s territory. The entourage sped along the road back to the castle, where Marcus and the four Retainer Knights paid their respects before taking their leave to their homes in the town. The castle was merely a residence for Liszt and his male and female servants. ¡°My lord, seeing you return safely puts my heart at ease,¡± Butler Carter greeted Liszt, leading the servants lined up to wee his return. ¡°In my territory, even magical beasts need to behave,¡± Liszt joked, ¡°Mr. Carter, is everything well in the castle?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, Mrs. Morson, please arrange a bath for me, I need to take one.¡± ¡°Right away, my lord.¡± Mrs. Morson was almost forty, never married, and had worked at Tulip Castle her entire life, now responsible for all the female servants in Liszt¡¯s castle. Speaking of all the female servants, there were actually only three. And in the castle, there were a total of only ten servants. Butler Carter Taugaun, in charge of all the affairs in the castle, was considered Liszt¡¯s confidant; Housekeeper Morson Paddy Field, in charge of all the female servants, assisted Carter in managing the daily affairs of the castle; Cook Abbie Spoon, responsible for everything in the kitchen. There was the personal male servant Servant Thomas Jiandao, ordinary male servant Tom Pigsty, and male servant assistant Jessie Asanobu. All the female servants were ordinary female servants, Maisie Xiantou, Debbie Window, and Midgeon Bull Tail. There was also one kitchen assistant who was a female servant but was under Cook Abbie¡¯smand, named Eileen Four Fingers. Four Fingers, a very strange surname. Perhaps her ancestors had only four fingers, so when it came time to register a surname, that became it¡ªdon¡¯t expect themon people who are illiterate, spend their entire lives in the countryside, and hardly ever travel far toe up with appealing surnames. The nobles didn¡¯t allow them to have nice surnames either. Once Liszt took off his leather armor with the help of Thomas and went upstairs in casual dress, Butler Carter immediately called out loudly: ¡°Jessie, lead the lord¡¯s Fire Dragon Horse away, and remember to add extra beans when feeding it, it has been tired all day. Mrs. Abbie, head to the kitchen to prepare dinner; tonight, we should add an extra portion of roast meat for the lord. Mrs. Morson, remember to lead the female servants to prepare bath water for the lord; Tom still has to go to town to fetch water; Thomas, you must clean the lord¡¯s leather armor.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter!¡± the servants responded. ¡°` Carter nodded in satisfaction. Although the castle was small, the servants were few, and life was slightlycking, he was the steward here, managing all the everyday affairs of the castle and a capable assistant to the master. He liked this sense offort and power. ¡ The temperature of the bathwater was just right. Although they were not as skilled as the maids in Tulip Castle, with Mrs. Morson directing them, these newly-indentured maids had already adapted well to their work. Liszty in the bathtub, enjoying the sensation of the warm water soaking his body. He had not been without thoughts of establishing equality for all, to let the people of this world feel the light of a civilized society¡¯s democracy. But he was soberly aware that these servants¡¯ survival depended on being subordinates to the nobility, sheltering under the nobility¡¯s wings to live on. Without the job and status of a servant, returning to the fields, their lives would likely be even more miserable. Serfs and freemen starved to death in no small numbers each year. In the castle, as long as one didn¡¯t encounter a perversendlord, at least one had no worries of food and shelter. Once one managed to strive to the level of steward, that was the highest status amoner could aspire to. ¡°Who would have thought that one day, I, Liszt, would also have so many people depending on me for their lives.¡± His thoughts drifted. He began to be lost in thought and soon, serpent script made of smoke appeared before his eyes. The serpent script had changed, no longer disying the previous passage, but new text: ¡°Complete the quest, reward: sublimation of Dou Qi.¡± Liszt¡¯s heart was thrilled, ready to receive his reward, but then he suddenly discovered he did not know how to collect it. Just as he was about to investigate where to im his reward from, the serpent script in front of him dispersed into a cloud of smoke and quickly formed a new piece of content. ¡°Quest: A serious crisis has urred in Peanut Hamlet within the territory. A vast expanse of peanut fields has undergone an unknown mutation. The nters are at a loss and facing a reduction in yield. As andlord, it¡¯s your duty to resolve the issue. Reward: An Elf Bug.¡± ¡°Hmm, a new quest, the reward is an Elf Bug, that¡¯s a good thing!¡± Liszt first rejoiced, then followed by frustration, ¡°But what about the reward for the previous quest? Where is the sublimation of Dou Qi, who can tell me how to im that reward?¡± At that moment, Liszt was utterly fretful. He sensed his own Dou Qi, which showed no change at all. He fussed over it until the bathwater cooled, yet he still hadn¡¯t received the quest reward. He seriously began to suspect that he was truly having hallucinations. The smoke did not exist at all. Dressed, he stepped out of the bathroom with a dark expression, causing Servant Thomas, waiting outside, to begin to wildly specte. ¡°Master, you don¡¯t look well, is it possible that¡?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, go attend to your tasks. I¡¯m going to the study to read for a while.¡± Once in the study, Liszt wanted to calm himself and read a book. But his mind was a mess, and he couldn¡¯t calm down at all. He simply changed into another set of training clothes and began to practice in the castle¡¯s small garden. He was learning ¡°Basic Dou Qi,¡± the most widely circted Primary Dou Qi Manuscript. Aside from some tailored Dou Qi Manuscripts of big families, this was the best foundational manuscript. Primary Dou Qi was but a breath, only for strengthening the body and health. Havingpleted a set of movements and vented the frustrations he could not express elsewhere, he finally felt a bit better, and his emotions gradually stabilized. Just then, a breeze blew by, and suddenly, Liszt¡¯s eyes shone brightly, as if an idea shed through his mind that he managed to grasp. Immediately after, he once again performed all the training movements of ¡°Basic Dou Qi.¡± When this performance was over, all the Primary Dou Qi within his body seemed to reach a critical point, starting a transformation. It surged out from invisible channels and poured into every cell of his limbs and body. ¡°The sublimation of Dou Qi!¡± ¡°So it was here waiting for me!¡± Chapter 8 - 0008: Earth Knight Liszt Chapter 0008: Earth Knight Liszt Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` In his body, there seemed to ur a tumultuous storm, with boiling strength pulsating through his limbs and every part of him. The bnced and tranquil Primary Dou Qi had already surged into his cells. It seemed to undergo metamorphosis within the cells, and when the new Dou Qi returned to the meridians, it hadpletely transformed. The reborn Dou Qi had be Intermediate Dou Qi, possessing a unique attribute; Liszt stood quietly in the little garden, motionless. His heart felt as if flowers were in furious bloom; he tried hard to suppress his excitement and experience the nature of the freshly emerged Intermediate Dou Qi¡ªhis mission was indeed real and had brought about the sublimation of his Dou Qi. He had now, truly be an Earth Knight! For the cultivation of Dou Qi, this was a brand-new starting point; it was only as an Earth Knight that one represented truly extraordinary power. ¡°So my Dou Qi attribute is fire, huh? It¡¯s a bit conflicting with the Water Attribute of ¡®Thousand Waves¡¯; it looks like I need to prepare a new Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript¡ I thought I would awaken the same Water Attribute Dou Qi as the Tulip Family.¡± Water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, ice, light, dark. And gold, as represented by dragons, and wood, as represented by elves¡ªall are natures of magical power. There is no superiority among these attributes; they are merely different aspects of power. However, ever since before they had received the Earldom, the Tulip Family had been studying Water-Attribute Dou Qi. Their family¡¯s ¡®Thousand Waves¡¯ is also a top-tier Water-Attribute Dou Qi Manuscript, containing vast insights and experiences from their cultivation. Descendants who practice it could aplish more with less effort. But Liszt was not suited to cultivate ¡®Thousand Waves¡¯ now; forcing it would be counterproductive. Fire Attribute Dou Qi would naturally be more fitting for the practice of fire attribute manuscripts. ¡°Teacher Marcus has a Wind Attribute and cultivates the ¡®Gale Breaker¡¯ manuscript, which also doesn¡¯t match my attribute. Let me think, when I was at the Knight Academy, I came across a ¡®ming Wave¡¯¡ In a few days, I¡¯ll arrange for Teacher Marcus to make a trip back to Coral City to fetch it for me.¡± During this initial stage, the Intermediate Dou Qi needs to be nurtured and stabilized, so there¡¯s no rush to cultivate from the manuscript. In fact, Liszt is not eager for a boost in strength. Indeed, nobles have to go to battlefields, but Coral Ind, far from the maind, sees little strife. As the third son of an Earl, nobles on Coral Ind wouldn¡¯t dare to trouble him, thus he can develop in peace. Besides, even if one cultivates to great strength, in a hundred years, it will all be but a handful of yellow soil. To live as a stablendlord, enjoying the service of servants, is good. The dirty work of fighting and killing can be left to the subordinates. ¡°Of course, being promoted to an Earth Knight is still something to be excited about. This means I¡¯m less likely to fall ill and my resistance to severe cold and scorching heat has greatly strengthened! In this world, what could be more fortunate than being healthy and living a long life?¡± He exhaled a deep breath. Liszt¡¯s emotions, once stirred with excitement, now began to settle, and he turned to walk towards the castle. His personal servant hurried over, looking for something to attend to: ¡°Master, you have just finished your knight¡¯s training, do you need fresh bathwater prepared?¡± ¡°Would that be too troublesome?¡± ¡°Of course not, serving you is our honor.¡± ¡°Okay, prepare another bath then.¡± ¡ Dinner time. Marcus and Goltai arrived as promised. ¡°Liszt, you look even healthier now, it seems you have fully recovered, that¡¯s worth a toast,¡± Goltai lifted his cup, deeply inhaling its scent, for he was as fond of drink as he was of life. This was amon mdy among nobles. Yet, Marcus¡¯s gaze flickered: ¡°Baron, have you¡ made a breakthrough?¡± ¡°Just an hour ago, inspired, I made new progress in my Dou Qi cultivation.¡± Liszt replied with restraint, for after all, making a breakthrough to be an Earth Knight after his sixteenth birthday was nothing to boast of. ¡°Congrattions, my lord!¡± Marcus spoke solemnly, his tone changing slightly. He used to address him with ¡°Baron,¡± but now he directly called him ¡°my lord,¡± a wee change. ¡°Wow, this is tremendous news, no wonder when I left the house today, the magpies were bustling and chirping all over town. Liszt, you are truly worthy of being the Earl¡¯s offspring, inheriting the fine lineage of the Tulip Family. You, will inevitably wield power!¡± Goltai burst out exuberantly. ¡°Compared to my brother and sister, my talents are not outstanding; I can only make up for it with more diligent cultivation.¡± ¡°The fact that you think this way proves that you are equally excellent. Historical figures aren¡¯t always outstanding in their youth. A knight¡¯s creed is to continuously catch up and progress. In you, I see such qualities.¡± ¡°Thank you for the praise, Teacher Goltai.¡± ¡°Therefore, tonight, we must celebrate properly and have a few more drinks.¡± Goltai chuckled, then turned to Butler Carter and said, ¡°Mr. Carter, to celebrate Liszt¡¯s advancement to an Earth Knight, shouldn¡¯t you bring out some fine wine from the castle¡¯s cer to toast this glorious moment?¡± Old Carter had a broad smile on his face, ¡°I think so too, Mr. Goltai.¡± But he did not move; to drink or not to drink wine, the decision had to be made by the master of the castle. Liszt did not want to dampen the mood and nodded, ¡°Mr. Carter, please bring out a bottle of Crescent Moon Wine and also prepare a pudding for each gentleman anddy.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord,¡± Carter turned and left, descending to the wine cer. On his way, he passed the kitchen door and said, ¡°Mrs. Abbie, the lord has granted us, each to have an extra pudding with dinner tonight.¡± Abbie¡¤Spoon was a plump woman, and upon hearing the news, she eximed loudly, ¡°Butter pudding, oh my, the lord is too generous; there really is no need for this. The maidservants will eat anything, and besides, we don¡¯t have much cream left.¡± Kitchen maid Eileen, who was mopping the floor, looked up eagerly, ¡°Mr. Carter, can the kitchen maids also get an extra pudding?¡± ¡°Of course, today is a joyous day, as the lord has advanced to an Earth Knight!¡± ¡°Oh, heavens, the lord is so great!¡± Abbie eximed loudly again, and then she turned and shouted, ¡°Eileen, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and finish mopping, then go to the storeroom and bring over the cream. It¡¯s a big day for the lord; you get to eat the pudding that¡¯s only avable on festive days, so let¡¯s get spirited and work hard!¡± ¡°Understood, Mrs. Abbie, praise be to the lord.¡± ¡ Crescent Moon Wine. A specialty of Coral Ind, harvested during the first new moon of each autumn to make wine. Tulip Castle has a grape Minor Elf who grows a variety of grapes, one of which is specifically for winemaking. Although they don¡¯t taste very good when eaten, the wine they produce is sweet and sharp, a top-quality wine that is well-known throughout the Duchy of Sapphire. The Court would purchase a batch every year. When Liszt left Tulip Castle, he took a box with him. ¡°An aged bottle of Crescent Moon Wine is like an old story gracefully emerging from a deep tunnel of time, subtly telling you what true beauty is, whatsting vor is,¡± Goltai swayed the crystal wine ss, watching the bright red liquid rise and fall against the crystal wall, speaking poetically. Liszt took a small sip. To be honest, he didn¡¯t think there was anything particrly enjoyable about wine; he didn¡¯t like any alcohol, preferring only to eat wine-soaked rice. His body, inherited from his previous life, had a certain ability to assess alcohols and could adapt to the taste of various types. So, when in Rome, he would have a drink asionally. After all, without high-proof distilled spirits, it was hard to get drunk. ¡°By the way, Teacher Goltai, is there a problem with the peanuts from Peanut Hamlet?¡± He suddenly recalled his new mission. His Dou Qi had sublimated, and he was very eager for the new rewards. ¡°Hmm, indeed, it seems that this year¡¯s climate hasn¡¯t been very good, and Peanut Hamlet is likely facing a total crop failure. I¡¯ve sent someone to look, and the Peanut Fields are extensively turning yellow. In a few days, they¡¯ll probably die off¡ Poor serfs, they¡¯ll go hungry before winter even arrives.¡± Goltai spoke pitifully but without a hint of sympathy in his expression. Putting down his ss. Liszt stated unequivocally, ¡°Tomorrow,e with me to Peanut Hamlet for an on-site inspection, to research how to resolve the crisis.¡± Chapter 9 - 009: The Barren Land of Peanut Hamlet Chapter 009: The Barren Land of Peanut Hamlet Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The date-red Fire Dragon Horse carried the Earth Knight Liszt, across the muddynd, to Peanut Hamlet. Peanut Hamlet was a residential area much smaller than a vige, sparsely dotted with seven or eight thatched cottages. ¡°What are you dazed about? Seeing Lord Landlord has arrived, why aren¡¯t you kneeling quickly to pay your respects!¡± A clerk from the town energetically knocked on the door of each farming household. The residents here were all serfs. Emerging from the leaky houses with expressions numbed by the pressures of life, they stood woodenly at their doors, not knowing what to do. Under the loud scolding of the clerk, they knelt one by one on the ground, bowing in the direction of Liszt. The actions of the adults were all numb. Only a few bare-bottomed children would asionally lift their heads, observing Liszt with their dirty but bright eyes. Then, they too were pped down by the heads of adults, kneeling on the ground with their foreheads nearly touching the soil. ¡°Who is in charge of Peanut Hamlet?¡± Liszt asked. Goltai sat on his own horse, looking as if the matter did not concern him; he did not know who was in charge of Peanut Hamlet. A clerk spoke up: ¡°Replying to the Lord, it is Old George with the limp.¡± ¡°Please have hime here.¡± The clerk quickly dragged over an old man with a limp and shaky walk. The old man wore patched clothing, and his withered body seemed as if it could snuff out at any moment. ¡°Lord Landlord, Old George has arrived,¡± the clerk announced. The clerk pushed the old man, seemingly trying to make him quickly pay his respects, but the old man just stood there nervously, woodenly, not knowing what to do. Liszt waved his hand to dismiss the clerk and said warmly, ¡°Old George, don¡¯t be nervous. I am Baron Liszt Tulip, the Landlord of Fresh Flower Town. I heard that there¡¯s a problem with the peanuts in Peanut Hamlet. Lead us to the fields to see if we can resolve this issue.¡± ¡°Ah, oh, Baron¡ Lord Landlord¡¡± Old George stuttered nervously, ¡°I will lead the way right away¡ thank heavens¡ Peanut Hamlet is saved¡ the Lord Landlord hase to save us!¡± Stirred with excitement, Old George suddenly walked as if carried by the wind. Liszt had inspected the farnd before, but he had only stood outside for a nce; now, he truly took a close look at the farnd. Since the fields belonged to serfs, there were no ridges, and the long-shaped fields were separated only by a trench as a boundary line, with different serfs tending to different crops. Nearly ny percent of the farnd¡¯s yield belonged to the nobility, which is to say, Liszt¡¯s. The remaining ten percent was their ration. At this moment. The peanut fields, which should have been lush green, were patchy with blue and yellow; all the peanuts were withered, sprawled lifelessly on the ground. Thend was damp, clearly showing the serfs had not skimped on watering, but watering alone could not bring the peanuts back to life. Wiping his tears, Old George said excitedly, ¡°Lord Landlord, we haven¡¯t cked off at all, watering thrice daily, but the peanuts are still dying. Now, only the field that Archie tends to hasn¡¯t withered, but it¡¯s also struggling, with some leaves beginning to yellow.¡± Following the direction Old George pointed, Liszt saw the long field in the center of Peanut Hamlet¡¯s farnd. In the middle of the long field was a green area, much healthier lookingpared to the surrounding blue and yellow withered peanuts. Liszt dismounted, walked into the field, bent over, and plucked a yellowing peanut sprout, ready to observe it closely when Goltai suddenly said, ¡°Liszt, you shouldn¡¯t touch these dirty tasks. These serfs should do whatever is needed.¡± Although a fallen Honored Knight, he still looked down onmoners more than the average noble. Liszt paid no attention. He continued examining the peanut sprout in his hands, trying to ascertain the cause. He was not an agronomist, but he had farmed in his childhood and was not unfamiliar with agriculture. The peanuts of both worlds were simr in some aspects and foreign in others. But he could still discern that the peanut sprout in his hand was malnourished, which was the cause of its current condition. ¡°Have you used wood ash or manure to fertilize the fields?¡± ¡°What?¡± Old George was puzzled, ¡°Lord Landlord, we water the crops, three times a day!¡± Liszt asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you use fertilizer?¡± Old George was taken aback and then asked in return, ¡°What is fertilizer?¡± Not even knowing what fertilizer is¡ Liszt was at a loss for words, ¡°How do you all grow peanuts then?¡± Old George rambled on about their methods, which essentially involved letting wild grasses grow in the fall and winter, burning them off the next year, and then nting peanuts. After nting, the tasks were watering and weeding. Generation after generation had done it this way, resulting in particrly low yields. Only the nobles could use elves to influence nt growth and achieve a bountiful harvest. Understanding this, Liszt couldn¡¯t help shaking his head. Without spreading fertilizer, even the best soil would be barren after a few ntings. The vast fields before him were almost turning into barrennd, no wonder the peanuts were dying¡ªthey were ¡°starving¡± to death. However, Liszt soon had a doubt, ¡°Why didn¡¯t they starve to death before, but the peanuts are starving to death now?¡± ording to Old George, they had been nting this way every year, and apart from droughts and floods, they hadn¡¯t experienced anything like this. Therefore, the nutrient deficiency in the peanut fields likely had another cause. ¡°What could it be?¡± His gaze turned toward the green patch in the middle of the field, pondering seriously. Suddenly, an idea shed through his mind, recalling the reward for the quest¡ªsaving the peanut fields was the task, and the reward was an Elf Bug. Based on the reward he received for his first quest, Liszt felt that the Elf Bug wouldn¡¯t just appear out of nowhere; he would likely find it unexpectedly along the way. ¡°Rewarding me an Elf Bug¡ the peanut fields suffering from malnutrition¡¡± Staying up, Liszt already had the answer, ¡°Perhaps, the cause of the malnutrition in the peanut fields is the Elf Bug that I am to be rewarded with for the task. Elf Bugs are born from nts, and my Elf Bug should be the Peanut Elf Bug.¡± With a wave of his hand, he summoned everyone, ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look in the center of the field.¡± The group tiptoed over to the center of the peanut fields, where the peanut seedlings were still fairly robust. Liszt searched his memory; as a child, he had seen Elf Bugs being collected. They were usually found inside a nt¡¯s flower or a new bud, resembling a jade-warm caterpir. Each type of Elf Bug had different patterns. He currently owned four Elf Bugs, including a Tulip Spirit Bug, a Thorn Elf Bug, a Millet Elf Bug, and an Alfalfa Elf Bug. Breeding Elf Bugs required coordination with farming, and Goltai was still helping him find suitable fields for breeding the Elf Bugs. After searching for a while, Liszt didn¡¯t find a peanut seedling that was gestating an Elf Bug. ¡°It¡¯s probably not the right time yet; if the nutrition can¡¯t keep up, this Peanut Bug will probably miscarry,¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t help clenching his fist. Elf Bugs represented productivity, and he couldn¡¯t afford to fail this mission. With that thought in mind. He told everyone, ¡°I think I understand the reason now, Old George; follow my instructions and let¡¯s save this peanut field.¡± ¡°Praise to Lord Landlord!¡± Old George cried with joy. Goltai asked in surprise, ¡°Liszt, have you really found the problem? Do you even know how to grow peanuts? What caused the peanuts to die?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say just yet; in a few days, we will know,¡± Liszt cautiously refrained from stating the cause, worried that he might have guessed wrong. If there were no little elves, it would be a huge blunder. So, the priority was to save the peanut seedlings. Chapter 10 - 0010: The Great Fertilization Battle of the Peanut Fields Chapter 0010: The Great Fertilization Battle of the Peanut Fields Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The fertility of Elf Bugs requires a significant amount of nutrients, and the barren Peanut Fields restricted the development of the Elf Bugs, resulting in all the peanut seedlings around the central part of the field nearly dying from concentrated nutrient deficiency. The solution to cure this was simple, fertilizing the Peanut Fields was needed. Liszt recalled his knowledge about farming and said to Old George. ¡°Old George, I¡¯m entrusting you with a few tasks. First, mobilize the farmers to collect firewood and dead grass everywhere, burn them, and gather the remaining wood ash. Second, get able-bodied farmers to dig pond mud, just theyer at the bottom of the pond. Third, have the children collect feces, regardless of what kind, just pick it up.¡± Old George had no questions regarding the orders from Lord Landlord, ¡°Understood, Lord Landlord, Old George will surely carry out yourmands.¡± After Old George hobbled away. Liszt turned to Goltai and said, ¡°Teacher Goltai, I¡¯m guessing the feces collected in Peanut Hamlet won¡¯t be enough. Go to the town and organize it so that all farmers collect feces¡ Well, let¡¯s do it this way, buy the feces in the name of the Administrative Officer, setting the price at one copper coin per basket.¡± Copper coins, silver coins, Gold Coins, and Dragon coins are the universal currencies in this world. However, different empires, kingdoms, and grand duchies issue their gold, silver, and copper coins, which all differ from one another. The copper coin mentioned by Liszt is the currency of the Duchy of Sapphire, with which one can buy roughly four loaves of bread, enough to feed an adult for several days. A silver coin can exchange for one hundred copper coins, a Gold Coin for one hundred silver coins. As for Dragon coins, formally known as Sapphire Dragon coins, they are gemstone coins imbued with the Magic Power of the Grand Duchy¡¯s unique Sapphire Dragon, worth ten thousand Gold Coins, and are magic items in themselves. Upon hearing this, Goltai couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°Wow, Liszt, why would you pay such a high price for dirty, lowly feces, which besides stinking and polluting our sense of smell, are worthless.¡± ¡°No, feces are very useful. Just carry out the publication, and find a ce to umte the feces, preferably an uncultivatednd away from the upwind,¡± Liszt understood the value of feces well. In the absence of chemical fertilizers and insufficient Elves, the best source of fertilizer for farming was feces. As a majorndlord who owned all thend in Fresh Flower Town, Liszt had many fields to cultivate, and he needed ample fertilizer. He also disliked the idea of his town¡¯s streets being littered with carelessly disposed of feces and urine, as such conditions were an affront to civility. He nned to buy feces long-term for two purposes: to use aspost and for sanitation¡ªpromoting the usage of toilets was not feasible for the time being, so buying feces was the most cost-effective approach. ¡°But the price is too high. One copper coin should buy ten baskets, no, twenty baskets,¡± Goltai suggested. ¡°Just do as I said, Teacher Goltai,¡± Liszt¡¯s tone carried a hint of sternness. With that, Goltai stopped hisints, spread his hands and said, ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡ In those days, thendlord was the authority. When Liszt¡¯s orders were given, no one dared to shirk or evade them, so the clerks and farmers were very quick to act, and the pond mud, feces, and wood ash he required were already piled up in Peanut Hamlet. ¡°Very well, Old George, now lead the people to mix these materials together then dig a hole next to the root of each peanut seedling, sprinkle some of this mixture in, and bury it. Then water the nts and weed diligently, I believe the peanut seedlings will recover soon.¡± Mounted on his Fire Dragon Horse, Liszt cheerfully directed the farmers of Peanut Hamlet to fertilize the Peanut Fields. As andlord, he naturally wouldn¡¯t do the work himself¡ªthe noble system didn¡¯t allow it, and he personally had no desire to. The total area of the Peanut Fields in Peanut Hamlet is about one hundred acres, roughly the size of ten ser fields or seven or eight elementary schools. There are twenty-three farming households in Peanut Hamlet,prising ny-two people. Ny-two serfs, excluding children who can¡¯t work, plus the serfs brought in from the town, amounted to one hundred and twenty people, all busily working. ¡°Teacher Goltai, how many people are there in Fresh Flower Town?¡± ¡°Uh, sorry, Liszt, I haven¡¯t been in town long enough to sort that out clearly.¡± Goltai was unclear and turned to ask a clerk, ¡°You¡¯ve lived in the town for many years, do you know how many households there are and the poption? Over a thousand people?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lord.¡± The clerk shook his head. Goltai looked at another clerk. This clerk shook his head as well. Thus, not a single person in the whole of Fresh Flower Town knew exactly how many people there were. Liszt was speechless. Was Fresh Flower Town a forgotten ce? Had the administrative officers of Coral Ind nevere to conduct a census before? Had the previous Administrative Officer never done a poption survey either? ¡°We need a thorough census. Andlord who doesn¡¯t even know the poption of his own territory is truly speechless.¡± Thinking this, he had already ordered, ¡°Teacher Goltai, organize manpower, hurry to arrange the census. I need to know how many households there are in Fresh Flower Town, how many people, the names and family rtionships of each person, as well as their upations, ages, genders, and marital status.¡± ¡°This is going to be busy, Liszt. You know, there are too few officials in the town. We have no Finance Officer, no Defense Officer, no Legal Officer, no Diplomatic. In fact, we don¡¯t even have an Administrative Officer. I should be serving as your advisor, not the town¡¯s Administrative Officer.¡± In a Noble¡¯s territory, civil officials are basically led by the advisor, who oversees the Administrative Officer, Finance Officer, Defense Officer, Legal Officer, and the Diplomatic. The military officer is the Knight Commander, who oversees the Knight Order. There was no doubt, Goltai, as a down-and-out Honored Knight, low-level in the feudal system but still a Noble, had followed Liszt here with the intention of bing an advisor. And the other knight teacher, Marcus, without a doubt, should serve as the Knight Commander¡ whether Fresh Flower Town could afford to maintain a Knight Order was another matter. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, Teacher Goltai. Fresh Flower Town is awash with things to be done and my Castle awaits its rise. First manage the town¡¯s affairs for me andplete the census.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t want to immediately delegate advisory powers to Goltai. It wasn¡¯t for fear of being outmaneuvered, but rather because Goltai¡¯s mind was filled with the feudal system and he wasn¡¯t grounded enough to keep up with Liszt¡¯s development ns. ¡°Alright then, Liszt. You¡¯vee of age and have the mindset of a qualifiedndlord. I heed yourmand,¡± Goltai saluted with one hand, disying his Noble breeding, calm andposed. ¡ For three days in a row, Peanut Hamlet was bustling with the fertilization process, which was a significant agricultural project. The one hundred acres were soon all fertilized with a mix of pond mud, manure, and ashes from nts and trees. Especially the central plot ofnd, which received several times the fertilizer. Liszt also came here to direct the operation for three days and when everything was done, all he could do was wait, wait for the Peanut Fields to be improved. ¡°I¡¯ve done everything I can, hopefully the task will bepleted soon.¡± He wasn¡¯t one to dwell on matters, so once work here was over, he quickly moved on to other estate affairs. The most important was the Elf Bug. Chapter 11 - 0011: The Revival of the Peanut and the Gestating Bud Chapter 0011: The Revival of the Peanut and the Gestating Bud Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Teacher Goltai, how is the progress of finding a suitable location to settle the Elf Bugs? They have been asleep for a month, and I hope to revive them soon, rather than let them waste their potential.¡± Elf Bugs are a kind of magical creature. They can recognize an owner; just a bite on a finger and a drop of blood as an inducement are needed to form a magic contract¡ªthey are the spirits of nature, the essence of nts, and the messengers of magic. nting their Cordyceps would affect the growth of the surrounding nts. Cordyceps are the nt body that nurtures Elf Bugs and can be considered an essential magic treasure belonging to the Elf Bugs. They can store and release energy. They can be nted as well as enter dormancy. The growth of Cordyceps is the growth of the Elf Bugs. If the Cordyceps die, the Elf Bugs will also die. Now, the Cordyceps is inside the stomachs of four Elf Bugs,cking nutrient supply, the Elf Bugs can only sleep soundly. This not only wastes productivity but also dys the possibility of the Elf Bugs¡¯ evolution¡ªwithout absorbing any nutrients and without influencing the growth of crops, none of the Elf Bugs can evolve into Little Minor Elves just by sleeping. Although the hope is slight. Liszt still wanted to try and see if his Elf Bugs could evolve into Little Minor Elves. Goltai answered, ¡°Alfalfa Bugs are suitable for nting on the dairy farm, where there¡¯s arge pasture. Recing the grass with alfalfa should work; Millet Bugs are hard to find a suitable ce for, as Fresh Flower Town primarily grows wheat and no one nts millet; Tulip Bugs should, of course, be nted at Fresh Flower Farm, even though the ce is nearly abandoned¡ As for Thorn Bugs, Liszt, you know they¡¯re of little value.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care whether they have value, what I need is for them to have a field of their own, to grow!¡± ¡°I can start nting alfalfa and tulips first. Thezy serfs should get to work, but Liszt, I need more hands. The clerks are allzy fellows, they simply can¡¯t get anything done!¡± ¡°You may conscript the townspeople at will and have the castle pay their wages.¡± ¡°Good heavens, the castle is paying wages? You really are a generous Lord Landlord. But there¡¯s hardly anyone in Fresh Flower Town who can read, and you still want me to organize a census. They can¡¯t even write their own names, I can assure you, they won¡¯t get anything done, you can¡¯t expect much from themoners.¡± This was a problem. Fresh Flower Town had no school, there was no education here, and illiterate people serving as officials was truly unreliable. ¡°So, Teacher Goltai, do you know any literate people willing to settle in Fresh Flower Town? So long as they¡¯re willing to serve as officials, I can pay them wages, at least twice that of officials in other towns¡ My castle should still have quite a few Gold Coins.¡± No matter how unpopr, Liszt was the son of an Earl, and he had received a substantial amount of Gold Coins when he came of age and was granted his inheritance. Goltai fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing his words: ¡°Liszt, I can see you have big ambitions for Fresh Flower Town. I also do know some unrecognized but educated individuals. However, as your family tutor, I must remind you, Fresh Flower Town is already struggling to support one Landlord, and bringing in more people might be too much to bear.¡± ¡°I understand that, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of it; feel free to invite them all,¡± Liszt said easily. With the right talent, he could create wealth. In his view, Fresh Flower Town was an unexploited virginnd. Although it was difficult to be wealthy through farming without Elves, means to create wealth weren¡¯t limited to just farming. At the same time, a voice in his heart said, ¡°I have the Smoke Mission, my personal golden finger; maybe it could bring me even more wealth!¡± As they were discussing these matters, Butler Carter knocked and entered, ¡°Sir, Old George from Peanut Hamlet seeks an audience with you.¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°He said, the peanuts in Peanut Hamlet magically revived to lush green overnight. The central field that you specifically instructed to look after even has a peanut nt with a veryrge bud,¡± ¡°Really, let hime in,¡± Liszt was very surprised. He had just fertilized the fields, and he had not expected the Peanut Fields to recover so quickly. The urge to find a ce to be alone and check if the Smoke Mission had been updated was nearly overwhelming. By the time Old George entered the castle with anxious, tiptoe steps, Liszt had already regained hisposure, ¡°Old George, tell me in detail about Peanut Hamlet.¡± ¡°Yes¡ Lord Landlord¡ Your great radiance¡ shines upon every corner of Peanut Hamlet¡¡± Just as Carter reported, Peanut Hamlet turned lush green overnight, and one of the peanut nts underwent a mutation, sprouting a veryrge bud. The serfs could not contain their joy. Ignoring his limp, Old George ran like the wind, panting heavily as he sought an audience with thendlord. His formerly numb and desperate gaze had been reced by hope. Goltai had already figured it out, his mouth agape, ¡°Oh my, Liszt, this¡ could it be that a¡ a Peanut Bug has been bred in the Peanut Fields?¡± Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°Quite possibly.¡± ¡°Oh my, Liszt, you truly are a noble blessed by heaven! Who would have thought that such a remote and small town like Fresh Flower Town could breed an Elf Bug; it¡¯s simply incredible!¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s unbelievable or not, we¡¯ll know once we see it. Mr. Carter, prepare a horse for me, I¡¯m going to Peanut Hamlet.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡± At the castle gates. Liszt and Goltai each mounted their steeds, while Carter inquired, ¡°My lord, your Retainer Knights have not yet arrived. Shall we wait a bit?¡± Thomas stepped forward, as if wanting to say something, but didn¡¯t dare to speak out. Liszt noticed and nced over at Thomas and Old George, then said, ¡°Thomas will ride with me, and yes, take Old George along too.¡± Like hearing celestial music, Thomas trembled with excitement, ¡°Thomas is at your service, my lord!¡± This was the first time Thomas was allowed to attend to his lord closely on an outing. A personal valet¡¯s closeness, synonymous with being a constantpanion, is the heart and soul of a noble¡¯s entourage. Many valets to the great Nobles were indeed Knights who had fought shoulder to shoulder with them on the battlefield. Four men, three horses. The Fire Dragon Horse took the lead, galloping swiftly to Peanut Hamlet. Looking out, the Peanut Fields that were yellow and wilted the day before were now a lush green, all the peanut sprouts stretching out their leaves. It was spring, and it was not yet the blooming season. Yet, in the middle of the field, thergest peanut nt had a fist-sized bud on its stem above the root, about to bloom. Its tender lush green was extraordinarily heartwarming. ¡°This truly is the bud of an Elf Bug, heaven¡¯s blessing, Liszt, Fresh Flower Town is and favored by heaven!¡± Goltai eximed, somewhat exaggeratedly. Liszt was actually very excited inside, but his face still bore the noble¡¯sposure and a gentle smile, ¡°The Elf Bug ys a crucial role in the agriculture of Fresh Flower Town, which is why this Peanut Field must be protected. Old George, you and the farmers must assign someone to guard it every day.¡± ¡°Lord Landlord, Old George would guard it even without eating or drinking!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to go without food and drink; take turns standing guard,¡± Liszt said to Thomas behind him, ¡°Tell my Retainer Knights on your way back that I need one of them to be stationed in Peanut Hamlet every day to guard the Elf Bug.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Chapter 12 - 0012: Census in Fresh Flower Town Chapter 0012: Census in Fresh Flower Town Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The Elf Bug had not yet been bred, and Liszt couldn¡¯t possibly wait here foolishly. After arranging for people to stand guard, he returned to the castle. Fresh Flower Town¡¯s only contact with the outside world was a road that traversed Thorn Ridge, and there were few travelers. Only when the Earl came to collect taxes would caravans apany the Knight Squad. Now that Fresh Flower Town had be Liszt¡¯s territory, no one came to collect taxes, and caravans were probably reluctant toe. Therefore, there would be no one coveting the Elf Bug. As for the residents of Fresh Flower Town, even less so dared to entertain the thought. The Elf Bug was a darling of nature; it would only enter into a master-servant pact with humans possessing magic power¡ªperhaps Magical Beasts could as well, but they had no such intentions. Magic power referred to Dou Qi and magic; they appeared different but were essentially the same. In Fresh Flower Town, only three people possessed magic power: Liszt, Marcus, and Goltai. Both Marcus and Goltai were well-known figures on Coral Ind; even if they stole the Elf Bug, they couldn¡¯t escape. On Coral Ind, nobody dared to touch anything belonging to the Tulip Family, and Liszt was a member of the Tulip Family. Therefore, there was no need to worry about the safety of the Peanut Elf Bug. He arrived at his study, closed the door, and concentrated for a moment, waiting for the smoke to appear. After repeated probing, he hadpletely mastered the pattern of the smoke¡¯s appearance; he just needed to calm his mind, and then he would see it. Sure enough. One minuteter. Twisted Serpent Script appeared before his eyes. ¡°Complete the mission, and be rewarded with one Peanut Elf Bug.¡± ¡°Just as I thought, the Peanut Little Minor Elf is the reward for a previous mission¡ This Smoke Mission that appeared out of nowhere seems unable to conjure rewards from nothing; the rewards are things that exist in reality or are about to happen¡ The sublimation of Dou Qi must be due to my own umted efforts, and the Peanut Bug is something that should emerge naturally.¡± However, without the Smoke Mission, those rewards would probably be wasted. He estimated he would still be an Apprentice Knight, and the Peanut Bug would also quietly die. At this moment, the twisted Smoke Serpent Script showed new content. ¡°Mission: As the Landlord of the territory, how can you not know the poption of your subjects? Please conduct a census to understand the basic situation of the residents. Reward: A new Tulip species.¡± ¡°A census? Isn¡¯t that precisely what I n to do? It seems the Smoke Mission updates content based on my actual situation¡ A new Tulip species, what does that mean? Is it going to give me a Magic Potion?¡± Liszt guessed. The Tulip Family¡¯s growth was due to the Tulip. The Tulip was not merely a flower, it was also a Magic Potion¡ªa magical ingredient. Magic Potions were crucial auxiliary materials for cultivating magic and Dou Qi. The Magic Potion from the Tulip, as Liszt recalled, the highest-priced one could sell for a hefty sum of ten Gold Coins. A new variety of Tulip, if it produced a Magic Potion, would undoubtedly be a powerful tool for economic revitalization. Even if it weren¡¯t a Magic Potion, contributing it to Tulip Castle, allowing the Tulip Great Elf to assimte it, would also enhance the Greater Elf¡¯s potential for evolution and development. ¡°Well, then, next up is to push the census strongly! A small town with at most a couple thousand people¡ªwhat¡¯s so troublesome about it? Goltai is truly disappointing. If all else fails, I¡¯ll supervise it myself.¡± A couple thousand people were not much more than the size of a school in Liszt¡¯s hometown. Having served as president of the student body in his school, Liszt had great trust in his own abilities. ¡ But for Goltai, it was an immensely difficult task. He asked the previous administrative officer during the handover, a knight dispatched by the earl, about his duties in Fresh Flower Town. The knight had done only one thing¡ªcollected taxes. The knight didn¡¯t concern himself with anything else, and hardly ever visited Fresh Flower Town himself; instead, he had one of his retainer knights manage on his behalf. The retainer knight here did likewise only one thing¡ªcollected taxes and nothing more. The taxes from Fresh Flower Town included peanuts, milk, wheat, barley, oats, tomatoes, and tulips. Coral Ind¡¯s Count would collect taxes every three months, taking away the majority of the scant agricultural output from Fresh Flower Town. Once the knight finished collecting taxes, he wouldn¡¯t bother with Fresh Flower Town anymore. Poor and remote, itcked the prosperity and enjoyment of Coral City. Thus, Goltai sat in the dpidated administrative room of the small town, looking at his mere four clerks and six patrol members, and felt thatpleting a poption census was an impossible task. ¡°None of you have ever read a book, recognized a single character? There¡¯s not a single literate person in the whole town?¡± A clerk said embarrassedly, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no school in the town, and we¡¯ve never left it¡¡± A patrol member with a bright red, wine-stained nose said, ¡°Perhaps the old tanner can read. He came from another ind. I saw a book in his house, so thick andrge. I even flipped through it¡ªit had pictures of little figures. But the old tanner gave me a beating. He¡¯s blind, stitches shoes very firmly, and is also tough at hitting people.¡± A blind man, Goltai didn¡¯t even think about it and disregarded the old tanner. Since there was no one who could read, all he could say was, ¡°You must at least know how to count, so each of you go to a hamlet and bring me the number of households and people!¡± This should have been a simple task, but after a day had passed and the clerks and patrol members returned to report, Goltai felt like going mad. He scolded loudly, ¡°What, Peanut Hamlet has 18 households and 56 people? Mr. Teacup, are you jesting with me!¡± Mr. Teacup, whose full name was David Teacup, was one of the clerks, and his face twisted with dilemma, ¡°Sir, I didn¡¯t, uh, I counted several times, not sure if it¡¯s correct, but each time the numbers were different.¡± Peanut Hamlet had 23 households and 92 people, a figure Goltai personally tallied when Liszt came to aid the Peanut Fields. He really couldn¡¯t fathom how David Teacup could have counted 18 households and 56 people. No need to think about it. The numbers for the other hamlets were surely made up as well. Realizing this, Goltai waved his hand in resignation, ¡°Alright, no more reporting, keep the numbers for your own amusement. Bring over my Mare Qian, I need to see Baron Liszt at the castle.¡± Riding his horse to the castle, Goltai exaggeratedlyined to Liszt, ¡°You have no idea. Those clerks and patrol members can¡¯t even properly count from one to ten! It¡¯s impossible to rely on them toplete the census. Liszt, I¡¯ve already written the letter, just waiting to send it; maybe we can wait for them to arrive before conducting the poption census.¡± ¡°And when would that be?¡± ¡°No need to rush, Liszt, we have plenty of time, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I cannot wait,¡± Liszt tapped his fingers on the table, ¡°Mr. Carter, who in the castle can read and write?¡± Mr. Carter bowed slightly and said, ¡°My lord, I can write letters and read books, Thomas can as well, and I think Mrs. Morson should be able to.¡± ¡°Then, please ask Mrs. Morson and Thomas toe over, and call over Teacher Marcus and my four retainer knights as well. I remember they all can write.¡± Once everyone had arrived, Liszt announced publicly, ¡°Now, let¡¯s set aside whatever we¡¯re working on and help me with the poption census of Fresh Flower Town. Each person will be responsible for one hamlet: the town, Mushroom Hamlet, Peanut Hamlet, Tomato Hamlet, Barley Hamlet, Little Wheat Vige, Fresh Flower Farm, and the dairy farm.¡± Chapter 13 - 0013 Black Tulip Chapter 0013 ck Tulip Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Hurry up, hurry up, damn fool, dilly-dallying, are you looking to die! The Lord Landlord wants to take a census of your family, quick, put on your clothes, and bring your wife and children with you, assemble in the clearing ahead, if one person is missing, mind I break your legs!¡± The patrolling member pped the thatched cottage door, brandishing his authority as he bellowed into the house. Soon, the entire poption of Barley Hamlet emerged from their houses, assembling in the clearing amid the scolding of the patrol members. They whispered to each other in twos and threes. They asionally looked up at the table in the middle of the clearing, where a forty-year-old woman in a tidy dark green dress was sorting through a stack of thick parchment. Behind the woman was a young maid, helping to dissolve the ink in the tea canister. ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°Never seen her before.¡± ¡°Idiot, she must be a maid from the castle!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right, look at her clothes, they are definitely pressed, only the Lord Landlord¡¯s maids wear such tidy and clean outfits, unlike us, stinking and wrinkled.¡± ¡°What does the Lord Landlord want to do? I heard thepdog say, a census¡ What was it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a poption census.¡± An elderly serf chewed on some kind of nt root, ¡°Ten years ago, the Earl sent someone to conduct a census, back then our Barley Hamlet had¡ had¡ had so many serf families, many more people than now, oh dear, the big snow seven years ago starved many people to death.¡± In front of the table. The patrol members, who were previously brimming with bravado, were now nodding and bowing as they said to the two maids, ¡°Mrs. Morson, Miss Midgeon, all the serfs of Barley Hamlet are assembled.¡± ¡°I am not a miss, I am just a maid in the castle.¡± Actually, Midgeon Bull Tail was pleased with the title of miss. She smiled and asked, ¡°Is everyone here? Make sure not to miss anyone, otherwise the Lord Landlord will punish us, you included.¡± ¡°Of course, of course, I can guarantee, they would not dare to hide.¡± Mrs. Morson nodded, ¡°Then go on, have theme one household at a time, once their census is done they can go straight home, no need toe back to register.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The patrol member then started leading the serf households one by one to the table. Mrs. Morson asked ording to the items Liszt had prepared beforehand, ¡°Are you the head of the household? What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ho¡ Hope, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, your full name, including your surname, Mr. Hope.¡± ¡°Oh, okay¡ okay, my name is Hope Sourwater.¡± ¡°So Mr. Sourwater, is your whole family here, all five of you? What is your wife¡¯s name, and what are the names of your two sons and daughter¡ How old are you, and what is your upation, what do you do? Is your wife the same? Is your eldest son working yet?¡± Quickly, Mrs. Morson finished her questioning and began to record the information on the thick parchment. Head of serf household ¨C Hope Sourwater, age 37, barley cultivation, limbs intact; wife ¨C Simon Sourwater, age 34, barley cultivation, limbs intact; eldest son ¨C Rob Sourwater, age 20, oat cultivation, limping; second son ¨C Peter Sourwater, age 17, barley cultivation, limbs intact; daughter ¨C Lily Sourwater, age 15, chicken raising at home, limbs intact. Having recorded the information, Mrs. Morson checked it over once more. Once certain everything was correct, she said gently, ¡°Mr. Sourwater, ma¡¯am, your family can go back now.¡± ¡°Oh, okay¡ okay.¡± This scenario continued for one day, and then stack after stack of thick parchment was delivered to the castle, to Liszt¡¯s desk. With that, the census operation for Fresh Flower Town was deredplete. ¡°Liszt, this is truly incredible. Such a difficult task, in your hands, seems so easily resolved. You will make apetent Lord Landlord, for sure,¡± Goltai praised. ¡°Teacher Goltai, let¡¯s hold off on the praise for now,pile the numbers from each hamlet and summarize them for me.¡± ¡°At your service.¡± ¡°` Perhaps it was Liszt¡¯s decisive actions that put pressure on Goltai, prompting this would-be advisor and follower to uncharacteristically burn the midnight oil, workingte into the night by candlelight. Early the next morning. Thepiled statistics had already beenid before Liszt after he finished breakfast andpleted his knightly training. ¡°My lord, Lord Goltai stayed up all night. His eyes were full of red veins when he delivered the documents,¡± Carter said, holding the thick parchment. ¡°Make sure to treat him with good food and drink. A token of appreciation is always necessary. I want Fresh Flower Town to thrive. I don¡¯t want my territory to remain as lifeless as it was in the past.¡± Carter looked a bit dazed and took a few seconds to respond, ¡°My lord, I feel as though I am seeing the young and spirited viscount that the Earl was in his youth. In five years, he rose to the rank of earl and established the Tulip Family¡¯s rule over Coral Ind. Having you as thendlord is fortunate for all the residents of Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Liszt replied without modesty. Quietly flipping through the thick parchment¡ªalthough there were many pages, there wasn¡¯t much content. Even written in minute script with a goose quill, there wasn¡¯t much text to record. ¡°Thick parchment is indeed backward.¡± ¡°My lord, we don¡¯t have much thick parchment left. This has already used up four-fifths of our stock,¡± Carter informed him. ¡°I know, I¡¯ll find a way to solve this.¡± Papermaking had long been on Liszt¡¯s agenda, just waiting for the right time to tackle it. After half an hour, Liszt had fullyprehended all the data from Fresh Flower Town. There were a total of eight hamlets. In the town¡¯s hamlets, 257 households, 907 people, of which 41 households, 125 people were freemen; the rest were serfs. Peanut Hamlet, 23 households, 92 people, all serfs. Mushroom Hamlet, 68 households, 211 people, all serfs. Tomato Hamlet, 30 households, 152 people, of which 10 households, 28 people were freemen; the rest were serfs. Barley Hamlet, 48 households, 155 people, all serfs. Little Wheat Vige, 101 households, 342 people, all serfs. Fresh Flower Farm, 21 households, 54 people, all serfs. There was also a dairy farm, 18 households, 60 people, all serfs. In total, Fresh Flower Town had 584 households, 1973 people, with just 51 households, 153 people being freemen; the remainder were serfs. At the castle, there were 10 servants, 4 retainer knights, as well as two followers¡ªGoltai, Marcus¡ªand including Liszt himself, 17 people. Goltai and Marcus still had families back in Coral City, yet had not brought them over. It could be they were reluctant toe, or they were waiting for some time before making the move. Therefore, the total poption of Fresh Flower Town was 1990 people. The vast majority were engaged in agriculture, growing barley, wheat, oats, tomatoes, mushrooms, peanuts, tulips, and raising dairy cows, as well as a small number of chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, dogs, and sheep. Only seven percent of the poption was involved in handicraft industries. There were tailors¡¯ shops, smithies, carpenters¡¯ shops, bakeries, mills, grocery stores, tanners¡¯ shops, barbershops, and locksmith stores¡ªone of each. ¡°The census is detailed enough; this shouldplete the task,¡± Liszt thought to himself as he pushed away the parchment that emitted a faint stench. Just then, old Butler Carter approached: ¡°My lord, great news! The steward from Fresh Flower Farm hase to report a joyous event to you.¡± Upon hearing the words ¡°Fresh Flower Farm,¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up, and he knew it was probably the reward for the task, ¡°Where is he? Bring him here¡ What¡¯s the good news?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a previously unseen ck Tulip, my lord. I¡¯ll bring him over right away.¡± ¡°` Chapter 14 - 0014 The New Home of the Tulip Spirit Bug Chapter 0014 The New Home of the Tulip Spirit Bug Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Fresh Flower Farm, with a history even longer than Fresh Flower Town. It began eighteen years ago, shortly after Li Weiliam Tulip was granted Coral Ind, and he led his Knight Order to survey the entire ind, discovering a wildflower field here. Among the flowers, two new varieties of tulips thrived. For the Tulip Family, tulips were their lifeline, so the Earl moved his subjects here to cultivate the tulips. However, due to inconvenient transportation, within a few years, the Earl transnted the new varieties of tulips to Coral City, and Fresh Flower Farm gradually fell into neglect. Today, besides a few tulips, most of the flowers at Fresh Flower Farm had been cleared away to make space for other crops like barley and wheat. Therefore, when Liszt arrived, he didn¡¯t see a field of colorful flowers, only lush green wheat seedlings. ¡°Lord Landlord, only twenty acres of tulips are left here. The red ones are Saint Dance Tulips, tomemorate your ancestor; the yellow ones are William I Tulips, to honor your supreme glory,¡± said Steward Victor, his hair flecked with white, sighing repeatedly. At its zenith, Fresh Flower Farm spanned a vast 800 acres, but now only 200 remained, with 180 of them nted with wheat. ¡°They¡¯re not magic potions?¡± ¡°Regrettably, they are indeed not magic potions, which is why the Earl seldom harvested the tulips here afterward. But now, they are about to be revitalized. Look there, Lord, right in the tulip field¡ªthat ck Tulip, with its purple-ck petals. I¡¯ve never seen it before!¡± Liszt looked over, and indeed, that tulip stood out amongst the yellow and red tulips around it, its purple-ck color striking. It was like a proud ck swan, serenely preening its feathers amidst a flock of geese. ¡°Is it a magic potion?¡± ¡°I do not know, Lord Landlord.¡± ¡°Let me have a look.¡± Liszt parted the ordinary tulips and walked up to the ck Tulip, his fingers touching the purple-ck petals. Suddenly, a familiar yet strange scent was perceived by him. His eyes suddenly sparkled. Liszt showed a satisfied smile, ¡°It is a magic potion!¡± Magic potions, magical herbal materials. Mysterious magicians casting spells cannot do without the assistance of magic potions; knights practicing Dou Qi cultivation also rely on magic potions for support, as do various magical treasures, which all need magic potions as auxiliary materials to some extent. Even though the price of magic potions fluctuates greatly depending on their effects, the cheapest one is worth at least more than one silver coin. Liszt had never heard of a magic potion cheaper than a silver coin. To possess a kind of magic potion is to possess a vast fortune. Now, the ck Tulip grew on Liszt¡¯s territory. Undoubtedly, this wealth belonged to him. ording to noble customs and thew, even an Earl had no right to seize a lesser lord¡¯s profits. Loyalty is one thing, interests another; when a lord enfeoffs a vassal, the vassal owns everything in the territory. ¡°It seems I have gained not only a fortune but also found a new home for my Tulip Spirit Bug,¡± Liszt took a deep breath, ¡°The Fresh Flower Farm truly should be revitalized!¡± He gestured to Victor, the steward, and his own retainer knights, to leave the tulip field. He crouched beside the ck Tulip alone. Focusing his mind and calming his breath. Soon, a faint mist appeared before him, twisting into words. ¡°Complete the task, reward a new variety of tulip.¡± Then. The mist twisted, and the words changed. ¡°Task: The decaying Fresh Flower Farm seems to have encountered a turn of fate, the new variety of ck Tulip should take on the duty of revival in conjunction with the Tulip Spirit Bug. Please arrange cordyceps for the Tulip Spirit Bug. Reward: A magical beast cub.¡± The task was updated. ¡°` Easy as pie, it was like receiving a bounty of welfare. What caught Liszt¡¯s eye was the reward of a magical beast cub. Even the most ordinary low-level magical beast was more powerful than an apprentice knight, capable of challenging an Earth Knight. The Wind de Wolf Liszt had encountered before was a low-level magical beast, slightly weaker than Earth Knight Marcus. Some low-level magical beasts could even take on a Sky Knight. ¡°I wonder what kind of magical beast cub it will be¡ªwill it be raised or ughtered?¡± Liszt was full of anticipation. ¡ ¡°My lord, the Tulip Spirit Bug has been brought.¡± Butler Carter, escorted by the retainer knights, arrived at the Fresh Flower Farm and handed a jade box to Liszt with great care. Taking the jade box, Liszt could feel a vibrant little life inside, connected by blood to himself. He opened the lid of the box. Immediately, he saw a ¡°silkworm baby¡± inside, thicker than a thumb but shorter than an index finger, with pale yellow on its back and green stripes. Compared to a silkworm baby, the Elf Bug was coated in a jade-like sheen that made it look like a wriggling long jade strip, stunningly beautiful. At the moment, the Elf Bugyzily on the powdered ground jade. During the transnt period, the cordyceps inside its stomach could not provide nutrients, so it relied on nibbling jade powder to maintain its vitality. Jade, also known as Magic Jade, was a stone imbued with magic power. Much cheaper than the gemstones produced by dragons but still a rare and precious mineral. ¡°Little guy, have you rested enough? It¡¯s time to check out your new home.¡± Liszt extended his index finger. Sensing his thoughts, thezy Tulip Spirit Bug slowly crawled onto his finger and settled in his palm. Its bright ck eyes, the size of sesame seeds, looked around restlessly, as if sizing up the new home environment. ¡°What a beautiful life indeed; no matter how many times one sees it, it¡¯s never enough.¡± Goltai, who hade to greet them, stared at the Elf Bug and eximed loudly. As a down-and-out Honored Knight, he had no Elf Bug. As a Honored Knight, the lowest tier in the noble hierarchy, one often hadnd and the more affluent could possibly afford an Elf Bug. But Goltai¡¯snd had long since declined and had been sold by him. Now a knight without a fief, he naturally couldn¡¯t afford an Elf Bug. Liszt walked to the center of the Tulip field and gently said, pointing at the ck Tulip, ¡°Little guy, make your home here and nt your cordyceps.¡± With their established contract connection, the Elf Bug understood Liszt¡¯s intentions. Slowly opening its mouth, it emitted a green light that fell next to the empty space beside the ck Tulip. Following that, a cordyceps took root and sprouted, growing branches and leaves. The green branch tips produced a pale yellow tulip¡ªthat was its cordyceps, capable of affecting the growth of dozens of acres of tulips nearby. As an Elf Bug, it could potentially make a tulip season yield twice over. And also enhance the quality of the Tulips. Liszt ced the Tulip Bug within the flower of its cordyceps; that was its home. It seemed that having spat out the cordyceps and rented it took a toll on its energy, restingzily in the flower without moving. Liszt couldn¡¯t help urging it, ¡°Little guy, there are new ck Tulips next door, aren¡¯t you going to taste them?¡± Enticed, the Tulip Bug finally crawled out of the flower, along the stem, and continuously climbed upwards until it reached the tip of the leaf. Just when it looked about to fall, it raised its head and moved towards the air. A faint glow emitted from its underside as if crawling on something transparent, it ¡°climbed¡± toward the cluster of ck Tulip flowers nearby. It wriggled its plump body. The Tulip Bug sent Liszt a feeling of ¡°excitement¡± and then started rolling around within the purple-ck flowers¡ªthis was assimtion. It signified the Tulip Bug beginning to gather the ¡°pheromones¡± of the ck Tulip, exerting its abilities on the ck Tulip. Of course, Liszt preferred to think that the Tulip Bug was collecting different genes to perfect itself. Once it had gathered enough, it would have the chance to evolve. At Tulip Castle, there were three Tulip Bugs that evolved into Tulip Lesser Spirits by this method. One was given to Liszt¡¯s sister, Li Vera. In Liszt¡¯s memory, he envied, resented, and felt jealous of her, and even more so when he was conferred the title of Baron¡ªbecause he didn¡¯t receive a Lesser Spirit. Chapter 15 - 0015: Marcus and the Sneak Attacking Wild Dog Chapter 0015: Marcus and the Sneak Attacking Wild Dog Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Once the Tulip Spirit Bugpletes its assimtion, it can be returned to the Jade Box and kept inside the Castle¡ªwhat¡¯s more, there¡¯s no need to feed it Jade Powder anymore; the Cordyceps can absorb nutrients on its own to sustain the Spirit Bug. The process should take about a day. Back at the Castle. Liszt began to write letters. He unfolded a thick piece of parchment and, dipping the quill in ink, began to trace Serpent Script. With no telephone and no fax, he could only use the most primitive method of letter-writing tomunicate. He nned to write to the Coral Ind¡¯s Count and the Falcon Town Baron, his father and sister respectively. The Earl had one Tulip Greater Elf and one Tulip Lesser Spirit, as well as several Tulip Spirit Bugs, while the Baron had a Tulip Lesser Spirit. This meant that the ck Tulips on Liszt¡¯snd were vitally important to the Elves, and both the Earl and the Baron would be willing to pay a price to assimte this new variety. Here, let alone brothers settling ounts, even fathers and sons must do the same. ¡°By taking advantage of this assimtion opportunity, perhaps I could obtain a Spirit Bug from the Earl; from the Baron¡¯s side, a batch of living supplies.¡± He had already decided what he wanted to trade for. Elves were the primary source of productivity, and he must not let slip any opportunity to obtain them. Next came the shortage of living supplies¡ª in reality, the Castle wascking in everything. Liszt was not a person who lived an ascetic life; he enjoyed hisforts. ¡°Additionally, I can speak with the Earl about the cultivation and sale of ck Tulips as a specialty item. ck Tulips can only be grown on mynd. However, I can entrust the Earl with the selling rights. Hmm, as for the profits, taking a twenty percent share should be no problem¡ But to fully propagate the ck Tulips, it will still take a year or two before they can be mass-produced.¡± He paused his writing, pondered for a moment, and continued the letter. ¡°Maybe I could ask for an advance, no, collect the Earl¡¯s sales agency deposit upfront. I must secure more Gold Coins; it would be hard to develop Fresh Flower Town without start-up capital. Especially the road through Thorn Ridge, a safe and broad path must be cleared; if you want wealth, build the roads first.¡± Basically, that was the content. Once the two letters were written, Marcus had already arrived. The only person fit to deliver the letters, being an Earth Knight, was Marcus¡ªLiszt had not yet studied the Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript, which left him rtively weak inbat. ¡°Teacher Marcus, I have two letters here that I need you to deliver for me.¡± ¡°At your service,¡± Marcus replied, his tone slightly different. Before Liszt was promoted to Earth Knight, Marcus would probably have just said ¡°Yes,¡± but now it was ¡°At your service.¡± Liszt noticed this subtle change, but made no particr response: ¡°Also, I need a copy of an Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript. The ¡®Thousand Waves¡¯ at Tulip Castle is not suitable for me. Please bring me the ¡®ming Wave¡¯ from the Knight Academy, and, uh, ask Butler Louis whether Tulip Castle has any other Fire Attribute Dou Qi Manuscripts.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Rest well tonight, and set off tomorrow. Be careful when crossing Thorn Ridge.¡± Liszt paused, ¡°Your dappled gray horse isn¡¯t outstanding enough; ride my Fire Dragon Horse instead.¡± Marcus bowed in gratitude: ¡°Thank you for the offer, but the dappled gray horse has been through battles with me; it¡¯s an old friend with whom I share a mutual understanding. It¡¯s more fitting for a poor knight like me to ride it.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡°If the Baron has no further need of me, I shall take my leave.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± ¡ ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Marcus,¡± greeted Tom Pigsty, who was carrying buckets of water when he encountered Marcus leaving the Castle. Marcus nodded slightly: ¡°Good day to you.¡± Tom was ttered by the acknowledgement. Normally, neither Marcus nor Goltai would say ¡°Good day¡± to him. He was just a manservant who did the heavy chores in the Castle, with perhaps only the stable-boy Jessie Asanobu, who was responsible for feeding the horses, chopping wood, and sweeping dung, and kitchen maid Eileen Four Fingers beneath him in status. He wanted to bow to Marcus, but forgot he had buckets on his shoulders. As he bent over, the carrying pole slipped, and half the water spilled from the buckets. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, of course, Mr. Marcus.¡± After Marcus rode off, Thomas emerged from somewhere and said, ¡°You really are all thumbs, spilling half the water from both buckets, Mr. Tom Pigsty. Perhaps the lord should have you feed the pigs¡ªthat might suit you better.¡± Tom picked up the bucket without looking at Thomas. ¡°I¡¯m going to fetch two more buckets of water.¡± He was a head taller than Thomas, but always had the habit of lowering his head. Thomas sneered, ¡°Other than fetching water, what can you do? No, you can¡¯t even fetch water properly. You are nothing but aboring manservant for life! I am the master¡¯s personal servant, and sooner orter, I¡¯ll rece Old Carter and be the butler of the castle! When that timees, you¡¯ll be the first one I send to feed the pigs.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t, Mr. Carter is the master¡¯s confidant,¡± Tom murmured in defense. ¡°Hmph, the master has already allowed me to apany him on outings and trusts me. I¡¯m young, and I will rece Old Carter sooner orter!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Tom didn¡¯t want to argue anymore and turned away. After pouring the water from the bucket into therge tank, maid Debbie Window came over to fetch water. She nced at Thomas, who was loitering outside the castle, ¡°Tom, is Thomas giving you trouble again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be afraid of him; he¡¯s nothing special. The master will see your hard work.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m not afraid of him. The master is very very kind, he sees my hard work, and so does Mr. Carter,¡± said Tom as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°But thank you, Debbie, do you need help carrying water upstairs?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it bother you?¡± ¡°Not at all, Mr. Carter has arranged light duties for me.¡± ¡°Tom, you really are a good person.¡± ¡ Early in the morning, Marcus had his breakfast and fed his dapple-gray horse plenty of beans and hay. He carefully checked the two letters from Liszt and the five from Goltai, and then nced at the few words he had written on the thick paper. These words were reminders to himself so he wouldn¡¯t forget¡ªLiszt needed the Fire Attribute Dou Qi Manuscript, Old Carter had entrusted him to purchase thick paper, Goltai wanted a box of cigars, Retainer Knight Auden Insole had asked him to buy ointment for scabies, and he needed bowstrings for himself. His bowstring had snapped while struggling with Wind de Wolf, and he needed a new one. Afterward, he cleaned his Knight Spear and One-Handed Sword, counted the feathered arrows in his quiver, and, with everything well prepared, he mounted his horse and left the town, heading towards Thorn Ridge. Thorn Ridge was a series of rolling hills. In fact, it should be two hills joined together, with one running north-south and the other east-west, and a little path in the middle being the essential route in and out of Fresh Flower Town. Within the woods, Magical Beasts roamed. However, they were not many, especially in this season when food was abundant, and rarely did the beasts venture out. Thus, the path between the hills was rtively safe, and as an Earth Knight, he did not dreadmon beasts. He had traveled no more than a mile. Suddenly, he sensed the presence of a Magical Beast. ¡°Why have I encountered a Magical Beast again? Last time it was a Wind de Wolf, I really am unlucky!¡± Marcus gripped his Knight Spear, nervously watching the direction from which the Magical Beast¡¯s aura spread. After waiting for a moment. The Magical Beast did not show itself. Marcus narrowed his eyes; a Magical Beast that concealed itself was more dangerous than one that showed itself openly. He patted his dapple-gray horse, pretending to leave to coax the beast into revealing itself. He had gone about half a mile farther. The Magical Beast trailing him finally grew impatient and took the initiative to attack. Arge figure burst out from the woond beside the path,unching a ferocious attack. Marcus, who had been on guard all the way, naturally could not be taken by surprise. Almost simultaneously, he reined his horse around, thrusting his Knight Spear forward in response. Then, he discerned the appearance of the Magical Beast¡ªit was a gigantic wild dog. Chapter 16 - 0016: The Rising and Falling of Dog Barks Chapter 0016: The Rising and Falling of Dog Barks Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` ¡°Fierce Earth Dog!¡± Marcus¡¯s heart lurched, and his Knight Spear trembled. But in the next moment, he suddenly found that his Knight Spear had precisely pierced a small bloody hole in the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s body. The ferocious lunge of the Fierce Earth Dog was halted by his spear, and it fell heavily to the ground. The Fierce Earth Dog on the ground tried to turn and pounce again. But Marcus gave it no chance, discarding the Knight Spear unsuited for closebat, he drew the One-Handed Sword hanging on his horse and hacked wildly at the Fierce Earth Dog. The strength of an Earth Knight was astonishing, and even his One-Handed Sword had undergone systematic training. For a time, he chopped at the Fierce Earth Dog, evenrger than the Wind de Wolf, making it howl in chaos, its scattered retaliationspletelycking in technique. And from beginning to end, the Fierce Earth Dog did not use any magic but simply engaged in a melee with Marcus. ¡°Why is the most powerful Magical Beast of Thorn Ridge, the Fierce Earth Dog, no different from amon wild beast, so weak?¡± he wondered with a million doubts in his mind. But his Longsword did not cease for a moment, and shortly after, the Fierce Earth Dog was severely injured andy bleeding on the ground. Barely hanging on to life. Marcus dared not rx, picking up the Knight Spear from the ground and thrusting it toward the throat of the Fierce Earth Dog. Pu-chi! ¡°Whimper¡¡± The Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s gaze scattered and it breathed itsst. Pulling out the rope he carried, Marcus skillfully tied it around the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s tail, then mounted his dun horse, speeding back the way he hade. He dared not linger in Thorn Ridge, especially since the blood scent of the Fierce Earth Dog might attract wild beasts, even Magical Beasts. ording to thews of the nobles, all produce from the territory belonged to thendlord. Therefore, even though Marcus had killed the Fierce Earth Dog, it belonged to Liszt¡¯s property. He sped along and quickly returned to the two-story castle. ¡°Teacher Marcus.¡± Karl Ironhammer was on duty; their Retainer Knights needed to guard the castle¡¯s safety. ¡°Quick, go inform the Baron, I¡¯ve killed a Magical Beast!¡± ¡°What, a Magical Beast!¡± Swiftly, the entire castle was stirred, whether Retainer Knights, manservants, maidservants, the butler, or the cook, all followed Liszt toe and see the Magical Beast. Magical Beasts were actually not umon, for Tulip Castle had them bred, but in this small ce, a Magical Beast was still a rarity. Moreover, Magical Beasts were valuable, treasures from head to toe! ¡°Teacher Marcus, is this the King of Thorn Ridge, the powerful low-level Magical Beast called the Fierce Earth Dog?¡± asked Liszt, his eyes gleaming with deep thought. ¡°It is indeed a Fierce Earth Dog, under normal circumstances, even two of me might not be able to defeat a Fierce Earth Dog, as it can release Earth Attribute magic¡ªRock Spike, which is very difficult to defend against, and upon encountering it one can only flee. But the one I have hunted only used wild beast pounce, it did not use magic even once.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t use magic, what do you think is the reason?¡± Marcus had clearly pondered during his wait: ¡°I think, I might have encountered a Female Tyrant Earth Hound that had recently given birth. Looking at its abdomen, shriveled and ck, these are postnatal traits, and it is still in thectation period. Also, I found many bite marks on its body.¡± ¡°Lactation period? Bite marks?¡± ¡°Here, here, and here, these are all tooth marks; Baron, do you remember the Wind de Wolf we encountered earlier? These tooth marks are starting to heal, they are not very clear, but I think they are from the Wind de Wolf.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re suggesting¡¡± Liszt felt suddenly assured, ¡°This Fierce Earth Dog was attacked by Wind de Wolves during its pregnancy, it might have won and given birth to its offspring, but the battle drained its strength and magic power, forcing it to rely on its animal instincts to hunt, and then it encountered you, Teacher Marcus?¡± ¡°Very likely.¡± Liszt suppressed his excitement and calmly said, ¡°In that case, Teacher Marcus,pared to the valuable corpse of the Fierce Earth Dog, I think its offspring are the real treasure. Are you still able to fight? Join me in searching Thorn Ridge to find the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s offspring.¡± ¡°I am always ready to fight,¡± Marcus puffed out his chest, then added, ¡°but Thorn Ridge is very dangerous, I alone should go in to search.¡± ¡°Together, I am also an Earth Knight.¡± ¡°Baron¡¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, nobles, too, need to fight. Just treat this as a practical knight lesson for me,¡± Liszt dered with righteous fervor. ¡°` In his heart, however, he thought that with the mission reward lying just over there, how could he be content without iming it. Moreover, the fact that the weakened Fierce Earth Dog survived and attacked Marcus suggested that there were no Magical Beasts over there threatening its life; otherwise, it would have already be a pile of dung. No one could stop Liszt¡¯s determination. Marcus ced one hand over his chest and respectfully performed a Knight¡¯s salute, expressing his respect for Liszt¡¯s courage. The butler, Old Carter, bent at the waist to bow, ¡°My lord, your courage is armored and sharp, and glory shall surely be with you!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Liszt donned the Magical Beast Leather Armor and mounted his horse with a heroic bearing, ¡°Let¡¯s set out!¡± ¡ Two Earth Knights followed by four Retainer Knights galloped off, quickly entering the territory of Thorn Ridge. Guided by Marcus, they reached the spot where he first sensed the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s presence. ¡°Baron, this is the spot where I felt its presence. The Fierce Earth Dog followed me for about a mile from here before it ambushed me.¡± ¡°Then, its den must be nearby. Let¡¯s start searching.¡± The mounds of earth rose and fell unevenly, and the woods were in disarray. The group of six searched for half an hour without finding the den of the Fierce Earth Dog, growing somewhat irritable and disappointed. ¡°My lord, perhaps the Fierce Earth Dog only passed through here, its den might not be near here, or it might not even have a den,¡± Karl said. But Liszt firmly stated, ¡°I believe its den is around here.¡± The confidence in the reward from the Smoke Mission was unyielding; it was his backbone. After thinking for a moment, he asked, ¡°Does anyone know what a Fierce Earth Dog sounds like?¡± ¡°Fierce Earth Dogs are still dogs; their barks are no different than those of ordinary dogs,¡± Marcus provided the answer. ¡°Then, Karl, Rom, Gray, Auden, you four must keep imitating the barking of dogs. If there are any young cubs of the Fierce Earth Dog here, they will definitely respond¡ªthey probably won¡¯t understand what the imitated barks mean and will think it¡¯s their mother calling for them.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± Marcus agreed. So, along with the four Retainer Knights, he imitated a variety of dog barks as they continued to search the area. A quarter of an hourter. Marcus suddenly raised his hand, ¡°Silence!¡± After everyone fell quiet, he made a gesture of listening intently and whispered, ¡°Baron, listen.¡± Liszt concentrated his listening, and after a few seconds, he heard a faint ¡°awoo¡± sound amid the unknown bird calls. It was unmistakably a dog¡¯s bark. ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± ¡°Yes, just over there.¡± Marcus signaled to Karl, ¡°Your imitation is the most realistic, now you keep doing it.¡± Karl did as instructed. Each time he barked, a faint ¡°awoo¡± would respond from not too far away. Following this puzzling conversation, Liszt and the others finally found the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s den, concealed within a thicket of bushes. Pushing aside the entrance¡¯s thatch, Marcus carefully pulled out a very small puppy that had not yet opened its eyes. He carefully handed the young pup to Liszt, ¡°My lord, this is a young Fierce Earth Dog, a priceless treasure! It hasn¡¯t opened its eyes, and when it does, it will recognize its owner.¡± Not all Magical Beasts recognize an owner, but canine Magical Beasts do exhibit this behavior trait. The first thing they see is what they recognize. Most of the time, what they see is their mother¡ªperhaps recognizing an owner is in essence identifying a mother. Shivering in Liszt¡¯s arms, the puppy asionally let out a fearful ¡°awoo,¡± evidently frightened by the unfamiliar scent on Liszt, which was not the smell of its mother¡¯s milk. ¡°Just hang in there; soon you¡¯ll be able to drink milk again.¡± Liszt smoothed the fuzzy fur of the little milk dog and mounted his horse once more, ¡°Let¡¯s return!¡± Chapter 17 - 0017: Douson and the Dragon Breed Horse Chapter 0017: Douson and the Dragon Breed Horse Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` Because of the Fierce Earth Dog incident, Marcus decided to postpone his departure by one day. While resting, he told Liszt some precautions about rearing Magical Beasts. ¡°Magical Beasts, even if they can recognize an owner, are full of danger. Theyck concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, and are prone to unpredictable temperaments. Once they master the use of Magic Power, they might inadvertently harm people. Therefore, Baron, in raising the Fierce Earth Dog cub, you need to actively guide and train it.¡± ¡°Like the pack of hunting dogs raised in Tulip Castle?¡± ¡°Yes, you must train its obedience from a young age, ensuring that it follows yourmands. You also need to constantly deplete its Magic Power so that it expends this energy in training sessions, preventing it from using magic to harm people in normal circumstances. The Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s Rock Spike is a very deadly magic.¡± ¡°How long before it can cast magic?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure. However, the magic of Magical Beasts is generally weak before they reach adulthood. The Fierce Earth Dog can probably mature in about a year and a half, which means you have a year and a half to tame it.¡± ¡°Very well, I will treat this as a matter of cultivation and persistently train it.¡± Marcus was evidently in a good mood. After exining the precautions, he rarely offered somepliments, ¡°Peanut worms, Magic Potion, Magical Beasts¡ªBaron, you¡¯re going to give everyone on Coral Ind quite a surprise.¡± Liszt smiled. The real surprise was still toe. He asked, ¡°How should I deal with the corpse of the Female Tyrant Earth Hound?¡± ¡°Perhaps you should ask Lord Goltai, who once managed the market trade for Earl, about the value of Magical Beasts. He is the most knowledgeable.¡± ¡°Mr. Carter, please invite Teacher Goltai.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡± Goltai hurried over and upon seeing the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s corpse, he eximed loudly, ¡°Wow, what do I see here? Is this the King of Thorn Ridge¡¯s Fierce Earth Dog? My goodness, it¡¯s a Low-Level Magical Beast, but I feel it emits an aura terrifying like an Intermediate Magical Beast. Marcus, I must admit, you¡¯re one of the top Knights on Coral Ind.¡± The most powerful knight on Coral Ind was doubtlessly Liszt¡¯s father, the Sky Knight, Earl William Lee Tulip, who was also the only knight with Advanced Dou Qi. The rest were Earth Knights. As for Magical Beasts on Coral Ind, it seems that only the southern shallow water beaches are home to an Intermediate Magical Beast¡ªthe Purple Sand Crocodile. The Magical Beasts in other mountains are all Low-Level. The Fierce Earth Dog here in Thorn Ridge is the most powerful among the Low-Level Magical Beasts. ¡°Teacher Goltai, how should this beast be dealt with?¡± asked Liszt. Goltai prodded the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s corpse with his cane. The calf-sized Fierce Earth Dog, with congealed bloodstains all over, looked quite dreadful, ¡°The fur is ruined; otherwise, the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s fur is the most precious, worth at least twenty Gold Coins.¡± A Gold Coin is the currency of the Duchy of Sapphire, named in honor of the father by the first Sapphire Duke. ¡°It should still be worth some Gold Coins, right?¡± ¡°Only as scraps sold as leather. I guess, perhaps a dishonest merchant might be willing to pay five Gold Coins, or a conscientious merchant might offer ten Gold Coins.¡± Goltai continued his analysis, ¡°Its meat, I reckon there¡¯s about six hundred pounds. Market price for Magical Beast meat is typically one silver coin per pound. Fierce Earth Dog meat could likely go for two silver coins per pound, totaling twelve Gold Coins. However, Liszt, you should keep it for yourself to eat, as you need to stabilize your own Dou Qi now.¡± ¡°Mr. Goltai is quite right. Selling its meat is not profitable; the Castle usually needs to purchase meat from outside anyway,¡± Carter interjected, serving as the trusted Butler, he could participate in such discussions. ¡°Aside from the fur and meat, all that remains are the bones and internal organs. The organs of Magical Beasts can be sold to those stealthy magicians. I know where to find some magicians; they always like to acquire Magical Beast organs and all sorts of mysterious herbs and nts, difficult to say how many Gold Coins. As for the bones, they make good soup.¡± At this point, Goltai chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s a pity it¡¯s a bitch. If it had been a male dog, wow, that would have been a great tonic.¡± ¡°` The difference between a male dog and a female dog is whether it has a penis or not. Liszt said, ¡°Then let¡¯s skin the Fierce Earth Dog, tan the hide, and find time to sell it. Clean the innards as well, pickle them, Teacher Goltai, are there any magicians on Coral Ind?¡± ¡°It seems there aren¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s keep the innards for ourselves to eat in the castle.¡± ¡°Haha, we¡¯re all in for a treat then, praise the generous Baron Liszt!¡± ¡ Night fell. A small barbecue party was held in the castle. The servants, Retainer Knights, together with the host Liszt, and two teachers enjoyed the delicious barbecued meat and chatted about the finer things in life. Liszt actually didn¡¯t like such lively asions very much; he was intrinsically a quiet person. However, life in the castle was such that most castles were gloomy and living there for a long time could be very oppressive, so it was necessary to find opportunities for release, and parties were the best chance for that. After having their fill of food and drink. The servants began cleaning up the messy knives, forks, cutlery, and wine sses, while Liszt went upstairs, heading straight for the originally vacant entertainment room. The entertainment room had been turned into a den for the young Fierce Earth Dog pup. The little puppy was being raised there until it opened its eyes, to ensure that the first person it saw was Liszt. So feeding and bathing had to be done by Liszt himself. The little puppy shivered, so Liszt named it ¡°Douson.¡± ¡°Hello, Douson, time for milk.¡± Liszt brought the cowhide bag filled with cow¡¯s milk to Douson¡¯s mouth, its mouth was specially cut in a certain shape. Smelling the milk, the desire to feed overcame the fear of the unfamiliar scent, and Douson quickly crawled over, fumbled for the mouth of the bag, and then gulped it down. Despite being only as big as a Teddy dog, it ate with the vigor characteristic of a Magical Beast, gobbling down its food. In the blink of an eye, Douson had finished a whole bag of milk. And with that bag of milk. Douson became familiar with Liszt¡¯s scent, and now when Liszt stroked its fur, not only did Douson not hide, but it also rubbed its head against his palm, showing affection. To the unknowing, it really seemed like Liszt had just raised amon earth dog, not the King of Thorn Ridge, the Magical Beast Tyrant Earth Hound. ¡°When will you open your eyes?¡± As if hearing Liszt¡¯s words, Douson made a soft ¡°wah¡± sound from its mouth. Liszt was slightly lost in thought as a wisp of smoke again appeared before his eyes, quickly transforming into a piece of text: ¡°Missionpleted, reward: a Fierce Earth Dog pup.¡± ¡°Sure enough, Douson is the reward, I¡¯ve already figured out the mechanism behind the Smoke Missions.¡± he thought to himself. The Serpent Script in the smoke in front of him had already changed. ¡°Mission: As an Earth Knight, you are tasked with the heavy responsibility of leading a cavalry charge. Please train with an Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript to be a true Knight fit for battle. Reward: one Dragon Breed Horse with a trace of dragon blood.¡± ¡°Dragon Breed Horse?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up. Chapter 18 - 0018: One in 2.5 Billion Probability Chapter 0018: One in 2.5 Billion Probability Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Dragon Breed Horse. Liszt was by no means unfamiliar with it. Because his biological father, Earl William Lee of Coral Ind, currently served as the Court Equerry at the court, tending to the Sapphire Duke¡¯s beloved steeds, one of which was a divine horse mixed with the bloodline of a dragon. This world had dragons. Not the divine dragons of the East, nor the evil dragons of the West, but an unparalleled essence of heaven and earth. These dragons essentially had no gender differentiation and would not mate to produce offspring. However, just as they could produce gemstones and metals, they could also infect other species with the dragon bloodline. Some enthusiasts, based on rarity, had ssified dragons, elves, and magical beasts. The most precious, of course, were dragons, a symbol of a country. The next most precious were Dragon Elves, a sign of power for the great nobility. The next most precious were Greater Elves, a sign of power for the medium nobility. Then the precious ones were Dragon Breed Magic Beasts, magical beasts mixed with the dragon bloodline. Then the precious ones were Little Minor Elves, a sign of power for the petty nobility. Continuing precious were Dragon Breed Beasts, ordinary animals mixed with the dragon bloodline. Thest precious ones were Elf Bugs, representing the foundation of the productive capacity. Actually, there was another type of elf, equally as precious as dragons¡ªthe Elf King, the legendary evolutionary endpoint of Dragon Elves. Its body, the cordyceps, was boundlesslyrge. A single tree could breed an entire forest, and numerous magical beasts, elves, and even dragons would live on its body of the cordyceps. However, most people treated the Elf King as a legend. An Elf Bug might evolve into a Little Minor Elf with one sess among dozens; a Little Minor Elf might evolve into a Greater Elf with one sess among hundreds; a Greater Elf might evolve into a Dragon Elf with one sess among hundreds; as for a Dragon Elf evolving into an Elf King, that had never been heard of. In his boredom, Liszt had done calctions on the probabilities. He assumed the probability of an Elf Bug evolving upwards was 1/50, for a Little Minor Elf it was 1/100, for a Greater Elf it was 1/500, and for a Dragon Elf it was 1/1,000. Therefore, the probability of an Elf Bug evolving into an Elf King was 1/2,500,000,000, one in two and a half billion. A one in two and a half billion chance, nearly zero, no wonder no one had ever seen an Elf King. Looking at the Smoke Serpent Script before him. Liszt felt his heart igniting with excitement once again. A Dragon Breed Horse was theoretically even more precious than an Elf Bug. Perhaps in terms of prowess, a Dragon Breed Horse might not be able to defeat any magical beast, as it had no magic. But as a rare specimen of the dragon bloodline, its price would not be low. In this world, anything rted to dragons was highly sought after. Moreover, the bloodline of dragons would enhance the capabilities of the species. A nag mixed with the dragon bloodline instantly became a steed of exceptional quality. A Dragon Breed Horse was undoubtedly an excellent breed of warhorse. Why did the Sapphire Duke treasure his Dragon Breed Horse so much, and even the Earl of Coral Indpeted for the chance to look after it? It was because that Dragon Breed Horse was none other than the Blue Blood Treasure Horse, the standard mount for the elite Blueblood Knight Order which boasted a history of two hundred and forty years. The Blueblood Knight Order fought battles far and wide for the Sapphire Family, earning great military merits, thanks in no small part to their Blue Blood Treasure Horses. Of course, the Sapphire Duke would ride a Blue Blood Treasure Horse, to draw the Knight Order closer to him, demonstrating solidarity with his knights. ¡°A Dragon Breed Horse, eh? If I had a Dragon Breed Horse and bred them, could I not also establish a Knight Order as elite as the Blueblood Knight Order?¡± The thought alone was very exciting. However, in Fresh Flower Town, only Liszt, Marcus, and Goltai had Dou Qi. Even if he were given a whole group of Dragon Breed Horses, there would be no shadow of a Knight Order. The journey is significant and the path is long. A momentter, he came back to his senses, the smoke serpent script before his eyes had disappeared. Looking at Douson, who had returned to his nest to sleep, he suddenly felt that the Knight Order was too far away, but living a life where he could ride dragon breed horses, lead magical beast dogs, and go hunting everywhere was still easily attainable. ¡°Tomorrow, Marcus will return to Coral City, and he also needs to go to Falcon Town, so he¡¯ll be back in about three days. Then, I will be able to cultivate with the Dou Qi Manuscript andplete the task.¡± Liszt stood up and left the entertainment room. ¡ Marcus once again left Fresh Flower Town. Liszt wouldn¡¯t just wait around in the castle. Once he had fully recovered, he couldn¡¯t sit still. First thing in the morning, he arrived at Fresh Flower Farm, where the tulip bugs on the ck tulips were nearly finished with assimtion. ¡°It should take about two more hours.¡± After checking on the tulip bugs, Liszt mounted his horse and headed straight for Peanut Hamlet, where his peanut bugs were still breeding. Karl Ironhammer was standing guard there: ¡°My lord!¡± ¡°How are my peanut bugs doing?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still sleeping. Old George brings people to water it with lots of manure every day, the peanut cordyceps are growing very well.¡± ¡°Strictly protect the peanut bugs, I don¡¯t want anything to happen to them.¡± ¡°Rest assured, my lord!¡± Leaving Peanut Hamlet and returning to Fresh Flower Farm, after waiting half an hour, the tulip bugs sessfullypleted assimtion. Retrieving the tulip bugs, Liszt could feel their joy and a new breath on them, which was the aura of the ck tulips, indicating that the tulip bugs could now affect the ck tulips. From birth, Tulip Castle had arranged for all elf bugs to assimte as manypatible varieties as possible to increase their strength. Liszt¡¯s own tulip bug had already assimted all the varieties of tulips nted by the Tulip Family. ¡°Having assimted the ck tulip, why do I feel that the tulip bug is a bit ¡®agitated¡¯? Could it be thinking about evolving?¡± A bold thought crossed his mind. He quickly dismissed it. The tulip bug he obtained was one of the weaker ones among the Tulip Family¡¯s tulip bugs, so the likelihood of it evolving was extremely low. A new variety of magic potion was not enough to make it evolve. Having retrieved the tulip bug, he handed it over to Butler Carter for care¡ªthe cordyceps had been nted, and elf bugs, even without eating or drinking, would not die; they were easy to take care of. Liszt soon joined Goltai and went to the dairy farm. ¡°We have a lot of alfalfa seeds, and I n to start here by gradually removing the two-leaf clovers and nting alfalfa. Once we scale up, we will be able to nt alfalfa cordyceps, the cows will also adapt to the new forage, and we can concentrate on leading the horses here for feeding.¡± Cordyceps must be surrounded by the same variety of nts; otherwise, they cannot absorb nutrients and will wither. The cultivation of alfalfa cordyceps was easy to solve, and Liszt had nothing to add: ¡°Let¡¯s implement Teacher Goltai¡¯s n, but how have you decided to arrange the millet bugs and thorn bugs?¡± ¡°For the millet bugs, I n to first clear a piece of wastnd and nt millet to see if it can survive. As for the thorn bugs, we can only try to make it work in the thorn forest of Thorn Ridge. Liszt, I don¡¯t think thorn bugs are very useful.¡± Thorns are a small, spiky shrub. They are often used for fences. Many nobles like to nt a circle of thorns around their estates as a green hedge. Liszt also felt that thorn bugs weren¡¯t very useful; at most, they could cultivate a spiked hedge for the castle to protect the estate from small animals¡ªAs for magical beasts, a single wind de from a Wind de Wolf could chop down arge swath of thorns. The fire dragon horse leisurely ate the two-leaf clovers. Liszt, looking at the few skinny cows not far away, said, ¡°Regardless, elf bugs are a vital productive force, and we must find the right ce for them to grow.¡± Chapter 19 - 0019 The Long Taro Family of Red Crab Island Chapter 0019 The Long Taro Family of Red Crab Ind Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The milk produced by the dairy farm was a rare luxury in Fresh Flower Town. Originally, the milk from the dairy farm was used to produce milk powder, and every three months, it was given to Coral Ind¡¯s Count as a form of taxation. After Liszt arrived, the milk was sent to the castle daily. There were a total of ten dairy cows. Among them, three were not yet two years old and had not started producing milk yet; two old dairy cows were no longer able to produce milk; one male dairy cow was also unable to produce milk; only four adult female dairy cows could produce some milk daily. It was unclear whether the breed of dairy cows was not up to par or if their diet wasn¡¯t good enough, but their milk production was very low. ¡°Dahua, at her peak milk production, could be milked three times a day and produce 20 kilograms of fresh milk; Little Hua, during the off-peak period for milk, could only yield 4 kilograms per day; Dahei was also in the off-peak period, at 5 kilograms a day; Dahuang was currently in the dry period,¡± the steward, an old man, said. He wasn¡¯t very old, but his back was bent, and he looked quite aged. Liszt approached one of the dairy cows, which was very docile and eating grass slowly. ¡°Will you continue to raise the cows that can¡¯t produce milk?¡± ¡°Zhuangzhuang needs to ensure that all the female dairy cows can conceive, so we must keep it. Little Hua, Little ck, and Little Yellow are still young and won¡¯t be able to conceive and produce milk until next year. Old Hua and Old ck have already aged, and we have reported to Lord Landlord that they can be ughtered for meat at any time,¡± the old steward said respectfully. Little Hua, Little ck, and Little Yellow are the names of the underage dairy cows. Little Hua, Little ck are the names of the newly adult dairy cows. Dahua, Dahei, Dahuang are the names of the adult dairy cows. Old Hua, Old ck are the names of the elderly dairy cows. Zhuangzhuang is the name of the male dairy cow. Liszt recalled that Butler Carter had mentioned to him some time ago that there were two old dairy cows on the farm that could be ughtered for meat at any time. Feeding a cow that could not produce milk for an extra day was equivalent to wasting food for an extra day. Usually, they would be ughtered immediately¡ªit was ruthless to think that dairy cows that had produced milk their whole lives had to contribute their meat in old age. Since the castle wasn¡¯t hosting anyrge banquets at the moment and the meat supplies brought in were still sufficient, the two old dairy cows continued to be raised on the dairy farm. ¡°Is the farm¡¯s pasture enough for the dairy cows to eat?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, we only have ten dairy cows, but we have 150 acres of pasture.¡± ¡°Old Steward, how many acres of pasture do you think are enough to sustain ten dairy cows?¡± ¡°Reporting to Lord Landlord, a dairy cow needs ten acres of pasture to be sustained. However, we often take the dairy cows out to the wild fields to graze, so only eight acres of pasture are actually needed to sustain one.¡± ¡°Eight acres per cow, ten cows need eighty acres. Well then, Teacher Goltai, start by clearing seventy acres of two-leaf clover and renting it with alfalfa,¡± Liszt said. ¡°No problem, leave it to me,¡± Goltai assured, patting his chest. Goltai had started to feel some sense of crisis due to Liszt¡¯s decisive and swift approach during the poption census project, and his work attitude had finally be more serious. He realized that Liszt was not the type of noble who was ostentatious and indulgent but rather one who was pragmatic and down to earth. To gain power, he would have to change his style. ¡ Feed Douson. Inspect for peanut worms. Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and the third day was a rainy one. It was deep into spring, and summer had not yet arrived. The rain was as precious as oil, and agricultural production in all the hamlets was busily moving forward. The seeds for the alfalfa grass had been sown, and cornfields were marked out from the wilderness in preparation for cultivation. There was still no progress with Thorn Forest; they had to wait for Marcus to return from Thorn Ridge to search. The fourth day. After having lunch in the castle, Butler Carter hurried into the study, ¡°Master, Mr. Marcus has returned and is waiting outside the castle for your summons.¡± ¡°Please have hime in.¡± ¡°Baron, Mr. Marcus sends his regards!¡± The travel-worn Marcus arrived with the two Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscripts Liszt had been expecting. One was the familiar ¡°ming Wave¡±, and the other was the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± obtained from Tulip Castle. After receiving the two manuscripts, Liszt turned to ask, ¡°Teacher Marcus, what was the response from the Earl and Baron to my letters?¡± ¡°Here are the replies from the Earl and Baron, and also the ten Naldas exchanged for the Fierce Earth Dog pelts.¡± ¡°Please take a seat, Teacher Marcus; I will read the letters first.¡± The first one he opened was the reply from Coral Ind¡¯s Count. The letter was brief due to the thick papyrus not allowing for many words. Li Weiliam Tulip replied to Liszt, prepared to send someone soon toplete the assimtion of the ck Tulip and to discuss the sale of it as well. He also promised to purchase a batch of scarce supplies for Liszt as a deposit for the transaction. The other was the reply from the Baron of Falcon Town. Li Vera replied to Liszt, congratting him on discovering a new variety of Tulips and would apany the Earl to exchange supplies for the right of assimtion. The replies were official and courteous. Lacking the warmth of kinship, the rtionship between the three siblings, who had lost their mother, the First Lady of the Earl, had gradually grown cold. The Earl, disheartened by Liszt¡¯s appearance, had be even more detached. ¡°But that¡¯s also good, I can ept this kind of lukewarm emotion. Being too affectionate, on the other hand, I cannot stand,¡± Liszt reflected with slight emotion after reading the letters. Putting down the letters. Liszt spoke gently, ¡°Thank you for your efforts, Teacher Marcus. Did you encounter anything new on your journey?¡± ¡°Coral Ind is as tranquil as ever, and there¡¯s no war in the Grand Duchy. However, there is something that might be considered news¡ªit¡¯s regarding the maternal n of the Baron.¡± ¡°My maternal n?¡± Liszt had almost forgotten that his mother came from a family just as noble and inquired, ¡°What happened at Long Taro Castle?¡± ¡°The Lord of Long Taro Castle, the Marquis of Red Crab Ind, has resigned from his post as Captain of the Court Fleet due to illness and has returned to Red Crab Ind. The Earl is preparing to send someone to visit, and it¡¯s likely this will be discussed with the Baron when the envoy arrives to assimte the ck Tulip.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Liszt searched through the host¡¯s memories, recalling Long Taro Castle in his mind. The Grand Duchy of Sapphire was an archipgo with many Nobles distributed across its numerous inds, bothrge and small. Among them was arge ind called Red Crab Ind, the domain of the Long Taro Family, whose hereditary title was Marquis of Red Crab Ind¡ªMerlin Taro, Liszt¡¯s grandfather. The surname of the Long Taro family originated from the Greater Elf of Long Taro they possessed. They lived in Long Taro Castle, a fortress far more grand and luxurious than Tulip Castle, splendid and magnificent, perched upon the mountains. Marquis Merlin had one son and two daughters: his eldest son, Mesiro; his second daughter, Melinda; and his youngest daughter, Melissa Taro, who was Liszt¡¯s mother. When Li Weiliam Tulip was still a Viscount, Marquis Merlin foresaw his potential and married his youngest daughter, Melissa, to the Tulip Family. From this union came Levis, Li Vera, and Liszt. Up till now, Liszt had visited Long Taro Castle every year to celebrate his grandfather¡¯s birthday. However, since Li Weiliam remarried to a new Countess, the rtion between the Long Taro and Tulip families had gradually be distant. But no matter what, Merlin Taro was still Liszt¡¯s grandfather. As a descendant, it was proper to visit an ailing grandfather. Chapter 20 - 0020 Peanut Worm and Fire Dragon Assault Chapter 0020 Peanut Worm and Fire Dragon Assault Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions After sending off the tired Marcus, Liszt pulled his thoughts from the past. While it was true that a noble¡¯s major responsibility was to expand their connections, and the Long Taro Family was an important resource for him, he was not one for diplomacy. He preferred staying on hisnd, amusing himself with self-sufficiency. ¡°I should first practice the Dou Qi Manuscript andplete the Smoke Mission,¡± he said to himself. He first opened ¡°ming Wave¡±, which detailed through numerous illustrations and descriptions how to strengthen Fire Attribute Dou Qi and how to channel it for executing powerful moves. ¡°ming Wave¡± favored sweeping, expansive attacks, with most techniques radiating outwards like waves; it was a manuscript for area attacks. ¡°Area attacks, huh? Good for charging into battle, but isn¡¯t that what my Knight Order is for? I just need tomand from the back,¡± he mused. With that thought, Liszt opened ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±. This manual was for one-on-onebat, with powerful moves designed for single targets, andcked a bit for charging into battle. However, Liszt quickly decided to train in ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±;pared to going into battle, he was more worried about assassin attacks, and the one-on-one ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± suited him better than the area-focused ¡°ming Wave¡±. ¡°That¡¯s settled then¡ Once I have the time, I can look into ¡°ming Wave¡± as well,¡± he concluded contentedly. In this world, there were no divine martial arts secrets; when training in Dou Qi, there were no particrly poor manuals nor especially powerful ones. Everything depended on the individual¡¯s talent andprehension. Extraordinary warriors could emerge frommoners, and descendants of powerful people could be mediocre. ¡ In the following time, Liszt diligently trained in ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± while waiting for the merchant caravan to arrive. Time flew, and three days passed. The rain had stopped. Good news came one after another. The Elf Bugs in Peanut Hamlet were nearly ripe. Retainer Knight Karl Ironhammer excitedly reported, ¡°My lord, the husks of the peanuts have cracked open, revealing pink Elf Bugs inside, about to awaken. They¡¯re starting to quiver.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m on my way!¡± Liszt said. By the time Liszt arrived on horseback, the husks had fully bloomed, revealing a chubby Elf Bug, its body glistening like jade, crawling curiously over the cordyceps, filled with boundless curiosity about the world. The farmers of Peanut Hamlet gathered around, watching the Elf Bug with both curiosity and anxiety. Liszt took out the Jade Powder he carried with him and sprinkled it before the Elf Bug. The bug sniffed at it and quickly began to munch. In no time, it finished the Jade Powder on the leaves and climbed up Liszt¡¯s outstretched finger, following the scent, and nibbled on the powder coated there. Then, with a slight pain, the Elf Bug bit through Liszt¡¯s finger. In that moment, a spiritual bond formed between Liszt and the Elf Bug¡ªa master-servant contract had been established. Elf Bugs, with their innate magic, naturally carried the ability to form master-servant contracts. ¡°Come with me, little guy.¡± Liszt cradled the Elf Bug, ced it into the Jade Box, and prepared to take it back to the castle for raising, leaving the cordyceps in Peanut Hamlet. ¡°The fifth Elf Bug acquired. With the Elf Bug, a bountiful harvest for Peanut Hamlet is imminent,¡± Liszt thought with a buoyant heart. He couldn¡¯t help but instruct Old George, ¡°Old George, take good care of the Elf Bug cordyceps. Remember to water and fertilize; the more fertilizer you use, the higher the peanut yield.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord, we¡¯ll do exactly as you¡¯ve instructed¡ªregrly watering, weeding, and fertilizing the peanuts!¡± With the Elf Bug collected. Another piece of good news knocked on the door: the Fierce Earth Dog puppies, raised in the castle, had finally opened their eyes on the seventh day under Liszt¡¯s care. Seeing Liszt at first sight, they yapped and rushed towards him, affectionately nuzzling his pant leg. ¡°Douson, from now on, you¡¯ll be living outside the castle,¡± Liszt told the puppy. Holding the leash around Douson¡¯s neck, Liszt called for Thomas. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Thomas, I¡¯m giving you a task, take care of Douson for me. By the way, has Douson¡¯s kennel been built yet?¡± ¡°It has beenpleted, my lord.¡± Thomas took the leash, ready to lead Douson to his kennel. Though Douson had recognized Liszt as his master, it did not mean he would acknowledge anyone else. When Thomas led him, the barely a month old Fierce Earth Dog pup immediately bared its teeth and growled ¡°woo woo,¡± fiercely pouncing to tear at Thomas¡¯s shoes with considerable wildness. Yet, with nothing but little milk teeth, Douson could not bite through Thomas¡¯s shoes, ¡°Take good care of it.¡± ¡°Please be assured, my lord, I have experience in raising hunting dogs.¡± ¡°Fierce Earth Dogs are much more dangerous than hunting dogs. They have the bloodline of magical beasts. But it¡¯s okay; it shouldn¡¯t go mad. When it gets a little bigger, I will train it every day until it is exhausted.¡± After arranging a caretaker for Douson, Liszt climbed to the castle¡¯s spire and surveyed the barrennd several miles around the castle¡ªhe had always neglected that there was actually arablend around the castle but had merely turned a few acres next to the castle into a small garden, letting the rest grow wild with grass. ¡°Peanut Hamlet, Tomato Hamlet, Mushroom Hamlet, Barley Hamlet, Little Wheat Vige, Dairy Farm, Fresh Flower Farm, as well as the town and the castle. In fact, Fresh Flower Town has nine hamlets, and each must be utilized¡ But without mechanization, and with less than two thousand people in Fresh Flower Town, it does seem impossible to cultivate so muchnd, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Machines can tirelessly reimnd, but humanbor is very slow. Less than two thousand people to cultivate tens of thousands of acres ofnd is indeed daunting. Many fields are merely sowed with seeds, left to survive or perish on their own. ¡°African agriculture must be like this, right? Poption, oh poption, only poption is the most valuable resource! But where can I get enough people?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit difficult.¡± Despite the difficulty, Liszt still had confidence that Fresh Flower Town could grow and prosper. As a transmigrator with a golden finger, if he couldn¡¯t achieve even this, he might as well jump off a building and not disgrace other transmigrators. ¡ ¡°Fire Dragon Assault!¡± In the small garden in front of the castle, Liszt, holding a one-handed sword, executed a move from ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±. A me suddenly ignited along the de of the sword, roaring and expanding to a meter wide, like a fan stoking fires, with sparks flying and apanied by the faint sound of crackling. The me did not truly exist, it was merely the effect of Dou Qi clinging to the one-handed sword. Liszt¡¯s fire attribute Dou Qi had an explosive nature. Even within the same type of Dou Qi, different properties would be emphasized. Just as with fire attribute Dou Qi, his focused on explosiveness, while others¡¯ might focus on high temperature, intensity of the mes, or refinement. ¡°Finally, I¡¯ve mastered the Fire Dragon Assault. Now only thest move is left¡ªHeart of the Fire Dragon Drill. Once mastered, I can im the reward!¡± He felt quite proud in his heart. His talent was indeed strong. The ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± was divided into two sets of skills, one that refined the method of circting Dou Qi, and another consisted of sixteen attack moves. The method of circting Dou Qi hade easily to Liszt, and now he was learning the sixteen attack moves. ¡°Others take at least half a month to learn a manuscript, but here I am, less than a week has passed, and I¡¯m nearly finished.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine the predecessor did not break through to be an Earth Knight before adulthood. Could it be hisprehension was too poor?¡± If the physical talent was not poor, then it could only be an issue ofprehension. The Liszt from before adulthood probably just hadn¡¯t had his mental breakthrough. As for the current Liszt, he wouldn¡¯t dare im to be extraordinarily intelligent, but he was definitely not foolish. ¡°Keep studying and strive to master the Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill today.¡± Chapter 21 - 0021: Wild Corn is Delicious Chapter 0021: Wild Corn is Delicious Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°¡±¡± A set of Dou Qi operation methods, which include how to refine Dou Qi, strengthen Dou Qi, condense Dou Qi, release Dou Qi, and attach Dou Qi. A set ofbat techniquesprising sixteen moves. Five movements rted to body methods: Dragon Charge, Dragon Leap, Dragon Jump, Dragon Flight, Dragon Dive. Five basic moves: Fire Dragon Stab, Fire Dragon Crash, Fire Dragon Smash, Fire Dragon Twist, Fire Dragon Drill. Five fierce moves: Fire Dragon Tail Swing, Fire Dragon Sweep, Fire Dragon Gust, Fire Dragon Roll, Fire Dragon Assault. One ultimate mystery technique: Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill. This is the entirety of ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, each move¡¯s name is quite intriguing, as if it¡¯s part of a series with his Fire Dragon Horse mount. At this moment. Liszt was riding on the back of the Fire Dragon Horse. As the Fire Dragon Horse galloped, his body slightly rose and fell, almost as if he and the horse were one. In his left hand, he held a shield made of fine steel in front of him, partially covering the Fire Dragon Horse. His right hand was stretched out with an over-three-meter-long Knight Spear. Near the castle, the grass had been cut away, revealing the yellow soil¡ªthe barren loessnd. The hooves of the Fire Dragon Horse stepped on the somewhat moist ground, leaving uneven hoofprints, its body turning into a red fiery mass as it rapidly dashed into the distance. On the horse¡¯s back, Liszt, with Dou Qi radiating all around him, attached it to the shield and the Knight Spear, as well as the Fire Dragon Horse. Soon, the rider and horse werepletely enveloped in mes. Apanied by a loud shout from Liszt, ¡°Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill!¡± The Fire Dragon Horse leapt high, the Knight Spear thrusted forward fiercely. In an instant, countless merged shadows of the rider and the horse followed the attack, swiftly passing by and striking directly at a huge boulder ahead. Earth-shattering blow! Boom! A man-high boulder was instantly shattered into dust. mes wildly scattered everywhere, mingling with the debris to fall like raindrops. Once the dust had settled, Liszt, still on the Fire Dragon Horse, had already moved beyond the explosion¡¯s radius. He was ensconced in full body armor, as was the Fire Dragon Horse. The full body armor was silver-white, with numerous scratches and ck marks on it. Lifting the facete off his helmet, Liszt¡¯s handsome face emerged, his corners of the mouth slightly curled in a smile as usual, ¡°Not bad for the impact, this move, if it hits, should be able to severely cripple a Fierce Earth Dog or some such Magical Beast.¡± Clop, clop, clop, clop, clop. The sound of horse hooves grew louder as they approached. Marcus and Goltai, each riding a horse, came galloping over, followed by Liszt¡¯s four Retainer Knights. ¡°Oh, God, Liszt, you are truly a genius. I have seen it, is that the ultimate mystery technique of the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill? You¡¯ve learned this entire manuscript in less than a week?¡± Goltai always spoke with a tone of astonishment. Marcus circled the scattered debris of rocks, equally amazed, ¡°The impact was very even, not a single piece of debris isrger than a fist, proving you¡¯ve mastered this move. Most Earth Knights would find that very hard to do.¡± Having said that, he took a disbelieving look at Liszt. In the past, the third son of the Earl¡¯s family was considered an utter waste. He had been well-fed with chicken, fish, meat, eggs, milk, and even tasted Magical Beast Meat, yet his Dou Qi cultivation was inferior even to that ofmoner Knights. Unbelievably, after advancing to Earth Knight, in less than a week, he had fully mastered an Intermediate Dou Qi Manuscript. It made him recall his own time training with the Gale Breaker, which took him a whole month and a half just to master the final ultimate mystery technique. His heart was filled with mixed feelings, ¡°Could this be the real difference betweenmoners and Nobles?¡± ¡°¡±¡± Liszt handed the shield and the Knight Spear to the Retainer Knights, and while he was at it, he also took off his helmet, breathing in the fresh air, his excitement hadn¡¯t subsided yet, ¡°I originally thought it would take me several months to master ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, but it turned out to be not that difficult. It looks like I can find time to learn ¡°ming Wave¡± as well, the more skills, the better.¡± ¡°With your talent, you should indeed learn a few more secret tomes, Liszt. I¡¯ve always said that you have your father¡¯s ir, and you will surely bring glory to the Tulip Family in the future.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope your wordse true, Teacher Goltai.¡± On the way back, Goltai engaged in spirited conversation with Liszt, which was his forte. Marcus, on the other hand, seemed to have his mind wander off, lost in thought. It wasn¡¯t until he entered the Castle for dinner and distractedly finished his meal that Liszt saw him out, and he finally snapped back to reality. Waiting for Goltai to ride away, humming a tune. He looked at Liszt, who still stood at the Castle¡¯s entrance, as if waiting for him to speak, and said in a solemn tone, ¡°Baron, may I know where your sights are set?¡± ¡°My sights, you ask¡¡± Liszt thought to himself that Marcus was inquiring whether he had any ambition for achievements. Marcus, who aspired to be a Noble, would naturally not be content to stay coiled up in a small town, following a Baron without great ambitions. But Liszt did not answer directly, ¡°Teacher Marcus, for a person, do not listen to what he says, watch what he does. Words spoken can be true or false, but the deeds done are crystal clear, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I understand!¡± All of a sudden, Marcus knelt on one knee, ced his right hand on his chest, and gave a salute of loyalty, ¡°I pledge my service as your vanguard!¡± ¡°Please rise, Teacher Marcus. The territory is still fragile; I need you to help me build it up.¡± Liszt calmly helped Marcus to his feet, feeling a great sense of achievement within. To win the loyalty of an Earth Knight, that was personal charisma. Back in the Castle. After taking a bath. He saw the Smoke Serpent Script again, ¡°Taskpleted, reward one horse with a trace of Dragon Breed lineage.¡± Shortly, the smoke twisted, and a new task was issued, ¡°Task: The fresh and tender Alfalfa is favored not only by dairy cows but also by horses. It is the foundation for starting a horse farm and the first step toward building achievements. Please arrange for Cordyceps for the Alfalfa Bug. Reward: Three wild corn nts.¡± Upon reading the Serpent Script, Liszt was quite excited. The Dragon Breed Horse had already arrived, though he did not yet know where or who had discovered it; he nned to go find it the very next morning. However, right now, he was thrilled not by the Dragon Breed Horse but by the reward of corn for the new task. This world did not have corn as a crop, at least not on Coral Ind, and there was no memory of any corn-rted nts in his predecessor¡¯s recollections. ¡°Corn, such a high-yield crop, said to have the highest per-acre yield in the world, right? And it doesn¡¯t need much tending; just nt it, and it grows by itself. It is even said to be a divine nt, naturally C4 with easy male sterility, and in the future, corn will dominate the world of grains. In ¡°Interster¡±, the nearly extinct human race grew only corn.¡± Having farmed in his childhood, Liszt knew corn had a high yield, though its taste wasn¡¯t as good as wheat or rice. But here, it didn¡¯t need to taste the best, as long as it could fill stomachs, it would be the best crop. The wheat yield in Fresh Flower Town was only a couple of hundred pounds per acre. Once corn was nted, even if it didn¡¯t produce thousands of pounds per acre, as long as the yield exceeded five hundred pounds, it could sustain arger poption, ensuring no worries about food and clothing. When that timees. Widely nting corn to provide rough cornmeal for themon folk. nting a small amount of wheat to provide fine wheat flour for oneself, wouldn¡¯t that be delightful? Chapter 22 - 0022: The Nearly Castrated Li Dragon Horse Chapter 0022: The Nearly Castrated Li Dragon Horse Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Before Liszt could give the order to search for the dragon breed horse, Goltai, who was responsible for changing the alfalfa on the dairy farm, hurried to the castle early in the morning. ¡°Liszt, great news has arrived! The newly nted alfalfa has sprouted and is growing quite nicely. Most importantly, a wild horse has somehow been attracted by it and is eating the alfalfa. That wild horse is extremely majestic, oh, even more robust and tall than your Fire Dragon Horse!¡± ¡°Summon Teacher Marcus, and let¡¯s head over to the dairy farm together to have a look at this wild horse. Having eaten the alfalfa grass, it should be ready to trade itself for its board, right?¡± ¡°Exactly, its board fee will be itself, haha.¡± Everything on the estate belongs to thendlord; without a doubt, this wild horse is Liszt¡¯s private property. The group quickly arrived at the dairy farm, and indeed, there was a ck wild horse leisurely eating the newly sprouted alfalfa in the pasture that should have belonged to the dairy cows. The wild horse was tall and shiny with a majestic form, and its muscles were visibly striated. ¡°Teacher Marcus, you are an expert in judging horses, what do you think of this wild horse?¡± The wild horse had already spotted Liszt and the others but seemed to be quite bold; seeing that they did not approach, it lowered its head again and continued to graze leisurely. Marcus¡¯s eyes shone with excitement as he said, ¡°My lord, what an excellent steed! Its bones are fine but the frame isrge, and its muscles are beautifully bulging. Its limbs are long, and so are its tendons. The neck is straight and leans forward, and its rump is shapely. Its coat is also very shiny, indicating it has no ailments. Most importantly, its gaze is sharp!¡± ¡°How does itpare to the Blue Blood Treasure Horse?¡± ¡°I apologize, my lord, I have not seen a Blue Blood Treasure Horse. The best horse I have seen is the Earl¡¯s Panther, which is said to have a blend of the Magical Beast, the dry tinder leopard¡¯s bloodline. But the Panther is nowhere near as majestic as this wild horse.¡± A horse with a white forehead is called a Panther (d¨ª). Liszt was certainly familiar with the Panther, the mount of Coral Ind¡¯s Count. The ck wild horse before him had an air that far surpassed the Panther¡¯s; after all, dragons were the most sacred of creatures, and a dragon breed horse was the most respected among horses. ¡°How can we capture it?¡± Marcus said, ¡°I could flip it with my bare hands, after all, it¡¯s just a horse. However, my lord wishes it to be his mount, so you should subdue it personally. A wild horse only submits to someone who can master it.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t n to tame the dragon breed horse for himself, he was more eager for the dragon breed horse to be a true stud and breed a herd of dragon breed horses for him. But taming a dragon breed wild horse was an interesting thing, and Liszt did not let Marcus do the job for him. He approached the wild horse himself. As he drew closer, the grazing wild horse immediately became alert, turned around, and red fiercely at Liszt as if warning him not to cross the line. As Liszt kept getting closer, the wild horse finally lost its patience and directly tried to bite him. With a twist of his body and good horsemanship, Liszt instantly flipped onto the back of the wild horse. The wild horse, feeling the immense shame of being ridden, frantically thrashed, hopping and jumping around trying to throw Liszt off. But Liszt, holding its neck and with his Dou Qi bursting forth, was not swayed in the least. An Earth Knight could withstand a real Magical Beast; let alone a horse. Half an hourter, the tired wild horse finally stopped struggling, panting and standing still, allowing Liszt to ride it andmand it to move left and right. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Lisztughed heartily, ¡°A very stubborn fellow, pure ck in color, truly not a single hair of a different shade. Let¡¯s just call you Li Dragon.¡± A pure ck horse is called a Li (l¨ª). And with its thin dragon bloodline, being named Li Dragon is quite fitting. ¡°Karl, bring some bran cakes.¡± Liszt dismounted; though taming a wild horse was not too challenging, it was indeed very taxing, and he was covered in sweat. At that moment, the Fire Dragon Horse also came over; it was a young female. While rubbing Li Si Te¡¯s shoulder and with wide-open eyes, he observed the towering Li Dragon Horse next to him. The Li Dragon Horse, however, didn¡¯t even deign to look at the Fire Dragon Horse; it continued to hold its head high, refusing to ingratiate itself with Li Si Te, and still retained a hint of haughtiness. Even when Li Si Te took a bran biscuit and fed it to the horse, it did not show any affection. ¡°My Lord, the Li Dragon Horse is an adult, and if it is to be raised as a war horse, it would be best to geld him to prevent him from bing thin during the mating season,¡± said Marcus. ¡°Geld him?¡± Li Si Te waved his hand, ¡°That won¡¯t do. I¡¯ve decided the Li Dragon Horse shall serve as a stud to breed a herd for Fresh Flower Town. Such a magnificent steed should not be prevented from propagating its lineage; that would be a tremendous loss.¡± ¡°To be a stud horse?¡± Marcus nodded, agreeing with the decision. Even though he didn¡¯t know that the Li Dragon Horse was a Dragon Breed Horse, he could still recognize its exceptional qualities. Indeed, it would have been a pity to geld such a horse. The Li Dragon Horse, oblivious to the fate it had just avoided, contentedly nibbled on the bran biscuit, returning to its original leisure. From time to time, it would graze on the alfalfa grass on the ground. Goltai wanted to step forward and touch it but was startled by the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s snort and had to awkwardly change the subject: ¡°Where did the Li Dragon Horsee from, did it walk over from Thorn Ridge?¡± ¡°Perhaps there are more Li Dragon Horses in Thorn Ridge¡ It¡¯s strange to think that there are wild horses on the ind,¡± Marcus spected. Horses typically live in vast grasnds. With insufficient grasnds on Coral Ind for wild horses to live, the natural breeding of wild horses seemed impractical. ¡°Maybe they drifted here from another ce, or perhaps the horses previously raised by the inders have gone wild. In any case, it couldn¡¯t have just appeared out of nowhere. Moreover, Li Si Te, I think that perhaps in a few days, more Li Dragon Horses might emerge from Thorn Ridge, and by then, we might truly have a Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡± ¡°That would be for the best.¡± Li Si Te also had his doubts. He didn¡¯t know whether to believe that the Li Dragon Horse naturally lived in thisnd or if some entity behind the Smoke Mission had conjured up a Li Dragon Horse¡ªhe was inclined to think the Li Dragon Horse had always lived here, and the Smoke Mission was merely a trigger rather than a clumsy creation. As for what the Smoke Mission truly was, there was no way to unravel it for the time being. He had to suppress his curiosity and leave it for a future resolution. Looking at the fresh and tender alfalfa grass forming a beautiful pasture, he suddenly thought of the wastnd outside the castle: ¡°Teacher Goltai, what do you think about nting alfalfa on the wastnds around the castle? We could build a track outside the castle and raise a Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡± ¡°Hmm, that should be feasible. Why not give it a try?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to Teacher Goltai.¡± ¡ Li Si Te rode the Li Dragon Horse back to the castle. Goltai and Marcus also prepared to return on their own. Along the way, Goltai suddenly asked, ¡°Marcus, you¡¯re now addressing Li Si Te as ¡®My Lord¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like your character, making a decision so quickly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have many choices, Mr. Goltai,¡± Marcus said, looking into the distance where the small castle shone brilliantly in the sunlight, ¡°Besides, don¡¯t you always say that he has the air of an Earl about him? I believe he won¡¯t stay hidden away in Fresh Flower Town, this remote ce, forever.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Goltai said nomittally. Chapter 23 - 0023: The Arriving Convoy Chapter 0023: The Arriving Convoy Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The farmers who were idle at the dairy farm were summoned by Liszt to reim the wastnd surrounding the castle and to grow alfalfa. Originally, ording to Goltai¡¯s opinion, the serfs asndlords, shoulde to work unconditionally. Liszt was not that exploitative, he decided to provide the farmers with three meals a day, whereasmoners usually only had two, hence, people scrambled toe and work. He allotted a portion of the surplus wheat bran from the castle, distributing it to the working farmers. Wheat bran is the husk separated from the wheat and in Liszt¡¯s position, only the fine wheat flour was consumed while the bran was typically used to feed horses, yet it was consumed by themoners. The bran cakes he previously used to feed horses were in fact the food eaten by many farmer families. ¡°It¡¯s said that the nutritional value of wheat bran is higher than that of wheat flour,¡± Liszt recalled in his previous life he had bought bran cakes, and the sellers imed that the bran contained a wealth of dietary fiber and B vitamins that could improve constipation and reduce cholesterol, ¡°but the bran is indeed hard to eat and to digest.¡± As a noble, he was notcking in nutrition, so there was no need to force himself to eat the coarse bran. Naturally, nobles ate white bread. Here, bread was the absolute staple, and ording to different materials and textures, it could be divided into nine grades. Four grades of white bread and five grades of brown bread. The highest-quality white bread, made from finely sifted and selected wheat flour, was only something great nobles could afford the wealth, materials, andbor to produce. The price of such white bread was astonishing as well, costing at least several silver coins for one loaf. The slightly inferior white bread was made from sifted fine wheat flour, which, due to the removal of coarse particles, had a very fine texture. It usually sold for one silver coin per loaf. The next level of white bread was made from unsifted fine wheat flour. The texture was slightly worse, and one silver coin could buy two or three loaves. The lowest grade white bread was made from coarse wheat flour; it was simply processed flour that tasted a bit worse, and ten copper coins could buy one loaf. The white bread that Liszt currently ate was of this grade, while the bread eaten in Tulip Castle was of the level above. Commoners all ate brown bread. The somewhat richer freemen among themoners could afford the few-copper-coins ¡°bran-removed whole wheat bread¡±; the ¡°whole-wheat bread with bran¡± that sold for one copper coin was probably affordable for ordinary freemen; the serfs ate ¡°mixed brown bread¡± made from wheat flour with the bran unremoved, mixed with other flours, which could buy fourrge pieces for one copper coin. The poorer serfs would either eat ¡°grain brown bread¡± made from ground legumes and other grains, or consume bran cakes made entirely of bran. Additionally, Liszt was also aware of another type of brown bread that wasmonly made bymoners. This brown bread, after fermentation, became extremely hard. Commoners would slice it and use it as tes, or as wedges to stabilize wobbly tables. It was said that some of these bread tes could be used for several months. ¡°Oh, the wicked feudal society,¡± Lisztmented with feigned seriousness, pulling back his thoughts, with no intention of overthrowing the nobility system. The ass determines the head; being a noble, enjoying the status granted by the era, it would be absurd to pull oneself off the noble seat. Besides, it would be hard to overthrow. Without dragons, without elves, what could be used to break it? ¡°My lord, do you need the Fire Dragon Horse brought over?¡± Thomas asked cautiously, always so meticulous in front of Liszt. ¡°No need. By the way, Thomas, how is the Li Dragon Horse in the stable, any temper tantrums?¡± ¡°The big guy you just tamed, my lord, had been bullying the Fire Dragon Horse all night long, but by this morning, the Fire Dragon Horse could peacefully graze next to it,¡± Thomas reported. Liszt nodded, unsurprised. Two tigers cannot share one mountain, unless one is male and the other female. The Li Dragon Horse was a stallion and the Fire Dragon Horse was a mare; getting along peacefully was only natural. Moreover, it was very likely, the first offspring of the Li Dragon Horses would be born to the Fire Dragon Horse¡ªLiszt had no objections, as the Fire Dragon Horse was also a fine breed, with a blend of the low-level magical beast, the zing Steed lineage; thebination of strengths would produce even better offspring. No longer paying attention, Liszt began to practice the moves from ¡°ming Wave¡±. Generally, Earth Knights wouldn¡¯t train with a new Dou Qi Manuscript before they had mastered the one that suited them best. Liszt was blessed with quickprehension; even though he still had a good grasp on ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, he was able to simultaneously practice ¡°ming Wave¡±. Unlike the one-on-onebat focus of ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, ¡°ming Wave¡± emphasized battle against multiple opponents. The moves often involved sweeping the sword across arge area or thrusting the spear into a group. Unbeknownst to him, he had be engrossed in his training, his Fire Attribute Dou Qi constantly released, heating the surrounding air to an intense warmth. The power was yet unknown, but at the very least, it looked impressively powerful. ¡°Great Fire Wave!¡± With one sh of his sword, mes burst forth again. He saw Butler Carter approaching him at a brisk pace. He involuntarily reined in his Dou Qi and asked, ¡°Mr. Carter, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°My lord, Jessie just came back from cutting grass for the horses and reported seeing a merchant caravan. I suspect it might be the Earl and the Baron¡¯s entourage arriving,¡± Carter said. Liszt¡¯s spirits lifted, ¡°They¡¯ve finally arrived? Please notify the two teachers to join me in weing the caravan. I¡¯ll go take a bath and change my clothes first.¡± Hurrying upstairs to bathe. Before long, Marcus and Goltai had already arrived. Located on a slope, the castle provided a good vantage point, from where they could already see the slowly moving caravan approaching from the direction of Thorn Ridge. ¡°Teacher Goltai, remember to remind me to reorganize the Patrol Team. The caravan arrived without any notice, and I only found out through my servant. This shouldn¡¯t happen,¡± Liszt remarked. ¡°The Patrol Team is full of bastards; you need to lend me some Retainer Knights to train them properly,¡± Goltai replied. ¡°No problem,¡± said Liszt as he mounted his horse. He didn¡¯t ride a Fire Dragon Horse but instead his newly tamed Li Dragon Horse, a means of self-disy. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet the caravan together. My father probably won¡¯te in person; it might be one of my brothers following the Tulip Great Elf.¡± The three of them rode off to meet the caravan. Meanwhile, Carter was busy instructing all the servants, ¡°Pull yourselves together and tidy up your clothes; don¡¯t look dirty and disgrace the master! Jessie, I¡¯m talking about you¡ªoh my heavens, your trousers are still muddy. Do you want to embarrass us all? Go and change them immediately!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Mr. Carter,¡± the assistant manservant, Jessie Asanobu, with his xen hair, hurried back to his room to change his trousers. Carter called out again, ¡°Mrs. Morson, inform Mrs. Abbie to get the desserts, teas, and snacks ready. Also, make sure to prepare the ingredients for avish banquet as we might have guests whom the master will need to attend to personally.¡± ¡°Are you saying there will be Noblesing?¡± ¡°Of course, there will be. As you know, the ck Tulip is very important, and the family¡¯s Elves wille to assimte. It might be Young Master Levis escorting them, or perhaps Young Master Lidun. Regardless, they are all important people. We can¡¯t let the master lose face, not to mention Thomas¡¯s colleagues.¡± Thomas¡¯s colleagues¡ªas in the personal retinues of various Nobles. After a flurry of activity, the castle¡¯s entrance soon saw male and female servants lined up under Butler Carter¡¯s supervision, standing on the left and right sides of the gate respectively, waiting to wee the esteemed guests. Chapter 24 - 0024: The Three Siblings Reunite Chapter 0024: The Three Siblings Reunite Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` One, two, three, four, five, six, seven¡eight, nine, ten, a total of ten carriages, escorted by a troop of knights, made their way along the loess road to the foot of the castle¡¯s hill. ¡°Baron!¡±, the leading knight, galloping ahead to Liszt, performed a knight¡¯s salute, ¡°I am escorting the caravan that departed from Tulip Castle, here to trade in Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s you, Lord Layden. The journey must have been taxing. Who hase this time?¡± Liszt returned the salute. Sir Layden spoke, ¡°The Viscount and the Baron of Falcon Town have bothe together.¡± ¡°Is that so? My sister came as well.¡± In the midst of their exchange, a luxurious carriage climbed up the slope and stopped in front of Liszt and the others. The attending footmen opened the carriage doors on both sides, and a young man and woman, both dressed in noble attire, stepped down. The male youth bore a resemnce to Liszt, though he was a bit iner, with simrly light golden hair and sapphire-colored eyes. The female youth also resembled Liszt to a degree, but she was not as fair as Liszt, with light golden hair and sapphire eyes. She was not dressed in nobledies¡¯ attire but, like the male youth, wore male noble clothing¡ªessential riding attire for going out, simr to a tailcoat but more ornate. ¡°My dear brother, lord of Fresh Flower Town, Baron Liszt, look who hase,¡± the young man, who was Levis Tulip,ughed heartily. Liszt dismounted and approached Levis, ¡°Brother, I did not expect you toe in person. And my sister, how is the life in Falcon Town?¡± Li Vera Tulip raised her slender eyebrows slightly, ¡°Liszt, I can sense it, you¡¯ve be an Earth Knight?¡± ¡°Yes, I was fortunate to have made the breakthrough, although it was somewhatte.¡± ¡°It seems that breaking free from the constraints of Tulip Castle and being in the free Fresh Flower Town, you¡¯ve found liberation. Advancing to Earth Knight, discovering new Tulip Magic Potions, I¡¯ve heard that the town has also nurtured an Elf Bug¡ Your luck is so good it even makes me envious,¡± Levis said, patting Liszt¡¯s shoulder with a smile. In reality, the rtionship among the siblings was not very good. Behind their warm gesturesy the formalitiesmon among nobles¡ªregardless, the three siblings had all be true Noble Sirs and Ladies. At that moment, the Li Dragon Horse Liszt was leading suddenly snorted loudly, then bared its teeth and roared at several horses pulling the carriages. Startled, the tall steeds retreated continuously, almost bolting away with the carriages. ¡°Hmm?¡± Only then did Levis and Li Vera notice the shiny ck Li Dragon Horse. Li Vera¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°What a magnificent steed, Liszt. Wasn¡¯t your mount a bay mare, a birthday gift from father? From whencees this fine horse, and might you part with it for your sister?¡± ¡°Tamed from Thorn Ridge, I¡¯m sorry, my sister, but I have no intention of selling it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised to be refused, but you rejected so directly, Liszt. You¡¯ve improved since you were a child,¡± Li Vera said, slightly surprised. The Liszt of her childhood had been quite meek and timid before her. ¡°People are always changing; I¡¯vee of age, it¡¯s only natural to make some changes,¡± Liszt beckoned, ¡°It¡¯s too dazzling in the sun outside, pleasee into the Castle to rest after your long journey. Mr. Carter must have prepared tea and pastries; we can rx and chat over them.¡± ¡°Then, Mr. Layden, would you please bring over the Greater Elf and the Little Minor Elves?¡± Levis turned around. Quickly Sir Layden approached the carriage, directing several other knights to carry out from within the carriage three exquisitely crafted ¡°boxes¡±¡ªonerge and two small. The boxes weren¡¯t veryrge; the biggest one was just the size of a cradle, within whichy a creature asrge as a baby. It looked somewhat human, but its body was translucent and shiny, like a colorful, glowing gemstone, with folded wings on its back¡ªthis was the Tulip Family¡¯s most precious possession, the Tulip Great Elf. The two smaller boxes each held a Little Minor Elf the size of an adult¡¯s foot, equally beautiful but not as radiant as the Greater Elf. The Tulip Greater Elf seemed to be awoken by the knights¡¯ movements, stretched in the box, and then rubbed its eyes as it woke up. ¡°` pping its wings and flying into midair, it had no gender and naturally needed no clothes. Its bright eyes scanned around, and quickly locked onto Levis, ¡°Levis, have we arrived? Where is the ck Tulip?¡± Its voice was sweet, like a little girl speaking. ¡°We have arrived, Xiangxiang. This is Fresh Flower Town, and you¡¯ll be able to see the ck Tulip very soon,¡± Levis responded. At that moment, the Tulip Great Elf turned to look at Liszt: ¡°Wow, Liszt, long time no see.¡± Liszt nodded with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s been almost two months since west met, Xiangxiang.¡± Before he could finish, two Tulip Lesser Spirits also awoke and flew out of the box, circling around the Great Elf while asionally making ¡°wow¡± sounds¡ªthey had awoken their spiritual intelligence but, being of limited intelligence, they couldn¡¯t speak. Leading the elves, they entered the castle. ¡ The castle¡¯s living room. The nobles were seated around the table, while the knight order members without titles were entertained downstairs by Marcus. Liszt, Levis, Li Vera, Goltai, Layden, and another Honored Knight named Bruce¡ªsix people in total¡ªtook their seats. Carter directed the servants to continuously serve tea and pastries. The cook, Abbie¡¤Spoon, pulled out all the stops; one exquisitely crafted pastry at a time was presented without cease. The Tulip Great Elf sat on Levis¡¯s shoulder, swinging its chubby little feet and beginning to squint and doze off again. One Tulip Lesser Spirity atop Levis¡¯s head, while another rested on Li Vera¡¯s shoulder. There were also several small jade boxes containing Tulip Spirit Bugs. Seeing this scene, Liszt realized, ¡°The Earl must have transferred the care of Great and Lesser Spirits to Levis, or else they would not be so affectionate.¡± He felt a great deal of envy. No matter how many times he saw them, the elves were so beautiful; it was hard to endure that such beautiful things belonged to someone else! But it was inevitable after all, Levis was bound to be the next Earl of Coral Ind. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the castle of Fresh Flower Town to be so rudimentary. Liszt, you really should refurbish it properly,¡± Levis casually remarked while sipping his tea. Compared to Tulip Castle, this small castle was no different from amoner¡¯s thatched cottage. ¡°I would like to butck money, manpower, and materials.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t bring building materials for constructing a castle, but the carriage is loaded with food, drink, and many seeds. After the enfeoffment ceremony, father gave you a lot of food, why do you still need so much nourishment?¡± ¡°Fresh Flower Town is even more deste than I imagined. I need to stockpile some food, otherwise, there maye a day when I¡¯ll truly go hungry,¡± Liszt offered a simple exnation. Stockpiling food is always the right decision¡ªhe who gathers food and builds high walls can be a king at leisure, this has been the strategy since ancient times. He wanted to develop Fresh Flower Town; without resolving the food issue, there was no point in talking about development. ¡°Alright, I think we can discuss these boring topics over dinner. The most important thing now is to see the ck Tulip, my Little Minor Elves can¡¯t wait any longer,¡± Li Vera interrupted. Liszt nodded in agreement; he really didn¡¯t want to pretend to be extra cordial. Levis and Li Vera probably didn¡¯t have much affection for him, and he felt that they were no different from strangers, ¡°Since sister is in a hurry, let¡¯s go to the Fresh Flower Farm first to assimte the ck Tulip.¡± Chapter 25 - 0025: What is the Quality of a Knight Chapter 0025: What is the Quality of a Knight Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` In the center of Fresh Flower Farm, the Tulip Great Elf, together with a Tulip Lesser Spirit and six Tulip Spirit Bugs, surrounded the ck Tulip to absorb its aura and undergo assimtion. Li Si Te (Liszt) stood by, watching the Tulip Great Elf intently. In the memories of his previous life, the Great Elf named Xiangxiang was estimated to be over sixty years old; it was just a Little Minor Elf more than two decades ago and had evolved into a Greater Elf during his father¡¯s generation. With Xiangxiang¡¯s help, the Tulip Family rapidly developed, and a vast amount of tulips brought innumerable wealth. With that wealth, they built a capable and battle-ready Knight Order, and it was not long before Li Weiliam was titled Earl for his military exploits. Coral Ind became the family¡¯s domain. ¡°Elves¡ Although I have the memories of my previous life and grew up watching Xiangxiang, no matter how many times I look, it¡¯s never enough. Elves are definitely wondrous things that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world¡ Unfortunately, it isn¡¯t mine. I have only five Elf Bugs, no, soon there will be six.¡± He wrote to the Earl, hoping to trade for an Elf Bug, and the Earl clearly agreed, as Levis brought with him an additional Little Wheat Elf Bug. ¡°My dear brother, the Little Wheat Bug Father asked me to pass on to you as a reward for discovering the Tulip Magic Potion,¡± Levis said, taking out a Jade Box and handing it to Liszt. ¡°Is this a reward outside of our trade, or within it?¡± ¡°Outside of it, haha, Liszt, don¡¯t view us as outsiders.¡± Levis smiled gently, his noble demeanor not much inferior to Liszt¡¯s, ¡°No matter what, we share the Tulip Family¡¯s blood, and whether it¡¯s a Magic Potion or the importance of Tulips, the benefit to the family is immense. Father was very pleased when he heard about it.¡± ¡°Then I will ept it, and thank Father for me.¡± ¡°Why not thank him in person?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Li Vera (Li Weiliam) approached, ¡°Grandfather is ill and has been confined to bed. Father is preparing for all three of us siblings to visit him. So, once things are settled here, you will need to go back to Coral City with us tomorrow.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Liszt nodded, with no reason to refuse. ¡°Let¡¯s save our catch-up for lunch then. We should finish the formal business first. Li Vera, you start the negotiation with Liszt. I¡¯m going to take in the scene of Fresh Flower Town¡ it¡¯s my first visit to this small town,¡± said Levis, as he mounted his steed, apanied by his Retainer Knights and Layden, who was there to ensure his safety, and rode off. They watched Levis leave. Suddenly, Li Vera said, ¡°Are you really unwilling to part with that ck horse?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, sister.¡± ¡°It is quite extraordinary; have you noticed?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Absolutely not selling?¡± ¡°Not selling.¡± ¡°Alright, it seems not only has your luck improved but so has your temper,¡± Li Vera narrowed her eyes; she used to beat Liszt quite a bit when they were young¡ªthe previous Liszt was a failure, often beaten by his brother and sister over toys. Liszt didn¡¯t want to reminisce about past events; they weren¡¯t his experiences: ¡°What have you brought for me, sister? Business is business; you can¡¯t hoodwink me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t intervene in the sale of the Tulip Magic Potion; I¡¯m just here to assimte once, with one Little Minor Elf and two Elf Bugs. The payment I¡¯m offering is five hundred jin of wheat, eight hundred jin of millet, one hundred jin of pig iron, and fifty jin of wrought iron, along with a packet of Falcon Town¡¯s specialty, sweetheart cabbage seeds¡ No sweetheart bugs, whether you can cultivate it or not, that¡¯s not my concern.¡± ¡°It¡¯s less than I expected, but it will do.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy; I would only be willing to offer half if it were Lidun.¡± Lidun is the youngest son of the Earl, and his mother is the current Earless, whoes from a small noble family. A child¡¯s status is dependent on the mother¡¯s nobility; Liszt and his siblings¡¯ mother is the daughter of a Marquis, far exceeding what Lidun couldpare to¡ªin assessing a noble¡¯s status, the rank and connections of both the paternal and maternal houses are key. It seems dissatisfied with Liszt¡¯s current attitude, once the deal was settled, Li Vera challenged him to apetition. ¡°What is your Dou Qi attribute?¡± ¡°Fire.¡± ¡°` ¡°What secret book did you practice?¡± ¡°¡±Fire Dragon Drill¡±.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a fight, let me see your current strength,¡± Li Vera took the spear carried by the Retainer Knight, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I sparred with you after advancing to an Earth Knight.¡± Sparring was just an excuse. The real purpose was to teach Liszt a lesson. But the Liszt of today was no longer the nodding Liszt of old; he simply smiled, ¡°Sorry, I haven¡¯tpleted the training of my secret book yet, let¡¯s have a match another day.¡± Li Vera¡¯s eyes were sharp, ¡°Are you avoiding it? That¡¯s not a quality a knight should have.¡± ¡°A knight¡¯s quality includes fairness. Sister, why not wait until I¡¯ve finished training the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±?¡± Liszt gently defused the verbal joust. Raising her eyebrows slightly, Li Vera put down the spear, ¡°You are as cowardly as you¡¯ve always been.¡± ¡°This is called being prudent.¡± ¡°You really know how to tter yourself.¡± Li Vera was neen and had not yet married, still a vibrant young adult. Liszt¡¯s mental age had long passed the adolescent phase, and he wouldn¡¯t get angry over a word or two. He dealt with the boredom with a few perfunctory remarks. Levis had already strolled around ande back. ¡°Dirty, messy, and poor,¡± he shook his head incessantly, ¡°Liszt, I¡¯vee to understand your need for food ¨C Fresh Flower Town is more hard-pressed than any other town I have seen.¡± ¡°Indeed, but I will make it prosperous,¡± Liszt affirmed. ¡°With the ck Tulip? Then let¡¯s talk about that¡ starting with assimtion. Greater Elf, Little Minor Elf, and the six Elf Bugs. Tulip Castle will pay three thousand jin of wheat, two thousand jin of barley, five hundred jin of wheat flour, a thousand jin of pig iron, thirty barrels of beer, and seeds of various crops,¡± Levisid out the deal. After a thorough inventory, Liszt didn¡¯t haggle and epted the trade. Load after load of supplies were carried into the castle¡¯s warehouse, quickly filling up what had been a somewhat deste space. The grain alone was enough to feed the castle for half a year, while the pig iron and wrought iron could be used to forge tools and armor. The seeds were specifically requested by Liszt for nting in Fresh Flower Town. Without Elf Bugs, the barrennd could only be fertilized with manure, hoping it would be effective. As for now, the small town was actually not that dirty anymore ¨C feces were collected daily and then sold to the castle. Liszt had the manure distributed to the hamlets for fertilizing the fields. With little time and quantity, besides Peanut Hamlet, other ces had not seen any noticeable effects yet. ¡ The atmosphere at lunch was good, with Goltai providing an excellent banquet mood, full ofughter and conversation. After the meal, Levis and Liszt discussed the cultivation and sale of the ck Tulip, ¡°Father¡¯s intention is to buy out the cultivation and sale of the ck Tulip in one go. As a reward, you could receive a thousand Gold Coins. At the same time, you can also nt them in Fresh Flower Town and sell them to Tulip Castle.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do, the ck Tulip is the cornerstone of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s development. I won¡¯t give up a continuous source of revenue for a mere thousand Gold Coins.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a thousand Gold Coins, not a small sum. I don¡¯t know if Fresh Flower Town could make that much in fifty years of taxes.¡± ¡°If I mass-produce Magic Potions, perhaps in a few years, just with the ck Tulip, I could make over a thousand Gold Coins annually. Magic Potions are scarce, and there¡¯s never a surplus in the market.¡± ¡°You should know, without the family¡¯s channels, you couldn¡¯t transport ck Tulip out of Thorn Ridge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want to talk to father, or to you, brother, about cultivation and sales¡ I can provide seeds for Tulip Castle, but I must take a certain percentage of the profits from all ck Tulips grown.¡± ¡°You mean, we do the nting and you sit in the castle counting Gold Coins?¡± Liszt picked up the tea cup, responding at a leisurely pace, ¡°Essentially, yes.¡± Chapter 26 - 0026: The Big Business of 2000 Gold Coins a Year Chapter 0026: The Big Business of 2000 Gold Coins a Year Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°I suspect you¡¯ve gone mad, asking for the moon,¡± Liszt raised his voice in dissatisfaction. ¡°Patience, big brother,¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯m all ears. Give me a reason to agree to such absurd terms. Liszt, my dear brother, you should understand that the ck Tulip is important to the Tulip Family, but it is not indispensable. We already have three types of tulip magic potions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that, and I¡¯m also aware that the magic power held by the ck Tulip is superior to the potions of the other three varieties. It¡¯s suitable to be the mainstay of our family.¡± Magic potions are a magical but also highly troublesome matter¡ªthey need to be cultivated by elves in order to propagate. Without the elves¡¯ cultivation, their offspring will gradually lose magic power and degenerate into ordinary nts. But this does not hinder their value. Preparing magic potions, forging magic equipment, practicing magic and Dou Qi¡ªall of these are inseparable from magic potions. The Coral Ind Knight Academy has even established a special course on magic potions to study these magic elixirs. When an Earth Knight reaches a teau in their training, they rely on magic potions to strengthen themselves and strive to be a Sky Knight. Every Sky Knight is a potion guzzler, not knowing how many magic potions they have consumed before obtaining the Advanced Dou Qi. Without the support of the family¡¯s tulip magic potions, Li Weiliam would have hardly been able to break through and be one of the few Sky Knights in the Duchy of Sapphire.¡± So Liszt knew very well the incalcble value of magic potions¡ªhis brother, the exceptionally talented Earth Knight, wouldn¡¯t miss out on the ck Tulip. Pausing for a moment, Liszt said leisurely, ¡°My talents are poor; bing a Sky Knight is almost too much to hope for, but you, big brother, have talentsparable to our father when he was young. I think, with a continuous supply of magic potions from the ck Tulip, your path to bing a Sky Knight will be much smoother.¡± He nced at Li Vera once more, ¡°It¡¯s the same for sister. I believe the Sky Knight title is far more valuable than a thousand gold coins, isn¡¯t it? I truly hope that both my brother and sister can be Sky Knights; the Tulip Family needs you to carry on its legacy. As for me, I just want to earn some money to improve my living conditions.¡± Talking about Sky Knights made Liszt take a short, sharp breath. He became an Earth Knight at thirteen, and at twenty-one, everyone said he could be another Tulip Sky Knight like his father. But he alone knew the enormous chasm thaty between an Earth Knight and a Sky Knight¡ªpouring all the resources of the family into it might still not be enough to lift him there. Moreover, there was another brother with equally exceptional talents, Lidun Tulip. Lidun¡¯s maternal family was just a minor nobility, hardly worth mentioning, but one had to admit, his mother, the current Countess, definitely had influence over his father. As a result, nearly half of Tulip Castle¡¯s resources had been allocated to Lidun¡ªcausing Liszt indescribable pain and even resentment towards his father. Shouldn¡¯t the family focus all its resources on helping him be a Sky Knight? Why waste resources! Narrowing his eyes slightly, he said in a deep voice, ¡°If you truly supported me, Liszt, you wouldn¡¯t have proposed such harsh terms.¡± ¡°Then how about I put it another way, I¡¯ll only partner with my brother and sister in the business of the ck Tulip? Surely father won¡¯t mind one magic potion nt.¡± The subtext of Liszt¡¯s words was to bypass Tulip Castle and thereby Lidun. In the future, the output of the ck Tulip would be shared only between the three siblings. That half-brother Lidun, who was quite arrogant and looked down on Liszt, had not spared Liszt his disdain. Liszt didn¡¯t hesitate to trick him. After thinking for a moment, Liszt asked, ¡°Is Li Vera also involved?¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t nned on it before, but since Liszt has invited me, why not?¡± Even though Veracked the talents of Liszt, her desire for the Sky Knight title was just as strong, ¡°and don¡¯t forget, I also have an elf.¡± ¡°Fine, let¡¯s talk about how to split the profits.¡± ¡ After several probes andpromises, the three siblings sessfully reached an agreement. Once the seeds of the ck Tulip were harvested, they would be cultivated near Coral City with the help of the Tulip Great Elf. Once a new batch of seeds was harvested, widespread nting would begin in Coral City, Falcon Town, and Fresh Flower Town. For the first three years, all ck Tulip Magic Potions would be handled by Levis. Liszt would then take a share of the profits¡ªat a rate of thirty percent in Coral City and twenty percent in Falcon Town¡ªording to market prices. After three years, the ck Tulips from Falcon Town would no longer be managed by Levis. Li Vera would handle them alone, giving Liszt a twenty-five percent share. After ten years, Liszt would stop taking a share. ¡°Currently, the annual profit from the golden Tulip Magic Potion at Tulip Castle is about five thousand Gold Coins. The ck Tulip should be able to surpass that, assuming it¡¯s seven thousand Gold Coins. My annual share could be around two thousand Gold Coins, which is far more worthwhile than a one-off payment of a thousand Gold Coins,¡± Liszt contemted after signing the official agreement. He had originally thought that taking a twenty percent share of the profits would suffice, but Levis, thinking Liszt naive due to his youth, nned to buy him out with a one-time payment of a thousand Gold Coins. So, out of retaliation, Liszt raised his share to thirty percent. ounts should be settled clearly among siblings, not to mention Liszt didn¡¯t feel they were close siblings at all¡ªbeyond the blood in their veins, they had almost no connection. With the agreement reached, there seemed to be a new understanding between the siblings. Outside the Castle, the peasants were still busy reiming wastnd. ¡°What, you n to nt crops all around the Castle? Wheat or barley?¡± Li Vera asked, standing by the Window and looking into the distance. ¡°I n to nt alfalfa, preparing to raise horses here.¡± Levis approached, ¡°Raise horses? Are you nning to form your own Knight Order?¡± ¡°I hope to put together a Knight Squad. The Magical Beasts of Thorn Ridge are a significant threat, and people fall victim to them every winter. The town doesn¡¯t even have anyone who knows Dou Qi¡ Brother, may I have a word?¡± Liszt suddenly had an idea. The two men moved to a separate, quiet room. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, all so secretive?¡± ¡°I remember that Coral Ind didn¡¯t have many people when I was a child, and they were all brought back by father¡¯s fleet from other inds, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. When father was ennobled as an Earl, Coral Ind only had a few thousand natives, and the poption was traded in from outside. What else did you think? Ny percent of the people on Coral Ind are the serfs of our family.¡± ¡°Then has brother considered continuing to trade in poption?¡± ¡°Continue trading in poption?¡± Levis scrutinized Liszt, ¡°Can Fresh Flower Town even support more people? I¡¯m doubtful this declining town can support us, let alone others. Or are you nning on trafficking people somewhere else?¡± Trading in poption was not a respectable affair, but nobles always needed people fornd remation. Essentially, many nobles would be involved in the trade of poption to some extent. ¡°Fresh Flower Town is indeed small, so I¡¯ve been preparing to develop Thorn Ridge, and that requires a lot of manpower. With the output of the ck Tulip, I believe we can sustain for a while, and by that time, Fresh Flower Town can be developed to at least not be inferior to sister¡¯s Falcon Town,¡± Liszt said half-truthfully. Gathering grain, building walls, and iming kingship in due course¡ªit was clear in his mind. Chapter 27 - 0027: A Barbecue Party Chapter 27: A Barbecue Party Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Trafficking people isn¡¯t out of the question, our family¡¯s fleet sets out to trade by sea every year, but for just a few dozen or a hundred people, it¡¯s not worth taking the risk,¡± ¡°Five thousand.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I need five thousand people.¡± ¡°Five thousand people, you sure you can handle that?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Levis narrowed his eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll consider it when I get back.¡± Returning to the living room, no one brought up the subject of human trafficking again, and the atmosphere at the afternoon tea was lively, thanks to Goltai¡¯s enthusiasm. The caravan would stay overnight at Fresh Flower Town, with most of the knights and retainers lodging in town. Levis and Li Vera, along with their personal servants, would stay in the castle. Butler Old Carter was especially busy that day. ¡°Tom, where¡¯s Jessie? I need his help!¡± His legs, not quite nimble, ached from climbing the stairs so many times; he wiped the sweat from his forehead and entered the kitchen, ¡°Isn¡¯t Jessie helping in the kitchen?¡± ¡°Jessie should be transporting the horse fodder. With dozens more horses in the castle, we don¡¯t have enough fodder to feed them.¡± Tom carefully ced a sack of flour next to the stove. ¡°When he¡¯s back, have him find me in the storehouse, I need manpower to move the food that arrived at the castle today into the cer for storage.¡± ¡°Okay, Mr. Carter.¡± Kitchen maid Eileen, while washing the vegetables, looked up, ¡°Mr. Carter, do you need my help?¡± Before Carter could answer, Cook Abbie scolded, ¡°You can¡¯t even finish your work in the kitchen, still have time to help others, what about it, Eileen, you want to jump ship?¡± Carter spread his hands, ¡°Eileen, you probably can¡¯t be of help.¡± ¡°I understand¡ God knows how long I have to stay in the kitchen today, it¡¯s so hot and stuffy here, my clothes are soaked through, Mrs. Abbie has made the stove too hot.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so! Are you the chef or am I the chef, letting you cook dinner for the lord¡¯s distinguished guests?¡± ¡°You are the chef.¡± ¡°Then shut your little mouth and work quietly!¡± The murmuring in the kitchen didn¡¯t stop for a moment. Carter had already walked out; the kitchen was too hot, and he felt oppressed in his chest, not sure if it was heatstroke ¨C summer had not yet arrived, but the weather was getting hotter. He pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his face, and leaned against the wall to catch his breath. Morson Paddy Field came towards him, carrying a bucket of water. Seeing Carter¡¯s state, he asked with concern, ¡°Are you feeling unwell, Mr. Carter?¡± ¡°How could I be unwell, it¡¯s just a bit hot, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Is it, but you look pale, maybe you¡¯re too stressed. Today, the castle is full of guests, and you¡¯ve been working hard everywhere.¡± ¡°How could I be stressed, Mrs. Morson? I have seen livelier asions at the Earl¡¯s vi. I can handle this,¡± Carter tucked away the handkerchief, ¡°Are Young Master Levis and Miss Li Vera¡¯s rooms ready?¡± ¡°Miss Li Vera¡¯s personal maid has keptining about the falling dust from the walls or the worn-out bedsheets.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t decide the quality of the utensils, let¡¯s not be rude in the details of our work, besides, real nobles won¡¯t hold grudges because of this.¡± ¡°All of the Tulip Family are true nobles,¡± Mrs. Morson nodded, ¡°Mr. Carter, are you sure you don¡¯t need to rest a bit?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°The Earl is a good man; he certainly wouldn¡¯t want to see you overworked.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not overworked. In fact, I¡¯m enjoying this. It¡¯s not often that we have guests at the castle; I rarely get a chance to show my worth. Alright, I¡¯m off to organize the storehouse. Just yesterday I wasining that the food was running low, and today we have so much that it won¡¯t all fit in the storehouse.¡± The castle was small, with little in the way of entertainment. After finishing afternoon tea, a group of knights prepared to hunt at Thorn Ridge. Liszt dly consented, and also invited Levis and Li Vera to join the hunt. ¡°With so many Earth Knights, it would be best to catch all the magical beasts in Thorn Ridge in one fell swoop,¡± he thought to himself. ¡°Even if we can¡¯t kill the magical beasts, familiarizing ourselves with the terrain of Thorn Ridge is also good.¡± He donned his armor neatly. Mounting his horse, this time he rode a Fire Dragon Horse, his coordination with the Li Dragon Horse was still not enough, affecting his strength. He didn¡¯t bring Thomas along, only Marcus and four Retainer Knights: ¡°Thomas, take good care of my Li Dragon and also, don¡¯t forget to feed Douson on time; it¡¯s growing, and can¡¯t go hungry.¡± ¡°What is Douson?¡± Li Vera asked. ¡°A dog.¡± ¡°You have a dog now? What breed?¡± ¡°A Fierce Earth Dog.¡± ¡°Fierce Earth Dog? A magical beast?¡± ¡°Yes, a Fierce Earth Dog cub, captured by Teacher Marcus in Thorn Ridge,¡± Liszt casually said. ¡°An Earth Knight, a ck Tulip, peanut worms, a Fierce Earth Dog cub, and a wild horse with divine speed, Liszt, have you been blessed by the god of fortune? I¡¯m a bit jealous of you.¡± ¡°I can only say, country life is colorful.¡± ¡°Falcon Town is also in the countryside, but it¡¯s not as colorful as Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you, sister, often stay in Tulip Castle and have neglected the countryside life.¡± ¡°If you want, you can continue to stay in Tulip Castle, father doesn¡¯t intend to drive you away,¡± Levis said as he rode over and chipped in. Liszt considered this mere courtesy: ¡°I like Fresh Flower Town, it¡¯s very free here, you can do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Including nting grass by the castle gates,¡± Levis pointed out the serfs who were tending alfalfa and joked, ¡°In the future, your castle can be called ¡®Steed¡¯s Castle¡¯.¡± Such a small castle couldn¡¯t possibly be named. Liszt raised his whip: ¡°Let¡¯s go, the sun is already nting west, if we can¡¯t get deep into Thorn Ridge, we¡¯ll probably have to turn back.¡± The Fire Dragon Horse ran in ordance with his will. He wanted to lead the group of knights into Thorn Ridge, at least to hunt a few magical beasts¡ªhe was going to conquer Thorn Ridge sooner orter, incorporating this hill and forest into the territory of Fresh Flower Town. The more magical beasts they killed now, the less danger in the future. Unfortunately. This hunting trip, they only caught normal wild animals. Magical beasts were much smarter than wild animals; sensing the surging Dou Qi inside the Earth Knights, they had hidden themselves early on. Even so, the prey they caught was enough to hold a grand barbecue party. Nobles, knights, and servants gathered together,ughing incessantly amid beer and cream. ¡°Wow, Mr. Barbecue, give me another rabbit leg,¡± the Tulip Great Elf flew around cheerfully; elves can live without eating, but they can still digest food. Thomas, who was busy barbecuing, quickly handed over a roasted rabbit leg, seasoned and ready to eat, to the Great Elf. Next to him, two Little Minor Elves, without asking, snagged two slices of roast meat for themselves. ¡°Xiangxiang, you¡¯re eating too fast, chew more to appreciate the taste of the food,¡± Liszt said, tearing at a rabbit head in his hand with a smile. Elves were too adorable; just looking at them could lift one¡¯s spirits. Especially while eating his favorite barbecue¡ªof all the foods in this world, probably only barbecue was to his taste. ¡°I like to eat in big bites.¡± Xiangxiang was covered in grease as she ate, then gently shook her body like a little dog shaking off water, flinging all the grease away, leaving herself clean without a single stain. Chapter 28 - 0028: The Tulip Castle in Blood Chapter 28: The Tulip Castle in Blood Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The night had deepened, after the barbecue party ended, the knights headed to the town to rest. Liszt and Li Vera each entered their rooms, and Old Butler Carter, instead of taking red wine, took a ss of apple juice and entered the study. ¡°My lord, you seem very sober and haven¡¯t drunk to excess.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he epted the apple juice, took a light sip, and savored its fresh fruit vor. The alcohol content in beer could only upset one¡¯s stomach, hardly enough to intoxicate. Under the candlelight, Carter¡¯splexion looked unnatural. Liszt had noticed this during the day, ¡°Mr. Carter, are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°I am quite alright, my lord.¡± ¡°You must speak up if there¡¯s anything wrong. Don¡¯t force yourself. Though the castle cannot do without a butler at the helm, your health is more important. Please take good care of yourself.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Old Carter was almost moved to tears. ¡°Tomorrow, once the Elf Bugs havepleted their assimtion, I will apany the caravan to Coral City. I may be away from Coral Ind for a few days, so please see to the affairs of the castle in my absence.¡± ¡°Please rest assured, my lord.¡± ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s nothing to be assured of. Aside from a few Elf Bugs, ensure that Douson and the Li Dragon are well taken care of. Also, visit the ck Tulip for me every day, and make sure the construction of the stables outside the castle does not halt. I hope to be able to settle the Alfalfa Bugs upon my return.¡± Duty always came first. After a brief chat, they returned to sleep, and the night passed just like that. The next morning, the eight Tulip Spirit Bugs hadpleted the assimtion of the ck Tulip, and the caravan departed immediately. Liszt rode atop a Fire Dragon Horse, with Marcus and Thomas apanying him. The castle was entrusted to Carter, the town to Goltai, and his four Retainer Knights were to cooperate with them. ¡°Teacher Goltai, upon my return, I expect to see the patrol team range from Thorn Ridge to the East Coast.¡± ¡°As you wish, I will train them well,¡± Goltai said with ease. ¡°Then, I¡¯m off. Oh, and on my way back, I will bring some Juniper Wine.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s awesome!¡± From atop his Fire Dragon Horse, Liszt looked back. At the castle gate, Butler Carter stood with a servant, silently watching them off. No longer hesitating, Liszt gently kicked the horse¡¯s belly, and the Fire Dragon Horse immediately sprang forward, catching up with the caravan. He was somewhat excited. His predecessor was very familiar with Coral Ind, but he, in the strictest sense, was leaving Fresh Flower Town for the first time to witness the outside world. A medieval world wrapped in magic power, a nobility system ruled by knights. After leaving Thorn Ridge, thend he stepped upon was mostly under the direct jurisdiction of an Earl, with only a few towns granted by the Earl to Barons, and a handful of even smaller viges and hamlets as fiefs of Honored Knights. The entire Coral Ind had only one enfeoffed Viscount, who was a follower of the Earl since the beginning, Jonas Shattered Stone. Beyond Coral Ind, there was another small ind, held by another of the Earl¡¯s Viscount followers, Trick Weed. On Coral Ind, there were six cities in total¡ªonerge and five small¡ªCoral City at the foot of Tulip Castle was thergest. North Valley City, Birch City, Elm Forest City, and Serpent Spear City all belonged to the Earl. Shattered Stone Castle along with its affiliated Shattered Stone City belonged to Viscount Jonas. To get from Fresh Flower Town to Coral City, it was necessary to pass through North Valley City and Birch City. However, the caravan did not stop in the two small cities. After a quick meal in the manor of North Valley City, it headed straight for Coral City. By three in the afternoon, when the hooves trod into a sea of flowers, Coral City was before them. All the flowers were various kinds of tulips. Most were for magic potions, while a few were ornamental nts¡ªthe tulips cultivated by the Tulip Family in the Duchy of Sapphire were famous far and wide. The sea of flowers undted with the slopes of the hill. To the left of the road was Coral City, with its towering city walls, abutting the sea with its bustling docks. From a distance, Liszt could see that on the docks, several ¡°advanced¡± two-masted sailing ships were moored. This world had slowly transitioned from the age of oars to the age of sails. It was with sailboats that the original conquerors of the Duchy of Sapphire came from the continent to these inds and established this ind nation. Only sailboats traversed the seas. ¡°What a pity, sails are probably the endpoint of ships, since there is not enough steel to foster an age of armored warships or even steamships.¡± Liszt sighed lightly to himself and withdrew his distant gaze, turning to the right side of the road. To the right were mountain ranges, with steep cliffs on the side facing the sea and gentle slopes on the other. Tulip Castle was built upon the cliff. A wide stone-paved road stretched from the gates of the castle all the way down to Coral City at the foot of the mountain. The tall castle stood like a banner, soaring at the highest point of Coral Ind. Sharp tower spires pierced the blue sky. The thick rocks blended into the mountains, solemnly and majestically surrounded by flowers, disying the robust grandeur of an impregnable fortress. In just ten years, the Tulip Family had built such a tall and sturdy Tulip Castle on Coral Ind¡ªduring which several hundreds of serfs had died from overwork. Even today, the castle was still expanding bit by bit. Nobles¡¯ glory was always built atop bloodshed¡ªthis was merely an earl¡¯s castle, and it was said that the castle of the Sapphire Duke took a hundred years to build. Beneath the cliff of the duke¡¯s castley piles of serf corpses, several tens of meters deep. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s ashen gray, but in reality, it¡¯s bloody red. I¡¯d rather live in the small castle in Fresh Flower Town¡ªthere, at least my heart can rest easy.¡± Liszt¡¯s mood was heavy. Following behind his brother and sister, he made his way to the familiar yet strange castle. Halfway there, they encountered a group of knights exiting the castle. The leading knight respectfully greeted Levis, ¡°Young Master Levis, I hope you had a smooth journey.¡± ¡°The journey went smoothly, Captain Mickey,¡± Levis replied, bowing in return. Captain Mickey paid his respects to Li Vera as well, ¡°Miss Li Vera, I hope you had a smooth journey.¡± ¡°A smooth journey, Captain Mickey.¡± It was then that Captain Mickey turned to Liszt, with the same impable courtesy, ¡°Young Master Liszt, wee home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Captain Mickey,¡± Liszt replied, bowing. The knight before him was the captain of the knight squad stationed at Tulip Castle, responsible for the security of the castle. Mickey himself was a baron, with his family managing hisnds, while he served at Tulip Castle. Escorted by the knights, they soon arrived at the main entrance of the castle. Butler Louis stood at the entrance, eagerly weing the three siblings with a warm smile on his aged face, ¡°Oh, what a joy it is to see the descendants of the lord return to the castle like weary birds to their nests.¡± ¡°Grandpa Louis, it has been too long. You¡¯re still as robust as ever,¡± Liszt said as he handed off the reins of his Fire Dragon Horse to a servant and greeted Louis. Louis must have been at least sixty years old by now, originally serving as a personal attendant to Liszt¡¯s grandfather. Now serving as the butler of Tulip Castle, even earls would show him utmost respect¡ªthis was a man who had dedicated his life to the Tulip Family, and he deserved such honor and status. Chapter 29 - 029: The Conversation Between Liszt and the Earl Chapter 29: The Conversation Between Liszt and the Earl Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Two months without seeing each other, Master Li Te, you seem even more spirited than before. How is everything in Fresh Flower Town?¡± Louis asked with a smile. ¡°All is well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. The Lord has mentioned you several times; he is also very concerned about your life now.¡± Would Coral Ind¡¯s Count really be concerned about Liszt¡¯s life? Liszt was skeptical. If the Count truly cared about Liszt, he wouldn¡¯t have sent him off to a dpidated town like Fresh Flower Town. Returning to his family home, Liszt did not feel any trepidation at being near his hometown. The soul within him came from a distant other world, and those memories of his predecessor were nothing more than scenes of a movie, unable to affect his current emotions. His connection with the Tulip Familycked the deep bonds of kinship; everything felt more like a ¡°game,¡± in which he was stepping into the role of Liszt. The bustling servants in the castle, upon seeing the young masters and miss, all bowed and paid their respects. The only members of the Tulip Family residing here were the Earl, the Earl¡¯s wife, Levis, Lidun, and Li Vera, who often returned to live here; however, there were more than two hundred servants. And the servants had almost no spare time, busy from morning till night. Their actual job, in summary, was to maintain the luxurious life of the nobles. ¡°I need to take a bath; I can¡¯t stand the smell on me,¡± said Li Vera as she entered the castle and turned to leave. ¡°If father asks for me, tell him I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± Levis acted as though he was the master of the castle: ¡°Liszt, do you also need to take a bath first? Your room has been kept for you by father, including clothes you didn¡¯t take with you, which servants meticulously manage.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as obsessive about cleanliness as my sister. I¡¯ll wait here for father. Brother, if you have affairs to attend to, please go ahead; I don¡¯t need to be entertained.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, the castle is also your home. Well then, I must discuss the ck Tulip matter with Teacher Frank ¨C cultivation, sales, and medicine production, all of which he is managing for me. And also the Elves, they need to be properly settled; these delicate creatures can¡¯t be neglected even the slightest bit,¡± Levis replied. Levis left as well. Marcus followed a male servant to take care of the horses, and now only Liszt and a few male servants who greeted guests were left in the living room. He stood with his hands sped behind his back, admiring the crystalmps on the stone columns¡ª the quantity of crystals and gemstones in a castle represented the wealth of a noble family, as most gemstones came from dragons. In Liszt¡¯s homnd, the role of gemstones was probably to look pretty. Here, gemstones are natural vessels of magic power, containing mystical forces, essential in the creation of magic items. The crystalmp on the stone column in front of him was one such magic item, made from low-grade crystals, it could stay lit continuously until the magic within the crystal was depleted¡ªthen it could be recharged by a magician or knight. This cycle would repeat until the crystal wore out, bing amon stone. ¡°Is a crystalmp without any carved patterns really worthy of such prolonged admiration?¡± Apanied by the tap-tap of boot heels on the ground, someone spoke from behind Liszt. Liszt turned around and saw, on the stairs leading to the second floor of the castle¡¯s living room, the lord of Tulip Castle¡ªa middle-aged man with pale gold hair, and a pair of not-so-pretty gray-green eyes, which contrasted starkly with the sapphire blue eyes of the three siblings. An ordinary face, with nothing special about it. Blending in with the crowd, Li Weiliam Tulip would probably not stand out at all. Yet he was the master of Coral Ind, a Sky Knight who earned the tile of Earl through his own efforts. Levis and Li Vera resembled their father more than their mother, making them not particrly good-looking, with only their sapphire blue eyes inherited from their mother. Liszt, however, had inherited his mother¡¯s looks, excessively handsome. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m just too ustomed to lighting candles, it takes some time to get used to the glow of a crystalmp.¡± ¡°What, are youining about life in Fresh Flower Town?¡± Li Weiliam stood on the stairs without continuing down. ¡°Life in Fresh Flower Town is exceptionally free, I am very satisfied, Father.¡± Liszt bowed respectfully, performing a salute, ¡°Your body remains as robust as ever, the surging Dou Qi is almost spilling out.¡± ¡°Your Dou Qi has also increased, that is good, content with a humble life, withoutints, that is good as well.¡± Li Weiliam nodded, ¡°Where are your brother and sister?¡± ¡°They are busy, they willeter.¡± ¡°Come with me to the study.¡± Li Weiliam turned and climbed the stairs. Liszt followed closely upstairs and entered the Count¡¯s study, arge room with one whole wall lined with bookshelves filled with many thick leather-bound books¡ªall sprayed with deodorant and fragrance, devoid of the distinctive smell of leather paper. Opposite the bookshelf by the window, a mahogany desk was also piled with plenty of books. Pop! The Earl uncorked a bottle ofst year¡¯s Crescent Moon Wine and poured into two tall crystal cups, the amber-red wine swirling in the sses like blood, crystal clear. He picked one up and handed it to his third son, the Earl seemed somewhat surprised, ¡°Two months of independent living seems to have tempered your disposition.¡± The Liszt of the past was not at ease in his presence, their rtionship awkward, but the Liszt now seemed very calm. ¡°Thank you,¡± Liszt epted the wine, ¡°Understanding the responsibilities of andlord, I needed to change.¡± ¡°A positive change.¡± ¡°I think so as well.¡± After a few exchanges, both father and son found that there was little of familial warmth to discuss. So, the Earl raised his cup and took a sip of the wine, awkwardly changing the subject, ¡°Is the matter of the ck Tulip settled? How much did Levis pay you?¡± ¡°Tulip Castle is responsible for cultivation and sales, I have a share in the profits for the next ten years, thirty percent, just in cooperation between me, Levis, and Li Vera.¡± The Earl pondered for a moment, ¡°Just you three siblings in cooperation?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You should not have left Lidun out, he is your brother too.¡± ¡°He¡¯s still young, isn¡¯t it good for him to be under Father¡¯s wing? My brother, sister, and I are adults, cooperation is a natural thing.¡± Liszt smiled slightly, not trying to exin or clear his thoughts¡ªLidun looked down on him, and he hardly esteemed Lidun. It seemed only now he remembered to ask, ¡°What about the Earless and Lidun? I haven¡¯t seen them.¡± ¡°The Earless took Lidun to Serpent Spear City. It¡¯s Lidun¡¯s uncle¡¯s birthday today.¡± The Earless came from a Baron family on Coral Ind, which resided in a small town near Serpent Spear City. After that, another silence followed. Liszt did not inherit the father-son affection with the Earl and could not chat like strangers, finding it hard to gauge the appropriate level of interaction, preferring to speak less. The Earl was somewhat unustomed to Liszt¡¯s current demeanor, more like a conversation between equals than the previouspliance, missing the feeling of being able to scold. It was only after a while that he said, ¡°Dinner is some time away, you may walk around or go to Coral City to see your friends.¡± ¡°No, thank you, I would like to stay in the study and read.¡± ¡°You never seemed so fond of reading before.¡± The Earl finished his wine and stood up to leave, ¡°If you want to read, I¡¯ll have someone prepare a cartload for you, to take back when you return to Fresh Flower Town.¡± Chapter 30 - 030 Lady Penelope’s Disfavor Chapter 30: Lady Penelope¡¯s Disfavor Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions History does not exist; it can only be spected upon through various knight¡¯s novels, to understand the customs and social development of the past. This is Liszt¡¯s recognition of the matter. He also doesn¡¯t know the origin year of this world¡¯s humankind. What is certain is that the Duchy of Sapphire has been established for one hundred and fifty years. Last year, a grand anniversary celebration was held, which left an impression on Liszt. There are many knight¡¯s novels in the country about the Sapphire Family, and some of them record that the Sapphire Family has a thousand years of heritage. As for the Tulip Family, there is no such thing as a family tree. What Liszt knows is about his great-great-grandfather, who was his grandfather¡¯s grandfather¡¯s father¡ªat that time, there was neither a Tulip Great Elf nor a Tulip Lesser Spirit in the family, so the surname Tulip didn¡¯t exist either. Their original surname was ¡°Tile,¡± indicating they were originally justmoners. ording to the family history passed down from father to son, the great-great-grandfather possessed extraordinary strength and followed a noble to serve the newly-founded Sapphire Family. He made achievements in war and was ennobled as an Honored Knight. From then on, the family entered the ranks of the nobility. In the generation of his great-grandfather, the family became Barons; in his great-grandfather¡¯s generation, they became Viscounts; and in his grandfather¡¯s generation, they obtained a Tulip Lesser Spirit. It was after Li Weiliam inherited the title that the little minor elf evolved into a Greater Elf, and the family surname was changed to Tulip. A few yearster, Li Weiliam became a Sky Knight with illustrious wartime achievements and was ennobled by the Sapphire Duke as Coral Ind¡¯s Count. To signify the family¡¯s rise to the upper ranks of nobility, the Serpent Script ¡°Li (L)¡± in Li Weiliam¡¯s name became the prefix for the names of subsequent generations. Every descendant would carry the Serpent Script L to honor the founder of the family. They might be named ¡°Li XX,¡± ¡°Li X,¡± or even ¡°Li XXX,¡± ¡°Li XXXX¡±¡ How many ¡°X¡±s there could be depended on the mood of the person naming the child. Liszt understood that this ¡°Li L¡± probably amounted to a ¡°n¡± name outside of the surname. His mother¡¯s family also had this tradition but used the character ¡°Mei (M)¡± instead. Therefore, the Tulip Family, when counting both past and present, only has a history of six generations, spanning around one hundred and fifty years. Beyond that, no one knows who the ancestors were. ¡°Progenitor, distant ancestor, great ancestor, esteemed ancestor, great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather, father¡ A noble Earl family that, rather than having eighteen generations of ancestors, only remembers six; truly, it is a barbarous age.¡± Liszt dismissed this with disdain, for without history, how can one talk of heritage? In his homnd, his own family can trace its ancestry with precise names back to the time of the Ming Dynasty. As for tracing bloodlines, it can go back even further, to the time of the Yellow Emperor. ¡°And then there are these knight¡¯s novels that boast about the Sapphire Family; they¡¯re all nonsense. The family¡¯s thousand-year heritage is told in a myriad of bizarre and fanciful origins. Some say it started in the southern part of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, some say it migrated from st Furnace Fortress Kingdom, and others from the faraway Blue Dragon Empire¡ If these novels are really self-congrattion of the Sapphire Family, then they¡¯re not very conscientiously done.¡± He would like to sort out a rough history of this world but feels there is little hope. The farthest back in history that any knight¡¯s novel he has read goes is a book titled ¡°Dull-headed Knight and the Red-tailed Fire Dragon.¡± This novel tells a story taking ce ten thousand years ago in the Neverfall Empire¡ªbut Liszt has verified that the Neverfall Empire has been in existence for no more than three thousand years. The Neverfall Empire is also the country with the longest reign on the continent. Many kingdoms were established with the friendship of dragons, and would decline with the dragons¡¯ death or departure, or even vanish midway through a dragon-ying war, which was considered normal. At the beginning of the Duchy of Sapphire¡¯s founding, there was such a dragon-ying battle. In that battle, the Sapphire Dragon almost got killed by the invaders from the Eagle Kingdom and was unable to gain a foothold on the vast continent. Fleeing, the dragon¡¯s blood stained a mountain range blue, where countless sapphires formed, bing an important mineral range for the Steel Ridge Kingdom¡ªthe Blue Blood Mountain. Although the dragon survived, the first Sapphire Duke was severely injured and had to withdraw from the continent, founding his nation on an ind far away. Of course, this part of the history is Liszt¡¯s own deduction. In the knight¡¯s novels that worship the Sapphire Family, the origin of Blue Blood Mountain is due to the Sapphire Dragon wounding the White Maw Iron Dragon of the hostile Eagle Kingdom, and its blood dyed the mines. As to why the blood of a White Maw Iron Dragon can create a mountain range with sapphires, that is a matter of opinion. Fooling themon people is enough; there¡¯s no need to go into great detail. ¡ Knock knock knock, the sound of knocking at the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Liszt lifted his head from a book titled ¡°Fire Attribute Dou Qi Development Guide.¡± The person who entered was the castle¡¯s deputy butler, Silva, a man just over forty. He was Louis¡¯s deputy and the predetermined sessor as the family¡¯s steward. ¡°Young Master Liszt, your grandmother, Lady Penelope, has arrived. She¡¯s in the drawing room, chatting with Young Master Levis and Miss Li Vera,¡± he said. ¡°Grandmother is here? I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± Liszt rubbed his forehead, feeling somewhat annoyed¡ªhis grandmother, after all, did not look kindly upon him. The disdain from his father was more about disappointment, but now, after returning with a changed demeanor, the Earl no longer showed any dislike, clearly pleased with his transformation. But his grandmother was different; she did not look kindly upon Liszt simply because he reminded her of Melissa, her daughter-inw. Penelope lived in a small castle in Coral City and chose not to live with her son due to one reason¡ªher discord with her daughter-inw, Melissa. Liszt, who looked very much like his mother, became an outlet for Penelope¡¯s frustrations. But no matter how annoyed he was, he still needed to go downstairs and pay his respects. ¡°Grandmother, you¡¯re here. Seeing you in good health brings me great peace of mind.¡± ¡°Oh, look who it is!¡± The wrinkles on Penelope¡¯s face were quite pronounced; she was approaching her sixtieth year. ¡°Liszt, if you didn¡¯t speak, I might have thought that Melissa hade to oppose me again. That beautiful face¡ Thank God, she¡¯s gone to heaven to enjoy her peace, and this old woman dares to visit her son¡¯s castle.¡± Liszt sat down quietly, his face expressionless, saying nothing. Why bother humoring someone who disdained him? They rarely saw each other anyway. It was best to just treat her as a stranger and maintain a superficial respect. Li Veraughed and said, ¡°Liszt, when Grandma heard you were back, she rushed to the castle. Usually around this time, she spends hours praying for the family.¡± Penelope turned her head away from Liszt, muttering under her breath, ¡°I didn¡¯te just to see him.¡± Could this be grudging respect after all? Liszt thought to himself that Lady Penelope probably did love her grandson. It was just habit for her to attack Liszt, who bore a strong resemnce to Melissa¡ªover a decade of habit. Whether it was love or disdain, it didn¡¯t matter much to Liszt. He just wanted to be a quietly handsome man. ¡°Your sister said that Fresh Flower Town looks even more rudimentary than imagined, almost like a small vige?¡± Lady Penelope inquired. ¡°It is indeed a bit rudimentary. However, it¡¯s more suitable for grand development. I already have ns for developing Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Look at that, such a grand manner of speaking. That¡¯s a bit more like our Tulip Family¡¯s temperament. Don¡¯t always imitate Melissa¡¯s calm, superior demeanor as if you¡¯re born better than others. It¡¯s bad enough you look so much like her; if you inherit her temperament as well, that would truly be the death of me, a cloud that I could never shake off.¡± Liszt did not respond. He didn¡¯t have many memories of his mother, as she passed away due to illness when he was very young. Lady Penelope continued to ramble,menting Melissa¡¯s faults. Essentially, her message was the daughter of the Marquis looked down on me, opposed me at every turn, and you must not inherit her ws. Chapter 31 - 0031: Shit Road of Coral City Chapter 31: Shit Road of Coral City Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The past between Melissa and Lady Penelope had be an old tale within the Castle. Lady Penelope criticized Melissa for not being able to stand her. Backed by the Marquis, she was untouchable and had to move out of Tulip Castle. Li Si Te, however, felt that, in truth, Lady Penelope was too harsh¡ªit had been over ten years, and she was still incessantlyining. Moreover, in those ten years since Melissa¡¯s death, Lady Penelope still hadn¡¯t been able to move in, because she was now at odds with the new Earl¡¯s wife. ¡°You¡¯re lucky to havee back today; the Baron¡¯s daughter isn¡¯t in the Castle, or I would have been the first to turn around and leave. That woman has a kind of odor on her that makes me ufortable. Only your father could tolerate her. Now the whole Castle is filled with her scent, and I can¡¯t stand to stay for a moment,¡± Li Vera sat beside Lady Penelope and, hearing this, clung to her arm, swapping her usual assertiveness for a coquettish tone, ¡°Grandmother, if you dislike Tulip Castle, you cane to my Falcon Town; I have a very beautiful manor there, and a hot spring that you¡¯re sure to love.¡± ¡°My dear girl, as a nobledy, you must possess proper bearing. Look at yourself, neen years old and you still haven¡¯t found a suitable other half. This is because you¡¯re notdylike enough.¡± ¡°Grandmother is right, Li Vera; you need to learn to be ady, not to ride horses and bear arms like us,¡± Levis teased, and then said to Lady Penelope, ¡°Grandmother, if you think the Castle has a bad odor, I can put out more air fresheners.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t something air fresheners can fix. Two women in session entering our home have already drained me. I don¡¯t want to visit the Castle unless absolutely necessary,¡± Lady Penelope said before turning her head to speak to the Butler, Louis, who stood at the ready, ¡°Louis, you will help me pass these words along to the Baron¡¯s daughter, right?¡± Her words carried a provocative undertone. Louis smiled amicably, ¡°Madam, as you know, I much prefer to keep my lips sealed.¡± ¡°Boring Louis, ever so dull from youth to old age,¡± she said. Ever since Lady Penelope entered the Castle, the entire conversation revolved around her. Of course, about eighty percent of the conversation was also dominated by her. Li Si Te could only offer an awkward yet polite smile. It wasn¡¯t until the Earl returned from outside and announced that the dinner could start that Li Si Te was released from that highly ufortable atmosphere. A banquet at Tulip Castle was obviously iparable to one held in a small Castle in Fresh Flower Town. Simply in terms of the number of guests, there was noparison. At tonight¡¯s banquet, basically all the Nobles in the Castle were seated, including the Earl¡¯s family, family tutors, the Knight Captain, and a few Earl followers who were guests at the Castle, amounting to sixteen Nobles in total,prising Honored Knights, Barons, Viscounts, and Earls. With Lady Penelope at the banquet, there was no chance of a dull moment as she kept the conversation flowing at all times. Li Si Te focused on enjoying the food, and although he never quite ustomed himself to the Western style of eating, it was delectablepared to the rough fare in Fresh Flower Town. He did not participate much in conversation and few sought him out for a chat, thus, just like in the memories of his previous life, he became an invisible presence in the Castle. However, in the past, he had wanted to interject but found no opportunity. Now, he simply had no interest in doing so, for after all, he was but a transmigrator using another¡¯s body; he couldn¡¯t immerse himself in the Tulip Family and could only stand by as an observer, calmly dealing with everything and keeping a low profile, doing what was appropriate for the era while focusing on his own development¡ªperhaps, one day, he could live freely, without the need for secrecy. The day after the banquet ended, Li Si Te awoke early because he and his siblings were to set sail with the fleet to visit their ailing grandfather, Marquis Merlin Taro, on Red Crab Ind. ¡°Convey my sincerest regards,¡± the Earl also got up early and had breakfast with his three children. As a son-inw, he should have visited in person, but his current status was that of an ex-son-inw, estranged from the Long Taro Family, making it inconvenient to visit anymore. Lady Penelope had already returned from her walk, her tone deste, ¡°Levis, Li Vera, Liszt, send my regards to Marquis Merlin as well. I remember him as a handsome and elegant noble, strong and outstanding. But a few years have passed, and he has fallen ill to the point where he can no longer work, even stepping down from his position as captain of the Court Fleet.¡± ¡°Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the naturalws of the universe, mother, you shouldn¡¯t dwell on it.¡± ¡°Are you trying to tell me that I¡¯m also a damned old hag?¡± ¡°Why would you think that, when I am hoping that you live past a hundred years old?¡± ¡°From the two women you married, it¡¯s clear you can¡¯t wait for me to die so you can have some peace. No one to bother you from doing whatever you want on Coral Ind.¡± The Earl could only put on an awkward yet polite smile. Liszt, with Marcus and a castle servant following behind, carrying his luggage, bid farewell and together the siblings headed to the dock, a part of Coral City. Calling it a city, Liszt preferred to think of it as a ¡°gianttrine,¡± with the sour smell of fermenting feces pervading every street and alley. For this reason, the Tulip Family¡¯s production of richly fragrant Tulips, that were widely popr with city dwellers. The citizens who were out and about would pin a Tulip on their chests to neutralize the nauseating odor on the streets. Putting aside the smell of feces. In terms of grandeur, Coral City could notpare to even a small county town in Liszt¡¯s hometown. There were no tall buildings or mansions, just sporadic wooden houses next to stone ones, expanding constantly along streets of varying widths. Shops lined the streets, and hurried pedestrians inevitably stepped on various fecal matter¡ªresidents always liked to dump their waste on the road. If it was just a pile of dog feces, one could of course choose to sidestep it. But if an entire street was covered in dog feces, the correct approach was to frown and tread upon it. Thus,yer uponyer of feces, through constant trampling, merged with the road surface, creating the city¡¯s unique ¡°shit roads,¡± naturally reeking. Why was sanitation so appalling? Because themoners were too busy making a living to care about cleanliness; nobles lived in castles on the edge of the city and didn¡¯t care about the filth. The only constion was that Coral City was just an ind city with a limited poption. The amount of feces produced, weathered by nature, was still bearable. If it were arger city, it might well have drowned in its own excrement. ¡°Could it be that the Elf¡¯s abilities limit their vision, leaving them unable to think of using feces as fertilizer for farming?¡± Liszt pondered while looking at Coral City, his imagination running wild, ¡°Perhaps I could collect all of the ind¡¯s feces and haul them to Fresh Flower Town, and on the outskirts of town no, on the outskirts of the town, build a few biogas digesters.¡± He understood the principle of biogas digesters, but using biogas for lighting or cooking was a bit tricky. After simple fermentation to use as fertilizer was the quickest method; the barren soil of Fresh Flower Town,parable to loessnd, was indeed in dire need of fertilization. ¡°But the transportation is inconvenient, hauling a load of feces by carriage would cost more than the feces themselves better forget it, don¡¯t pollute my Fresh Flower Town. It¡¯s best if the town¡¯s feces are produced and consumed locally.¡± Chapter 32 - 0032: The Twin-Masted Schooner at Sea Chapter 32: The Twin-Masted Schooner at Sea Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The city isn¡¯t worth the anticipation, only the castle is worth looking forward to¡ªnobles do care about hygiene, with bathrooms and toilets avable, and servants to carry feces and trash outside the castle walls. Since no one knows to use feces as fertilizer for fields, it is randomly discarded in the wild, naturally dposing. Effectively using feces as fertilizer would definitely reduce the dependence on elves¡ªonly reduce, because elves also have the ability to improve crop traits. The twin-masted ship sails on the azure sea, with Coral City gradually disappearing from view, and the towering Tulip Castle beginning to sink below the horizon. Could this perhaps prove that this world is also spherical? Liszt would asionally ponder about the world he had traversed to, unable to draw any conclusions due to theck of information. ¡°My Lord, what are you looking at?¡± Marcus walked over. ¡°The sea, the azure sea, conceals countless treasures.¡± ¡°I grew up by the sea since I was a child, and don¡¯t have such wonderful imaginations about the sea. There are sea monsters in the sea, and maybe some fish, but there are also fish in rivers andkes, and they¡¯re not dangerous. The wealth of the continent is the real abundance, inexhaustible. The glory of knights and nobles is also contested on the continent.¡± The Duchy of Sapphire is an archipgo nation, but has never given up on conquering the continent, organizing Knight Orders every few years to fight for mineral resources. That has created batch after batch of nobles. The Tulip Family also prospered from this, and Marcus often dreamt of going to the continent to fight in wars, hoping to be granted the title of an Honored Knight for his achievements. Now determined to serve Liszt, he naturally tried to entice him every so often. Liszt still looked at the profound sea, not caring for the ¡°continental wealth theory,¡± thinking that battlefields were so dangerous, why go there? It¡¯s better to be a quiet ruralndlord, to do missions, to farm, to advance step by step steadily. If it were just a mere traversal, he didn¡¯t think he could stand out among the natives, but with the help of the Smoke Mission, bing strong was just a matter of time. As for what the Smoke Mission was, the secret would be unraveled one day. ¡°Teacher Marcus, I heard that there arerge undeveloped inds beyond the archipgo of the Grand Duchy?¡± ¡°Yes, I have chatted with some old sailors, there are indeed arge number of inds beyond the archipgo, but those inds are situated in the deep sea, where storms are frequent, and there are many hidden reefs, making it difficult for ships toe and go, without much value for development.¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Liszt responded nomittally. Leaving other things aside, as long as the deep-sea fishing industry is developed, the wealth of the sea will gradually reveal itself, and at that time, thepetition for inds will probably not be less than that fornd. He was not capable of that now, being just a small town¡¯sndlord, he would focus on developing further. ¡°Set sail! Navigate to the front side!¡± ¡°Set sail! Navigate to the front side!¡± Boisterous shouts from the crew came from below the mast, as a southerly wind had risen, blowing from the stern, rustling. The captain decisively ordered the sailors to set sail to catch more wind. The advent of sailing ships allowed humans to venture into greater areas of the sea. The ships of the Duchy of Sapphire were all sailing ships, but they were all equipped with horizontal sails, without the appearance of longitudinal sailboats yet. The advantage of horizontal sails is that they¡¯re fast with the wind, but the disadvantage is that they are almost ineffective against the wind, requiring oars to row. With the wind at their back, the fleet raised their sails, forming a triangr formation on the sea, a spectacr sight. Departing in the morning, they arrived at Red Crab Ind by evening. Red Crab Ind is ten timesrger than Coral Ind, and Long Taro Castle is not by the sea but on the mountainside in the center of the ind. Thus, after disembarking, Liszt and hispanions had to stay overnight in the port city of Sea Crab City, then switch to a carriage the next day, and it would take another day to reach Long Taro Castle. The practice of training pigeons to send and receive letters had not yet developed, and pigeons probably wouldn¡¯t be able to carry the weight of thick paper. However, because there had already been arrangements for knights to send messages, stating that youths from the Tulip Family would visit shortly, servants at Long Taro Castle¡¯s branch estate in Sea Crab City were specially assigned to wait for them. After receiving Liszt and his party, they immediately arranged for them to stay in the guesthouse, sparing them the dirty amodations of the city. After dining in the evening, Liszt took a bath andy down in bed. He was a bit seasick. Back home, he was used to airnes and trains, and sincerely found seafaring quite ufortable. Fortunately, his predecessor was an inder with decent swimming skills, which helped him somewhat ovee the problem, so he wasn¡¯tpletely incapacitated by seasickness. ¡°As an inder, yet subject to seasickness, Liszt, I must say you¡¯re losing face for the Tulip Family. I thought you had matured, but it turns out you¡¯re still so ipetent; it really reminds me of the cowardly acts you used tomit, my foolish little brother.¡± Li Vera appeared in Liszt¡¯s room at some point without his notice. No knocking. This gave Liszt a start, as he was examining his Smoke Serpent Script¡ªoften taking it out to see if there were any new insights. But he quickly calmed down, realizing that Li Vera seemed unable to see the Smoke Serpent Script. It was something only he could see, so there was no worry of leaking secrets. ¡°You forgot to knock.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t knock? That¡¯s not important,¡± Li Vera said, crossing her arms and ring at Liszt as she expressed her disdain. ¡°To me it¡¯s important. You didn¡¯t respect my privacy, and besides, it¡¯s very udylike to do so. Nobles preferdies, dear sister.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to change myself to please any noble! Besides, Liszt, when did I ever need your advice? If we weren¡¯t on Red Crab Ind right now, I would truly teach you a lesson and make you understand that bing an Earth Knight means nothing!¡± Liszt had been bullied by Li Vera since childhood. He believed the fundamental reason was Li Vera¡¯s jealousy of his appearance¡ªwhich could make most women feel ashamed of their looks. ¡°Did youe here just to tell me that I¡¯m still quite weak?¡± ¡°I just wanted to see the pathetic sight of you being seasick.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve seen it, so could you please leave now?¡± Li Vera shot him an angry look before turning and walking away. Liszt got up and locked the door. At neen, she was still a young woman, and her behavior was indeed puzzling. Not that it mattered much, as the Li Vera in his memories was always blunt, or rather recklessly frivolous. The Earl oftenmented that he and Li Vera should exchange temperaments. One more delicate than girls, and the other wilder than boys. As hey back down, Liszt found himself unable to sleep and started thinking about trivial matters, ¡°Five months ago, I made a visit to Long Taro Castle for the holiday season. At that time, Marquis Merlin wasn¡¯t on the ind as he was serving as a captain in the Court Fleet; it¡¯s been about four or five years since west formally met.¡± Given the nobility¡¯s monogamous system, families often weren¡¯t very prosperous. Marquis Merlin had one son and two daughters. His youngest daughter, Melissa, had passed away, and his second daughter, Melinda, married Viscount Rnd Pinecone, a follower of the Marquis. There was only one heir, the eldest son, Mesiro Taro, who also had only one son, Meioubao Taro. ¡°Cousin Meioubao seems to be nearly twenty-five and still unmarried? Is it because he¡¯s pursuing the Sapphire Duke¡¯s daughter? This princess of the small state is said to be quite the social butterfly.¡± The Grand Duchy, a vassal state of an empire or kingdom, is ruled by a Grand Duke at its highest rank. Strictly speaking, they are not kings, so their daughters cannot be called princesses. Moreover, the new Sapphire Duke, being unable to be a Dragon Knight, had his rank downgraded to Duke. In the system of nobility, the ranks of Prince, Grand Duke, and Duke are on the same level, but one can only be addressed as Prince or Grand Duke upon bing a Knight; otherwise, one holds the title of Duke. However, rules are rigid, people are flexible; within the Duchy of Sapphire, all nobles refer to the ruler as the Grand Duke, and naturally his daughter is regarded and pursued as a princess. With malice, Liszt thought to himself, ¡°If Meioubao does marry the princess, he might well find out the children aren¡¯t his heh heh.¡± Chapter 33 - 0033: The Lord of Long Taro Castle Chapter 33: The Lord of Long Taro Castle Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The rocking carriage jostled Liszt to the brink of sleepiness. From Sea Crab City, he had endured a bumpy ride to Redstone City, where he spent a night. By dawn, after another two hours of travel, they finally saw Long Taro Castle standing halfway up the mountain. Long Taro Castle was almost four times the size of Tulip Castle, with arrow towers that soared to a height of one to two hundred meters. Its location on the mountainside almost merged the castle with the mountain range. Liszt had once traveled from his hometown, Earth, to visit Neuschwanstein Castle in Europe. The majesty of Neuschwanstein Castle wasparable to Tulip Castle, save for thetter¡¯s precipitous cliffs. However,pared to Long Taro Castle in front of him, Neuschwanstein seemed modest in scale. Long Taro Castle alone bore the grandeur rivaling The Lord of the Rings¡¯ White City. Below the castley a city. The carriage didn¡¯t need to go through the city, taking a rather steep mountain road directly towards the castle instead. Midway, it was spotted and approached by the Knight Squad of Long Taro Castle. Learning that they were rtives of the Tulip Family, the Knight Squad immediately escorted the carriage to the castle. And one knight sprinted up the mountain to inform them ahead of time. Thus, when the carriage arrived at the castle¡¯s entrance, the heir to Long Taro Castle, the three siblings¡¯ cousin Meioubao Taro, was already awaiting them with servants. ¡°Levis, Li Vera, Liszt,¡± said Meioubao Taro, who was handsome and graceful, with sapphire-like eyes shining exceptionally bright, ¡°I received the letter and have been waiting a long time. Was your journey smooth?¡± Liszt had to admit. This cousin, both in looks and demeanor, was quite outstanding, almost on par with himself. Standing together, he looked more like a brother to Liszt than Levis did. ¡°Cousin Meioubao, everything went smoothly.¡± ¡°Cousin, you¡¯ve be even more beautiful thanst year.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment, cousin, butpared to your handsome features, it always feels like mockery,¡± Li Vera said half-jokingly and half-seriously to Meioubao Taro. Meioubao Taroughed heartily, ¡°I can¡¯t refuse this, right, Liszt?¡± The second part was addressed to Liszt. Liszt gave a slight smile. Finally, he confirmed that Li Vera had been teasing him all these years out of jealousy for his looks: ¡°Cousin speaks the truth.¡± ¡°Haha, indeed, heroes sharemon views. Let¡¯s go inside the castle. Father is overseeing this quarter¡¯s tax collection on foreignnd and has yet to return. Grandfather is recuperating his health but was very pleased to hear of your arrival.¡± ¡°How is grandfather¡¯s health now?¡± Meioubao Taro sighed, ¡°Grandfather¡¯s illness is aplication arising from the recurrence of an old injury. It fluctuates; sometimes it¡¯s better, sometimes worse. The Grand Duke has already sent the Court¡¯s physician to treat him ¡ª I believe he will recover.¡± In the opulent bedroom, sitting on the bed was the master of Red Crab Ind, one of the seven marquises of the Grand Duchy, former captain of the Court Fleet, the most venerable person in Long Taro Castle. Merlin Taro. He was a septuagenarian, his pale, wrinkled face still retaining its long-cultivated dignity, but fail to conceal the frailty brought on by age and illness. Even as a former Sky Knight capable of leaping into the air, he was not immune to the ravages of time. His sapphire-blue eyes had already turned cloudy, not to mention a head of white hair. Hey quietly against the headboard, with a low tea table on his quilt-covered legs,boriously writing with an ink-dipped quill on a sheet of thick paper. The age spots on his face were particrly noticeable. ¡°My lord, Young Master Sun has already brought the three young masters and miss of the Tulip Family into the castle,¡± the butler, almost as old as Marquis Merlin himself, didn¡¯t bear to disturb him and spoke in an especially soft voice. Marquis Merlin¡¯s pen tip hesitated slightly, then he continued writing, not lifting his head, ¡°Melissa¡¯s children? Then let theme and visit this old man, half buried in the grave.¡± ¡°My lord, you are only temporarily indisposed, and you will recover soon. You¡¯ve said that you would live to a hundred, ousting that old scoundrel Marquis Wace from next door,¡± the butler said. ¡°Ha ha, I also threatened the Grand Duke¡¯s Sapphire Dragon, saying that if it didn¡¯t make me the Dragon Domain Landlord, I would ughter it. However, it was to no avail; this time, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve lost to that old undying fellow,¡± Marquis Merlinughed heartily, quickly finishing thest few words, and put down his pen. The servants attending beside him immediately carried away the tea table. The old butler supported the marquis, leaning him towards the head of the bed to sit morefortably. He then bent down to straighten the red tie at the marquis¡¯s chest. A servant brought a bronze mirror. Other servants handed over water, towels, and hair clips, serving the marquis in turn. The marquis meticulously groomed his appearance, quickly transforming from a frail old man back to a figure of authority, and then, he waited. Hearing familiar footsteps outside the door, his murky eyes couldn¡¯t help but shine a bit of light. Which was quickly concealed again. Meioubao was leading the three siblings, and they had already walked into the bedroom. Levis took the lead, with Li Vera and Liszt quickly following to the bedside, addressing Marquis Merlin with the courtesy of juniors, ¡°Grandfather, Li Vera, Liszt, and I havee to visit you. Father also asked me to extend his sincere regards and hopes that you will recover immediately to restore the splendor belonging to the master of Long Taro Castle.¡± ¡°Your father is thoughtful,¡± the marquis nodded lightly, ¡°Did you have a smooth journey?¡± ¡°It was smooth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Since you havee to visit your grandfather, stay for a few days at Long Taro Castle.¡± ¡°Yes, grandfather.¡± The marquis¡¯s gaze moved past Levis and Li Vera, settling on Liszt, with a reminiscent look in his eyes, ¡°Liszt, you¡¯vee of age.¡± ¡°Yes, mying-of-age ceremony was on the ninth of March this year.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that your father has titled you a baron; which town is it?¡± ¡°Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Hmm, not even able to allocate a viscountcy, it seems Earl Li Weiliam has been quite unsessful,¡± Marquis Merlinmented bluntly, then his tone became wistful again, ¡°I wasn¡¯t there for youring-of-age ceremony; Melissa will surely me me. Seeing you is like seeing Melissa standing right before me.¡± Meioubao echoed, ¡°Grandfather, Cousin Liszt indeed resembles Aunt Melissa so much. When I was a child and met Aunt Melissa, I thought that the Long Taro flowers were truly the most dazzling in the Grand Duchy.¡± ¡°I can hardly remember my mother; I can only look up to her through the portraits at Tulip Castle,¡± Liszt said, indeed he had no memory of his mother. Liszt had been only two years old when Melissa passed away; what could a two-year-old child remember? There were portraits of Melissa in the castle, but he didn¡¯t often look at them. Besides, even if they were portraits, they lost much in their veracity, making it difficult to capture the true elegance of the person. It was a cause for regret. The marquis¡¯s emotions were quickly reined in, ¡°It¡¯s been over a decade, but sometimes it feels like just yesterday You must be tired from your journey. Meioubao, take your cousins to rest. I want the young men and women to be full of vigor at the luncheon. Also, if time permits, hold a ball tomorrow night; make it a lively one for the young people.¡± Chapter 34 - 0034 Little Minor Elf’s Saliva Chapter 34: Little Minor Elf¡¯s Saliva Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Chirp.¡± ¡°Chirp.¡± Down the corridor of the castle, a strange chirping could be heard. Liszt, who had nned to rest until noon before attending the banquet, pushed open his room door and saw, not far away, a little blue minor elf dancing around a pir in the corridor. A few maids were attending to the minor elf. Seemingly noticing Liszt, the minor elf fluttered over in a swoosh, hovering about a meter in front of him. It curiously sized up Liszt with its big eyes, asionally letting out a ¡°chirp,¡± with no indication of what it meant. ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt,¡± a maid approached him and greeted respectfully. Liszt asked, ¡°What kind of minor elf is this?¡± ¡°It is a Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf, just turned three years old,¡± replied a maid with a lovely face, who boldly took two nces at Liszt with her brown eyes. There was an inexplicable spiciness in her gaze. Liszt didn¡¯t notice her looking at him, and he stretched out his hand to lightly gesture towards the Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf, ¡°Does it have a name?¡± The minor elf tilted its head, clueless: ¡°Chirp?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a name. There are many minor elves in the castle, and we just refer to them as Cordyceps. However, this Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf is the naughtiest one of all. That¡¯s why several maids need to follow it around to prevent it from causing mischief and trouble,¡± the maid answered. Elves are magical creatures nurtured by nature, most are quite docile, but there are always some with tricky and quirky temperaments. ¡°What trouble can it cause?¡± Liszt felt it was much ado about little, a minor elf only needed one maid to follow it, yet several maids were attending to it, which seemed like they were cking off. But before the maids could exin. The hovering minor elf suddenly pursed its lips at Liszt and then¡ªstter, it spat saliva right onto Liszt¡¯s face. It was so sudden that even with his Earth Knight reflexes, he didn¡¯t react in time. By the time Liszt regained hisposure, the minor elf was already ¡°chirp,¡± ¡°chirp¡±ughing away as it flew into the distance. ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt, the Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf is very naughty, often spitting at guests of the castle. We are terribly sorry. We hope you won¡¯t take it to heart,¡± said the maid with the spicy gaze. Turning to herpanions, she said, ¡°Quickly follow the Thick-Leaf Grass, don¡¯t let it disturb anyone else. I¡¯ll take Young Master Sun Liszt to wash his face.¡± Having said that, she elegantly extended her hand to guide him: ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt, please allow me to fetch water for you to wash your face, as an apology for the Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf¡¯s behavior.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Liszt had nned to just wipe it off, considering the minor elf to be a not filthy creature, and he didn¡¯t mind its saliva. But since the maid had offered, he decided to use the water to wash his face again. Once the wash basin was brought over, the maid wrung out the towel and proceeded to wipe Liszt¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡°It is our duty as maids.¡± ¡°For things like washing my face, I prefer to do it on my own,¡± Liszt coughed, fully aware that high society was used to indulgence, with servants attending to all their personal needs, but he would never get ustomed to it. After wiping his face. He handed the towel back to the maid. Her eyes shining, the maid asked: ¡°Would you like to wipe again?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s all right.¡± A fleeting look of disappointment crossed the maid¡¯s face as she picked up the basin and stood up to leave: ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave Oh, Young Master Sun Liszt, my name is Anna, and I would be more than willing to serve you if you require.¡± Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°Okay, Anna.¡± In that moment, with his forehead just damp from water and a stray wet lock of hair, he became even more charming by a fraction. The maid was obviously dazzled by Liszt for a moment, then she lowered her head and quickly exited the room. Once she left the room, She felt her heart pounding furiously in her chest, and a faint blush rose on her cheeks. ¡°What are you doing?¡± suddenly a questioning voice came from beside her. It was a male servant, assigned to Liszt as his personal attendant in the castle, responsible for his daily personal care. He had just gone to fetch some milk tea for Liszt from the kitchen and returned to find Annaing out of the room, still carrying the basin¡ªcaring for guests was his job! ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt needed to wash his face, so I attended to him.¡± ¡°Is that so? It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s the maids¡¯ turn to do that, Anna. Don¡¯t do anything that would disgrace Long Taro Castle,¡± the male servant said sternly, his voice filled with menace. Anna kept walking: ¡°Lyskey, you¡¯re not the butler. You have no say in what I do!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell the butler!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job, what you choose to report is your business.¡± After Anna hadpletely disappeared around the corner of the corridor, Lyskey snorted coldly: ¡°A bunch of bitches!¡± After cursing, he quickly masked his anger with the proper solemn and dignified demeanor befitting of a male servant, along with aposed and graceful appearance. He knocked on the door: ¡°Young Master Sun Liszt, I have brought you the milk tea you requested.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Anna returned to the group tending to the Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elves. The maids immediately started chattering: ¡°Anna, did you touch Young Master Sun Liszt¡¯s face?¡± ¡°Is Young Master Sun Liszt¡¯s face really smooth and delicate? Did your face turn red and your heartbeat speed up at that time? Is he as handsome as Young Master Sun?¡± ¡°Lucy touched Young Master Sun Liszt¡¯s face a few years ago when she washed it for him, even though he wasn¡¯t an adult yet, he was already so handsome.¡± Anna shook her head, her voice tinged with disappointment: ¡°No, Young Master Sun Liszt washed his own face; he doesn¡¯t like maids washing his face for him.¡± ¡°How could that be? Could it be that he like Viscount Ophius, likes likes men?¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be, I saw Young Master Sun Lisztst year; he was staring at Sister Luya¡¯s butt.¡± ¡°Sister Luya¡¯s butt is indeed nice to look at; I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°Then you need to pat it every day; otherwise, you have no butt at all.¡± ¡°By the way, Young Master Sun Liszt is of age now, he should have received his title, right? What rank is he now? I think he¡¯s a Viscount. The Tulip Family¡¯s Coral Ind, I¡¯ve heard, is quite arge ind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. If Miss Melissa were still alive, with the Earl backing her, he would definitely be a Viscount. But the Earl of Coral Ind has remarried, and Young Master Sun Liszt¡¯s situation might be quite awkward now.¡± ¡°I really want to gofort him.¡± ¡°Stop dreaming during the day. Do you, a maid, need to worry about noble affairs? I advise you all toe to your senses and do your jobs as maids well. Ugly ducklings won¡¯t turn into swans; ducks will only sire ducks, and swans will sire swans.¡± ¡°So what? I¡¯ve decided to stay unmarried for life, like Mrs. Fini. Aren¡¯t I allowed to create a romantic love encounter for myself?¡± As she spoke, the maid propped her chin in her hands, lost in daydreams: ¡°A down-on-his-luck noble from afar, handsome and dashing riding a great horse, falls in love with a castle maid while she sweeps Because of family and societal pressures, they must part, a deep kiss before dawn, and then they separate. Oh my, I¡¯m about to tear up.¡± Chapter 35 - 0035: The Knight’s Quality of Self-Reliance Chapter 35: The Knight¡¯s Quality of Self-Reliance Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The maidservant¡¯s thoughts and feelings were unknown to Liszt. He had never considered, like most nobles, having an irresponsible fling in someone else¡¯s castle. His body was only sixteen years old, newly matured. ording to thews of his hometown, one was considered an adult at eighteen and could marry at twenty-two. For now, it was best to focus on growing, without dwelling on unnecessary thoughts that could sap his energy. His former self might have been useless, but the current Liszt had confidence in striving for the title of Sky Knight. After all, hisprehension was not bad, and he had the help of the Smoke Mission. Perhaps one day he might even ride a dragon and be a Dragon Knight. The pinnacle ofbat power in this world was the Dragon Knight, an existence that could destroy the heavens and the earth. ¡°I must keep training in ¡®Fire Dragon Drill¡¯ and ¡®ming Wave¡¯. Although I can avoid going to the battlefield, it is essential to constantly practice the skills necessary for self-defense.¡± The lunch banquet at Long Taro Castle was a family meal, and the number of people attending was notrge. The Mesiro couple was away overseeing tax collection, leaving only two masters in the castle¡ªgrandparent and grandchild. ording to the rules of Long Taro Castle, the Knight Captain did not dine in the castle, and Meioubao¡¯s family tutor had already left to take an official position in town. So, sitting around the dining table were only the grandparent, grandchild, and the three siblings. Marquis Merlin was in a wheelchair, unable to walk easily. The castle¡¯s meals were a notch above those at Tulip Castle, as evidenced by the bread on the te, which was the highest quality white bread. Liszt picked up a piece of white bread, took a light bite, and enjoyed the soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture¡ªhardly like bread at all, more akin to cake. The wine was from Raz Manor¡¯s cer, a vintage even finer than Crescent Moon Wine. As each dish was unveiled¡ªpudding roast beef, golden salmon with sauce, avocet eggs, yolk sauce jellied rock lobster, roast goose with lettuce sd, cheese meat pies, asparagus leaves, lobster sauce trout¡ªthe abundance of food was on par with Tulip Castle¡¯s major festival banquets. However, the rich variety of food was contrasted by a rather stiff atmosphere. The Marquis was a serious man who once wielded great naval power, possessing a strong presence. Levis and Li Vera were restrained in front of the Marquis, speaking cautiously. Liszt also felt some restraint, for in his heart he didn¡¯t see these ¡°ancient people¡± as anything special, yet he couldn¡¯t feel at ease with strangers. So it was even more important to focus on enjoying the delicious food. Especially the yolk sauce jellied rock lobster. Very tasty. He had finished one te and had called for another. ¡°Rock lobster is a product of the Red Crab Ind waters. Our family¡¯s fleet rarely goes out fishing; it¡¯s mostly some fishermen who take the risk to harvest them. The yield is not high, and almost all of it is sent to the castle,¡± Meioubao exined in between bites of bread. ¡°If you like it, I can arrange to prepare a batch of live lobsters for you.¡± ¡°It may be difficult to transport them. From Long Taro Castle to my Fresh Flower Town is quite the distance. I would need a day and a half¡¯s travel to Red Crab Ind, a day by boat, and another half day to get to Fresh Flower Town. Considering overnight stays and other dys, it would take at least five days to return.¡± ¡°Rock lobsters are actually quite easy to keep alive. Just dab them with water every day. They have the blood of the Aquatic Monster Exquisite Lobster, a sea creature, and are not easy to die.¡± Sea creatures, or magical beasts of the sea. Liszt, naturally, would not object: ¡°Then I thank you.¡± ¡°No need for formality,¡± Meioubao smiled. Among the three siblings of the Tulip family, he felt closer to Liszt¡ªpossibly a case of like recognizing like, or birds of a feather flocking together. Handsome people always seem to befriend other handsome people. Hearing their conversation, the Marquis suddenly said, ¡°Liszt, tell me some stories about Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Grandfather, life in Fresh Flower Town is actually quite unremarkable.¡± ¡°Every aspect of local customs and living environment can be discussed.¡± ¡°Well, the town has fewer than two thousand people. It all started with the discovery of a new variety of Tulip, so my father moved his subjects and built Fresh Flower Town. Now, the main crop is wheat, and thend is quite barren, with little tax revenue. But fortunately, a new variety of Tulip magic potion has sprung up in the town, bringing prospects for new development.¡± ¡°A new variety of magic potion, that certainly is good news.¡± The Marquis inquired, ¡°For this magic potion, did Tulip Castle pay a substantial amount of Gold Coins?¡± ¡°It was a profit-sharing arrangement. The town can¡¯t nt too much, so I reached an agreement with my brother and sister to grow it together, but they have to give me thirty percent of the profits.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a very interesting cooperation, worth far more than a lump sum of Gold Coins. Liszt, you¡¯ve inherited not only Melissa¡¯s beauty but also the shrewdness of the Long Taro Family.¡± The shrewdness of the Long Taro Family was well-known in the Grand Duchy. The reasony with the Marquis¡¯s father, the previous Marquis, who at that time was only an Earl. Given the Grand Duchy¡¯s urgent need for funds to arm the Knight Order for an expedition to the continent to fight for mineral resources, the Earl dispelled his fortune to support the Sapphire Duke¡¯s endeavor, eventually securing Red Crab Ind and the position of Marquis. Now, the annual revenue from Red Crab Ind probably far exceeds what the Earl had spent from his family wealth. An exceptionally valuable deal. ¡°Fresh Flower Town is just a small town, I need to make money to maintain the expenses of the Castle.¡± ¡°Self-reliance, that is a quality of a proper Noble.¡± Courage, politeness, loyalty, self-reliance Nobles preach a whole list of virtues, among which self-reliance is the most hypocritical. Essentially, they are a group of Vampires squeezing themon folk, and from birth, they probably don¡¯t even know what a hoe looks like. Of course, the self-reliance the Marquis speaks of probably means ¡°relying on oneself to squeeze others,¡± rather than asking for handouts from family. After the lunch came the dinner. After the dinner was rest, and then another lunch the next day; after lunch, Meioubao got busy, because per the Marquis¡¯s instructions, he nned to hold a grand ball that evening, gathering the young Nobles of both sexes from nearby towns. A Noble¡¯s ball could simply be seen as a matchmaking event. Especially those second and third sons of Nobles, who are most enthusiastic about such balls. The eldest son can inherit his father¡¯s title, with no worry of finding a match for marriage, but second and third sons need to strive on their own to marry a rich and beautiful woman so they can continue to enjoy a Noble¡¯s life. Otherwise, generation after generation, they will end up as ordinary Knights and fall out of the Noble ss. Noblewomen also look forward to balls. Not every youngdy can marry the eldest son of a Noble; they too need to target those potential Noble heirs and exert their charm. ¡°Liszt, you need to get ready!¡± Meioubao, along with his personal servant, brought over a pile of dresses, ¡°These are all ones I¡¯ve never worn. You and I are about the same size; they will definitely fit you.¡± ¡°Cousin, there¡¯s no need to try them on one by one, I think the one I¡¯m wearing is quite nice,¡± Liszt replied. ¡°No, we must strive for perfection. Think about it, the notices I had the Knights send out on fast horses yesterday will have reached at least thirteen small towns, whose Nobles received invitations and will be able to attend the ball. There will be many beautiful youngdies waiting for you, seeking to form a blissful union and a beautiful encounter.¡± ¡°I am still young, I am not in a rush to marry,¡± Liszt said somewhat speechlessly. How had he never noticed before how keen his cousin was on ying matchmaker? ¡°You should be dressing up my sister instead. She¡¯s at the right age for marriage. And my brother, he needs to find a suitable mistress candidate for Tulip Castle.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t need my reminders. Levis had borrowed many suits very early on, and Li Vera has been dressing up since this morning, haven¡¯t you noticed?¡± ¡°Have they?¡± Liszt asked. Indeed, Liszt hadn¡¯t noticed, busy reading books from the Long Taro Castle¡¯s library in his spare time, and at meals, he was preupied with his food. Chapter 36 - 0036: Miss of the Salmon Family Chapter 36: Miss of the Salmon Family Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The tailored tailcoat, wavy hairstyle, and the reluctantly applied bright powder on his face made Liszt, fresh out of the dressing room, dazzling to behold. ¡°Perfect!¡± Sir Meioubao patted Liszt on the shoulder, ¡°You will be the center of attention for all thedies at the ball tonight.¡± ¡°I have no such intention, perhaps in a few years I will be very keen, but for now, sorry cousin, I have no ns to get to know any nobledies.¡± ¡°Words spoken against one¡¯s true feelings, those I will not believe. Rest assured, Liszt, the best thing in life is to meet the right person at the right time, don¡¯t just leave it to fate, you have to seize the opportunity.¡± ¡°Is that why you, my cousin, are still unmarried after all these years?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shift the subject to me; we are talking about you now.¡± Liszt shook his cuffs. Sir Meioubao was rather good to him, and he actually wanted to tell his cousin that instead of chasing the Sapphire Duke¡¯s socialite daughter with the possibility of elevating the Long Taro Family by recing old with new, it would be better to sincerely find a noblewoman to marry. But the words reached his lips and he held them back. This situation surely involved the will of the Marquis¡ªthe Long Taro Family prided itself on its astuteness; perhaps they aimed to move further up the socialdder. Once someone married the Sapphire Duke¡¯s daughter, their family¡¯s status would be unbreakable. He was merely a Baron from a small town in the country and should not harbor the ambitions of a Marquis while eating coarse bread. After getting all dressed up, he followed Sir Meioubao to the hall where the ball was to take ce. Nobles were arriving in twos and threes, chatting leisurely in the hall and enjoying the beverages prepared by the servants. ¡°Sir Meioubao, you finally deign to show up?¡± a noble with a wine ss in hand approached. ¡°There¡¯s no rush, the ball hasn¡¯t started yet, Matil.¡± Matil nced at Liszt, ¡°And who is this?¡± ¡°My cousin, his father is Coral Ind¡¯s Count.¡± ¡°Oh, from the Tulip Family, nice to meet you for the first time, I am Matil Nustinger.¡± ¡°Liszt Tulip.¡± Liszt kept a polite smile but wasn¡¯t very enthusiastic. He wasn¡¯t a noble keen on socializing and was at the ball rather reluctantly. But then, he had no choice but to endure, and, with Sir Meioubao¡¯s introductions, got acquainted with the young nobles from Red Crab Ind. They were basically followers of the Long Taro Family¡ªnobles enfeoffed by the Marquis and utterly loyal to him. One interesting aspect of the nobility system was, The nobles enfeoffed by the King were the King¡¯s vassals, and the lesser nobles enfeoffed by a noble were that noble¡¯s vassals. However, the lesser nobles were not the King¡¯s vassals, nor did they have to be loyal to the King. For example, Earl William Lee of Coral Ind was a noble conferred by the King and a vassal of the King, but Liszt was not. He only needed to be loyal to his own father. And after a century when his father passed away, he would have to be loyal to his brother, Levis. ¡°Have you taken a fancy to any pretty youngdy? If so, let me know, and I can be your matchmaker. Don¡¯t hold back.¡± After greeting a round of guests, Sir Meioubao returned to Liszt¡¯s side, ¡°Look at your brother; he haspletely adapted to the ball¡¯s scene and has already charmed the daughters of three Viscounts.¡± Following his gaze, one could see the average-looking Levis, who had said something to make a youngdy burst intoughter. ¡°And your sister, she¡¯s being courted as well.¡± Over by Li Vera, two male nobles wereughing and chatting with her¡ªshe wasn¡¯t very beautiful, but with a little inquiry, it would be clear that Li Vera held a Barcy, which to those Honored Knights or nobles unable to inherit their family¡¯s title was a prime marriage prospect. Once married, they could go on enjoying noble status. Liszt lifted his cup of fruit wine and clinked it with Sir Meioubao¡¯s, ¡°Wishing them all the happiness, and as for me, cousin, you really needn¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Alright, but I will still keep an eye out for a suitable youngdy for you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Liszt said speechlessly. His cousin was overdoing it. Was he really so keen on ying matchmaker? However, Sir Meioubao shrugged slightly and whispered to him, ¡°Actually, this is Grandfather¡¯s wish. He knows that you¡¯re not highly regarded in the Tulip Family and hopes you cane to Red Crab Ind. Besides, I need a helping hand too. The Long Taro Family¡¯s numbers aren¡¯t flourishing; I have no siblings, you know. I really hope you all cane.¡± Liszt felt that Sir Meioubao was speaking earnestly. By his conversion of measurement units, Coral Ind was roughly the area of a prefectural city, about ten thousand square kilometers. Red Crab Ind was ten timesrger than Coral Ind, around one hundred thousand square kilometers. This area wasparable to provinces like Jiangsu and Zhejiang. With no roads and transportation relying on horse-drawn carriages, therger the area, the harder it was to manage. Moreover, with nobles operating in a decentralized manner, an increase in small nobility could lead to more chaotic territorial management and even destabilize the ruling family¡¯s foundation. After pondering, to say he wasn¡¯t tempted would be untrue; Fresh Flower Town really had little development value. Moving to Red Crab Ind for development, the Long Taro Family would at least have to offer him a higher status¡ªViscount, giving him a fiefprising a small town. Yet, to achieve this goal through marriage, Liszt was resistant, ¡°Let nature take its course, cousin. If there¡¯s someone I like, I won¡¯t miss out, but don¡¯t force me if there isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As nightfall descended, the dance began. Soft piano music flowed from the fingertips of a pianist, creating a suitable atmosphere for the event. As the host, Sir Meioubao danced the first number with the daughter of a viscount, then stepped aside to signal everyone to freely choose their dance partners. Liszt sat in a corner, watching young men and women dance gracefully in the center of the ballroom. He made no move. He had already observed all the female attendees¡ªtall, short, plump, slim, beautiful, and in¡ªand had formed an impression of each, but sadly, none caught his fancy. Even though a few mature women fit his aesthetic standards, their age was a barrier¡ªhe was, after all, only sixteen. At this age, many nobles already began to indulge in pleasures. But it was not yet the age for marriage. The time when men turned twenty and women eighteen was the restless season for wedlock. His gaze wandered over the crowd, resting nowhere in particr. Then, after a moment, an invisible mist began to emerge, coalescing into twisted Serpent Script. ¡°Task: Fresh and tender alfalfa, not only loved by cows but also by horses, is fundamental for setting up a horse field and is the first step in building achievements. Please arrange Cordyceps for the Alfalfa Bug. Reward: Three wild corn stalks.¡± The task had been present for several days, and he was slightly anxious. ¡°After several days¡¯ dy, the alfalfa should have grown by now. I can probably arrange it for the Alfalfa Bug when I get back Wild corn, I wonder what it looks like. Its yield should at least be several times more than that of wheat.¡± While he pondered the task, An oriole-like pleasant voice suddenly reached his ears, ¡°Hi, Liszt, may I sit here?¡± The mist disappeared abruptly. Liszt came back to his senses to see a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who looked somewhat like Mary Crawley, the Earl¡¯s oldest daughter from ¡°Downton Abbey.¡± Wavy xen hair, a pointed nose, deep-set eyes, and thin lips that seemed to always carry a smile. Quite striking, more than an eight out of ten. Sir Meioubao had introduced her to him before; she was the youngest daughter of a viscount, named Asina Salmon, and her family was famous for their Salmon. Liszt showed a gentle smile and extended his hand to gesture, ¡°Lovely Miss, any seat would wee you.¡± Chapter 37 - 0037 You Can Come to My House as a Guest Chapter 37: You Can Come to My House as a Guest Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°I didn¡¯t see you dance,¡± Asina sipped her juice, asking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you join in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very skilled at dancing, so it¡¯s nice just to quietly appreciate others¡¯ dance moves.¡± ¡°Then you should dance even more. The steps are simple, and you¡¯d learn after a few tries.¡± Asina blinked her eyes, her face full of expectation, ¡°If you want to learn, I can teach you.¡± With thedy taking the initiative, Liszt couldn¡¯t very well refuse bluntly; he could only stand up and extend his hand: ¡°May I have the honor of this dance with you?¡± ¡°The honor is mine.¡± Asina extended her hand to Liszt and stood up smoothly. And so, Liszt led Asina to the dance floor, and with the apaniment of a soothing piano melody, he wrapped his arm around Asina¡¯s waist, their left hands sping, and they began to dance together on the floor. The social dances of the nobility always had very simple steps. Liszt had never danced them himself before, but his predecessor had quite a lot of experience. ¡°You don¡¯t dance stiffly; it seems you were fooling me before,¡± Asina said with a smile as they danced. ¡°Perhaps it is an exceptional performance this time.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then I believe you.¡± After a moment of silence, Asina asked again, ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Coral Ind. In fact, I¡¯ve never left Red Crab Ind. Is Coral Ind far from Red Crab Ind?¡± ¡°Not very far, about half a day¡¯s sail. If there¡¯s a tailwind all the way, it might only take half the time.¡± ¡°What does Tulip Castle look like?¡± ¡°It¡¯s built on the cliffs along the shore, much smaller than Long Taro Castle, but the surrounding hills are covered with tulips, in a riot of colors.¡± ¡°That must be very beautiful. If I get the chance, I would like to visit Tulip Castle.¡± ¡°There will be an opportunity.¡± ¡°Do you live at Tulip Castle?¡± ¡°I grew up there, but I¡¯ve already moved to live in my own town now.¡± ¡°Right, I heard Sir Meioubao say that you¡¯re now enfeoffed as a baron, in Fresh Flower Town?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°There must be many beautiful flowers there. Is the castle where you live also surrounded by flowers?¡± ¡°It might disappoint you, but there are only about a dozen acres of tulips, the rest is nted with wheat. As for around the castle, well, I¡¯m in the process of nting grass and building a horse ranch, and I might raise some dairy cows too.¡± Liszt spoke indifferently, sensing that Asina might be inquiring about his background. Perhaps the girl was attracted by his handsome appearance and wanted to be the Baroness of Liszt? It would be best to nip any such notions in the bud, he thought, and after a pause, he continued, ¡°Hmm, the town is quite remote. We don¡¯t have enough wheat or milk, and even vegetables can¡¯t be had regrly. Even with gold coins, it¡¯s difficult to buy meat because a mountain range, with magical beasts in it, cuts us off, and merchant caravans are unwilling toe in.¡± Asina opened her mouth in surprise: ¡°Are you an Earth Knight?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just recently been promoted and am still practicing the Dou Qi Manuscript.¡± Liszt, over one meter eighty in height, looked down and could see Asina¡¯s expression, stiff with difort. She was barely one meter sixty. Probably the gap between ideals and reality was causing her distress. Anyone seeing Liszt for the first time would certainly take a liking to him; women, in particr. But once they understood Liszt¡¯s background, most would keep their distance. A baron from an unimportant, impoverished, remote town, with poor Dou Qi aptitude, might well end up selling his estate and wandering to some otherndlord¡¯s domain. Managing an estate is no simple matter; many of the smaller nobility go bankrupt and end up as family tutors or knight captains. Goltai was one of them. Even the great Nobles could go bankrupt and lose their estates if they mismanaged their businesses. ¡°Next, I suppose it¡¯s time to let go, signaling the end of the dance,¡± Liszt thought. However, Asina did not let go. Her somewhat stiff expression quickly returned to her previous gentle smile: ¡°Your father, the Earl of Coral Ind, wouldn¡¯t just ignore Fresh Flower Town, would he?¡± ¡°My rtionship with my father isn¡¯t very harmonious, possibly because my brother and sister are too outstanding.¡± ¡°But I think your demeanor is more outstanding. When you stand next to Sir Meioubao, you look very much like a pair of close brothers.¡± ¡°I take after my mother more.¡± ¡°Your mother must have been a graceful and noble baroness.¡± ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t remember what she looked like; she passed away when I was two.¡± ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The two then stopped talking and danced the entire piece with their waists embraced. During the rest, he returned to his seat, and to his surprise, Asina followed him over. Then she sat down beside him and continued to make conversation: ¡°My home is in White Fish City. The castle doesn¡¯t have a name. I also have an older brother who is married. He married Sister Lidia from Viscount Zavier¡¯s family. They met at the ball in Long Taro Castlest year.¡± ¡°Hmm, no wonder I didn¡¯t see your brothere today,¡± Liszt replied somewhat perfunctorily. ¡°He and Sister Lidia have a good rtionship and rarely attend social balls anymore,¡± Asina said, blinking, ¡°My father is very hospitable, Liszt. You¡¯re wee to visit my home if you have the time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the time. My grandfather is recovering, and I must return to Coral Ind tomorrow.¡± ¡°When will youe again then?¡± ¡°Not until the holidays.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± As the piano music started up once again, Liszt danced another dance with Asina. He then excused himself, saying the dance floor was too stuffy, and declined Asina¡¯s hope to continue dancing with him. After making a round in the castle, he returned to find the ball approaching its end. With the music stopping, Sir Meioubao represented the host in announcing the end of the ball. The nobles, in groups of threes and twos, either went directly home by carriage if they lived near or, if they were from farther away, were led by the servants to the rooms prepared in the castle. Liszt also prepared to return to his room. Asina found him again, merely saying, ¡°Good night, Liszt.¡± ¡°Good night, Asina.¡± Before he went back to his room, Meioubao visited: ¡°Liszt, did you enjoy chatting with Asina?¡± ¡°We just danced twice.¡± ¡°I can tell that Asina is quite interested in you. What do you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any thoughts.¡± Seeing Liszt was serious, Meioubao nodded: ¡°Alright, I understand. Have a good rest. Oh, and grandfather said he wants to give you an adult gift tomorrow. He regretted not being there for youring-of-age celebration and hopes to make up for it a little.¡± ¡°Grandfather is too kind.¡± ¡°Right, good night.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Late into the night, Liszt was still awake, pondering what the Marquis would give him as his adult present¡ªit should be something not too shabby given it¡¯sing from a Marquis. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a magic longsword?¡± Among nobles, especially when elders give gifts to the younger generation, it ismon to give weapons, signifying that a knight¡¯s honor must be earned with a de or spear. A Marquis would at least give a magical weapon, wouldn¡¯t he? Magical weapons are incredibly precious, and he had never owned one, so the more he thought about it, the more excited he became. His excitement, to no small extent, also included Asina¡¯s enthusiasm¡ªinside and out, she seemed to radiate that she fancied Liszt and wished to be a baroness. It¡¯s always pleasing to be liked, especially by a rather prettydy. Always a reason to be happy. Chapter 38 - 0038: The Crimson Blood Sword Set with Gemstones Chapter 38: The Crimson Blood Sword Set with Gemstones Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The next morning, Liszt, with slightly dim undereye circles barely visible, had already packed his luggage. And he enjoyed a breakfast in his room¡ªa spread of bread, fried eggs, pastries, jam, milk, honey, and coffee. After Levis and Li Vera had also packed up, the three siblings prepared to bid farewell to the Marquis. The Marquis, having risen early and seated in his wheelchair, was writing something. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± the Marquis stopped writing, lifted his head, and looked at the three tall siblings, ¡°I heard you all enjoyedst night¡¯s ball immensely.¡± Levis replied with a smile, ¡°A veryfortable evening, Grandfather. The ball hosted by our cousin was delightful, and we met many nobles and finedies, some of whom I was quite taken with.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, while you¡¯re young, follow your heart and take action.¡± After a brief chat, the three siblings expressed their desire to depart, and the Marquis did not insist on them staying. Instead, he said to Liszt, ¡°I missed witnessing youring of age ceremony, so to make up for that regret, I have a gift for you. Meioubao, bring the prepared gift over to Liszt.¡± Meioubao quickly entered, carrying a long box. Seeing the box, Liszt immediately understood and guessed correctly that the Marquis¡¯s gift was indeed what elders most liked to give to their younger rtives¡ªa weapon. ¡°What kind of magic weapon might it be?¡± he wondered in eager anticipation. Meioubao handed over the box, ¡°Liszt, your grandfather is giving you the Crimson Blood Sword, in hopes that you will ze a trail and shine bright as a knight.¡± ¡°The Crimson Blood Sword?¡± Liszt opened the box, and instantly, a bright snow-white knight¡¯s two-handed sword caught his eye. The slender de, guard, and hilt all came together in an ensemble reminiscent of a German two-handed sword. Where the guard and hilt met, a fiery red gemstone was conspicuously inset. Just by looking, one could feel the magic power emanating from the fiery red gem, circting endlessly along the de. One could even see fine, blood thread-like red traces emerging on the de¡¯s surface. No wonder it looked snow-white but was named Crimson Blood Sword. Most importantly, this wasn¡¯t just a magic weapon, but something even better¡ªa gemstone weapon! ¡°A ruby?¡± Li Vera saw the red gemstone at the intersection of guard and hilt, and was immediately shocked, her eyes revealing deep envy and jealousy. A normal magic weapon would cost around a hundred gold coins. But a gemstone weapon could be worth thousands of gold coins, ten times that of a magic weapon. Just this Crimson Blood Sword might be worth several years of tax revenue from a wealthy small town. Her Falcon Town was roughly equal to a small prosperous town, and after scrimping and saving for years, could barely afford a gemstone weapon¡ªbut she would never give up her luxurious life, so there was a very high chance she¡¯d never be able to afford one. With jealousy in her heart, and characteristic straightforwardness, she voiced her thoughts, ¡°Grandfather, you¡¯re ying favorites with Liszt. You only gave me a dress for mying of age gift.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t a Little Minor Elf given to you by thed from Coral Ind, and didn¡¯t he also bestow you with the title of Baroness? But Liszt couldn¡¯t enjoy that. Coral Ind¡¯sd can y favorites, but I can¡¯t?¡± the Marquis spoke as if it were the most natural thing, also revealing his dissatisfaction with Coral Ind¡¯s Count. Liszt, who had scored a bargain, quickly ingratiated himself, ¡°Thank you for the gift, Grandfather. I¡¯ll cherish the Crimson Blood Sword and keep its brilliance untarnished.¡± A gemstone weapon, which could immediately be sold for one to two thousand gold coins¡ªhow delightful¡ªbut of course, he wouldn¡¯t sell it. The ruby iid on the Crimson Blood Sword clearly had fiery attributes, which would assist his cultivation much more effectively than using magic potion ingredients. A Dragon produces nothing but the finest goods. With the Crimson Blood Sword in tow, Liszt prepared to return home under the watchful eyes of Meioubao and arge group of servants. His brief stay at Long Taro Castle thus came to an end. He felt no great reluctance to leave, after all, there were piles of matters waiting for him back in Fresh Flower Town, and no nest was as cozy as one¡¯s own. Just as he was about to board the carriage, someone suddenly called out to him, ¡°Liszt, wait!¡± Turning around, he saw Asina. ¡°Miss Asina, good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning.¡± Asina was a bit out of breath, probably from running over from the castle, ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Levis, who had gotten on the carriage but then stepped out again, suddenly chimed in, ¡°If there were a beautiful girl looking forward to my return, I¡¯d rather not go back.¡± Liszt turned his head and shot him a re, ¡°Brother, please get on.¡± Levis shrugged, ¡°Miss Asina, you two talk.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Levis.¡± With space left for Liszt and Asina, Asina fidgeted with the hem of her dress, ¡°Won¡¯t you stay a few more days?¡± ¡°There are many matters waiting for me to deal with in town.¡± ¡°Then will youe to visit White City?¡± Her eyes were filled with anticipation. Liszt smiled as he declined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no reason to visit your house; I do not know your father, and we have no social ties.¡± The interactions between nobles always required an excuse, one could not simply visit without cause. ¡°You coulde to see me,¡± Asina said, and then lowered her head, the meaning couldn¡¯t be clearer¡ªif a man was unmarried and a woman was unmarried, a visit implied only one kind of rtionship. Liszt sighed inwardly. Feeling that his next words might hurt this sweet youngdy¡¯s heart, but he had to say it, ¡°Miss Asina, I appreciate your affection for me, but, I have never considered the possibility between us. Please, do not dwell on me; someone as beautiful as you will surely have many suitors better than I.¡± Asina¡¯s eyes quickly dimmed, but soon, she bloomed into a smile again, ¡°Thank you for your honesty, Sir Liszt, I wish you a safe journey.¡± ¡°Thank you, take care,¡± Liszt spoke, then turned and entered the carriage. The coachman cracked his whip, and the horses, pulling the carriage, sped down the mountain. On the gravel-paved road, there was no dust, only the sound of the wheels clinking and ttering. ¡°Liszt, you rejected the overture of a noble youngdy with such a cold heart,¡± Li Vera remarked with a hint of an indefinable emotion, probably doubt over her brother¡¯s character, soft as she thought he was, to be able to turn someone down. ¡°If there¡¯s no feeling, why should I force myself and harm both parties?¡± He looked back through the carriage window and saw Asina still standing at the castle gate, her petite and exquisite figure d in a dress fluttering in the wind. She was brave, but he simply couldn¡¯t ept her feelings. He felt like reflecting on this for a good ten minutes. But Li Vera¡¯s scoff broke the mood, ¡°Who needs feelings for a noble union?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you just randomly pick someone with good conditions to marry?¡± ¡°Because I do not wish to be a vassal. Even in marriage, it must be he whoes to Falcon Town! Or, they must have the charm to make me give up Falcon Town and move into their castle. If I were to meet such a person, even if I gave my all to them, what would it matter?¡± Li Vera said proudly. Liszt chose not toment. A few momentster, Li Vera stretched out her hand, ¡°Let me see the Crimson Blood Sword.¡± Beholding the masterfully crafted Crimson Blood Sword and the vibrant ruby set in it, Li Vera¡¯s envy was undisguised, ¡°Why is Grandpa so good to you? A gemstone sword, I might never even be able to afford to use in my entire life! Liszt, it¡¯s a waste on you. Give it to me, and I¡¯ll give you a hundred Naldas in return!¡± ¡°No deal.¡± Chapter 39 - 0039: Information of the Formless Dragon Chapter 39: Information of the Formless Dragon Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Three dayster, Li Si Te returned to Coral Ind¡¯s Fresh Flower Town. It was Tulip Castle¡¯s Knight Squad that escorted him back to Fresh Flower Town, apanying Li Si Te and Ma Ku Si were two down-on-their-luck nobles, descendants of nobility, yet themselves without inherited titles, only addressed as Knights. They were friends introduced by Goltai. Lured by the promise of double wages, they came to Fresh Flower Town to take up official posts. ¡°Li Si Te, wee back, you were gone just over a week, and I started missing you,¡± Goltai greeted the town¡¯sndlord with slightly exaggerated enthusiasm. His warmth was extravagant yet thorough. ¡°And there¡¯s Ma Ku Si, the Baron¡¯s loyal knight. Seeing you both in fine attire, I knew at once that your journey went smoothly.¡± ¡°Haha, look who these two are, Isaiah and ir, my old friends. Seeing you arrive with the Baron fills me with immense joy, evidently you have chosen Fresh Flower Town.¡± Next, a banquet was prepared in the small castle to feast the Knight Squad that escorted Li Si Te and his group. Before the banquet began. Li Si Te couldn¡¯t care less about being travel-worn; he quickly cradled the Jade Box with the Alfalfa Bug to the newly finished castle¡¯s front paddock. The ground was already a lush green, the alfalfa sprouting rapidly, almost summer now, and the temperature would also promote their growth. ¡°Little guy,e on out.¡± The chubby Alfalfa Bug, adorned with purple patterns, was quite beautiful. Unlike the lethargic Tulip Bug, it was full of energy, opening its mouth to spit out the Cordyceps. In almost fast-forward, a single alfalfa nt sprouted and grew rapidly in the middle of the paddock. Larger and sturdier than ordinary alfalfa, it bloomed with purple flowers directly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to install fences around it, to prevent the horses from destroying the growth of the Cordyceps,¡± Li Si Te instructed his personal servant, Thomas. Elf-rted matters were directly managed by the castle; there was no need for the town officials or serfs to intervene. ¡°Rest assured, my lord, I¡¯ll start building the fence right away.¡± By the time Li Si Te returned to the castle. Butler Carter greeted him: ¡°My lord, the banquet has been properly prepared; you may take your seat.¡± ¡°Then let us begin.¡± The banquet at Fresh Flower Town Castle was worlds apart from the feasts Li Si Te had partaken in a few days earlier, but he preferred the current atmosphere, for among all those seated, he was the most honored. ¡°Firstly, I¡¯d like to thank Lord Layden and the honored knights for their escort along the way, I raise a toast to you all.¡± ¡°Baron, you¡¯re too kind,¡± the knights lifted their sses in unison. Emptying a pint of beer, servants immediately refilled it, and Li Si Te raised his second ss: ¡°This one, to wish Isaiah and ir a joyful life in Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Thank you, Baron, for your blessings; we hope to contribute to the development of Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Lastly, a toast to my teacher Goltai, who managed all affairs in my absence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I should do, Li Si Te, as long as there are fine wines to drink daily, I¡¯m willing to stay forever drunk in Fresh Flower Town,¡± Goltaiughed heartily. ¡°Sober to govern Fresh Flower Town, well-supplied with food and wine at meals,¡± said Li Si Te. ¡°Of course, work and fine wine go hand in hand.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± In the harmonious atmosphere, lunch was earnestly finished. After seeing off the Knight Squad, Liszt returned to the castle for a midday rest. Lying on the bed and concentrating for a moment, the familiar Smoke Mission promptly arrived. The Serpent Script finally altered, ¡°Complete the mission, reward three wild corn nts.¡± Suddenly, the smoke transformed, and a new mission was released. ¡°Mission: As a Landlord, taking care of Elves is your inescapable responsibility. Have you forgotten the Little Wheat Elf Bug? Its abilities can produce more food for yournds. Please arrange Cordyceps for the Little Wheat Bug. Reward: Information about the Formless Dragon.¡± ¡°Information about the Formless Dragon? What kind of reward is that?¡± An audacious idea suddenly sprang to Liszt¡¯s mind, ¡°Could it be that the Smoke Mission is preparing to reward me with a Dragon? That shouldn¡¯t be right, it¡¯s too much of a thrill, a Dragon! A being that suppresses the fate of a nation. However, what does Formless Dragon mean? Invisible? A Dragon without shape?¡± ording to the memories of his predecessor, Dragonse in three main types. One type is the Gemstone Dragon, such as the Duchy of Sapphire¡¯s own Sapphire Dragon, which can produce Sapphires. The Crimson Blood Sword, gifted to Liszt by Marquis Merlin, with its set Ruby, is also produced by a Gemstone Dragon and possesses magical power. Another type is the Metal Dragon. In the Knight¡¯s Novel, the White Maw Iron Dragon that fought against the Sapphire Dragon is a Metal Dragon that can produce iron ore. In terms of numbers, Metal Dragons are moremon than Gemstone Dragons, particrly the Iron Dragon subgroup about which Liszt has heard quite a bit through various Knight¡¯s Novels. Lastly, there are the Elemental Dragons, such as the Fire Dragon and the Water Dragon, which are very difficult to tame and possess intense magical elements, causing astonishing destruction. They often destroy towns and injure numerous people. They tend to be the targets of Dragon yers in Knight¡¯s Novels¡ªhumans are a peculiar animal, worshipping Dragons yet also wanting to y them. ¡°Gemstone, Metal, Elemental which category would the Formless Dragon belong to?¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t fathom. He decided to ask others. He summoned Butler Carter, ¡°Mr. Carter, have you ever heard of a Formless Dragon?¡± Carter thought for a moment, ¡°I have not, my lord.¡± The afternoon. Apanied by his Retainer Knights, he went towards the town to seek Goltai and his two friends, incidentally seizing the opportunity to stumble upon a clue about the reward of three wild corn nts. ¡°A Formless Dragon?¡± Goltai stroked his chin, ¡°I seem to have heard about it from somewhere. Isaiah, ir, do you remember?¡± Isaiah and ir reflected carefully but shook their heads in unison. In the end, after half an hour of recollection, Goltai still couldn¡¯t remember whether he had ever heard of the Formless Dragon, ¡°One gets muddled with age, Liszt, I¡¯m sorry. Perhaps I¡¯m mistaken. I may have wasted your time; I may not have heard of a Formless Dragon at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. By the way, Teacher Goltai, how have you arranged Isaiah and ir¡¯s duties?¡± ¡°I oversee the government affairs, Isaiah is in charge of finance, and ir handles legal and foreign matters.¡± ¡°Since there are arrangements in ce, I leave the development of Fresh Flower Town in your three hands,¡± Liszt did not linger in town. He was confident he could foster the growth of Fresh Flower Town, but that was limited to conveying his intentions to subordinates like Goltai to realize the specifics of the work. For him to take matters into his own hands would firstly go against the Noble system¡ªnobles that work the fields are not considered Nobles, and those who dine with Serfs are even less so. Secondly, arranging matters himself might not achieve the desired effect, instead wasting energy. For example, why should he personally conduct a census when he could have Servants do it instead? Having finally crossed over into nobility, not to indulge but to toil away was equivalent to needlessly burdening himself. Back in the Castle, Liszt pondered, ¡°Since the reward is information about the Formless Dragon, it implies that I won¡¯t receive the reward beforepleting the mission, right? In other words, nobody knows what the Formless Dragon is, and probably someone wille forward to tell me after Iplete the task?¡± Immediately, he left the Castle without dy and hurried towards Little Wheat Vige¡ª the Little Wheat Bug awarded by the Earl was waiting for him to arrange the Cordyceps. Chapter 40 - 0040: Why Wild Corn Looks Like This Chapter 40: Why Wild Corn Looks Like This Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Just as Liszt had properly settled the little wheat bug¡¯s cordyceps, suddenly the steward Gejir from Little Wheat Vige told him something, ¡°Lord Landlord, I don¡¯t know if I should mention it.¡± ¡°What is it, please tell me.¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes lit up, thinking that the other party might be about to reveal information about the formless dragon to him. Yet, Gejir said, ¡°Lord Landlord, I¡¯ve found three very strange nts on the wastnd of Little Wheat Vige. They¡¯re exceptionally tall, about two to three meters, and lush green. Our chickens are very fond of eating their leaves.¡± ¡°It¡¯s corn!¡± Liszt immediately realized that the lead given by the steward wasn¡¯t about the formless dragon, but about three wild corn nts. He promptly ordered the steward to take him there¡ªcorn, the anticipated corn. However, once they arrived before the wild corn nts, Liszt was plunged into confusion. ¡°Gejir, how long ago did you find these three nts?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been three months now.¡± ¡°Have they always looked like this?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± Liszt habitually touched the Crimson Blood Sword hanging at his waist. He had kept the sword with him at all times; the magic power of the ruby constantly stimted his fire attribute Dou Qi, nourishing and growing it. In other words, with the sword, he was always in training. Eat a little more magic potion in the future, and it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to be a Sky Knight. He kept examining the three wild corn nts. The corn in front of him wasn¡¯t a single straight stalk with a few leaves and a bunch of flowers on top, with one or two ears of corn in the middle. Instead, it was a messy cluster of several stalks, each tipped with a bunch of flowers, and where the ears of corn should¡¯ve been growing in the middle, there were a few tiny toothpicks. The toothpicks were segmented, each segment was a grass seed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me wild corn looks like this. This isn¡¯t corn; it¡¯s wheat!¡± Deep down, Liszt was hurt. He knew very well that the three wild corn nts were these three nts in front of him. But he couldn¡¯t ept it. What happened to therge, plump ears of corn that were promised? ¡°This is simply grass for livestock to eat Ah, I remember now, these three wild corn nts should probably be called Mexican corn grass?¡± Liszt, who had experience growing crops in his hometown, recalled that someone in the vige had nted a certain pig grass, which was fed to pigs, known as Mexican corn grass. It was said to be a very high-yield forage, particrly favored by pigs, cows, and sheep. ¡°That must be it. If it were real corn, there would be no need to use the word ¡®wild¡¯ before it, as it seems corn does not have wild varieties, it¡¯s the result of millions of years of human cultivation.¡± With this understanding, he could only sigh inwardly and console himself, ¡°At least I¡¯ve obtained a high-yield variety of forage, not a loss.¡± Heposed his disappointed feelings. Liszt put on a noble¡¯s restrained and subtle smile anew, ¡°Gejir, based on my judgment, this grass is called corn grass, and it¡¯s a highly productive forage that livestock are fond of. Chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, cows, and sheep all like to eat it. From now on, you need to take good care of it; I need its seeds.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord! Gejir will make sure to protect the corn grass, not allowing any serf or any livestock to get close to it!¡± ¡°Very good. I will inform Teacher Goltai, and when the timees, he will make further arrangements. You just wait to cooperate.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± After onest look at the Mexican corn grass, Liszt took a deep breath and lifted his riding crop, ¡°Let¡¯s go back!¡± The cement of the little wheat bug¡¯s cordyceps went very smoothly, and thus the peanut bug, alfalfa bug, tulip bug, and little wheat bug had all been adequately settled. Only the cement of the thorn bug was still uncertain, and the millet fields for the millet bug were still being nned. Nevertheless, the elves would be given the best care. On the way back, Liszt bumped into Marcus, who was on his way to see him at the castle. ¡°Teacher Marcus, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°My lord, I heard from Sir Goltai that you were inquiring about the Formless Dragon?¡± ¡°Oh, you know about the Formless Dragon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Marcus said seriously. ¡°It was mentioned in a knight¡¯s novel that had been torn in half, a book I read when I was very young. I don¡¯t know the name of it.¡± ¡°Is that so? How was the Formless Dragon described in it?¡± Liszt knew that the reward forpleting the Little Wheat Bug task hade. Marcus exined, ¡°The novel said that apart from the Gemstone Dragon, Metal Dragon, and Elemental Dragons, there is another type of dragon called the Sacred Dragon. The Formless Dragon is a type of Sacred Dragon; it is transparent, and no one can see its form. Wherever it goes, it brings endless disasters.¡± ¡°Disasters? Then why is it called a Sacred Dragon?¡± ¡°Because it can produce a very special gemstone.¡± ¡°A special gemstone? It should be categorized with the Gemstone Dragons then, right? And what¡¯s this special gemstone, does it possess any different powers?¡± ¡°This gemstone is rted to a legendary piece of equipment. Have you heard of a Space Ring, my lord? It¡¯s a small ring that can hold a lot of things.¡± This world also has Space Rings? Liszt searched his predecessor¡¯s memories but hadn¡¯t heard of it. He then said, ¡°No, so, do Space Rings really exist? Or rather, can the gemstones produced by the Formless Dragon be used to craft Space Rings?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know whether Space Rings exist or not, and even if they do, they would be priceless treasures that only true Nobles could possess,¡± replied Marcus. ¡°The knight¡¯s novel I read indeed stated that wherever the Formless Dragon went, in addition to endless disasters, it would also leave behind gemstones it produced. Whoever found them would possess a Space Ring.¡± ¡°What happened then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all there was.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the book contain any more information about the Formless Dragon?¡± ¡°No, and I believe it¡¯s just a story fabricated by people. You know how those novels that inspire our knightly glory are often just full of fabrications by the authors with their eyes wide open.¡± Marcus hade specially to tell Liszt this information, but clearly, he didn¡¯t believe in the existence of the Formless Dragon himself. Liszt couldn¡¯t confirm or deny this and continued to ask, ¡°Then, are there any other Sacred Dragons?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, the book was missing half, and the part I read only introduced the Sacred Dragon, solely focusing on the Formless Dragon.¡± After Marcus left. Liszt still didn¡¯t understand. What exactly was the meaning of the task reward, the information on the Formless Dragon? Was it simply to inform him through a task that he now had knowledge of the Formless Dragon? Or did it imply that there was a Formless Dragon nearby that he could go and capture? Or perhaps it meant that a Formless Dragon was going to attack Fresh Flower Town, and he should be on guard? Of course, there was also the possibility that a Formless Dragon mighte to deliver equipment, maybe even a Space Ring? While pondering, the smoke in front of him appeared again. ¡°Taskpleted, reward: Information on the Formless Dragon.¡± After a twist in the air, a new task was issued: ¡°Task: The sudden appearance of wild corn in Little Wheat Vige has caught your attention, hasn¡¯t it, my lord? You need to consider why wild corn is growing in Little Wheat Vige. Perhaps there is more wild corn nearby. Please find the original habitat of the wild corn. Reward: New information on the Formless Dragon.¡± Quickly, Liszt focused his attention on the reward for the new task. ¡°Again with information on the Formless Dragon, what in the world is this, how much information about the Formless Dragon are they going to tell me?¡± Chapter 41: To Get Rich, Build Roads First Chapter 41: To Get Rich, Build Roads First Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Liszt regarded the issue with calm objectivity, freeing himself from the unrealistic fantasies about dragons and came to believe that the so-called information about the Formless Dragon was likely not a rewarding discovery. ording to his previous deductions: First, the Smoke Mission was doing science outreach¡ª but this made no sense at all; as a ¡®golden finger¡¯, it shouldn¡¯t be this boring. Second, there might be a Formless Dragon nearby that could be captured¡ªif this were true, it would definitely be explosive news; however, Liszt had no power to capture a dragon. Those nations possessing dragons often captured them as youngsters since adult dragons were too difficult to handle. But even a young dragon would be too much for all the knights of Coral Ind to ovee. Third, a Formless Dragon had traveled thousands of miles to deliver equipment¡ªLiszt didn¡¯t believe his dragon fate was that good yet. Fourth, it was possible that a Formless Dragon was about tounch an attack on Fresh Flower Town. The fourth deduction was undoubtedly the most likely since dragons attacking human viges and towns was no longer big news, or else the profession of ¡®Dragon yer¡¯ wouldn¡¯t havee into existence. In most knight¡¯s novels, Dragon yers were celebrated protagonists, second only to Dragon Knights. Essentially, in a satisfactory knight¡¯s novel, the protagonist was bound to be a Dragon Knight or y a dragon, and then he would undoubtedly marry a beautiful Princess. ¡°So, the rewards for these two missions are telling me that I have to resist a dragon and strive to be the protagonist of a knight¡¯s novel, Dragon yer Liszt?¡± Liszt looked into the mirror and chuckled, ¡°Then, if the big dragon is gone, where is the princess?¡± Feeling somewhat conflicted, he worried that his spection mighte true while also feeling that such an event couldn¡¯t possibly happen. After much thought, he decided there was no need to borrow trouble. First, he wouldplete his mission and see what clues the final mission rewards would provide before making a decision. If there really was an invasion by a Formless Dragon, and he couldn¡¯t hold it off, that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t request help. The moment he delivered this news to the Sapphire Family, he believed it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to exchange for a Marquis title¡ªthe highest rank that could be conferred by the duchy. He called over Goltai, and immediately delegated the task: ¡°This type of Corn Grass wouldn¡¯t appear out of nowhere, it¡¯s definitely with the birds or wind that the seeds have been blown over. Teacher Goltai, mobilize all the idle farmers to search between the hamlets, we must locate more Corn Grass.¡± Goltai didn¡¯t quite understand the importance of the task: ¡°Liszt, is this type of Corn Grass very important?¡± ¡°Of course, it is highly nutritious fodder, even more suitable for use in horse farms and dairy operations than alfalfa grass¡ Anyway, nting a variety of fodders allows livestock to grow quicker.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that valuable, I will arrange for people to search right away, we won¡¯t miss a single corner.¡± As they were talking, Liszt suddenly noticed a group of people marching in formation outside the castle, passing by the gate, heading towards Thorn Ridge in the south. ¡°Teacher Goltai, is that the new Patrol Team?¡± ¡°Yes, your Retainer Knights have been really helpful. At first, the bastards in the Patrol Team wouldn¡¯t take orders from me as the Administrative Officer, but after a few fights, they quickly learned to curb their tempers.¡± ¡°Well done, discipline is the first priority for the Patrol Team, Teacher Goltai, we need to continue strengthening our control over them. I have several ideas that need to be realized¡ The Patrol Team needs to take on the security management of the town and the hamlets, with the town paying them, uniform dress codes, uniform behavioral standards.¡± Liszt outlined some broad ideas, nning to build the Patrol Team into a police station, initially responsible for public security, and eventually, to also take over the management of civil registration. This way, he could thoroughly know everything about the town, and any individuals with suspicious identities wouldn¡¯t be able to settle in Fresh Flower Town. ¡°However, there are not many Gold Coins in the town, and Isaiah hasined to me more than once that without Gold Coins, he can¡¯t do anything.¡± Gold Coins, Liszt¡¯s castle didn¡¯t have many either; previously the butler had reported that there were roughly one hundred and fifty left. However, the castle now is very ¡°affluent¡±: just Li Si Te¡¯s Crimson Blood Sword alone is worth a thousand or two Gold Coins, not to mention the profits from the ck Tulip Industry each year, as well as arge amount of materials obtained through assimtion. ¡°I will allocate fifty Gold Coins from the castle¡¯s treasury for the development of the town, and this portion of Gold Coins will be deducted from the town¡¯s retained tax revenue each year.¡± ¡°Fifty Gold Coins, Li Si Te, that¡¯s a lot¡ªI¡¯ve looked into it, and the town¡¯s annual tax revenue is a mere fifteen Gold Coins.¡± ¡°Fifty Gold Coins is not much, Teacher Goltai. Inform Isaiah and ir that Fresh Flower Town is entering a busy period, and they need to be prepared.¡± ¡°As you wish!¡± The development of Fresh Flower Town was something Li Si Te was indeed serious about. He was already working on drawing a map of the town¡ªan abstract and rudimentary terrain map that essentially depicted Fresh Flower Town as a right-angled triangle. The two perpendicr sides were Thorn Ridge, and the hypotenuse was the East Coast. The town was located at the center of the triangle, with the castle near the right angle, and the dairy farm and Barley Hamlet upying the other two corners. ¡°To be rich, build roads first,¡± he said, holding a quill pen and emphasizing the dirt road from Thorn Ridge to the town. ¡°This main road¡ªI need to turn it into a gravel road. There¡¯s no cement, but there is plenty of sand. The East Coast hasrge quantities of sea sand, which can be hauled here for road construction.¡± Then there are the muddy paths between the farms, all of which can be paved with sand. However, paving with sand alone is not the best choice, as it¡¯s hard to drain and gets into shoes, spreading sand everywhere. Unfortunately, there aren¡¯t many stones near Fresh Flower Town to mix with the sand, so they¡¯d have to make do with sand roads for now¡ªit¡¯s still better than muddy roads that be unusable when it rains. Road construction is a major affair, as is farming. Elves can influence crop growth, but you can¡¯t rely solely on elves. Before the arrival of elves, the farmers of Fresh Flower Town still had to till theirnd. ¡°Scientific farming has only taken the first step, making the vigers aware of the need to fertilize crops. But that¡¯s not enough. We also need to create a batch of farming tools to increase the productivity of the farmers, so they can cultivate more fallownd for crops. I¡¯ve exchanged a bunch of iron from Tulip Castle and Falcon Town and can contact the smithy.¡± These two matters are urgent, but their effects won¡¯t be seen immediately. Yet another matter could bring immediate rewards¡ªsea harvesting. On the back of a Fire Dragon Horse, Li Si Te gazed at the endless sea, the unique briny scent of the seawater filling his nostrils as the waves beat against the shore, sparkling in the sunlight and filling his vision with little stars. Thomas led Douson around, allowing it to frolic on the sandy beach. Douson was growing rapidly, almost daily, and was now the size of a country mutt. It was not known whether it was because of the good diet, but it already showed signs of magic power flowing within. It might not need to reach adulthood before it could cast magic. Li Si Te nned to intensify its training to prevent an overly wild nature and potential harm to people. ¡°My Lord, is there anything of note along the East Coast? There are no deep-water bays here, not suitable for a dock,¡± Marcus said as he watched the waves, still not seeing the wealth of the sea. Li Si Te pointed to the rocks asionally visible beneath the sea waves. ¡°Teacher Marcus, do you see those rocks? They are covered with food. When the tide is out, we can have the farmers go and pick up these foods¡ Compared to the freshwater fish we usually eat, these are the real seafood.¡± Chapter 42: The First Seashore Foraging in Fresh Flower Town Chapter 42: The First Seashore Foraging in Fresh Flower Town Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°The tide is starting to recede, my lord,¡± Thomas tugged at Douson, speaking to Liszt. ¡°Hand Douson over to me, and you, along with Tom and Jessie, go search for the seafood as I have instructed you,¡± Liszt took the leash from Douson. Douson kept trying to dash outward, chasing the waves. Liszt suddenly shouted, ¡°Quiet, Douson!¡± Douson did not listen. Liszt dismounted and stretched out his hand, pressing Douson into the sands, making it unable to move, andmanded loudly, ¡°Douson, be quiet!¡± ¡°Woof woof¡¡± Douson let out two confused barks, struggling in futility, and eventuallyy down obediently. Then Liszt slowly let go of his hand. Douson tried to struggle and dash outward again. Liszt repeated the process of pressing it down and issuingmands for it to be quiet. After several attempts, Douson finally stopped moving, and at that moment, Retainer Knight Karl hurriedly brought over a piece of bacon, which Liszt rewarded to Douson, ¡°Quiet and you¡¯ll get to eat meat, understand, Douson?¡± ¡°Woof woof.¡± Douson frantically tore at the bacon, gobbling it up. Before leaving home, Liszt had specifically instructed Thomas not to feed Douson, for only hunger could engrave a deep memory in animals, better forming a conditioned reflex and achieving obedience training. ¡°Lord, you have a great talent for taming magical beasts, and I can foresee that Douson will be a qualified domestic magical beast in the future.¡± ¡°Of course, it will. If it can¡¯t achieve that, I will have it ughtered halfway through. The smoked Fierce Earth Dog meat we hadst night was quite delicious. I¡¯ve hardly ever had magical beast meat like that in Long Taro Castle.¡± Therge Fierce Earth Dog had not been sold for its meat; all had been left at the castle to cure and dry. ¡°It was indeed a delicacy, and eating it, one could feel the magic power nourishing the body,¡± Marcus had also dined at the castlest night. After training Douson for a while, Liszt handed him over to Karl and then rode his horse to the beach where the tide had receded, to check on how the servitors were doing. At this time, Thomas, Tom, and Jessie, each wearing a pair of thick leather gloves and carrying buckets, wielded hammers and shovels, busily at work. Thomas was responsible for flipping rocks, searching for seafood under and on top of them. Jessie took charge of digging through the sand, looking for seafood buried beneath it. Tom, on the other hand, picked up various stranded seafood that hadn¡¯t made it back to the sea in time. ¡°Teacher Marcus, do you know the corrtion between the tides and the moon at night?¡± asked Liszt, in a good mood. Marcus shook his head, ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°The moon keeps moving, and it attracts the seawater, causing tides to rise or fall. Of course, the sun does the same, but it¡¯s much further away and doesn¡¯t have as strong an attraction as the moon.¡± ¡°I do not understand these things you know, my lord,¡± Marcus politely admitted. Marcus was already being courteous. The moon and the sun can attract seawater? If it was someone else, he would surely have spat in their face, calling it nonsense. Then he would have countered, saying you im the moon and sun attract seawater, so why don¡¯t they pull us humans up into the sky too? In that case, everyone could fly, and we could all be Sky Knights, so stop deceiving me forck of education. Seeing Marcus¡¯ expression, Liszt found it uninteresting¡ªignorant natives. After his reflection, he thought to himself, ¡°Since the moon here can also cause tides, does it indicate that this world is indeed a? If I sail along the Sea of Azure Waves continuously, can I make a circle around the ande back to this ce? If that¡¯s true, perhaps one day I could dispatch a fleet for a trip around the world?¡± The thought was distant, and Liszt did not dwell on it further. He rode up to where Tom was. Tom promptly saluted, ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Continue with your task, I¡¯m just taking a look,¡± Liszt saw at a nce that Tom¡¯s bucket contained ms, conchs, starfish, crabs, sea cucumbers, ms and seaweed, as well as creatures simr to sea centipedes and sea cockroaches. However, sea cockroaches and sea centipedes could run away, asionally spilling out of the bucket. So Tom had to go and pick them up again, all thumbs. ¡°These two kinds of bugs that run are not seafood, they can be thrown away,¡± Liszt reminded him. ¡°Oh, okay, okay, Master,¡± Tom busied himself throwing away the bugs, sweating profusely as if he was nervous about thendlord being present, always trying to catch them but failing. Not far off, Thomas, who was moving rocks, saw Tom¡¯s clumsy actions and turned around, smirking with pride¡ªhe was the only one of the castle¡¯s three male servants who was outstanding enough to be the proper sessor to the butler. As for Jessie, who was digging in the sand, he had spent half the day without catching a single razor m or shrimp that thendlord had mentioned; aimlessly digging, he didn¡¯t realize he was supposed to follow the small holes the seafood uses for breathing. ¡°What a couple of good-for-nothings!¡± he thought to himself. Therefore, he happily wielded his hammer, tapping it under the rocks, knocking off ms, sea cucumbers, and oysters, asionally also picking up a few small crabs. ¡°The oyster meat needs to be removed like this.¡± Thomas took his hammer and shattered an oyster shell, then scooped out the soft flesh inside. Before leaving, Lord Landlord had mentioned that the flesh of oysters was delicious. Thomas didn¡¯t find those soft and unattractive things particrly tasty, but he was meticulous in carrying out the instructions of Lord Landlord. It was hardly any effort at all. On the exposed rocks after the tide had receded, there were oysters and sea cucumbers everywhere. In just two hours, Thomas had filled the two buckets he brought with him, one of which was entirely filled with the oyster meat he had harvested. Looking over at Tom, his bucket might have been full, but thendlord had told him several times not to pick certain things, yet he still did. Even though it was the same kind of bug, he thought they were different. That was just too silly. As for Jessie, he might as well be ignored, having dug himself into a sweaty mess with barely more than the bottom of his bucket covered. A few plump shrimp¡ªthendlord had called them mantis shrimp¡ªand a few razor ms that looked like sticks, apparently called bamboo ms. He put down his bucket full of oyster meat, stuck out his chest, and awaited Lord Landlord¡¯s inspection. Mounted on his horse, spending most of his time under the coconut trees enjoying the cool breeze, Liszt noticed noon was approaching and the sunshine growing blistering hot, so he called an end to this foraging experiment. He rode over and examined each bucket. ¡°Tom, you still need to put in more effort to distinguish between pests and seafood, not everything found by the sea is edible. If it¡¯s poisonous, it could kill someone,¡± he said. Ashamed, Tom lowered his head and responded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master, I¡¯m too dumb and couldn¡¯t make out the difference.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Tom, it¡¯s normal tock experience on your first foray into foraging; don¡¯t feel so guilty about it,¡± Liszt consoled him, then turned to Jessie¡¯s bucket, ¡°Hmm, Jessie, your hard work is visible to me, but obviously, you¡¯ve not applied the methods I taught you.¡± ¡°Master, I dug hard, but as I dug, the holes would just disappear,¡± Jessie said in a flustered manner. ¡°You need to dig following the direction of the holes,¡± he instructed. ¡°I¡ I can stay and keep on digging here, Master, I¡¯m sure I can fill the bucket,¡± Jessie offered. ¡°If you stay here, then there¡¯s nobody in the castle to fetch water, Jessie. I¡¯m not ming you. It¡¯s not an easy task to dig for mantis shrimp and bamboo ms,¡± Liszt exined. Finally, Liszt walked over to Thomas¡¯s bucket, one full of oyster meat, and the other also brimming with crabs, sea cucumbers, and more. ¡°Well done, Thomas.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Master, it¡¯s my duty, and I give my all in service to you,¡± Thomas beamed. Liszt responded with a smile befitting a noble, acknowledging Thomas¡¯s efforts¡ªhe was well aware of Thomas¡¯s ambitions, as Butler Carter had already informed him. As andlord, he was not concerned, for Thomas¡¯s ambition extended no further than bing the castle¡¯s butler. If he truly had the ability, and Old Carter was no longer up to the task, what harm would there be in letting Thomas be the butler? No servant could turn his world upside down. Chapter 43: Seafood Feast in the Castle Chapter 43: Seafood Feast in the Castle Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Carrying a pile of seafood and returning to the castle, Liszt did not immediately have the kitchen prepare it. These seafood items indeed resembled those from his memory, but whether they were edible or poisonous still needed to be verified. The verification process was simple: Marcus took a few of the town¡¯s scarce hunters to set traps on the outskirts of Thorn Ridge and captured several wolves and wildcats, among other carnivorous animals. The wolves and wildcats locked in cages were starving. When the seafood was thrown in, the beasts voraciously gobbled it up. Then, the cooked seafood was given to another group of animals. After waiting for a day, by the second day, aside from two animals that died after eating a certain type of sea urchin, the other creatures were still lively, showing no signs of poisoning. ¡°This indicates that the vors of the sea here are quite simr to Earth¡¯s seafood, except for the sea urchins. We¡¯ll remove the sea urchins, and the rest of the edible seafood will be used to create specimens for the serfs who harvest the sea to reference,¡± he said. After some thought, Liszt was not in a hurry to have people harvest the seafood. He needed to make others understand that seafood was delicious, not something distasteful. Many kinds of seafood can be eaten raw, but Liszt did not rmend eating them this way; he always felt that consuming too much seafood could lead to infection by parasites within. Without any medical facilities, infection by parasites meant waiting for death. So he called over Cook Abbie Spoon, ¡°Mrs. Abbie, let me show you how to prepare seafood. See this crab? Use a brush to clean it thoroughly, then steam it directly; same with this shrimp¡ªclean it well, then boil it in in water.¡± ¡°Look at this m; you can use it to make soup or stir-fry it directly. And these oyster meats are actually edible raw, but I don¡¯t eat raw seafood, so you¡¯ll need to boil it in water or stir-fry them. We have plenty of oyster meats here, which I call oysters. If there are any leftovers, they can be dried and used to produce oyster sauce by boiling the dried oysters,¡± he exined. Oysters, scientifically known as Ostreidae, are a type of shellfish. They are a delicacy. Back in his hometown, Liszt was very fond of eating oysters because they are rich in zinc¡ªzinc ys an important role in the development of human secondary sexual characteristics; having trace amounts of zinc in the blood makes one more vigorous¡ Therefore. Oysters would undoubtedly be an essential delicacy on the Baron¡¯s dining table. Fortunately, Fresh Flower Town was situated by the sea and had not been overharvested by humans, so the sea was teeming with oysters, and there was no need to worry about zinc deficiency. The sixteen-year-old Liszt, still in a period of rapid growth, needed to eat more to grow stronger. After teaching Mrs. Abbie Spoon how to prepare the seafood, Liszt did not expect the first time he tasted seafood in this world to be memorable, or rather, he had already experienced it¡ª at Long Taro Castle, fishermen had found rock lobsters from the sea. As an archipgo nation, the Duchy of Sapphire had quite a few fishermen. The serfs, driven by necessity, naturally sought food from the sea and discovered the deliciousness of seafood. However, due to inconvenient transportation and ack of information, the ways to enjoy seafood from the different inds could not be shared. On Coral Ind, the Tulip Family had not yet finished reiming wastnd and had no incentive to exploit the sea. That¡¯s why the subjects of Fresh Flower Town had never thought of harvesting seafood for the past ten to twenty years. ¡°Mrs. Abbie cooking seafood for the first time would probably fail even at steaming crabs properly; she could only continue to explore how to cook the most vorful dishes and slowly improve her cooking skills.¡± Indeed. At lunchtime, at the castle¡¯s dining table, Liszt ate the familiar seafood but could not find the familiar taste. The crabs were oversteamed, the shrimps overcooked and mushy, the oysters stir-fried too tough, and the m soup was full of sand. However, he still enjoyed it quite a lot¡ªit was much more appealing than his usual bread with roast meat. Marcus, Goltai, Isaiah, and ir apanied Liszt at the seafood feast. ¡°Delicious!¡± Marcus simplymented, and then buried himself in the shrimp and crab. Isaiah smiled, ¡°Tasty!¡± ir gave a thumbs up, ¡°A rare delicacy!¡± The most exaggerated was Goltai, who initially disliked the oysters for their ugly appearance and couldn¡¯t bring himself to eat them. But once he tasted them, he couldn¡¯t stop. He cleaned his te in no time and then ordered two more servings. After a sip of hoppy beer and a bite of oysters, his face full of wrinkles lit up with happiness, ¡°I remember now, I remember now.¡± ¡°Remember what?¡± Liszt expertly cracked open a crab shell. ¡°When I was young, I visited a small ind called Flying Fish Ind. I had these¡ oysters at a local¡¯s home. I got drunk that night and ate a pile of oysters, had a marvelous evening. After sobering up and leaving Flying Fish Ind, I never found that delicious taste again, until now.¡± ¡°Then eat more, maybe another wonderful thing will happen tonight,¡± Liszt said with a smirk. He already knew Goltai had found a young girl in town, only sixteen or seventeen¡ª if she hadn¡¯t willingly chosen to follow Goltai, Liszt would have definitely stopped this cradle-snatching behavior. Goltaiughed, ¡°Who knows, but I¡¯ve already fallen in love with oysters.¡± Isaiah and ir chuckled knowingly. They were all adults, understanding the implication of the words. Even Marcus¡¯s eyes lit up with expectation, and he turned to start eating oysters. Upstairs in the living room, nobles and knights were indulging in the delicious seafood, while downstairs in the kitchen, the servants were equally enjoying the pleasure that seafood brought. ¡°These shrimp are really good. If I hadn¡¯t tasted them myself, who would¡¯ve thought something so ugly could be so delicious?¡± Eileen Four Fingers devoured them with relish. Abbie disapprovingly said, ¡°Youngdy, don¡¯t eat so rudely, you¡¯re practically like a boy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a kitchen maid, why can¡¯t I eat like this? At home, I always ate this way. Mr. Carter never said anything about it.¡± Carter elegantly sliced his oysters, as the butler, he always strived to ensure all his actions, including dining, were befitting of a noble butler¡¯s demeanor. He also expected other servants to as much as possible conform to noble etiquette. Upon hearing this, he said, ¡°Eileen, you¡¯ve seen Miss Li Vera¡¯s personal maid, perhaps you should learn how she dines.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to learn from her, holding a fork and knife so daintily. One might think she¡¯s some nobledy. Miss Maisie¡¯s manners have even been praised by the master, but she doesn¡¯t eat that way.¡± Maisieughed, ¡°I grew up in the vige; no one taught me how to dine elegantly, but I¡¯m learning from Mrs. Morson now. She worked at Tulip Castle, where the maids know more noble etiquette than many nobledies.¡± Morson Paddy Field pinched the shrimp head and squeezed out the meat, ¡°That¡¯s because nobles have the right to break the rules, while we servants must strictly follow them, or face harsh criticism and punishment.¡± Eileen suddenly mored, ¡°The master would never punish the servants, Tom broke a vase in the castle yesterday, and the master didn¡¯t even scold him.¡± ¡°The master is kind; I will definitely not break anything next time,¡± Tom said with a respectful expression on his face. As Thomas ate his scooped oysters, he snorted with disdain, ¡°That¡¯s not certain. Clumsy Tom, breaking a vase is just the beginning. You¡¯ll break more things in the future, the master should just ban you from going upstairs.¡± Chapter 44: Lord Landlord Wants to Establish a New Settlement Chapter 44: Lord Landlord Wants to Establish a New Settlement Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The banquet ended. ¡°I n to build a new vige on the East Coast to settle some serfs as fishermen for coastal fishing,¡± Li Si Te said. nters are busy during the nting season, but once the crops are nted, they be idle. Li Si Te felt this was an unreasonable allocation of human resources. It would be better to reassign some nters to focus on developing nearshore fisheries, no, coastal fisheries. Now without boats, even if we wanted to fish nearshore, we couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°Such delicious food, we should indeed catch more. However, Li Si Te, the town¡¯s poption is too small, we don¡¯t even have two thousand people. The agricultural production of each vige can¡¯t do without thebor of serfs.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out about the poption,¡± Li Si Te didn¡¯t borate. In fact, he had already discussed with Levis, using the shared profits from the ck Tulip as payment, to buy serfs from Levis¡ªthe Earl¡¯s fleet went out to trade and could load quite a few serfs on the return journey. These serfs mighte from war-torn inds or from the continent. Goltai seemed to have understood, ¡°Since you¡¯ve said so, I will start nning for the new vige immediately.¡± ¡°Baron, what will the new vige be called?¡± Isaiah asked. ¡°Let¡¯s call it¡ Oyster Vige,¡± replied Li Si Te. Li Si Te had high expectations for Oyster Vige. He hoped that, once the vige was established, it could transform a group of serfs into fishermen, continuously harvesting seafood, providing food for Fresh Flower Town, and offering a material basis for future construction¡ªone where the residents of Fresh Flower Town could hibernate at home during winter to reduce food consumption. With sufficient food, the cold of winter wouldn¡¯t matter at all. Arge amount of construction could begin in winter. In the evening, Goltai came to the castle again, ¡°Li Si Te, Corn Grass has been found! The Patrol Team finally did something worthwhile. They discovered a bunch of grass simr to Corn Grass at the edge of Thorn Ridge, southwest of the town.¡± ¡°Take me to see it,¡± said Li Si Te. Before dark, Li Si Te personally saw therge expanse of Corn Grass, mixed among other wild grasses. They appeared much shorter than the three wild corn nts in Little Wheat Vige, probably due to poor nutrition. Li Si Te took a tour and felt somewhat disappointed. This was probably indeed the original habitat of Corn Grass, but there was no sign of Elf Bug nurturing¡ªwithout the Elf Bug, the development of Corn Grass would be hard to thrive. And it also couldn¡¯t improve the variety gradually with the help of the Elf Bug to be more like a corn cob. ¡°Guard it well and be sure to collect the seeds carefully. Later, when we clear the fields in town, choose a suitable ce and nt some to provide new varieties of forage for the horse farm and dairy farm,¡± Li Si Te instructed. At night, after bathing, Li Si Te read in his study. Before his eyes, the Smoke Serpent Script condensed: ¡°Taskpleted, reward with new information on the Formless Dragon.¡± Suddenly, the smoke twisted, and a new mission was released, ¡°Task: Fisheries have been scheduled by the Landlord, and a group of serfs will soon be driven to the sea. It¡¯s a Landlord¡¯s essential skill to drive the people, but sustainable development is more important. Please update the equipment for the fishermen. Reward: Arge patch of Smoked Grass.¡± ¡°Arge patch of Smoked Grass, what is that, tobo?¡± Li Si Te mused. Updating the equipment for fishermen was a simple task. Even if the Smoke Mission wasn¡¯t assigned, he would have done it anyway. One can¡¯t expect fishermen to fish with their hands if theyck tools. After the tide receded, the rocks became extremely sharp, able to cut a finger with just a careless slip. The task reward was no longer the information about the Formless Dragon, which somewhat relieved Li Si Te (Liszt) and made him start to look forward to what Smoked Grass might be. Smoking was fashionable among nobles, and the Tulip Family had nted many tobo nts and even had a Tobo Minor Elf. ¡°So, Smoked Grass probably isn¡¯t tobo, since there were tobo seeds among the seeds traded from Tulip Castle. I could nt them anytime I wanted.¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) decided not to dwell on it, certain that he would eventually find out what Smoked Grass was. He waved his hand to disperse the Smoke Serpent Script and continued reading. The Earl had kept his word; upon Liszt¡¯s return, he was gifted a cartload of books. Now, he was reading an autobiographical novel called ¡°The Adventure of Ranger Griffe¡±. The story was told from a first-person perspective, recounting the experiences of an Earth Knight named Griffe as he journeyed through the Maple Leaf Duchy. The story was amusing, although Liszt thought many parts of it were simply the author¡¯s wild fantasies¡ªlike having an affair with the wife of an Earl, eloping with a Marquis¡¯s daughter, or conversing with the Duke of Maple Leaf in high spirits. Such experiences were certainly not for someone who wasn¡¯t even an Honored Knight, let alone a fallen noble descendant. However, the author must have been someone with a wealth of experience, as he described many customs different from those in Coral Ind, along with the decadent lives of nobles and numerous hearsay stories. Quite interesting. Li Si Te (Liszt) enjoyed novels that provided both stories and knowledge. ¡°Hm?¡± As he read, the story abruptly shifted to a chapter on a dragon-ying battle, in which Griffe arrived at a town being invaded by an invisible entity. The town¡¯sndlord had fled, and the townspeople were unable to resist; at that moment, Griffe decided to save the suffering people. After observing, he concluded that it was a Formless Dragon¡ªthough the book didn¡¯t exin how he observed and came to that conclusion. ¡°The Formless Dragon is a mystical Giant Dragon that hides in another world; only the most courageous and upright knights can see it. I¡¯m not courageous enough. If I want to see it, I must muster my courage! I need to find it and confront it, to discover its weakness!¡± Thus, Griffe went off to meet his end before the Formless Dragon, got beaten to the point of vomiting blood, but it was also because of this that he saw the Formless Dragon. ¡°Ah, what a beautiful dragon it was, like a flowing crystal, colorless, its entire body transparent. I spat out a mouthful of blood, and it passed right through its body; yes, I could not touch it. I am very despondent because I may never be able to ride it.¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) admired Griffe¡¯s brazenness; nearly killed by the Formless Dragon, yet stillmenting the fact that he couldn¡¯t ride a dragon. Fortunately, Griffe was still somewhat self-aware. ¡°I knew it wanted to kill me. I couldn¡¯t see its eyes, I could only see a blurry mass of water, but I knew it aimed to end me, I could sense its emotions. I had forgotten life and death, and in thatst moment, all I wanted was to take a couple more puffs of a cigarette. Oh sorry, I was out of tobo leaves, so I just grabbed a handful of grass nearby and chewed it to fight the craving.¡± At this point, Li Si Te¡¯s (Liszt¡¯s) brows twitched. He continued to read on. ¡°Later, I found out that the grass I grabbed was called Smoked Grass, simr to tobo but with a unique vor, akin to my socks that I¡¯d worn for either sixteen or twenty-six days without washing. I almost threw up; yes, that moment sessfully cured me of my addiction to smoking, I swore never to smoke again!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had a smoking addiction for seventeen years, since my father liked to roll his own tobo leaves. He used to ask me, ¡®Hey, Griffe, do you smoke¡¡¯¡± The nextrge section was all about his remembrances of his father teaching him to smoke. Li Si Te (Liszt) read on, frustrated: ¡°Stop beating about the bush, I want to see how you y the dragon!¡± Chapter 45: The Friendship Harvested from Smoked Grass and Cows Chapter 45: The Friendship Harvested from Smoked Grass and Cows Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Fortunately, after a recollection of more than five hundred words, Griffe finally got back to the main storyline of dragon ying. ¡°I had to ensure that I truly meant it when I initially swore to quit smoking. It¡¯s just thatter on, I forgot because I was astonished by the actions of the Formless Dragon. My God, it actually snatched the Smoked Grass out of my hands, devoured it, and I think it must have mistaken the taste due to not having bathed in years.¡± ¡°Sorry, I spoke ill of the Formless Dragon. In fact, we became friendster on. Because it ate my Smoked Grass and didn¡¯t kill me, and I, in exchange for a bundle of Smoked Grass and two cows, gained the friendship of the Formless Dragon. Honestly, the Formless Dragon isn¡¯t that big, only slightlyrger than a house.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Bronze Dragon of the Duke of Maple Leaf, which is a beautiful Metal Dragon nearly thirty meters in length. The Formless Dragon looked like its child, oh, but dragons don¡¯t have children.¡± ¡°We had a pleasant afternoon together. In the evening, it came up to me, shook its body, and then a gemstone just fell into my hands. It flew away, but it left behind its gemstone¡ªa gem norger than a fingernail, which I¡¯ve since worn on my finger.¡± ¡°Haha, now you know where my Space Ring came from. Countless noble Sirs were willing to give up everything for this ring, but I wouldn¡¯t trade it because it¡¯s a testament to the heartfelt friendship between me and the Formless Dragon!¡± With that, the Formless Dragon chapter came to an end. Griffe quickly moved on to the next story¡ªthe battle of wits with the Headless Knight. When Li Si Te (Liszt) quickly flipped through the novel, which was only about fifty thousand words long, no further information about the Formless Dragon appeared, not even the Space Ring, which was only mentioned that one time. It was as if Griffe only wrote about the Formless Dragon when he remembered it, and after finishing, he forgot all about it. ¡°It seems that this reward is just the knowledge of the Formless Dragon recorded in ¡®The Adventure of Ranger Griffe¡¯¡ Only the brave and upright can see the Formless Dragon, so there¡¯s probably no chance for me, being neither brave nor upright.¡± He was very self-aware. However, he seriously doubted the truth of this information. How could one rely on intangible and vague virtues like courage and integrity to determine whether one can see a Formless Dragon? ¡°This story always feels like a spin-off of ¡®only pure-hearted maidens can see unicorns¡¯.¡± Many female protagonists in knight¡¯s novels are noble daughters who ride unicorns. Li Si Te (Liszt) had read a few, all of which staunchly imed¡ªonly the pure, beautiful, naive, and kind virgin girls could be epted by unicorns. As for whether unicorns, these legendary creatures, exist, Li Si Te (Liszt) was skeptical. He was skeptical about unicorns and the same went for the Formless Dragon. Especially the bizarre setting that only knights with courage and integrity can see the Formless Dragon. Still, he quickly caught a piece of useful information: ¡°Griffe used Smoked Grass to fend off the Formless Dragon¡¯s ughter. Later, he mentioned exchanging a bundle of grass and two cows for the Formless Dragon¡¯s gemstone. My current Smoke Mission rewards me with Smoked Grass. It seems it¡¯s still part of the chained missions.¡± First, the reward was information about the Formless Dragon. Then new information about the Formless Dragon was rewarded. Now, they want to reward me with Smoked Grass that the Formless Dragon loves to eat. All are interconnected rewards, like unlocking arge chain mission, so the target of the mission can easily be inferred¡ªthere may truly be a Formless Dragon that will invade Fresh Flower Town. ¡°Cows?¡± Li Si Te (Liszt) thought of another link, ¡°The dairy farm seems to have two old cows that can no longer produce milk, but the castle has plenty of food, and they haven¡¯t been used to entertain guests yet. Perhaps, these two old dairy cows are what I need to prepare for the Formless Dragon¡¯s dinner?¡± The information is still not clear enough, preparations remain insufficient. Li Si Te (Liszt) felt that the most urgent task was to continuepleting missions to gain more details about the Formless Dragon chain mission, making it easier to devise a response strategy. Ding dong. A knock on the door. ¡°Pleasee in.¡± Butler Old Carter came in carrying an oilmp, ¡°My lord, it¡¯s gettingte. You should rest early.¡± ¡°I was just about to go to bed.¡± Liszt closed the book and put it back on the shelf, frowning slightly due to the unpleasant smell on his hands, ¡°Mr. Carter, by the way, light another box of air freshener in the study. I really can¡¯t stand the strange smell of these thick parchment papers.¡± The carriage of books given by the Earl this time brought arge amount of fishy smell, although Liszt had already lighted air fresheners, it still couldn¡¯t be masked. There was no such thing as the snow-white and clean paper. There was only yellowed, hardened parchment with a longsting stench. This type of paper was made from the inneryer of animal hides, peeled off whole and specially tanned. It was expensive to produce, difficult to preserve, and inconvenient for writing. Liszt truly wanted to hurry up and produce white paper to rece this thick parchment, but he also understood now was not the right time. For one thing, white paper wasn¡¯t an urgent necessity. Secondly, there were no copyrightws, and nobles could seize paper-making technology at any time. Just as he hadn¡¯t started researching horseshoes, saddles, or cement, simrly, he had the rough structure of a longitudinal sailboat in his mind. Once invented, it would definitely promote the development of the Age of Exploration. The most important reason was¡ªthey had no people. The entire town had 1,990 people, no, 1,991 people¡ªto be precise. Recently two elderly had died in the town, and four babies were born, with one sumbing early on. Of these 1,991 people, excluding the elderly and children withoutbor capabilities, only about 1,500 were capable of working, which was already quite fortunate. They needed to farm, repair roads, and now they had to build Oyster Vige. Soon, a group of people would also need to be allocated to sew gloves, cast hammers and spades, and produce fishing gear for fishermen. As for Liszt himself, he was also very busy. He must continually practice his magic. ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± and ¡°ming Wave¡± had already been mastered, but required time to be proficient. After obtaining the Crimson Blood Sword, he became even more diligent in his cultivation, hoping to break free from the earth¡¯s bonds and soar into the skies. Carter lit the air freshener. He blew out a candle and said, ¡°My lord, should the castle hire a few more servants?¡± ¡°Is there a shortage of manpower?¡± Liszt asked in surprise. Ten servants to attend to his needs should be enough. However, Carter spoke solemnly, ¡°Little Wheat Bug, Peanut Bug, Tulip Bug, Alfalfa Bug¡ªthey are all good critters, but their cordyceps need a man-servant to inspect and care for them daily. These tasks were assigned to Jessie. Now that corn nting has begun, and soon Thorn Bugs will also need to be settled, Jessie is overwhelmed with work.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Douson, Li Dragon Horses, Fire Dragon Horses, and the other horses all require people to care for them. The seafood in the castle, before Oyster Vige is constructed, also needs to be gathered by the servants. Moreover, the kitchen with the increased variety of dishes, Mrs. Abbie has alreadyined about being unable to cope.¡± The castle, the city, and the towns had many ovepping functions. However, the castle leaned more towards self-sufficiency in agriculture, while the town managed the entire territory and collected taxes. Liszt was not satisfied with this system, feeling it hindered the development of productivity, with the biggest obstacle being the castle¡ªa distorted monster controlling all elves and firmly bounding the greatest productive forces. After all, the castle¡¯s primary function was to provide a luxurious life for nobles, not to liberate productivity. Understanding this, yet without much desire to change it¡ªafter all, he was a noble himself! ¡°Since there is ack of manpower, Mr. Carter, you¡¯ll be responsible for recruiting new servants.¡± ¡°Very well, my lord.¡± Chapter 46: Hiring Male and Female Servants Chapter 46: Hiring Male and Female Servants Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Big Lily, where¡¯s Little Lily?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Old Yab? Little Lily is feeding the chickens in the yard.¡± Big Jasmine was a middle-aged woman, with a hunchbacked spine marked by years of hardbor. Old Yab¡¯s wrinkled face beamed with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s good news, Lord Landlord¡¯s castle is hiring new servants. Butler Mister Carter said they¡¯re looking to hire three male servants, one female servant, and one kitchen maid. Big Lily, Little Lily could apply for the maid position.¡± ¡°Really? Is Lord Landlord truly hiring new maids? Is this true? That¡¯s fantastic.¡± Big Lily sprinted into the house. ¡°I have to go tell Little Lily.¡± ¡°Go quickly,¡± said Old Yab, and by the time he finished speaking, Big Jasmine had already vanished from sight. He chuckled, shaking his head, and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve got to go spread the good news to everyone. In the castle, ah, they can drink milk every day, such a wonderful life awaits the children, they¡¯re so lucky.¡± Before long, all 48 serf households of Barley Hamlet knew of the news. ¡°What great news, I was justining that Malfoy doesn¡¯t have more fields to sow, and we can only go and clear newnds. He¡¯s strong and hardworking, eats a bit too much maybe, but he¡¯s sure to do well as a male servant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a sure thing, Parker is more industrious and also polite. I think he could definitely get hired.¡± ¡°Is the news for real, that Lord Landlord would hire servants from the countryside?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what Old Yab said, and he¡¯s been helping make tools for Lord Landlord at the smithy these past few days. Could his words be false?¡± ¡°Old Yab certainly has craftsmanship skills, but can he still lift a hammer?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to do it himself, there will be apprentices arranged by Lord Landlord to do the hammering. Rememberme-footed Peter? He became an apprentice in the smithy, and Lord Landlord pays him a copper coin every day as wages!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the smithy owned by the Old Drunkard?¡± ¡°The Old Drunkard sold the smithy to Lord Landlord long ago, ho ho, for three Naldas!¡± ¡°Three Naldas, my goodness, Lord Landlord is so generous!¡± Good news always flies swiftly from ear to ear, like birds with wings. In the yard where she was feeding chickens, Little Lily¡¯s face flushed with excitement, ¡°Mama, can I¡ can I really apply to be a maid?¡± ¡°It¡¯s news from Old Yab, he wouldn¡¯t lie to us. Little Lily, you must prepare well. Just getting into the castle means you¡¯ll have a good life ahead,¡± said Big Lily joyously. ¡°But¡ would Lord Landlord choose me?¡± ¡°Have confidence in yourself, Little Lily. You are Barley Hamlet¡¯s most outstanding girl, hardworking and capable; you¡¯re Mama¡¯s pride. Of course, you could also consider the role of the kitchen maid, Lord Landlord is hiring for that position too, and no one can wash vegetables as clean as you.¡± ¡°Hmm, I know what to do now, Mama,¡± Little Lily said, determination shining in her eyes. For the promise of a better future, she had to disy exceptional qualities to be hired as a castle maid. Without a father, her Mama struggled to raise her and her two brothers in extreme poverty. Now grown up, she had to start taking on responsibility for her family. The seventeen-year-old girl clenched her fists in silent resolve. In the smithy, Liszt watched as several older cksmiths and their apprentices busily crafted iron blocks. Using iron blocks obtained through trade with ck Tulips, Liszt had used them for making agricultural tools, starting with equipment for fishermen. Shovels, hammers, awls¡ªwith these three pieces of equipment, fishermen could harvest seafood. The seafood resources on the East Coast of Fresh Flower Town, untouched and unpolluted, included abundant shellfish and crabs, which could be easily caught without the need for advanced techniques. ¡°Teacher Goltai, has the selection for the fishermen already started?¡± Liszt received the handkerchief passed by Marcus and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had be ustomed to the services of a personal manservant, and, as long as there was no physical contact, he enjoyed having someone to pour tea and water for him. Goltai had no choice but to take out his own handkerchief to wipe his sweat, ¡°Your requirements have been conveyed, Clerks are doing the publicity in each hamlet. We¡¯re only taking the elderly, women, and some not yet grown-up children as fishermen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s like that, seaweed harvesting doesn¡¯t require much strength, just patience. It¡¯s a reasonable allocation of human resources to have the less efficient farming households go seaweed harvesting. However, you must do the publicity well; poisonous seafood must not be touched, and raw seafood must not be eaten.¡± The medical and health methods in this world are extremely undeveloped. Nobles cultivate Dou Qi and rarely fall ill, so there¡¯s no motivation to study medicine. Liszt also doesn¡¯t know medicine; all he could do was to focus on prevention for his subjects¡ªpromoting hygiene, drinking boiled water, and eating cooked food. ¡°They are lucky to have met you, Liszt; you have a unique charm,¡± Goltai ttered him. A regr young Noble, puffed up with a fewpliments, would probably be conceited. Liszt, with the soul of an adult and well-established principles, couldn¡¯t possibly get dizzy from a few ttering words; he simply ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t stop the forging of iron, but don¡¯t let the few cksmiths get too tired either. Adjust their wages from five copper coins to six copper coins, and apprentices to two copper coins.¡± Apprentices doing odd jobs, one copper coin a day. Master smiths wielding the hammers, five copper coins a day. These were the wages Liszt had offered previously, which were quite generous. Now a financially strong Baron, he no longer cared about exploiting themon folk for those few copper coins. Bear in mind that his Crimson Blood Sword at his waist was worth a thousand or two Gold Coins. That¡¯s tens of thousands of silver coins, or over ten million copper coins. Besides, the entirety of Fresh Flower Town was his. There was no difference between the subjects having money and him having money¡ªhe could adjust the tax rates anytime he wanted, however he wanted to collect them. ¡°Six copper coins a day, hmm, lucky cksmiths,¡± Goltai muttered to himself. Then he walked into the smithy¡¯s forging room and shouted, ¡°cksmiths, Lord Landlord has just decided to raise your wages from five copper coins a day to six copper coins a day, and apprentices can now get two copper coins a day. Work hard, the generosity of Lord Landlord is beyond your imagination!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Six copper coins a day?¡± ¡°Long live Lord Landlord!¡± ¡°Praise Lord Landlord, Old Jack will forge iron for Lord Landlord all his life!¡± ¡°Apprentices can also get two copper coins a day; oh my, my parents will be overjoyed.¡± Laughter and chatter filled the smithy,ints about the heat evaporated, and everyone worked hard to repay the generous Lord Landlord Liszt. Hearing the cheers inside, Liszt shook his head. He may have a kind heart, not wishing to exploit the serf ss, but isn¡¯t he also using slight benefits to drive the productivity of the serfs? Rather than exploitation, he preferred creation, rational allocation of production resources, and boosting working efficiency. That¡¯s how to make perfect use of the less than two thousand people in the town. ¡°Master, are you going back now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Tailor Shop to check on the gloves, towels, and masks being sewn for the fishermen; I hope they are all qualified products.¡± Liszt mounted the Fire Dragon Horse and lightly flicked his whip. Chapter 47: The Revolution in Clothing Chapter 47: The Revolution in Clothing Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Lily¡¤Bathing Basin, Wendy¡¤Big Toe, Jim¡¤Bull Dung, Parker¡¤Red Nose, John¡¤Doorknob, after the selection, you five will have the opportunity to work in the castle.¡± After three consecutive days of trial training, Butler Carter finally announced the three men and two women who met his standards for selecting servants, to be the new male and female servants of the castle. The remaining seven or eight trial participants asked unwillingly, ¡°Mr. Carter, please give me another chance, I will do better!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but once a decision is made, it cannot be changed. However, you don¡¯t need to worry. For these three days of trial training, each of you will receive apensation of three copper coins, based on the standard of a kitchen maid. Moreover, your excellence is already remembered by me, and should the castle need to recruit servants again, I will definitely consider you first.¡± The ownership of the Castle Servants, strictly speaking, lies in the hands of Liszt. But they are notpelled to work without payment; they receive a wage, which servants can save to spend on food, drink, and clothing, or send back to their families. The wages of the castle are one copper coin a day for a kitchen maid or male servant assistant; two copper coins a day for a maid or male servant; three copper coins a day for the first male servant or Cook; and four copper coins a day for a male or female Butler. Aside from the solitary Carter and Morson, the other servants in the castle choose to send their wages back home to support their families. Furthermore, servants can apply to buy their freedom if they be too tired of working¡ªthat is, to return to a free status. Of course, the decision to ept or reject the buyout rests with the Noble. The young men and women who were not selected left the castle disappointed; losing the chance to work in the beautiful castle was a major blow to them. The five who were selected were beside themselves with excitement. ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯ve been chosen!¡± ¡°I¡ I¡¯m staying in the castle?¡± ¡°Mother, I made it!¡± Carter watched the five neers with a smile, remembering his own youth when he came from a struggling Serf family and was selected by a castle, then under the Viscount Family, to be a Servant. He started as a lowly male servant assistant and gradually became an excellent servant. As the Tulip Family experienced leapfrog growth, he was sent by the Earl to manage the family¡¯s other estates and castles in different towns. Until Liszt came of age, he followed and became a Butler. The years had left deep marks on his face, and he could hardly recall the jubnce he felt when he first became a servant. For decades, he had worked in the castle, his rtives having passed away many years ago. There were regrets, but also happiness. Now his greatest wish was to apany Liszt until the day the sun no longer rose, then to choose eternal rest. ¡°Young gentlemen,dies, please be quiet,¡± he said, gesturing with his hand for the new recruits to tone down their excitement, ¡°I am about to announce your positions.¡± Lily and the others quickly calmed down. ¡°Lily¡¤Bathing Basin, Mrs. Abbie is very pleased with you. Your job will be as a kitchen maid, hmm, Eileen Lady will show you the ropes for a while so you can quickly assist Mrs. Abbie.¡± Little Lily immediately nodded rapidly like a pecking chicken, ¡°I will be familiar with the kitchen duties as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, but also don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. Mrs. Abbie¡ is outspoken, but once you get used to her, you¡¯ll find she is a good person.¡± Carter was somewhat concerned for the young girl, wondering if she could withstand the blower-like booming voice of Abbie¡¤Spoon. He continued with the announcements, ¡°Wendy¡¤Big Toe, Mrs. Morson will show you what you need to know as a maid.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter.¡± ¡°Then, Jim¡¤Bull Dung, Parker¡¤Red Nose, John¡¤Doorknob,¡± Carter looked at the three youngds with vegetable stains on their faces. ¡°Mr. Carter,¡± all three puffed out their chests, trying their best to appear more elegant. Carter was pleased with the attitude of the three, preferring obedientds like these over troublemakers like Thomas: ¡°In the time toe, I will get you quickly acquainted with the work of a manservant. Soon, you¡¯ll be busy not just within the castle, but outside it as well.¡± He looked up at each of the new servants: ¡°You are not only representing yourselves but also the image of the castle. Well-dressed, civilized in conduct, you must familiarize yourselves with noble etiquette quickly, and say aplete goodbye to theziness that came with being a serf. Understand, gentlemen,dies?¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Carter!¡± ¡°Now, each of you has half a day off to go home and share this good news. From tomorrow, you will live in the castle.¡± ¡°Mr. Carter, congrattions, you will soon be a head butler,¡± Mrs. Morson said to Carter after the new servants had eagerly gone home to report the good news. ¡°Mm, it feels good,¡± Carter replied with a rare yful smile, ¡°I must live a bit longer to prevent Thomas from taking over. I don¡¯t want to see him enjoying this feeling.¡± ¡°I think Thomas would rather stay by the master¡¯s side, he is indeed smarter than Tom and Jessie.¡± With a hint of incoherence, Carter said, ¡°The master has inherited the courage of the Tulip Family and the shrewdness of the Long Taro Family; sometimes, it might be better to be a bit dumber than smarter in front of the master.¡± Saying this, he suddenly cocked his head to listen, then said, ¡°Hoofbeats, the master is back. I must go to wee him.¡± ¡°Go ahead, Butler Carter, both dumb and smart.¡± Carter tilted his head. He had already formed a tacit understanding with Morson, and two such understanding butlers were what kept the castle in perfect order. Stepping to the door, riding atop a Fire Dragon Horse, the tall, handsome Liszt came galloping back, the golden sunlight casting a glow on his slightly curly xen hair as if it was a flowing mass of gold. ¡°The master is like a born noble, he has all the attributes of a noble,¡± Carter thought to himself. The body bent slightly, ¡°Wee home, master.¡± ¡°Mr. Carter, have the new servants been chosen?¡± Liszt handed the reins to Thomas and undid the cravat around his neck, tired of the stuffy noble attire, especially in the summertime. The noble clothing of the Grand Duchy was inspired by continental styles. Female nobles typically wore long gowns with a crinoline underneath; they would also pad their buttocks, making the whole gown stand up like a pyramid. Li Vera never wore such attire; she preferred male noble clothing. A full set of male noble clothing, called ¡°ck¡¤Abaie,¡± included a tailcoat-like outer coat ¡°ck,¡± a vest ¡°Gile¡± to be worn underneath, and tight knee breeches ¡°Best¡±. Of course, it also included long boots and stockings. Furthermore, male nobles had to wear essories around their necks that symbolized noble authority. For everyday household wear, a cravat sufficed; for going out on business, they needed to wear a tie-like ¡°Cravat,¡± which Liszt referred to as a scarf; during grand ceremonies, they wore ¡°Ruff,¡± arge disc encircling their neck, which Liszt called a pleated cor. Undoing the cravat, he immediately felt the hot air from inside his clothing escaping through his neck, prompting Liszt toin: ¡°I need to start a revolution against clothing!¡± Chapter 48 - 0048: Monkeys That Steal Coconuts Chapter 48 Chapter 0048: Monkeys That Steal Coconuts Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ties, shirts, vests, undershirts, boxer shorts, suits, dress pants, gentleman¡¯s hats, leather shoes¡ªLiszt had a whole series of clothes he wanted to produce. But he couldn¡¯t be so innovative, after all, he was just a Baron from the countryside. If one day he became the ruler of a country, then he could freely reform and set trends. For now, he had to endure the cumbersome outfits to maintain the so-called noble dignity. ¡°My lord, I have given the servants half a day off, starting tomorrow, they will devote themselves to working for the castle.¡± ¡°Hmm, arrange it as you see fit.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sweating profusely, Liszt wasn¡¯t too interested in small talk, ¡°Mr. Carter, have someone prepare my bathwater, this kind of weather isn¡¯t too kind to people.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± Carter hurried to instruct the maids to prepare the bathwater. Nowadays, the small castle always had bathwater ready because the servants all knew their lord was an exceptionally clean noble. It was normal for him to bathe once a day, usual to bathe twice, and he even bathed three times in a single day on asion. It would only be abnormal for him not to bathe for a day. After taking a bath, he changed into home clothes, loose robes. This type of robe was a kind of pajama¡ªthe nobles here knew that it was ufortable to always wear tight formal wear, so they modified pajamas to serve as home wear. Liszt still found it cumbersome and ufortable to wear. During summer, he most liked to wear short-sleeve shirts and T-shirts, so he rolled up the sleeves of his robe to expose his forearms. Although this wasn¡¯t in line with noble etiquette, within the confines of the small castle, who would dare to question his minor transgression? The countryside did have its advantages. ¡°My lord, it¡¯s a pity we don¡¯t have ice; otherwise, I could make you a ss of ice sugar water to relieve the heat.¡± ¡°Even at Tulip Castle, there isn¡¯t much ice to squander in the summer. I can bear this difficulty, but, unfortunately, I¡¯ll miss being able to drink chilled beer again.¡± He wasn¡¯t fond of drinking, and his present consumption at banquets was due to his predecessor¡¯s love for alcoholbined with the need for social interaction. But he exclusively enjoyed drinking chilled beer during the hot summer, which was refreshingly cold to the core. As the height of summer was fast approaching, each day was hotter than thest. He remembered that at Coral Ind, during the hottest days, eggs could cook on the ground, likely reaching forty degrees. Every year, a good number of serfs would die from the heat. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that saltpeter can be used to make ice, but it¡¯s hard toe by. It seems Coral Ind doesn¡¯t have a saltpeter mine, and even if it did, I wouldn¡¯t recognize one¡ I remember reading that the earthen wall corners of rural houses, stables, and toilet corners are rich in saltpeter, but Fresh Flower Town is all wooden houses, and there are no toilets¡¡± The technology to make ice with saltpeter was basically impossible for Liszt to replicate. He could only do like other nobles: store ice in an icehouse during winter and use it during summer, ¡°Mr. Carter, don¡¯t forget to remind me to build an icehouse this winter.¡± ¡°Of course, my lord.¡± Dinner. As usual, he invited Goltai, Marcus, Isaiah, and ir¡ªonly these four people from Fresh Flower Town had the privilege to dine at the same table as Liszt. ¡°Liszt, the nning for Oyster Vige isplete. Tomorrow, the first group of fishermen from Oyster Vige, d in the new gear you¡¯ve prepared for them, will head to the East Coast to officially fish. They are all old men, women, and children, foolish and impulsive. These past two days, they¡¯ve already started collecting shells at the seaside.¡± Once the news spread that the lord personally served seafood at the banquet, themoners began to imitate him, ready to catch seafood for themselves. They always followed the actions of their lord. Liszt spoke gravely, ¡°Teacher Goltai, you must ensure proper safety guidance. I do not want any civilian to be in danger from eating seafood. As officials of the town, you must take this matter seriously. The poption is the most important productive force in Fresh Flower Town.¡± Perhaps in his heart, he still found it somewhat incredulous. However, having understood Liszt¡¯s attitude, Goltai and the others nodded without hesitation, indicating they understood. ¡°So, tomorrow, if you have time, apany me to Oyster Vige to see the effect of the fishermen¡¯s first experience of gathering at sea. At the same time, you should actively promote every kind of seafood that can be caught, as well as those that cannot be harvested. Moreover, you must teach them how to preserve seafood.¡± ¡°Baron, we have already organized clerks to repeatedly emphasize this point. Moreover, the seafood in the castle has been sampled by every clerk, and they are very enthusiastic about it.¡± ¡°Good.¡± On the next day, considering the timing of the low tide, Liszt, apanied by the Retainer Knights, arrived at Oyster Vige. There were no houses in Oyster Vige just yet; only a barren area not far from the beach had been leveled, which wouldter be used for building wooden houses. At that time, around two hundred elderly, weak, women, and children were turning over every rock and shoveling through the sand on the t beaches of the East Coast, carrying baskets or buckets. Many of them did not have gloves, shovels, hammers, or other tools; they were working entirely with their hands¡ªthe productivity of the tailor shop and smithy in town couldn¡¯t keep up. ¡°Lord Landlord!¡± Seeing Liszt, the fishermen greeted him with bows. Liszt nodded slightly in response, riding the Fire Dragon Horse, patrolling around. Gathering from the sea was hard work, exposed to blistering wind and burning sun, but the workload was not veryrge. Thus, the fishermen, who often had a reputation for being somewhat idle, were buzzing with enthusiasm, busy and happy regardless of their experience. After watching for a while, Liszt felt unbearably hot and promptly took shelter under the coconut trees. Looking up at the tall coconut trees, he felt something was amiss. Then, it dawned on him: ¡°There are no coconuts!¡± He turned and asked a clerk standing by: ¡°Do these trees not bear fruit?¡± ¡°They do bear fruit, Lord Landlord. These are Fragrant Coconut Trees. Their fruit is called Fragrant Coconut Fruit. But when the fruit is very small, it gets picked by the monkeys from Thorn Ridge.¡± ¡°Monkeys?¡± ¡°Yes, a type of greyish-yellow monkey. We call them Fruit Thief Monkeys. They are quite ferocious and sometimes even descend in groups to ravage the crops in the fields.¡± ¡°Fruit Thief Monkeys¡¡± Liszt nodded but did not speak. He suddenly remembered a news story he had read. It seemed that in some Southeast Asian countries, there was a tradition of training monkeys to pick coconuts. Coconut trees are very tall, and it¡¯s difficult for humans to climb, but monkeys can easily scale them to pluck the coconuts¡ªif the town could train a group of Fruit Thief Monkeys, maybe they could develop the coconut industry. Of course, he was still not sure whether these Fragrant Coconut Trees were real coconut trees¡ªFresh Flower Town in winter was buried under snow for more than two months; real coconut trees would have frozen to death by now. ¡°How does the Fragrant Coconut Fruit taste?¡± ¡°Once I picked up a Fragrant Coconut Fruit dropped by the Fruit Thief Monkeys, it had a lot of milk-like juice inside, tasting sweet and sour¡ªquite delicious.¡± Liszt¡¯s cravings were ignited. The East Coast had many Fragrant Coconut Trees; if they could be protected, many Fragrant Coconut Fruits could be harvested. They couldpletely be treated as a kind of beverage, perhaps even developing into a local specialty. He cast his gaze toward the distant Thorn Ridge. ¡°Sooner orter, Thorn Ridge must be taken. All threats to Fresh Flower Town must be eradicated!¡± The Fruit Thief Monkeys could be used to train in fruit picking. Chapter 49: The Forgotten Dou Qi Secret Technique Chapter 49: The Forgotten Dou Qi Secret Technique Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Magical beasts can be trained, so naturally a few monkeys can be trained as well. For knights possessing Dou Qi, there is no difference between a wild beast and a small cat or dog. However, currently in Fresh Flower Town, there are only five people with Dou Qi¡ªLiszt, Marcus, Goltai, Isaiah, and ir. Each has their responsibilities, and it¡¯s impossible for them to be beast trainers. ¡°It seems, it¡¯s time to select a few physically strong young men from the townspeople and teach them Dou Qi to be my Retainer Knights.¡± As for the Retainer Knights, as long as he could afford them, Liszt could even form a Knight Order. However, due to the financial and material constraints of the castle, at most he could maintain a dozen or so Retainer Knights, forming a Knight Squad. This had been his n all along. The greatest use for this Knight Squad would be to eradicate the magical beasts in Thorn Ridge and incorporate it into Fresh Flower Town, making it part of his domain. ¡°Once the food supply from Oyster Vige stabilizes and the castle¡¯s tax revenue bes steady, I will immediately begin training the Retainer Knights.¡± The four Retainer Knights, including Karl Ironhammer, do not know Dou Qi, and their potential has been wasted, not worth cultivating. The new Retainer Knights should be cultivated from young men, teaching them to practice Dou Qi and be true knights. He was enjoying the cool breeze while pondering over the grand ns for development. Beside him, Goltai couldn¡¯t stop using his handkerchief to wipe his sweat; every day, he had to wear the neat three-piece attire of a noble, and he was hot to death: ¡°Liszt, the fisherman¡¯s inspection of the sea isplete, and everything is progressing smoothly. Shouldn¡¯t we head back now?¡± Liszt was also very hot. This weather really wasn¡¯t suitable for going out. Upon hearing this, he nodded, ¡°Indeed, let¡¯s return.¡± He wasn¡¯t a delicate person, but why subject himself to difort when he could enjoyfort. As andlord, in control of all the life-and-death authority in the territory, there was no need to show off some ¡°people-loving¡± or ¡°dedicated¡± qualities. Bloodline and Dou Qi were the foundation of a noble. On the way back, Liszt took the opportunity to inspect the road construction in each vige. There was plenty of sand from the sea, but transporting it was difficult; themon people could only use buckets and basins to carry the sand, which was inefficient. But no matter what, the road was taking shape. It was while passing Fresh Flower Farm that a sudden stench wafted over from a distance, prating Liszt¡¯s nostrils, almost making him vomit with nausea. The Fire Dragon Horse beneath him also kept sneezing, looking like it couldn¡¯t bear it. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s too stinky, what is this smell!¡± ¡°Who created this strange smell?¡± A few Retainer Knights, just like him, were covering their noses, wishing they could vomit on the spot. ¡°Is someone cleaning out a toilet?¡± Liszt remembered his childhood experiences of cleaning out toilets in the countryside, that fragrance wafting everywhere; the current smell was even stronger, but he quickly realized, ¡°Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have toilets, nor has it built septic tanks, the picked-up manure shouldn¡¯t smell like this.¡± So, pinching his nose, he said to a Retainer Knight, ¡°Karl, you four go and investigate where this smell ising from.¡± A momentter, Karl returned, pinching a de of grass, ¡°My lord, the source has been found.¡± He lifted the grass in his hand, ¡°It¡¯s this grass. A few kids on the farm were messing around and broke a lot of it on a wastnd, unaware that this grass could emit such a disgusting stench.¡± As he spoke, a stronger stench entered Liszt¡¯s nostrils,ing from the grass in Karl¡¯s hand. Liszt endured the foul smell, but his eyes shone: ¡°This grass covers arge area?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good, very good! Karl, immediately go inform Goltai to protect this patch of grass. Do not allow anyone to approach, and especially don¡¯t damage it!¡± Confused but the Retainer Knights still followed the order. Liszt gave hismand, feeling in high spirits. His personal servant Thomas couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°My lord, why do you feel happy about such a smelly grass?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, this grass has great uses.¡± He returned to the castle, and while taking a cool bath, he checked the Smoke Serpent Script, wanting to see if the task had been updated¡ªhe had thought that the task wouldn¡¯t be consideredplete until all the fishermen had been outfitted with new gear, but now, the task reward of ¡°arge patch of Smoked Grass¡± was obviously in hand, indicating that the task had beenpleted. Indeed, after the smoke came out, the Serpent Script updated, ¡°Taskpleted, reward: arge patch of Smoked Grass.¡± A momentter, the Smoke Serpent Script changed to: ¡°Task: The newly cultivated millet fields have been sown with seeds; the Millet Bug is eager to breathe the fresh air, it¡¯s a brave little fellow, please ce Cordyceps for the Millet Bug. Reward: The forgotten Dou Qi Secret Technique.¡± ¡°The forgotten Dou Qi Secret Technique? Not a Dou Qi Manuscript, but a Secret Technique, which suggests that the reward is just a powerful move?¡± Liszt spected. A manuscript contains methods for refining and using Dou Qi, as well as various Dou Qi moves. A Dou Qi Secret Technique, inparison, refers to a rtively powerful move, somewhat simr to the Ultimate Mystery Technique in a Dou Qi Manuscript, which can be understood as a powerful move. However, due to obscure and ndestine traditions, coupled with the great difficulty in learning, it is very hard for a minor noble to pass down secret techniques from generation to generation. The Tulip Family has no tradition of passing down secret techniques, and the Red Crab Ind Marquis Family, which has not been around for long, also doesn¡¯t have any. Only the old Marquis Families may possess one or two secret techniques. But it¡¯s undeniable that the value of a secret technique is immense¡ªthe Ultimate Mystery Technique is the strongest move in each Dou Qi Manuscript, but its power is naturally limited by whether it¡¯s an intermediate or advanced manuscript; for a Secret Technique, however, the stronger the Dou Qi, the more powerful it bes. Liszt was quite pleased with this, ¡°Not bad, not bad at all, although I do not like fighting, having a secret technique by my side will greatly enhance mybat ability and reduce the likelihood of encountering danger.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t know what the Dou Qi Secret Technique will be, but I¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± So far, none of the tasks in the Smoke Mission have been overly difficult, basically being the daily work Liszt would have to do anyway¡ªjust the same this time: the millet fields were cultivated in order to settle the Millet Bugs, and whether or not there was a task, Liszt would have taken care of it. After that, he pondered another question, ¡°Could this task still be part of the chain of tasks from the Formless Dragon series?¡± Three dayster, the fishermen of Oyster Vige were able to go to the open sea to catch seafood steadily, and each time they would harvest arge quantity of seafood. A portion of the seafood quickly made it to themoners¡¯ tables, recing the fishermen¡¯s need for bread and allowing the town¡¯s grain food supply to be conserved as much as possible. But much of the seafood had nowhere to be stored. ¡°Liszt, we must think of a solution, the East Coast has too much seafood, and the fishermen¡¯s catch is already more than can be eaten, it could spoil at any time,¡± Goltai found Liszt and started to fret. Liszt was rather speechless at this, ¡°If it can¡¯t all be eaten, then find a way to dry the seafood and preserve it¡ Now is not a good season for making dried goods, summer and autumn would be more suitable¡ If it¡¯s not the season for dried goods, then stop fishing. The seafood isn¡¯t going to disappear in the sea.¡± Without cold storage or sufficient quantities of salt for curing, drying is the best way to preserve food. Now the weather is too hot, making dried goods prone to spoge, so it would be better to catch less seafood, only catching as much as can be eaten, which would also prevent overfishing of the sea. Having made his point, Liszt spoke with a slightly stern tone, expressing his dissatisfaction, ¡°Teacher Goltai, I am thendlord, and you are the official. I need you to manage Fresh Flower Town for me, not toe to thendlord at the first sign of trouble, understand?¡± Goltai gave a sheepish smile, ¡°Of course I understand, Liszt, believe me, I won¡¯t make this kind of mistake so easily again.¡± Chapter 50: The Invasion Reward of a Dragon Chapter 50: The Invasion Reward of a Dragon Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The wooden houses in Oyster Vige had not yet been built, but the fishermen¡¯s fishing work was progressing smoothly. The construction of roads in the hamlets and towns wasn¡¯t fast, but it went on every day. The low-yielding, low-nutrient two-leaf clover at the dairy farm had beenpletely eradicated and reced with high-yielding, nutritious alfalfa. The ten dairy cows really liked the new grass, and their milk production had significantly increased. Outside the castle, in the horse paddocks, the alfalfa was also thriving, though there had been no mares impregnated yet, as the Li Dragon Horses hadn¡¯t entered their mating season. The peanuts in Peanut Hamlet were growing well, and the peanuts near the Millet Cordyceps were almost ready to harvest, with the prospect of yielding two crops a year. The ck tulips at Fresh Flower Farm had begun to bear fruit, in the form of small, dry capsules, although they hadn¡¯t yet split open. Once they did, there would be many ky seeds that could be propagated inrge numbers. Influenced by the Tulip Bug¡¯s cordyceps, this ck tulip had produced over thirty fruits. It was estimated that a single harvest could propagate several mu ofnd. The Greater Elf Xiangxiang at Tulip Castle would then continue the breeding process, and within half a year,rge-scale nting would be achievable. If it were the normal cultivation method, it would take several years to scale up, which showed the capabilities of the elves. However, while elves were a strong helping force, they also represented a limitation, confining humans from visually cultivating nts and researching fertilizers, still using the primitive sh-and-burn agriculture to this day. Liszt was changing the agricultural methods of Fresh Flower Town¡ªevery hamlet had begun to poprize the use of manure, wood ash, and pond mud aspost. Little Wheat Vige was still nting wheat. With the assistance of the Little Wheat Bug, it was feasible that the wheat yield could increase by twenty to thirty percent. Meanwhile, the three corn grasses were being tended by a dedicated person. However, more corn grass was nted in Barley Hamlet, cultivated by the serfs of Barley Hamlet and collecting pasture seeds. Barley Hamlet used to grow barley and oats primarily, but the recent millet fields were cultivated on the newly reimednd of Barley Hamlet. Due to the cultivation of corn grass, there was a severe shortage of serfs. Mushroom Hamlet and Tomato Hamlet remained at the same scale without significant changes. The biggest changes were in town; no more filthy manure, and no one dared to litter in the streets¡ªan edict strictly enforced by Liszt. With a patrol team checking daily, anyone caught littering would face harsh whipping¡ªa punishment preserved selectively by Liszt among the various tortures nobles inflicted onmoners. Initially, Liszt thought to adopt the police system of public security detention, but then realized that mere detention without physical punishment would be like a holiday for the serfs. No work to do, and still receiving food and drink every day. Thus, corporal punishment was inevitable. ¡°I have allocated fifty mu of wastnd for nting millet, which is the limit the Millet Bug can influence. Right now, Barley Hamlet can¡¯t meet the nting needs, and it¡¯s difficult to transfer serfs from other hamlets¡ªOyster Vige has already taken some, so for now there are only ten mu of millet fields,¡± Goltai exined to Liszt. Today, they were here to settle the Millet Bug. The millet had already sprouted, a greenyer stretching over the ten mu of newly reimednd that had been fertilized with farm manure. ¡°Ten mu it is for now. After the harvest of oats and barley, we¡¯ll switch to nting millet. Without an Elf Bug, growing barley and oats isn¡¯t cost-effective,¡± Liszt nodded and said. He then began to settle the Millet Cordyceps. The Millet Bug¡¯s cordyceps were golden millet, so its color was a bright, beautiful yellow that dazzled the eyes. ¡°Little guy,e on, breathe some fresh air,¡± he coaxed. The Millet Bug was indeed a brave little thing, crawling out of the jade box and with an open mouth, it spat out the cordyceps, nting them in the center of the field, which had been fenced off. It quickly grew with the wind, turning into a nt of golden milletden with grains. With this, another task waspleted. Six Elf Bugs had been settled, with five Elf Bugs already in ce, leaving only thest Thorn Bug. Liszt, feeling ted, rode his horse and began to concentrate. The Smoke Serpent Script twisted rapidly before his eyes: ¡°Complete the task: Reward Dou Qi Secret Technique ¡®Eye of Magic Power¡¯.¡± The content then changed, posting a new mission: ¡°Mission: Allpanions have been properly settled, except for the Thorn Bug, whichcks a new home. As the Landlord, you cannot waste the productivity of any Elf Bug. Please settle the cordyceps for the Thorn Bug. Reward: Invasion of the Formless Dragon.¡± Apanied by a review of the new mission¡¯s content, the prideful mood that had just filled him quickly shattered. Had it not been for the presence of retainers and servants around, he would have jumped up and cursed, ¡°A Smoke Mission, are you kidding me? Can the invasion of a Formless Dragon even be considered a reward?¡± ording to the information obtained earlier, a Formless Dragon might leave behind a priceless Space Ring. But, one must still be alive to obtain it! A single dragon could easily destroy a town. Liszt had no desire to test whether he could send a Formless Dragon away with two old dairy cows and a bundle of Smoked Grass. As he saw it, one should enjoy the treatment one¡¯s capabilities allow. If he were the lord of Coral Ind, he would even try luring the Formless Dragon at the cost of losing a city. Unfortunately, he only had Fresh Flower Town. If the dragon merely rolled over, he estimated the town would be gone, and he would be penniless, let alone lead a luxurious noble life. In an instant, he even decided to give up on the Thorn Bugs, neverplete the mission, and not trigger the invasion of the Formless Dragon as a reward. However, after calming down, he couldn¡¯t reconcile with giving up. The Smoke Mission seemed only to be pushing at an open door, bringing something that should have already been in his path. Without this gentle push, who knew how difficult it would be for him to develop further ¡ª and he had already be dependent on the expedient benefits brought by the Smoke Mission, receiving a reward for eachpleted mission; it felt too wonderful. All the way to the castle, his mind was made up. ¡°Do it, it¡¯s just a Formless Dragon!¡± ¡°The Smoked Grass has been prepared, and the dairy cows are ready. If worsees to worst and Fresh Flower Town is destroyed, I¡¯ll just go to Tulip Castle and shamelessly beg for another inheritance.¡± ¡°The Earl can¡¯t possibly watch his own son starve to death!¡± For the Space Ring, and even more for the Smoke Mission, Liszt was going all in. Once he had made up his mind, the next step was to make full preparations. For this. He spent a whole night in the castle¡¯s study, burning the midnight oil to design a n. He didn¡¯t let anyone participate; keeping the secret of the Formless Dragon to himself was better, as more people could mean more confusion. And if he did manage to obtain the Space Ring, there was also the risk of it being leaked and stolen. The Space Ring deserved to be called a Divine Artifact. ¡°Prepare for defeat before expecting victory, survival is of utmost importance.¡± This was the core thought in Liszt¡¯s n-making; no matter what, he must ensure his own safety above all. He looked at the sketch he drew of Fresh Flower Town, thought for a long time, and circled the dairy farm, ¡°Here, will be the battlefield for the invasion of the Formless Dragon. Leave the dairy cows as bait, and bring all the Smoked Grass here, piling it up at the dairy farm to attract the Formless Dragon¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°As for the fight, it¡¯s impossible to fight. No one can defeat a dragon, let alone think about ying a Formless Dragon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that dragons have Dragon Breath, a special magic substance that is sprayed out of their mouths, stuff like mes, acid, or poison. Half of a dragon¡¯sbat power relies on its Dragon Breath. Therefore, the ground is very dangerous, and we must dig underground tunnels so we can escape instantly from in front of the Formless Dragon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not likely that a dragon will dig up the earth just to catch a few bug-like humans.¡± ¡°Then, I probably won¡¯t be able to see the Formless Dragon, and I suppose no one in Fresh Flower Town will be able to see it either. To ensure I know the Formless Dragon¡¯s exact location, I should spread ayer of flour over the dairy farm. If it walks, it will leave footprints¡ But then again, do dragons need to walk? Don¡¯t they fly?¡± Liszt scratched his head, trying to figure out how to spot the Formless Dragon. But no matter how he thought about it, he had no idea how to see an invisible dragon. In irritation, he punched the table. Crack. The impact of his fist caused the candle to fall, the wax oil immediately flowing down the table and onto a corner where a knight¡¯s novely. mes engulfed the Knight¡¯s Novel in an instant. Chapter 51: The Eyes That Peep into Magic Power Chapter 51: The Eyes That Peep into Magic Power Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions After much effort, the mes were extinguished, but the knight¡¯s novel had already been scorched to a yellowish-brown exterior. This was a knight¡¯s novel called ¡°The Vulture Knight Stephan¡¯s Expedition,¡± which, to be exact, resembled more of a chronicle. It narrated the experiences of Stephan Vulture, a Sky Knight who rode on the back of a Dragon Breed Magic Beast Vulture and soared through the skies, as he expanded the territory for st Furnace Fortress Kingdom. The story was quite dry, but the content was detailed. Among the many fabricated knight¡¯s novels, this one stood out as a breath of fresh air. Liszt had read it three times already and felt that eighty to ny percent of the story was true. Even now, the Vulture Family might still exist within the st Furnace Fortress Kingdom. ¡°What a pity, a good book ruined. Next time I go to Tulip Castle, who knows if I¡¯ll be able to get a new one,¡± Lisztmented as he held the charred novel. Good books are hard to find. Suddenly, his brows raised, noticing the burnt cover partially peeling away to reveal a glittering golden color, as though there was a hiddenyer within the cover. With a flick of his finger, the cover started to ke and fall off in pieces, revealing the golden color inside. ¡°Indeed, a hiddenyer!¡± Liszt¡¯s disappointment was reced by surprise, ¡°This must be one of the so-called forgotten Dou Qi secret techniques!¡± Earlier that day, havingpleted the Little Wheat Bug mission, he received his mission rewards by nightfall; everything was so natural. After rubbing away the coverpletely, he found nestled within it a gold-leaf paper the size of the palm¡ª not truly paper, as Liszt discovered after examining it. It was made of gold in a foil-like thinness. The paper was embossed with tiny, dense characters and an illustration of the Dou Qi cirction within the human body. ¡°Magic Eye Dou Qi Secret Technique ¨C Stephan Vulture,¡± was written at the top of the gold leaf inrger Serpent Script. ¡°Indeed, a Dou Qi secret technique. Magic Eye, could it be the hereditary secret technique of the Vulture Family? Looking at it, the novel I obtained seems extraordinary, probably the only one of its kind. The weight of this gold leaf alone is equivalent to a gold coin; it¡¯s unlikely they¡¯d include one in every copy.¡± After finishing his thought, he shifted his gaze from the gold leaf to the bookshelf in the study: ¡°Among these books, there¡¯s information about the Formless Dragon, there¡¯s ¡®The Eye of Magic¡¯¡ªcould there be something else hidden within?¡± To test his theory, he sliced a cut along the cover of each novel. But no other hiddenyers were found. Clearly, this was the only Dou Qi secret technique. ¡°¡®The Eye of Magic¡¯ has intricate content, involving remarkablyplex and intricate Dou Qi cirction, much moreplicated than the ultimate mystery techniques found in Dou Qi manuscripts¡ It might be challenging to learn.¡± Liszt was confident in his own aptitude. He had quickly learned and was close to mastering both ¡°me Wave¡± and ¡°Fire Dragon Drill.¡± He was also preparing to learn archery from Marcus¡ªpreferring ranged attacks to closebat. ¡°Should I postpone learning ¡®The Eye of Magic¡¯?¡± As soon as the thought urred, it was dismissed when he read the final description of ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± on the gold leaf. The description read, ¡°The Eye of Magic allows one to see through the cirction of magical power; even the invisibility spells of Grand Magicians cannot conceal their form under The Eye of Magic.¡± In that moment, he understood that this Dou Qi secret technique was still part of the chain missions, in preparation for confronting the Formless Dragon: ¡°Is this telling me that once I master ¡®The Eye of Magic,¡¯ I will be able to see the Formless Dragon?¡± Therefore, what Liszt was to do next became clear. He first repeatedly tested the scent of the Smoked Grass, finding that the juice it exuded had a potent, piercing smell, although not as strong as when it was burned. He had someone cut a batch of Smoked Grass to dry and built a ¡°Beacon Tower¡± at the dairy farm, solely to burn the Smoked Grass and attract the Formless Dragon. Beneath the Beacon Tower, he began the construction of an underground tunnel which would serve as a hiding ce. Meanwhile, around the Beacon Tower, cows would be tethered, and before the invasion of the Formless Dragon, their bodies would be smeared with the juice of the Smoked Grass. On a mound of earth a short distance from the Beacon Tower, Liszt likewisemanded his men to excavate a tunnel, the entrance of which was disguised as a bunker. In his n, he would hide here, constantly monitoring the invasion of the Formless Dragon. Upon sighting the Formless Dragon, he would instruct his servants to ignite the Smoked Grass at the Beacon Tower, and then the servants would take shelter in the underground passage. He, on the other hand, would watch the Formless Dragon feast to its heart¡¯s content, until it flew away, and then he woulde over to search the ground, to see if the Formless Dragon would leave behind any of its gemstones. Standing on the mound where the tunnel was being dug, Liszt¡¯s mind was still contemting, ensuring that nothing was overlooked. ¡°If it really is aboutpleting missions, and rewards start to be distributed, it means that after I ce the Thorn Bugs, the Formless Dragon wille to Fresh Flower Town¡ Is it the Smoke Mission that controls the Formless Dragon, or is it merely a coincidental guide? Can I try cing Thorn Bugs at any time, and the Formless Dragon will invade Fresh Flower Town whenever I do?¡± How mystical. There was temporarily no answer. What he had to do was to strive toplete every Smoke Mission and grow stronger. ¡°Liszt, digging from here to that Thorn Forest is no simple task, and I still do not see the significance of doing this,¡± Goltai directed the civilians, excavating the tunnel ording to Liszt¡¯s instructions. ¡°You do not need to know, Teacher Goltai. It is not a matter of mistrust, but rather a secret of my own. You merely need to take everyone from the dairy farms, on the day I inform you, and have them stay elsewhere for a day.¡± ¡°Well then, Fresh Flower Town is your territory, and no one dares to defy your wishes, of course, I will do as told.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°So, you really intend to ce the Thorn Bug within that Thorn Forest? That forest isn¡¯t veryrge, not an ideal ce for cement.¡± ¡°I have my reasons.¡± ¡°Hmm, well, it doesn¡¯t matter, after all, the Thorn Bug is just a useless Elf Bug, it doesn¡¯t affect agricultural development.¡± ¡°Every Elf Bug has its unique usefulness; it¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t discovered it yet. Perhaps, one day, you will find that Thorns can also give birth to Magic Potions.¡± ¡°Haha, I hope so.¡± The project was advancing with great urgency, and no one understood why Liszt wanted to do this, but no one dared to resist either. In Fresh Flower Town, there was basically no one who would dare to stop Liszt from doing anything he wanted, including murder and arson. The tunnel was dug day by day. He began to practice ¡°The Eye of Magic¡± in the Castle, a Dou Qi Secret Technique that was quiteplex, but with his keen understanding, he soon fumbled his way to the trick of it. To put it inly, it was about using the eyes as a bridge to resonate one¡¯s Dou Qi with the Magic Power of the outside world. Magic Power is a rather fantastic force, constantly emitting vibrations, which he preferred to call the radiation of Magic Power dispersal. Receiving radiation, using the eyes as radar, that was the principle of ¡°The Eye of Magic,¡± a secret technique of a nonbative nature. After five days of continuous study, Liszt finally mastered the final technique for channeling Dou Qi, casting the Eye of Magic for the first time. In that moment, looking at his own eyes in the mirror, the sapphire blue pupils seemed to swirl, countless stars flowing within the rotating pupils, mysterious and profound. Eerie and beautiful. ¡°These eyes of mine, could they bewitch any young girl?¡± He turned his gaze toward the Window, where Marcus was teaching four Retainer Knights Dou Qi. They had passed their prime, but with diligent practice, they still had the potential to refine their Dou Qi. At that moment, Marcus in his field of vision appeared as a cyan silhouette. A little distance away, Douson, who was struggling with a rock, appeared as a faint yellow shadow. ¡°Wind Attribute Dou Qi¡¯s Marcus, Earth-Attribute Magic Power¡¯s Douson, this is the scene seen through the Eye of Magic¡ Will it truly be effective against the Formless Dragon?¡± Chapter 52: The Unceasing Growth of Ambition Chapter 52: The Unceasing Growth of Ambition Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The ¡°Eye of Magic¡± was somewhat draining on his Dou Qi, Liszt found that after straining to sustain it, he could only maintain it for five minutes at a time. Otherwise, not only would his Dou Qi fail to keep up, but his eyes would also feel sore and irritated. However, whenever the Dou Qi inside him waspletely drained, a warm breath would emanate from the Crimson Blood Sword strapped to his waist, replenishing his depleted Dou Qi. The rubies produced by the dragon contained magical powers. When he focused the ¡°Eye of Magic,¡± he could see that the rubies shone with a blood-like light, swirling gently as if they were a vortex. ¡°If I can see the magic in the gemstones, I should also be able to see the magic in the dragon. During this time, I will seize every moment to practice so that I can use the ¡®Eye of Magic¡¯ at will.¡± Unsheathing the Crimson Blood Sword, Liszt was filled with a spirited determination. The time for ¡°dragon ying¡± was fast approaching. ¡°Goltai, what do you think the Baron means by digging an underground tunnel here?¡± Isaiah was counting on his fingers, figuring out how many copper coins to distribute to the serfster. Liszt nevermandeered serfs for free, he always paid them a certain remuneration. That¡¯s why the serfs were always eager to sign up for all kinds of production and construction. The drive of interest plus the authority of the Lord were invariably sessful. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m as clueless as you are,¡± Goltai said as he puffed on his pipe, looking as if he had no stake in the matter. ¡°Liszt hase of age. He¡¯s no longer the timid youth in Tulip Castle. Often, I cannot fathom what he¡¯s thinking. I have no idea what Fresh Flower Town will turn into.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what you said in your letter. You mentioned that Fresh Flower Town is flourishing.¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t said that, would you havee? Besides, isn¡¯t Fresh Flower Town flourishing now¡ at least we have seafood to eat every day, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I admit, the fishing for seafood was an innovative approach, and the collection of manure was also a significant measure. But what are we doing today? Digging a tunnel underneath the farm, is this meant for storing hay or what?¡± Goltai removed his pipe, tapping out the ashes, ¡°Stopining, ir never gripes. That is why with every dinner, Liszt always drinks an extra ss with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s old now and just wants to find a noble to rely on, to live out his years without worry, no ambition left.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not so young yourself.¡± ¡°But I hope one day to rejoin the noble ranks. I must strive for my son¡ªhe¡¯s too dim-witted and will never marry into nobility.¡± Isaiah rubbed his head in distress. ¡°I originally came here hoping to find a chance to go to battle. You said that Liszt was full of great ambitions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but you could talk more with Marcus. That guy used to desire nobility more than anyone, but he quickly pledged his loyalty to Liszt,¡± Isaiah narrowed his eyes, ¡°I will.¡± Soon it was evening, and time to distribute the wages. Isaiah checked the list, handing out copper coins to each working serf, ¡°Next, Alewa **it.¡± ¡°Sir, that¡¯s me, that¡¯s me.¡± The serf with the unfortunate name, Alewa, rubbed his palms in glee as he received two copper coins from the clerk. That was enough for eight big chunks of ck bread! But he had no intention of buying bread; his wife had joined Oyster Vige and went out to sea daily to catch seafood. Besides delivering their share to the castle, they could enjoy seafood at home. After having seafood abundantly these past days, he felt a surge of strength in his body, and his stamina at night had doubled to a whole six seconds. His wife praised his vigor, encouraging him to eat more seafood. He was preparing for a third child, so earning more copper coins now meant sending the child to the smithy as an apprenticeter¡ªthe Lord Landlord had said that a serf with a skill would be put to good use. ¡°Praise the Lord Landlord!¡± After tucking away the copper coin, iwa couldn¡¯t help but pray inwardly. He liked his currentndlord for the days were getting better, no worries about going hungry, and he could even save some copper coins, ¡°I just don¡¯t know why Lord Landlord wants to dig holes here?¡± He was a serf of the dairy farm, responsible for feeding the cows. He used to worry andin to his wife, fearing he might lose his job, maybe Lord Landlord no longer wished to keep cows, otherwise, why would he dig holes in the cow farm. But his wife scolded him severely: ¡°If you¡¯re not raising cows, you could raise horses; if not horses, you could repair roads; if not roads, you could grow millet. Lord Landlord is a great man, who makes it easy for the elderly, women, and children to work and to eat their fill. Damn it, stop yourining, you must believe in the Lord Landlord!¡± iwa obeyed his wife, so he quickly changed his mind. He felt that Lord Landlord, no matter where he dug holes, was a greatndlord, and what the holes were for didn¡¯t matter¡ªhow could themoners understand the thoughts of a noble lord. Practicing the Eye of Magic, supervising the construction of the project, had be Liszt¡¯s main task over these past few days. Over the course of several days, all preparations for the dairy farm had beenpleted. The beacon tower was ready, the bunker disguised, the passages walked through multiple times with no obstructions. The smoked grass was harvested and piled on the beacon tower, ready to be ignited at any moment. Young cows were kept not far away for feeding, while Old Hua and Old ck, two aged dairy cows, were tied at the edge of the beacon tower. Liszt had also made several trips from the Thorn Forest to the bunker, to ensure that after he nted the cordyceps, he could immediately hurry to the bunker. The bunker had a U-shaped passage linking to another refuge. If the Formless Dragon did not leave Fresh Flower Town as expected, after feasting on the cows and grass, he would immediately retreat through the U-shaped passage to the refuge, then block the passage. The refuge had breathing holes connecting to the outside, and many food and drinks were stored. This would at least ensure his safety. He dared not be careless when dealing with a dragon. Walking through the dairy farm, Liszt was inspecting the quality of the construction project for thest time. It wasn¡¯t a big project, so the progress was swift, the quality satisfactory, and everything was built ording to his wishes without skimping. ¡°I am starting to like this world, this era.¡± He climbed up the beacon tower, surveying the entire dairy farm: ¡°A word from thendlord, and everyone is busy. Before, I managed a small team of five in thepany, and even faced opposition from troublemakers. Here, no one dares to question my words, not even Goltai or Marcus.¡± Power, for a man, is an irresistible desire. A person who has never experienced power may not find it wonderful; but once they have tasted it, the allure bes addictive and impossible to resist. The identity of the Baron of Fresh Flower Town was something Liszt could no longer give up. At the same time, the ambition in his heart was growing continuously; Fresh Flower Town was too small to satisfy his thirst for greater power. Fortunately, it was just ambition, as reason governed his thoughts, rooted in the policy of ¡°umte grain widely, build walls high, and proim kingship slowly,¡± he plotted his course. ¡°Princes and generals have no predestined kin.¡± Chapter 53 - 53 The Invasion of the Formless Dragon Chapter 53 The Invasion of the Formless Dragon Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Early June, dry and tinder. The early morning sun rose, sweeping away the coolness and recing it with heat that wouldst all day. d in ck Magical Beast Leather Armor with the Gemstone Weapon, the Bloodsword, hanging at his waist, and sapphire-colored eyes sparkling with exuberance, the handsome face wore a solemn expression. Awakened early to heedmands at the Castle, Goltai looked at the Landlord of Fresh Flower Town in front of him, and for a moment, he was lost in thought¡ªeven Coral Ind¡¯s Count did not possess the aristocratic charm that Liszt exuded at that moment. When ites to looks, out of a perfect score of one hundred, Liszt could earn ny-nine, the one point less being a precaution against pride. Good looks can¡¯t be eaten, but they do bring happiness. Every morning, when he looked at himself in the mirror, Liszt always started the day in a good mood. His personal servant, Thomas, meticulously smoothed out the wrinkles on Liszt¡¯s leather armor, as maintaining the appearance of nobility was a servant¡¯s main duty. ¡°Teacher Goltai, ording to the original n, relocate the households of the cow farm to other settlements and enforce a full-day lockdown. No resident of the town, for whatever reason, may leave their home. The patrol team is to suspend patrolling and wait for mymand in the administration building until the lockdown is lifted,¡± Liszt ordered. ¡°Understood, Liszt. I will carry out the order right away,¡± Goltai replied. Goltai turned around and rode out the door. All the townspeople were perplexed by the Landlord¡¯s decision, but obedience was ingrained in their bones. Once themand was given, Fresh Flower Town quickly fell silent. The silence was like the deep sleep of night, punctuated only asionally by the barking of a dog. Not many could afford to keep a dog, so these few sounds were inconsequential. The sun continued to climb in the east, and Liszt personally fitted the Fire Dragon Horse with a bridle, forbidding it from making any noise: ¡°Mr. Carter, do you remember what I said?¡± ¡°Master, you said that today we need to shut the castle gate tightly, keep Douson and the horses confined, and try to keep them as quiet as possible. If there is danger, take all the servants to hide in the cer and do not venture out until the master returns. Only then can the castle resume its regr operations,¡± replied Carter. ¡°Good, that¡¯s right,¡± said Liszt. Worry etched Carter¡¯s face: ¡°Master, is there danger on this journey?¡± ¡°A little, but I have made all necessary preparations, so don¡¯t worry about me, Mr. Carter.¡± On the side, Thomas hesitated before speaking: ¡°Master, you really should take me with you. I may not be skilled in many things, but I could buy you some time if we¡¯re in danger.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pleased to hear you say that, Thomas, but it¡¯s not necessary.¡± Liszt raised his riding crop and gently tapped the horse¡¯s hindquarters, and the Fire Dragon Horse dashed out like a streak of me. The wind whistled past his ears as the horse¡¯s hooves kicked up clouds of dust. On the roads of the town, not a single pedestrian could be seen, evidently having received themand to stay dutifully at home. With a heart full of turbulent emotions, he galloped all the way to the cow farm. Wearing a mask, Liszt climbed up the Beacon Tower. He nned to have a servant light it, but to minimize the risk of leaking information, he decided to do it himself. On the Beacon Tower, there were two jars filled with ground Smoked Grass Juice. Shading his eyes from the sunlight, he looked around, then without further hesitation, he opened the jars and poured the liquid over two old dairy cows below. The pungent odor spread rapidly. The cows thrashed wildly, trying to escape, but the ropes were tied tightly, leaving them only to endure the irritation in agitated suffering. Even with the mask, Liszt nearly vomited from the smell, but he bore the urge and quickly set the Smoked Grass hay alight on the Beacon Tower until the mes rose high. He leaped down swiftly. Mounting the equally restless and fleeing Fire Dragon Horse, he headed straight for the Thorn Forest. Upon reaching the Thorn Forest, he tied up the Fire Dragon Horse, took a deep breath to suppress the feeling of nausea, and looked around to make sure everything was perfectly safe. Then, from his bosom, he took out a Jade Box containing Thorn Bugs. ¡°Man proposes, God disposes. Sess or failure rests on this move.¡± Opening the box, he said to the plump Thorn Bug inside, ¡°Come on, little fellow, make yourself at home.¡± They were inplete ord. The Thorn Bug crawled onto his hand, opened its mouth, and spat out Cordyceps, whichnded in the small shrubbery and quickly took root and sprouted. Meanwhile, Li Si Te (Liszt) had already swiftly ducked into the tunnel, bent over and running towards the bunker. By the time he got inside the bunker, the Thorn Cordyceps should have grown sufficiently. He forced himself to calm down, focus his mind, and summon the Smoke Mission. The smoke twisted for a moment, forming Serpent Script. ¡°Taskpleted, reward: the Formless Dragon¡¯s invasion.¡± Seeing the taskpleted, he didn¡¯t wait for the new mission to be issued; he simply wiped away the smoke. He circted his Dou Qi, employing the Eye of Magic, and looked up into the sky. The thick smoke from the burning Smoked Grass, swaying as it rose with the gentle breeze. Even inside the bunker, he could smell that half-year unwashed sock odor, a persistent nausea-inducing stench. Without a telescope, he could only rely on his own sight. Below the Beacon Tower, two old dairy cows seemed to be choking from the smoke, incessantly drooling white foam, which made Li Si Te extremely worried that they might be smoked to death before the Formless Dragon appeared. Seconds and minutes passed. Just as the Eye of Magic¡¯s duration was nearing its limit, he still had not spotted any trace of the Formless Dragon. ¡°Logically, once the task isplete, the reward should appear synchronously, just a matter of timing before ites into my possession. So why hasn¡¯t the Formless Dragon invaded Fresh Flower Town yet?¡± ¡°Could there be a dy in the appearance of the reward?¡± ¡°If the information about the Formless Dragon is true, it should be attracted by the Smoked Grass as soon as it appears.¡± His eyes grew more and more tired, and just as he felt he couldn¡¯t hold out any longer and was about to disperse the secret technique, suddenly, next to the smoke column of the Smoked Grass and facing the sunlight, a faint shadow in the sky caught Li Si Te¡¯s attention. The shadow was initially very small and faint, but then it began to erge, eventually forming a light grey dragon shape. A pair of massive wings and a streamlined body. It circled around the smoke column as it descended. His heart thundered: ¡°The Formless Dragon!¡± ¡°It really is the Formless Dragon!¡± Li Si Te clenched the Crimson Blood Sword, attempting to keep the scarce Dou Qi remaining in his body running, continuing to support the Eye of Magic as he observed the Formless Dragon. This was his first encounter with a dragon! The dragon that represented the world¡¯s ultimate power! Even though he could see only the magic power on the dragon, not the dragon itself, he was still so excited that his blood boiled: ¡°Just like described in ¡®The Adventure of Ranger Griffe,¡¯ the Formless Dragon isn¡¯trge. Compared to a thatched hut, it¡¯s only about the size of a single house, with wings that would perhaps span two to three houses.¡± But that proud demeanor exuded an unrivaled majesty. Despite being quite far away, Li Si Te could still feel his body tensing in response to the dragon¡¯s might¡ªthis was Dragon Might! It was said that wherever a dragon went, all living beings would submit to it. ¡°It¡¯sing down along with the smoke from the Smoked Grass¡¡± Li Si Te¡¯s Eye of Magic had copsed, his body couldn¡¯t sustain the Dou Qi Secret Technique any longer, and the form of the Formless Dragon disappeared without a trace. But without a doubt, the information provided by the Smoke Mission was correct; the Formless Dragon liked the smell of Smoked Grass. Rubbing his sore and swollen eyes, Li Si Te looked with his naked eyes towards the direction of the Beacon Tower. He couldn¡¯t see the Formless Dragon, but themotion there indicated that the Formless Dragon was wreaking havoc¡ªthe smoke was scattered every which way, the old dairy cows were prostrate on the ground crying piteously, and in a moment, even the Beacon Tower began to copse with mes roaring up. ¡°Woooooah!¡± An eerie, piercing, goosebump-inducing howl rose amidst the mes¡ªthat was the voice of the Formless Dragon. Chapter 54: A Legend Forever Chapter 54: A Legend Forever Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Moo¡¡± Old Hua let out a mournful bellow and copsed in a pool of blood. Clenching the Crimson Blood Sword, Liszt, peering through the fortress¡¯s window, once again activated the small amount of Dou Qi he had just recovered and cast the Eye of Magic. His vision transformed, and beside the me, a greyish-white Formless Dragonposed of magic power was tearing into the old dairy cow, bite by bite. It had already devoured Old ck whole and was now savoring Old Hua, asionally lifting its head to look around alertly while eating. Its shape was indistinguishable from the depictions of giant dragons Liszt had seen in books. A standard Western dragon¡¯s form, just slightly more slender. It had four limbs, but its wings did not fold up when walking on the ground. The wings were somewhat like those of a bat, with an arm-like structure inside where fingers were spread to support the spread of the wing membranes. When the fingers spread, the wings would open; when the fingers closed, the wings would contract. However, because the wings were structured like arms, they couldn¡¯t fold tight like a bird¡¯s. But they could fold, simr to the bending of an elbow, and in the middle of the wings at the palm bones¡¯ position, there was an extra finger that grew out, resembling a hook or a sickle. The Formless Dragon used the hook of its wings to slice the flesh and bones of the dairy cow, then grabbed the shredded flesh with its two small forelimbs and stuffed it into its mouth. The tail was very long, much longer than what was typically shown in dragon illustrations. There were horns on its head, not just a pair or a single one, but a whole row of varying lengths¡ªIt is said that dragon horns are a symbol of power and that scepters, which Kings carry during grand ceremonies, are often made from dragon horns. However, in Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic vision, the most concentrated magical power on the Formless Dragon¡¯s body wasn¡¯t in its horns or its heart. But in its teeth¡ªthe dragon teeth. The magic power of each dragon tooth was exceptionally clear. Counting them, there were forty-two in total. Besides the four huge fangs, the rest of the teeth were also quite sharp. ¡°It is said that a dragon¡¯s soul resides in its teeth; extracting the soul of a giant dragon and using the teeth to forge a divine weapon, then infusing the soul into it, can create the most powerful weapon.¡± For an instant, Liszt was heartfully tempted to kill the Formless Dragon on the spot and pluck out all its teeth. Of course, it was just a thought. ¡°Hurry up and eat, then leave quickly,¡± Liszt dispelled the Eye of Magic and continued observing the dairy farm. The Formless Dragon was not eating quickly, which allowed him to calmly replenish his magic power and call forth the Smoke Mission to check the new quests that he hadn¡¯t had the chance to view before. ¡°Quest: The Formless Dragon has appeared in Fresh Flower Town. Prepare its favorite Smoked Grass and the beef it loves to eat the most. For the remaining time, wait quietly until it is satiated and leaves. That¡¯s all you can do. Please avoid the invasion of the Formless Dragon. Reward: The Form of the Formless Dragon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already done what needed to be done; this mission can bepleted while lying down,¡± he thought, focusing his attention on ¡°The Gift of the Formless Dragon,¡± ¡°What could the gift be?¡± He was fairly certain in his heart. For the next while, Liszt quietly observed the Formless Dragon, casting the Eye of Magic when his Dou Qi recovered and watching indirectly with the naked eye when it was depleted. About half an hourter, the fire had long been extinguished, and the two cows were reduced to scattered skeletons on the ground. Liszt noticed the alfalfa on the ground fluttering in the wind and immediately used the bit of Dou Qi he had just regained, enduring the soreness and swelling of his eyes to once again cast the Eye of Magic. Within his field of vision, the Formless Dragon had already soared into the sky, flying in the direction of the East Coast outside Fresh Flower Town, getting farther and farther away until Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic dissipated. ¡°It¡¯s gone¡¡± Liszt felt a whirlwind of emotions. There was relief after tension, a sense of loss after beautiful things had departed, anticipation of an imminent reward, and a feeling of aplishment frompleting a dragon invasion. ¡°Wait a bit longer to prevent the Formless Dragon from returning.¡± He stayed in the bunker for nearly half an hour longer, then he cast the Eye of Magic to meticulously search the area, confirming there were no traces of the Formless Dragon. He pushed open the camouged cover above the bunker and stepped out. Facing the scorching sunshine, he stretched mightily, ¡°My first close encounter with a dragon has ended just like that.¡± He still didn¡¯t know what kind of dragon the Formless Dragon was, but as long as it was a dragon, it was an incredible being¡ªespecially since this was a Sacred Dragon capable of invisibility. The word ¡°sacred,¡± to some extent, implied the extraordinary nature of this kind of dragon. Back in Thorn Forest, he checked on the Thorn Cordyceps, which were growing well. After releasing the Fire Dragon Horse from its reins, he suddenly realized that the mare was covered in dung and urine¡ªshe must have been scared senseless by the Dragon Might of the Formless Dragon. Fortunately, the saddle was clean. Riding the Fire Dragon Horse, he set off towards the dairy farm, but the horse refused to go anywhere near the Beacon Tower, even when Liszt whipped her. ¡°Dragon Might¡ no, even the scent of a dragon can scare you like this? To think you have the blood of a Low-Level Magical Beast, the zing Steed,¡± Liszt said helplessly, dismounting to walk. He couldn¡¯t smell the scent left by the Formless Dragon because his nose was full of the lingering Smoked Grass odor. The other eight dairy cows on the farm had vanished; he hoped they hadn¡¯t run deep into Thorn Ridge, for if they had, they would certainly have be a feast for the Magical Beasts. At the ruins of the Beacon Tower, Liszt searched carefully, not overlooking any patch of ground. He even took a hoe and turned over the soil¡ªpartly to look for the Formless Dragon¡¯s gift and partly to destroy any footprints of the Formless Dragon, eradicating all traces of it. An innocent man harbors no guilt; possessing a gemstone invites trouble. He had to be cautious. ¡°Found it!¡± Momentster, under a piece of cow bone, Liszt found what he wanted¡ªa transparent gemstone. It wasn¡¯t big, about the size of a fingernail cover, much smaller than the baby fist-sized Ruby iid in the Crimson Blood Sword. It alsocked dazzling color, somewhat simr to a diamond, clear and translucent, with an irregr ttened multi-faceted shape, capable of refracting sunlight into tiny sparkles. Somewhat inexplicably, a slogan came to Liszt¡¯s mind. ¡°A diamond is forever, a gem to be passed down for generations.¡± Indeed, it was good material to make a ring with, but he did not verify right away whether the space was real or fake. He carefully packed it away and continued to search the ground, hoping to find a second one. Unfortunately, after turning over every area within fifty meters where Formless Dragon footprints could be found, he couldn¡¯t find a second one. He didn¡¯t give up and activated the Eye of Magic to search again but still had no luck. ¡°It seems the so-called reward really is just this one gemstone.¡± Wiping the sweat from his forehead, his leather armor dirtied and his noble demeanor somewhat diminished, Liszt¡¯s face was nevertheless radiant with a brilliant smile, ¡°Regardless, the chapter with the Formless Dragon has ended, Fresh Flower Town is safe.¡± He entered a thatched cottage of a viger¡¯s home to cool off and check his new mission. ¡°Missionpleted, reward: gemstone of the Formless Dragon.¡± ¡°Mission: The tomatoes nted by John Bian Dan, a grower in Tomato Hamlet, are of better quality, yield more, and grow faster than those of the surrounding growers. As andlord, how could you not find out the reason? Reward: one Elf Bug.¡± Chapter 55: Exploring the Gemstone Space Chapter 55: Exploring the Gemstone Space Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°The reason why John Bian Dan¡¯s tomatoes are bothrge and good is very simple, because in his tomatoes, a Tomato Worm is being nurtured!¡± Upon reading the task and the reward given, Liszt made the judgment above. Tomatoes are the main vegetable here, and without the Elf Bug, the tomato production in Fresh Flower Town isn¡¯t high. Now that a Tomato Worm is finally about to be born, it¡¯s truly a cause for celebration, ¡°After returning, I¡¯ll investigate the Tomato Worm right away, we must ensure nothing goes wrong with its nurturing process.¡± He stretched out his left hand, holding the Formless Dragon gemstone in his palm. The light was flickering. Liszt took a deep look, clenched his hand shut, and tucked the gemstone close to his body. Then, he left the farmer¡¯s house, mounted his Fire Dragon Horse, and departed from the dairy farm¡ªthe matter had concluded, and all traces of the Formless Dragon had vanished. A momentter. Butler Carter came out with the servants to greet him at the Castle gates, ¡°My lord, knowing you have returned safely puts my mind at ease,¡± he said, exhaling a long breath of relief. ¡°No need to worry, what could happen to me?¡± Liszt nodded, ¡°Thomas, go to the town and inform Teacher Goltai that the confinement is lifted, and let Fresh Flower Town return to its original order. Mrs. Morson, prepare the bathwater, I¡¯m covered in sweat and in need of a good bath.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡± The oppressive atmosphere was swept away, and the Castle suddenly bustled with activity. Thomas rode to town with the news, Tom had the new manservant busy feeding horses and tending to Douson, the maids needed to doundry, and the kitchen was busy preparing lunch. Just for Noble Liszt, fifteen servants had to work nonstop to ensure Liszt could enjoy everything. He bathed frequently, but never for more than five minutes at a time, that was Liszt¡¯s principle. He changed into his home clothes and went to his study, locking the door behind him. He took out the Formless Dragon gemstone and began to study it. Just by appearance, it was impossible to divine any mysteries about the gemstone. Even with the Eye of Magic activated, he could only see countless specks wandering in the gemstone¡¯s magic vortex; aside from the different colors, the Formless Dragon Gem under the Eye of Magic didn¡¯t differ much from the Ruby on the Crimson Blood Sword. ¡°So, how is it connected to the Space Ring?¡± ¡°Or rather, how do I open the space inside the gemstone? Do I need to perform a blood oath, or should I infuse it with magic power?¡± Performing a blood oath required self-harm, which Liszt was somewhat apprehensive about, so he first tried to channel his Dou Qi into the gemstone¡ªwhen his Dou Qi made contact with the gemstone, he immediately felt a subtle connection akin to forming a contract with an Elf Bug being rapidly established, and then the gemstone began to vigorously absorb his Dou Qi. After absorbing about one-tenth of the Dou Qi from his body, the gemstone stopped absorbing, and the subtle connection had expanded into an invisible portal. Following the sensation connected by Dou Qi, Liszt suddenly discovered he could sense a space that was neitherrge nor small. The space was irregrly spherical, with no clear distinction of top, bottom, left, right, nor the cardinal directions, surrounded by ¡°walls,¡±¡ªthe unknown sturdy structures like walls had no gaps and were indestructible. ¡°Overall, it¡¯s like a sphere, about five meters in diameter, which is roughly the size of a studio apartment,¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes looked intently at the shining gemstone in his hand. Yet, his mind was simultaneously able to feel this space. A very wondrous sensation. He found that this state could continue as long as he had Dou Qi to replenish, keeping the magic power to maintain the open portal constantly present, with consumption that was not significant, roughly equivalent to the speed at which his body naturally recovered Dou Qi. He tried cutting off the supply of Dou Qi. Soon, the gateway to the space dissipated, the marvelous feeling in his mind vanished, and the spherical space disappeared without a trace, ¡°Relying on Dou Qi, or magic power to open the space, it consumes magic power to maintain the space opened, and once the magic power is cut off, the space immediately closes. The gemstone of the Formless Dragon is indeed a Space Ring.¡± It¡¯s the right size to be made into a ring. More importantly, it requires a constant supply of magic power, and the hand is the best position for supplying Dou Qi. ¡°However, I don¡¯t n to set it in a ring; it¡¯s too ostentatious, and I don¡¯t need to use it all the time for now. For safety, I should make it into a pendant and hang it in front of my chest.¡± The Space Ring is a priceless treasure, especially for the Nobles, as it¡¯s too important for hiding secrets. But for Liszt, there wasn¡¯t much of value to store in the Space Ring at the moment, and it wasn¡¯t an urgent need for him. Honestly, if he could get a Greater Elf, he would definitely trade the Space Ring without hesitation¡ªthe Space Ring is good, but not as important as increasing productivity. In any case, research must continue. He reopened the Space Ring and began trying to store things inside, which wasn¡¯t difficult for him. After some simple exploration, he understood the method of storing things¡ªwrapping them with magic power. Left hand holding the Space Ring, right hand releasing Dou Qi to envelop the object he wanted to store, a book. In an instant, the book disappeared from the table and appeared inside the Space Ring. It seemed to move ording to his will; he could make the book appear anywhere he wanted in the space, and so he joyously stored all the books in his study into the Space Ring, floating and stacking them as if there was a bookshelf there. The books remained motionless in the space, not moving in the slightest. ¡°Is this like a vacuum environment?¡± He lit a candle, then stored the candle inside, and what he saw was incredible¡ªthe candle remained lit and motionless. He distributed a bit of Dou Qi to maintain the gateway, moving the candle and bringing the me close to a book. Though the me was tilted by the cover, it neither went out nor ignited the book¡¯s cover. It was as if everything that entered the space becamepletely and utterly still. ¡°Is it that even the movement between atoms has been halted?¡± Liszt tried to exin it scientifically but soon gave up. Although this world seemed to have a scientific foundation, anything rted to magic power had already gone beyond the scope of science¡ªthere was nothing scientific about the Space Ring. Enveloped in Dou Qi, with a thought, he retrieved the candle. Only then did the me continue burning. After several experiments, Liszt could confirm that the interior of the Space Ring was rtively still. ¡°I wonder what would happen if live creatures were ced inside?¡± He wanted to try, but his Dou Qi had already been depleted. Opening the space consumes magic power, storing things consumes magic power, retrieving things also consumes magic power. With his Earth Knight¡¯s level of Dou Qi, it was still a bit stretched. For lunch, Goltai, Marcus, and others came over. ¡°Teacher Goltai, has the order in the town been restored?¡± Liszt sat in the main seat, cutting a piece of roast meat with a knife; he had already adapted to the style of Western dining. Goltai took a sip of beer, ¡°Just a morning¡¯s confinement had no impact on the town. But Liszt, two cows are missing from the dairy farm.¡± ¡°So, the eight cows havee back?¡± ¡°Yes, they actually ran out from Thorn Ridge, which is crazy. Instead, we just found the carcasses of two old cows.¡± Goltai was obviously curious about the situation but didn¡¯t dare to ask since Liszt had previously said not to ask or think about what happened at the dairy farm. Liszt still had no intention of exining, ¡°Well, let the farmers take the bones of the old cows back for stew. Fill in the tunnel there, and restore the dairy farm to its original state.¡± Goltai shrugged, ¡°As you wish.¡± Chapter 56: The Bright Prospects of Tomato Hamlet Chapter 56: The Bright Prospects of Tomato Hamlet Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions After lunch, Liszt said to Goltai, ¡°There¡¯s a farmer in Tomato Hamlet named John Bian Dan whose tomatoes are especiallyrge and fine. Let¡¯s go take a look together and see what interesting factors there might be.¡± Goltai was puzzled, ¡°Liszt, how did you know about that?¡± ¡°By paying attention and listening to what others say, Teacher Goltai, a qualifiedndlord can¡¯t be ignorant about his territory; one must be mindful of all aspects.¡± ¡°Okay then.¡± Goltai still couldn¡¯t figure out why he didn¡¯t know what was going on in town, yet Liszt did¡ªperhaps Liszt had arranged for surveince personnel in town? Considering the secretive actions from that morning, as well as the tunnel excavation matters, he felt that he had to work earnestly since every move of his surely fell under Liszt¡¯s scrutiny. This was not a good sign, as it meant he could lose thendlord¡¯s trust at any time. ¡°Lord Landlord, this is John Bian Dan,¡± the clerk introduced, pointing to a simple-minded serf. John Bian Dan hastily brought his wife and two children to kneel before Liszt, ¡°Lord Landlord.¡± At the same time, he was extremely nervous; he had no idea why thendlord was seeking him out. If it had been the previous tax-collecting knight who had sought him, he might have wet himself out of fear, for no good ever came from a visit by a noble. However, since Liszt arrived in Fresh Flower Town, he had a very good reputation, so John was just nervous. Indeed. Thendlord of Fresh Flower Town gave him a gentle smile and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, John. I¡¯ve heard that your tomatoes are the best, is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Lord Landlord,¡± he replied. ¡°Why are they the best, do you know the reason?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lord Landlord, but this season, my tomatoes have been getting better and better. The freemen in town, they all like to buy tomatoes from my farm. Even Mrs. Abbie from your castle has praised my tomatoes as the best,¡± said John with considerable pride. For serfs, no praise could be more gratifying than an acknowledgment from the castle. Liszt dispensed with further questioning and went straight to the point, ¡°In that case, take me to your tomato field.¡± Following John Bian Dan, they quickly arrived at the vast tomato fields of Tomato Hamlet. Unlike wheat which is sown overrge areas, tomatoes were nted in small, segmented plots. John¡¯s allocated tomato plot was situated right in the center of Tomato Hamlet, and it was noticeably better than the others. Of course, no matter whose plot it was, it all belonged to Liszt. ¡°Lord Landlord, these are my tomatoes,¡± John said, his face lighting up with enthusiasm, ¡°The town officials taught us how to farm, and every day I go to dig pond silt and collect manure to fertilize them, and they¡¯ve been growing better and better.¡± The tomato seedlings in the field were all robust, and it was impossible to tell which one might be nurturing an Elf Bug. However, today¡¯s Liszt had his own way of discerning. He swiftly activated his Eye of Magic and focused on the tomato field. Very quickly, he found one seedling where a faint, greenish magic power was circting¡ªsurely a Cordyceps. ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured it out,¡± Liszt dismissed the Eye of Magic and turned to Goltai, ¡°This is a sign of an Elf Bug being nurtured, Teacher Goltai. You have work to do again. Protect John¡¯s tomato seedlings, especially this one; it will be a Cordyceps.¡± ¡°Oh, my goodness, is this true? Another Elf Bug is to be born in our little town?¡± Goltai eximed, ¡°The glory of knighthood lingers on you, Baron. Fresh Flower Town is on the rise! Rest assured, I will protect this lovely little fellow and let it breed in peace.¡± Following along, Marcus also expressed his amazement and praise, ¡°To nurture two Elf Bugs in such a short time, my lord, you truly are beloved by the glory of knighthood!¡± He felt his loyalty to his following was worthwhile. Every sign indicated that Liszt was no ordinary minor Noble. His temperament, his ideas, and especially his fortune, all pointed to something greater. And as for fortune¡ªsometimes, fortune is more important than strength. Liszt smiled faintly. With the Smoke Mission around, surprises were never far off. He remained calm and announced in a gentle tone, ¡°The Tomato Elf Bug is about to breed and bring forth life; its existence will bring a brighter future to Tomato Hamlet. To reward John Bian Dan for his consistent attentive care, I¡¯ve decided to gift him a Gold Coin.¡± ¡°Lucky Serf.¡± Goltai couldn¡¯t hide his envy. His sry was ten copper coins a day, and it took over three months to save up one Gold Coin¡ªprovided he abstained from wine and meat. ¡°Elf Bug?¡± ¡°A Gold Coin?¡± ¡°Lord Landlord rewarded me with a Gold Coin?¡± Long after Liszt had left with his entourage, John still felt dizzy, as if in a dream. He had merely been growing tomatoes, and now, as if by magic, he had produced a Gold Coin? To know that a Serf, after a year of toiling in the fields, might save less than a silver coin, in a lifetime might never see a Gold Coin, yet now he owned one. ¡°Daddy, Daddy, let me see the Gold Coin, wow, I¡¯ve never seen a Gold Coin!¡± his eight-year-old son mored, trying to snatch the coin from his hands. John finally snapped to his senses, holding onto it tightly and giving his son a stern look, ¡°Get lost, a Gold Coin isn¡¯t for you to touch!¡± He turned to his wife, shaking as he handed it over, ¡°Annie, look, a Gold Coin, given to me by the Lord, we¡¯re rich! We have a Gold Coin!¡± Annie was equally trembling, out of excitement, ¡°Oh my, John, is this real? Am I dreaming?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not dreaming, I¡¯m not dreaming either, this is real, handed to me by Lord Landlord himself! Annie, we¡¯re wealthy now!¡± ¡°Oh ha ha, oh ha ha, our family is rich now!¡± their four-year-old daughter cheered, pping her little hands. ¡°Dad, let me see the Gold Coin quick!¡± his son continued to reach for the coin. John paid his son no heed, focusing instead on discussing excited future prospects with his wife, ¡°Thank heavens, thanks to the glory of the Knight¡¯s favor upon Lord Landlord, our Fresh Flower Town will only get richer.¡± Annie took the Gold Coin and rolled it in her palm, a soft expression spreading across her in face, ¡°John, we could use this Gold Coin to buy our freedom as Freemen!¡± ¡°Buy our freedom as Freemen?¡± John shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Why not? Didn¡¯t you always want to be a Freeman and leave Fresh Flower Town to live in another vige?¡± ¡°That was because we could never get enough food in Fresh Flower Town, but Annie, what about now? We have seafood, incredibly cheap seafood, one copper coin buys a pile of ms. Look at Karl and Lucy, they¡¯ve put on weight! That we can fill our bellies in Fresh Flower Town is all thanks to Lord Landlord, and so is this Gold Coin!¡± With the fervor of a zealot, he spoke, ¡°I believe Lord Landlord will make Fresh Flower Town even better, I want to farm for Lord Landlord all my life! Annie, will you support me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the head of the family, John; you decide, and I¡¯m used to life in Fresh Flower Town as well,¡± Annie responded with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare dinner; how about we have white bread tonight?¡± ¡°Ha ha, of course, I miss the soft and sweet white bread from our wedding anniversary.¡± Their little daughterughed and pped, ¡°Oh oh oh, we¡¯re having white bread tonight!¡± The oldest son started to whine, ¡°Mom, let me see the Gold Coin, Mom¡¡± Chapter 57: Selection of the Young Knight Chapter 57: Selection of the Young Knight Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Complete the mission, and be rewarded with a Tomato Elf Bug.¡± ¡°Mission: The territorycks the protection of knights and is always on the brink of danger. The four Retainer Knights are useless, but more seeds await discovery. Seafood has brought nutrition, please select suitable youths for knight training. Reward: an unhatched Magical Beast Egg.¡± The serpent script formed by smoke slowly dispersed. Liszt came back to his senses, the mission in Tomato Hamlet was easilypleted. In fact, all the Smoke Missions were not difficult, it was just a process of taking advantage of the situation. ¡°An unhatched Magical Beast Egg, huh? That would mean they¡¯re giving me another flying magical beast,¡± Liszt nced at Douson, whoy sprawled at his feet panting like a dog to cool off, and suddenly envisioned a grand scene. Leading Dahuang with the left hand, brandishing the skies with the right. The old me indulges in the wild ways of youth. Without a big yellow dog or an eagle, he had even more ferocious magical beasts. Douson, the Fierce Earth Dog, had been trained to react onmand,unching into attacks, biting, sitting, lying down, jumping, and climbing at a mere gesture from Liszt. Training Douson was easier than a dog, for it was smarter. But Douson, the Fierce Earth Dog, had yet to sessfully cast the magic it could master¡ªRock Spike. ¡°I know how to train dogs but not eagles. I wonder if this soon-to-be pet magical beast bird will be smart and easy to train. If it can¡¯t be tamed, I¡¯ll have no choice but to roast it.¡± As he mused, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but stretch out his tongue and lick his lips involuntarily. Chicken rearing in Fresh Flower Town was rare, mostly forying eggs, and even getting a chicken to eat was not easy, let alone more elusive ducks and geese. Now, he truly ¡°yearned deeply for a taste of bird¡±. In Thorn Ridge, game was plentiful, and Marcus was an excellent archer, easily shooting down a few birds. However, he, too proud and aspiring to be a noble, wouldn¡¯t degrade himself to a hunter¡¯s level with ease. For nobles, hunting was a pastime; for him, it was demeaning his status. For Liszt, this was a bizarre concept, but for someone like Marcus, it was his life¡¯s pursuit. So, Liszt felt it was inappropriate to casuallymand Marcus to hunt birds just to appease his own cravings. ¡°Originally, I hadn¡¯t nned on forming a Knight Squad so soon; there are too few freemen, hardly enough superior seedlings. But since the mission is issued, let¡¯s do it. Boys aged between ten and sixteen in the town, there should be a few hundred of them. Select twelve, and form a small team for now.¡± A Knight Squadprises twelve members: one Captain, one Deputy, and ten knights. Large nobles establish their own Knight Academies, selecting children from a young age to train, eliminating batches until the qualified remain to be theirndlords¡¯ Retainer Knights and join the Knight Order. Marcus was such a knight, sent to the Knight Academy at a very young age by his father. Sons of barons and Honored Knights also train at the Knight Academy, including Liszt, who had attended it. Without such foundations, Fresh Flower Town could only pick a few healthy youths and awkwardly form a not-quite-right Knight Squad for training. A skilled woman cannot cook without rice, and Liszt had no other choice but to make do andplete the Smoke Mission for now. ¡°My Lord, you wish to select new Retainer Knights and form a Knight Squad?¡± Thomas, having learned of Liszt¡¯s intent at the evening banquet, became immediately excited. ¡°With the abundance of food in Fresh Flower Town, we don¡¯t need to be cautious. The Patrol Team is unreliable; they are but ordinary people. Karl and the others have yet to produce any Dou Qi, so I need new strength to secure Fresh Flower Town¡¯s safety¡ Winter is only half a year away.¡± As Liszt spoke, he blinked, ¡°Actually, I will inevitably make a move on Thorn Ridge; they are an obstacle to the development of Fresh Flower Town. Teacher Marcus, I need you to oversee the selection and training of the Knight Squad.¡± The Earl had not set boundaries for the town, so he naturally had the option to annex Thorn Ridge. Thomas immediately performed a knightly salute, saying earnestly, ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord, Marcus will surely select suitable Knight Cadets and properly train them!¡± ¡°I will have Teacher Goltai fully cooperate with you to train them excellently, Teacher Marcus.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡± As Marcus left the castle with his head held high and chest out, his manner was that of a seasoned Earth Knight, without reservation. Since arriving in Fresh Flower Town, he had always been sulking, as the only things he could do every day, aside from protecting Liszt, were drilling the four Retainer Knights, including Karl. He had witnessed Liszt¡¯s wisdom and luck and understood Liszt¡¯s spirit and ambition. He decided to serve andy in wait for the opportunity to establish merits and make achievements. Having also seen the ¡°wealth of the sea¡± that Liszt spoke of, his belief grew even stronger. Nevertheless, he had always been somewhat awkward, unsure of the role he could y in the little town. At the very least, for a few years, Liszt would not enter the battlefield¡ª without knights, what use was there to go to battle? He was eager to clear Thorn Ridge, but as a single Earth Knight, he knew it was impossible. It was quite a regret, akin to ¡°having no way to serve one¡¯s country.¡± Now, the opportunity had finally arrived. Liszt had decided to form a Knight Squad, taking the first step towards establishing merits and making his mark. Marcus could hardly wait to pick out the most suitable Retainer Knights, train them into a fighting force, and clear out Thorn Ridge. He wanted to be ready for battle when the Grand Duchy started the next war. That night, he obtained the census list of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s inhabitants from Goltai. He picked out all the boys between the ages of ten and sixteen and the next day sent the four Retainer Knights to bring these boys from their homes. The sun scorched the earth as two hundred and thirty-three boys of varying heights and builds stood tall, seriously and earnestly. Their eyes were filled with longing, nervousness, worry, fear, and aspiration, for they all had been informed that the Lord Landlord was preparing to select Retainer Knights. They all understood the meaning of being a Retainer Knight, and even if they didn¡¯t, their parents and neighbors would tell them what it entailed. There were two types of Retainer Knights. One kind, like Karl Ironhammer and Rom Barrel, primarily served as ¡°Retainers,¡± with a serf¡¯s status, sold to the nobles, whose main tasks were to apany the nobles on travels and, when on the battlefield, to carry the equipment, doundry, cook, and so on. The other kind was like Marcus, whose main role was to ¡°fight¡± as a Retainer Knight. They were usually freemen and their main task wasbat. Many sons of minor nobles also went to other nobles¡¯nds to serve as Retainer Knights, learning thebat skills of a knight and the etiquette of the nobility. Afterpleting their training, they would either return home to inherit their titles or go to the battlefield to establish merits and achievements. Essentially, Retainer Knights were the nobility¡¯s reserves, a preliminary qualification. Even serfs, once chosen as Retainer Knights and having made meritorious deeds, would have their freeman status restored, and if they earned further merits, they could even be granted noble titles. Even without many merits to their name, following the nobles meant not worrying about food and drink, and they could save money to help support their families. Therefore, All the youths stood straight, each trying to present themselves in the best light, hoping to be chosen as a Retainer Knight¡ªthey all understood that this was an opportunity to change their fate, perhaps the only one they would get in their lifetime. Mounted on a dun horse, Marcus looked at each young boy and could vaguely see his own past self. Many years ago, hadn¡¯t he too gone through such a selection, picked by the Knight Captain of an Earl. Of course, at that time, he had already studied for two years at the Knight Academy. The foundation of these boys before him was zero. Chapter 58: Learning Magic by Force Chapter 58: Learning Magic by Force Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Liszt did not disturb Marcus¡¯s selection process, and he did have the intention of performing some basic drill training like marching in step and keeping soldiers aligned. However, the existence of Magic Power and Dou Qi magnified individual strength so tremendously that discipline could notpensate. Elite Earth Knights like Marcus could fight a hundred ordinary Retainer Knights with ease. Even as a novice Earth Knight, Liszt could take on twenty or thirty ordinary Retainer Knights as long as his Dou Qi was sufficient. Regr Retainer Knights wouldn¡¯t be able to get close to him and would only be able to deplete his Dou Qi first. As a former instructor at the Knight Academy, Marcus had his own methods of training novice Knights. So. It was too hot, and Liszt stayed inside the castle, training Douson. ¡°Sit, Douson!¡± Now as big as arge dog, upon hearing themand, Douson immediately sat down on the ground, panting and looking up at Liszt. Liszt threw him a piece of jerked meat and then rubbed Douson¡¯s head. He used the Eye of Magic Power. He could see that Douson¡¯s Magic Power was already abundant. ¡°Theoretically, Douson has arge amount of Magic Power. Having been well-fed and taken care of in the castle, his development has been rapid, and he¡¯s reached the level where he can cast spells. Unfortunately, without the guidance of a mature Fierce Earth Dog, he probably doesn¡¯t know how to control the Magic Power within his body. Should I guide him a little?¡± With the Eye of Magic Power to observe, Liszt was confident that he could guide the release of Douson¡¯s Magic Power. But there was the risk of danger, and the possibility of identally killing Douson was hard to predict. Hesitationsted but a moment before he quickly made a decision, ¡°I won¡¯t do the guiding. If the umtion of Magic Power bes too much and Douson cannot vent it, he could suffocate just the same. Rather than that, it¡¯s better to teach him magic earlier. Even if he dies, not much food would have been wasted¡ and most importantly, our emotional bond isn¡¯t deep yet.¡± Before the transmigration, Liszt had kept dogs, and when they died of old age and sickness, it pained him for a long time. Now he didn¡¯t easily form emotional attachments to pets anymore. Half of a person¡¯s suffering stems from emotional investment. An adult¡¯s soul and mind act with the knowledge to cut losses in a timely manner. ¡°Come here, Douson.¡± He waved his hand and Douson immediately came trotting over, tail wagging. ¡°Woof woof, bark bark!¡± Truth be told, the Fierce Earth Dog was simply arger version of an Earth dog, with behaviors and a temperament close to that of dogs. Perhaps this was also why they were named Fierce Earth Dogs¡ªessentially Earth dogs, just a bit more temperamental. ¡°I will now teach you magic!¡± Liszt soothed the Fierce Earth Dog, calming it down, and used the Eye of Magic Power to continuously observe the flow of Magic Power within its body. Magic and Dou Qi are both forms of Magic Power. The distinction lies in the fact that Magic is Magic Power refined by Magicians from outside elements, while Dou Qi is Magic Power refined by Knights themselves. This is why Magicians can control a variety of Magic attributes, one moment conjuring a fireball, the nextpressing a water arrow; whereas Knights can only control the Dou Qi of their own attribute. As for the Magic Power of Magical Beasts. Half is refined from within and half absorbed from the environment, the recovery rate surpassing that of human Magicians and Knights. In terms of releasing Magic Power, Magicians simply need to guide the elements in the air tobine and form various spells. Knights, on the other hand, require weapons to infuse the Dou Qi and prevent it from dissipating into the air. ¡°Magical Beasts certainly can¡¯t learn theplex casting techniques and esoteric magical knowledge of Magicians, so their spellcasting is more akin to an instinctual bodily response¡ If I guide its Magic Power to vent, it should naturally release Rock Spike¡ Shouldn¡¯t it?¡± Just like Knights releasing Dou Qi. Knight typically channel their Dou Qi through their hands, and Liszt thought, ¡°Which part of his body should Douson use to cast spells? His paws?¡± Both paws shouldn¡¯t work, since it needs to walk on them¡ª I¡¯ve never heard of a knight releasing Dou Qi with both feet. Suddenly, he remembered when he had first arrived at Fresh Flower Town and encountered the Wind de Wolf at Thorn Ridge, which released magic¡ªWind de¡ªfrom its mouth. ording to the structure of animal limbs, their most appropriate ce for releasing magic should be the mouth. ¡°So, I need to channel Douson¡¯s magic power into its mouth and then break the bonds, which shouldn¡¯t be difficult¡ I remember my predecessor was rather dumb, but he encountered no difficulty when releasing Dou Qi for the first time.¡± As he thought this, his hands were already in motion, pressing down on Douson, and his Dou Qi burst forth, guiding Douson¡¯s internal magic power. ¡°Whimper!¡± Douson, feeling as if it were on fire, struggled wildly, but as it was still just a pup of a few months old, it couldn¡¯t break free from the restraints of the Earth Knight. It could only be baptized with Liszt¡¯s Dou Qi. His fire attribute Dou Qi, with its searing and explosive nature, was equivalent to giving it a sauna bath at several hundred degrees. The dog¡¯s eyes turned red instantly. Its body temperature also rose rapidly, steaming hot. ¡°I seem to have forgotten that my Dou Qi is of the fire attribute, which seems unsuitable for guiding¡ But what¡¯s done is done, sess or failure hinges on this attempt.¡± With a sharp effort and coordinating with a shout, he eximed, ¡°Douson, release your magic power!¡± Bang-dong! The Eye of Magic saw Douson¡¯s internal magic power concentrate at the location of its mouth under his guidance and push of his Dou Qi. Then, with an explosive-like sound, the magic power suddenly burst open somewhere in Douson¡¯s mouth, like piercing a water-filled balloon. What followed was a moment of witnessing a miracle. Out of the grass nearby, three giant, bamboo shoot-shaped rock spikes emerged, each as thick as an adult¡¯s thigh, sharp at the tip like a needle, measuring at least one meter in length. ¡°Beautiful!¡± Lisztughed loudly: ¡°Well done, Douson, you¡¯ve learned a magic spell!¡± Looking at the rock spikes, he felt extremely proud. This magic move was perfect for sneak attacks and ambushes. Just thinking about it, all he needed to do was shout, ¡°Douson, release your magic power,¡± and rock spikes would instantly invade the enemy¡¯s defenses. The scene was simply too beautiful for words. Suddenly, the voice of his personal servant, Thomas, came from behind: ¡°Master, Douson seems to be injured.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± It was only then that Liszt noticed Douson, nownguishing on the ground with arge amount of blood flowing from its mouth¡ªits mouth had practically exploded. Fortunately, upon closer inspection, Douson had only suffered superficial injuries from the discharge of magic power, without damage to its bones and muscles. Itsnguishing was more a result of the excessive release of magic power, causing depletion within its body. Once he understood the situation, Liszt was able to rx. He said to Thomas, ¡°This is the danger thates with magic¡ Why do you think those mysterious magicians are so rare and not liked by everyone? It¡¯s because their magic experiments are always fraught with danger; explosions can happen at any time. They don¡¯t understand the scientific essence and yet they foolishly try to control the rules.¡± These words sounded more like he was talking to himself. Thomas didn¡¯t understand and asked curiously, ¡°Master, have you seen a magician before?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then you are truly great, Master. You have never seen a magician, yet you taught Douson magic. Praise the Master!¡± Thomas eximed with the awe of a zealot. Liszt smiled faintly. This trifle was hardly worth mentioning. He took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands, ¡°Thomas, take good care of Douson, bandage its wounds, and make sure to mash up its food before feeding.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Chapter 59 - 59 Ultimate Mystery Technique Inferno Slash Chapter 59 Ultimate Mystery Technique Inferno sh Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Force had taught Douson how to release magic, leaving Liszt with a great sense of aplishment. ¡°After all, I am someone who understands science.¡± Experimenting, conducting more experiments, that was the foundation of science, just as he had simply figured out the state of the Space Ring¡ªmotionless, able to store ordinary items, but not living creatures; the Space Ring would immediately annihte the soul¡ªLiszt believed the soul was a kind of material motion that, once halted, ceased to exist. He also repeatedly put things in and took them out, experimenting with the consumption of magic power. For now, using the Space Ring consumed a bit too much power. Busy and fulfilled, life was very fulfilling. But over the next two days, he began to feel bored. The Elf Bugs were all well settled and didn¡¯t need his attention; agriculture and fisheries were thriving, needing no concern; road construction was slow but orderly, houses in Ganhai Tun were starting to dig foundations; the candidates for the Knight Squad were undergoing Marcus¡¯s trials, not requiring his attention. He hadpletely fallen into the lifestyle of most nobles¡ªboredom had set in, leaving him to invent tasks for himself. If he were near a city, he could host balls or banquets, or go hunting to expand his noble connections. But Fresh Flower Town was quite isted, and there were only four people qualified to dine with him; he couldn¡¯t possibly prepare banquets for them every day. So, Liszt decided to find himself something else to do. He nned to conquer Thorn Ridge ahead of schedule. ¡°Thorn Ridge is the biggest obstacle for Fresh Flower Town; it must be opened up, otherwisemunication with Coral City is difficult, and I¡¯m almost blind here.¡± Understanding the importance of information exchange as someone with a modern mindset, Liszt was acutely aware. He had discussed human trafficking with Levis but couldn¡¯t be sure that Levis was really taking it seriously. Counting the days, the Tulip Fleet should be almost ready to return, and if Levis forgot to make arrangements by the next trade voyage, it would be at least three months before another opportunity arose. For the fleet to trade at sea, it had to pass through quite a few inds, taking at least three months for one trip. Missing this opportunity would dy the development of Fresh Flower Town for another three months, and although time wasn¡¯t pressing for him, Liszt still didn¡¯t want to waste it. ¡°Magical Beasts, difficult to deal with for now, because they canunch surprise attacks in the forest at any moment. But if I clear all the trees in Thorn Ridge, can the Magical Beasts still defeat Marcus on an open field? Besides, I¡¯m not a vegetarian, and even if I were, my Crimson Blood Sword still thirsts for blood!¡± A gemstone weapon, against low-level Magical Beasts, is definitely a great advantage. Perhaps it couldn¡¯t cut through hair as if it were butter, but the embedded ruby, resonating with the power of magic and Dou Qi, could at least double Liszt¡¯sbat ability. ng! He drew the Crimson Blood Sword, gripping it tightly with both hands, a two-handed sword suitable for shing while on horseback. The silver-white de gleamed with cold light. ¡°Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill!¡± Liszt uttered softly, swinging the sword forward with both hands. The Ultimate Mystery Technique of ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± activated, with mes rising on the Crimson Blood Sword and surging forward; the air itself was scorched, making explosive crackling sounds. It was originally a move designed for unison between rider and horse, but Liszt, through recent study, could now perform it solo. And he could channel the attack in one direction, without harming himself. Sheathing the sword, he stood tall. The mes in the air dissipated and everything returned to calm, only the still scorching temperature indicating that someone had just used a powerful move. He exhaled lightly, ¡°With that strike, if there had been a Wind de Wolf in front of me, it would already be dead.¡± The ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡± was now thoroughly mastered. He was no longer just a novice Earth Knight; he already possessed the power to fight, onlycking real battle experience. He nned to continue studying ¡°ming Wave¡±, a Dou Qi Manuscript suitable for a Knight¡¯s charge in groupbat, requiring coordination with a mount. Three out of four Retainer Knights were assisting Marcus in selecting the Knight Squad. Only Gray Scythe remained standing by his side. ¡°Gray, carry my Knight Spear, I want to practice spearmanship on horseback.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± He went to the stables. The lush alfalfa stretched endlessly, its growth most vigorous near the Alfalfa Cordyceps. This meadow was upied by the Li Dragon Horses, and other horses dared not graze here. asionally, Fire Dragon Horses would stealthilye to take a few bites but would get bitten and chased away if the Li Dragon Horses discovered them. The Li Dragon Horses that were not in heat paid no attention to whether the others were male or female. ¡°Master, are you nning to ride a horse? Do you need me to bring the horse gear?¡± Tom, returning with water, saw that Liszt had no manservant following him and hurried over to ask. ¡°No need, you go about your business.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Liszt whistled sharply, and in a sh, a pure ck stallion came galloping as if riding the wind¡ªit was the dragon-blooded Li Dragon Horse. Its shoulder height was at least 1.9 meters, even taller than Liszt¡¯s stature. Therefore, mounting it required a leap onto its back. Such a tall and majestic horse truly warranted a magnificent rider. Without reins, saddle, or stirrups, the temperament of the Li Dragon Horse simply would not allow itself to be bound by such gear. Liszt didn¡¯t insist either, as he now possessed the physical attributes of an Earth Knight, and his equestrian skills were bing increasingly exquisite. With his exquisite horsemanship, he could achieve a perfect unity with the horse without relying on any gear. ¡°Li Dragon, cooperate with me well,¡± Liszt said as he patted the neck of the Li Dragon Horse and took the Knight¡¯s Spear handed to him by Gray. The spear, nearly three meters long, required immense strength to wield. Forged from fine steel, the Retainer Knights polished and maintained it daily, so it gleamed with a silver shine. ¡°Hmph!¡± The Li Dragon Horse, as if showcasing its strength, reared up, lifting its front hooves off the ground and trumpeting towards the sunlight. It then carried Liszt around the paddock, his control seamless whether at a sprint, sudden halt, jump, or pivot. Meanwhile, Liszt, on horseback, took the opportunity to perform the ¡°ming Wave¡±. The Knight¡¯s Spear was too long to wield like a one-handed sword, but following the rhythm of the Li Dragon Horse, each movement was forceful and powerful. ¡°Inferno sh!¡± Liszt bellowed, rallying all his Dou Qi into the Knight¡¯s Spear, which shone with intense energy as if fueled by the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s will in a mad leap. The Dou Qi ignited the air, and the entire Knight¡¯s Spear seemed aze. With a horizontal sweep from the soaring horse¡¯s back, crimson and golden mes rained down, scorching the alfalfa to cinders in an instant upon touching the ground. Hum! The Li Dragon Horsended and steadied itself as Liszt drove the Knight Spear into the ground at an angle to stabilize the chaotic Dou Qi within his body. The Inferno sh was the ultimate mystery technique of the ¡°ming Wave¡±, consuming a tremendous amount of energy but capable of wiping out dozens of enemies in one strike during a charge. Especially with the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s immense strength, lightning speed, and ferocious nature, this technique could be performed to its fullest effect. This was something he could not achieve in cooperation with the Fire Dragon Horses. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you are to be a prime stud horse, and I cannot ride you into battle¡ Of course, it¡¯s also unlikely that I would personally go into battle.¡± Dismounting, Liszt patted the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s nk, signaling it to graze freely as he changed his whistle to call forth the Fire Dragon Horse. Riding the Fire Dragon Horse, he headed back towards the castle. ¡°Gray, go call Teacher Goltai over.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± A momentter, Goltai arrived at the castle: ¡°Liszt, what is it?¡± ¡°I n to cut down the trees in Thorn Ridge, shrink the habitat of the Magical Beasts, and clear the path obstructing Fresh Flower Town¡¯s development,¡± Liszt dered with an air of confidence. Goltai frowned: ¡°Cutting down trees could lead to encounters with Magical Beasts; isn¡¯t that too risky?¡± ¡°With Teacher Marcus and me personally providing protection, as long as we don¡¯t encounterrge numbers of Magical Beasts, there¡¯s basically no danger since we¡¯ll be fighting in an open area. Besides, Magical Beasts in Thorn Ridge are rare. I¡¯m not nning to cut down all the trees, just the ones along the sides of the road.¡± First, to cut down a part, graduallypressing the living space of the Magical Beasts, and then, when everything was ready, to finish the job in one fell swoop. That was Liszt¡¯s n. Chapter 60: Gao Ertai’s Psychological Struggle Chapter 60: Gao Ertai¡¯s Psychological Struggle Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Li Si Te¡¯s actions are bing more and more frequent, and there isn¡¯t a moment of rest throughout the day, Isaiah, I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep for a week now.¡± Goltai, in the town¡¯s administrative housing, fanned himself vigorously with thick parchment to cool himself down: ¡°I originally thought thating to Fresh Flower Town would be an easy job, but it has nearly exhausted me.¡± ¡°Clearly, officials without ambition are not what Li Si Te expects,¡± Isaiah, busy with his fingers calcting this quarter¡¯s taxes and without looking up, said, ¡°Goltai, you should make yourself more diligent, afortable life will erode a knight¡¯s fighting spirit.¡± ¡°It seems that you¡¯ve grown to like life in Fresh Flower Town just like ir, I remember when you first arrived, you had endlessints.¡± ¡°I was indeed very disappointed when I first arrived, it was dpidated, crude, and there were hardly any people,¡± Isaiah moved his fingers, which had gone somewhat numb from doing arithmetic, ¡°But after getting used to it, I find that Fresh Flower Town has an unprecedented vitality. I¡¯ve talked to Marcus about it; he says that Li Si Te is a noble unlike any other.¡± ¡°Indeed, he is unlike any other,¡± Goltai spread his hands. ¡°So I think, Marcus¡¯s aspiration to be a noble lies with Li Si Te, and perhaps here is also where I can revive my family¡¯s hopes.¡± ¡°It looks like you¡¯re serious.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t keep being mediocre. For the sake of my foolish son, I must pull myself together.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time to pull yourself together. I¡¯m going to check on the construction progress of the houses in Oyster Vige. The entire town is short-staffed now, I need to rack my brains on how to organize a Lumberjack Team.¡± Despite his words, Goltai did not head to Oyster Vige after leaving the administration; instead, he returned to his residence in the town. It was a two-story building, formerly the residence of the Tax Knight¡ªthe Castle could only be inhabited by thendlord, and even if it was vacant, ordinary people could not move in. ¡°My Lord, you¡¯re back. Is work over for the day?¡± A young girl dressed in a coarse linen dress hurried over to help Goltai take off his coat. Goltai¡¯s hands inappropriately touched the girl¡¯s buttocks: ¡°Work is never done, but life goes on.¡± The girl¡¯s face flushed red: ¡°If you don¡¯t go to work, won¡¯t Lord Landlord me you?¡± ¡°I was Li Si Te¡¯s teacher, the town¡¯s administrative officer, I have the right to give myself a half-day off¡ Freya, I¡¯ve missed you, I can¡¯t focus on my work.¡± Saying so, Goltai embraced Freya, kissing her cheek, and then pushed the girl toward the bedroom. Freya quickly wrestled free, panicking, ¡°My, my Lord, it¡¯s still daytime.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with daytime? Recently, there¡¯s been too much oyster-eating, not enough time at night,¡± Goltai selectively forgot that every evening, he could still onlyst once, and not more than thirty seconds at a time. Freya looked somewhat panicked, seemingly searching for a topic to divert the conversation: ¡°You seem to be in a bad mood, is it because of the advisor issue?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m not in a good mood, he¡¯s thendlord, he has the right tomand me to work for him, even if it¡¯s from morning to night, non-stop. But I¡¯ve been in Fresh Flower Town for three months now, and I still haven¡¯t been given the position of advisor. Damn it, who else here is qualified to be an advisor besides me?¡± Goltai hit the wall of the house hard, his tone filled with indignation: ¡°I¡¯m starting to regreting to Fresh Flower Town!¡± Freya¡¯s expression changed: ¡°My Lord, do you, do you intend to leave here?¡± ¡°Not for now, Freya, it is you who make me linger, unwilling to leave.¡± Goltai embraced Freya again, kissing her. Freya pushed him away forcefully. Goltai¡¯s face suddenly darkened: ¡°Freya, what do you mean by that!¡± Freya took a deep breath, allowing herself to smile again: ¡°I know you¡¯re unhappy, you¡¯ve been preupied these past few days, I guess you want to return to Coral City, a muchrger city than Fresh Flower Town, countless times more prosperous¡ I want to tell you, my Lord, that Freya will stay in Fresh Flower Town, to raise your child. Please don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Goltai¡¯s face changed and changed again. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± With a soft utterance, all of Goltai¡¯s expressions froze on his face. It took him a long while toe to his senses, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Freya touched her own stomach, and even though it was still t, she could feel a strong little heartbeat throbbing within. During the conversation, she suddenly started to retch. No longer doubting, Goltai knew that Freya was indeed pregnant, but he didn¡¯t know whether to be thrilled or shocked¡ªhe had a wife and children in Coral City, his children were grown and married, and he even had a grandson who was born the year beforest¡ªhe was only here seeking an affair to fill his loneliness. He had never thought such a day woulde. ¡°Oh heavens, Freya, I mean, I¡¯m very confused right now, sorry, I don¡¯t know how to face this news.¡± Goltai stammered. Freya just smiled, ¡°It¡¯s alright, my Lord, I know that as a serf like me, there is no better tomorrow. I am very grateful to you for giving me some fairly happy memories, and I will raise him on my own, he will grow up healthy and strong¡ I just hope, when you leave, can you grant him freeman status?¡± ¡°Freeman?¡± Goltai fell into hesitation and conflict, while Freya just smiled at him. After a moment, he took a deep breath and finally made a decision, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Freya, I have let you down¡¡± Freya¡¯s smile quickly faded. But the next thing Goltai said brought a brighter smile to her face. ¡°I hesitated just now, which I shouldn¡¯t have¡ªI promise you, I will not, at least not now, leave Fresh Flower Town. I want to see him born, to tell him his father¡¯s name, Goltai Mast¡ I think I know what to do now, I¡¯ve never really immersed myself in Fresh Flower Town.¡± Goltai drew Freya into his arms, with warmth and not lust, ¡°Because I¡¯ve been a noble, ustomed tofort rather than struggle, Iined about Liszt not offering me a consultant position, yet I never worked hard. But now, I must work hard and earn back some noble glory, for our child!¡± ¡°Is this true, my Lord?¡± Freya¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Of course, I promise it, by my knight¡¯s honor!¡± A moment of tenderness. Goltai broke free from the tender trap and donned his own ck Abaie, striding out of the house¡ªthis time he was truly inspecting the housing construction in Oyster Vige. At night, another small feast was being held in the castle. Before the feast started, Marcus, ir, and Isaiah were idly chatting, while in the study, Goltai was reporting his work progress to Liszt. ¡°The main road from Thorn Ridge to the town is now half-built, we have plenty of sand, but we¡¯re running short on stones. I¡¯ve started drafting robust serfs to form a Lumberjack Team and will also break up the stones from Thorn Ridge to transport for road construction. If the stone supply from Thorn Ridge is ample, the sandy roads between the viges could also be paved with gravel.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an excellent n, carry it out just like that, Teacher Goltai,¡± Liszt nodded in approval. It wasn¡¯t just the n that was appealing but also Goltai¡¯s attitude. In the past, Goltai would attend each feast only in body to eat and drink and to crack witty remarks, never taking the initiative to talk about work. Today was a bit unexpected, as he proactively reported on his work. As thendlord, of course, he favored subordinates who were keen on their jobs, rather than those who only mooched food and drink. Chapter 61: Boiled Peanuts and Hops Chapter 61: Boiled Peanuts and Hops Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Peanuts for the main dish tonight?¡± Marcus expertly shelled peanuts, wondering aloud. Wheat might be the top choice for staple food, but its yield was generally low, so peanuts and peas had to fill the gap. ¡°How do they taste?¡± Liszt inquired, for he had no boiled peanuts before him. He didn¡¯t fancy boiled peanuts, so as the master of the castle, Cook Abbie had specially made him porridge with oats. As for everyone else, they weren¡¯t so fortunate. ¡°They¡¯re tender and appropriately mushy, just a bit nd and tasteless,¡± hemented. Goltai chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s just how boiled peanuts taste. They¡¯re nice for a change, to spice up the pte once in a while, but you¡¯ll get tired of them if you eat them often. However, tonight¡¯s peanuts arerger than usual¡ªdid you notice?¡± It dawned on Marcus, ¡°Has the harvest from Peanut Hamlete in?¡± ¡°This is the first batch, from the peanuts grown near the cordyceps. The yield is thirty percent higher than usual, and the growing cycle has been shortened by a month. The castle won¡¯t be short of peanuts this year. I think Mrs. Abbie should find time to make more peanut butter. Spread on bread, it stays fragrant all day.¡± In Fresh Flower Town, none was a greater gourmet than Goltai, the Honored Knight who always had endless things to say about food and drink. Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°Pair it with juniper wine, and it would be perfect.¡± ¡°Oh, Liszt, you really get me, haha.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity the juniper wine we brought back from Coral Cityst time has all been drunk up.¡± ¡°To be honest, I really didn¡¯t want to hear that.¡± ¡°In fact, there¡¯s even more disheartening news,¡± Liszt said, sipping his oatmeal porridge slowly, ¡°The stock in the wine cer is at rock bottom. Mr. Carter advises against drinking any more red wine, or we won¡¯t have enough for the festivals in the second half of the year. And as for beer, the ones made with hops are almost finished. We¡¯re left with only the sour-tasting ones.¡± ¡°Good heavens, that can¡¯t be true, can it.¡± Liszt did not respond. Butler Carter, attending behind at the banquet, answered on his behalf: ¡°The weather is turning hot, and beer is being consumed inrge quantities. Without trading caravansing and going, we cannot produce our own hopped beer. If it weren¡¯t for the Earl¡¯s recent convoy, which brought many barrels of beer, the castle would be running even lower on the sour beer by now.¡± Goltai frowned deeply, ¡°I think we should really build a dock and purchase hops directly from Viscount Trik.¡± Unfortunately, the East Coast of Fresh Flower Town was all t sandy beaches with no deep-water ports for constructing a dock. As for Viscount Trik, he was a follower of the Coral Ind¡¯s Count, full named Trik Lycra, and he owned a separate small ind¡ªBeer Ind. There, a magnificent castle stood¡ªBeer Castle. The Lycra Family¡¯s beer, renowned for its use of hops, was a best-seller on severalrge inds. Beer was the mostmon type of alcoholic beverage in the Grand Duchy,ing in two varieties: hopped and unhopped. Hops, a species of the Lycra genus, yed a significant role in beer¡ªthey imparted a refreshing aroma, bitterness, and preservative qualities to it, promoted good foam formation which helped rify the wort, and the strong hop vor bnced the natural sweetness of the malt and stimted appetite. Beer without hops quickly turned sour and was hard to swallow. The hopped beer on Coral Ind was exclusively brewed by the Lycra Family, and it was this industry that allowed them to afford the famed Beer Castle. ¡°A dock is out of the question; that¡¯s why I want topletely clear the roads through Thorn Ridge. Only then can trading caravans enter Fresh Flower Town¡ We don¡¯t have the Tax Knights anymore to protect the tradersing and going,¡± said Liszt, then turning to Marcus, ¡°Teacher Marcus, has the selection for the Knight Squad not finished yet?¡± Setting aside the boiled peanuts he was holding, Marcus replied, ¡°Tomorrow is thest selection date. I already have some preliminary choices, but their physical conditioning is still too poor. Only two meet the entrance standards of the Knight Academy.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because they¡¯re not getting enough to eat, but now that the Knight Squad is being provided for by the Castle, I believe their physical condition will see significant improvement.¡± ¡°Then I can stop worrying about the food and focus on training.¡± ¡°Yes, make sure they master Dou Qi as soon as possible. Fresh Flower Town should not only have five knights capable of Dou Qi. Going forward, we will rely on knights for many things.¡± Unexpectedly, Liszt saw the Lumberjack Team the very next day. He had thought that Goltai would need at least two or three days to pull together healthy serfs for the work, but today brought a surprise. Mounted on his horse, Goltai personally led the Lumberjack Team to gather on the main road outside the Castle. In total, there were thirty strong serfs, but only half of them had either a new or old axe in hand, and the team had only two saws, both brought from home by the carpenter¡¯s son. Iron was scarce. The metal was controlled by nations with dragons, and it was very difficult to obtain. This was also why the Duchy of Sapphire often organized its knight orders to wage war on the continent and plunder mineral resources¡ªthe iron mines of the Grand Duchy were mostly seized from the Eagle Kingdom and then transported bit by bit to each ind by sea. In Fresh Flower Town, many serfs had to work with wooden, stone, and bone utensils. It was a different scene from the orderly and solemn one he had imagined. The group of strong serfs wore thick anxiety on their faces¡ªthe Landlord demanded they fell timber in Thorn Ridge, a dangerous task. If they encountered a Magical Beast, their wives might have to remarry. ¡°Teacher Goltai, didn¡¯t you tell them that I would send protection?¡± ¡°Of course, I informed them, but they are still trembling.¡± Liszt nodded, understanding, ¡°Words are pale.¡± While they were speaking, a team shouting slogans ran over from the riding ground to the Castle. Four knights followed and supervised, with Marcus leading the way. ¡°My lord!¡± Marcus dismounted and saluted Liszt. ¡°Why thirty?¡± ¡°They will escort the lumberjacks. Based on today¡¯s performance, I will make the final selection for my squad. Their physiques are about the same, and their minds aren¡¯t too dull. Now, thest criterion is an examination of courage. A knight cannot be without courage,¡± Marcus exined. Hearing this, Goltai said, ¡°Liszt, won¡¯t you say something before we set off?¡± Liszt nodded, of course he needed to say a few words for the asion. Majestically attired in his ck beast armor, he rode his Li Dragon Horse and slowly approached the front of both teams. With a solemn expression, Liszt swept his gaze over each person in the teams and spoke out loud, ¡°Fellow citizens, I am your Landlord, Liszt Tulip.¡± He paused, suddenly finding himself at a loss for words. He still hadn¡¯t quite mastered the skill of showing off, and after a moment, he decided to omit the lengthy, provocative speech and simply said withposure, ¡°Today, you will chop down the trees of Thorn Ridge for me, clearing the path between the town and the outside world, and I, will protect your safety!¡± Words are pale, and facing the still uneasy serfs, he simply raised his riding crop lightly, and the Li Dragon Horse lifted its forelegs and let out a skyward roar. As the horse hooves hit the ground, Liszt had already taken the lead on horseback. ¡°Forward!¡± Chapter 62 - 62 Monkeys and Birds Start Fighting Chapter 62 Monkeys and Birds Start Fighting Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Puff out your chest, and muster your spirit!¡± Marcus¡¯s roar echoed through the forests at the edge of Thorn Ridge, his riding whip cracking sharply from time to time. Thirty young boys, gripping wooden sticks, nervously surveyed every corner of the forest. They could hear the calls of various birds and beasts deep within the woods; among those calls might have been the roars of magical beasts. For boys who had grown up on terrifying tales of magical beasts, every extra moment spent here felt like a chill down their spine as if a magical beast could pounce and sink its teeth into them at any moment. Tony was one such fearful boy. Clenching the wooden stick tightly, he leaned against arge tree, his calves trembling slightly. Last winter, a Wind de Wolf attacked Little Wheat Vige, devouring two serfs and causing him to have nightmares for several nights. Now, those nightmares resurfaced in his mind, and he prayed incessantly. ¡°Please don¡¯t let it eat me¡¡± He kept ncing at the adults who were chopping wood outside, as if that would make him feel safer. Suddenly. There was a loud snap above his head. Without notice, Marcus had ridden his horse over to him, his whipshed against the trunk, stripping away the bark. ¡°Tony, I told you to watch the forest, not the lumberjacks!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Mr. Marcus.¡± ¡°Show your manliness, and do not disappoint me or Lord Landlord,¡± Marcus said coldly. Tony quickly responded loudly, ¡°Yes, I will not disappoint Mr. Marcus, nor will I disappoint Lord Landlord!¡± Marcus then rode away. Seeing him go, Tony breathed a sigh of relief. He feared this cold and ruthless Earth Knight; during the past few days of selection, he had received his fair share ofshings. Realshings, where each strike immediately left a bloody welts on his body. If it weren¡¯t for the chance to be a Retainer Knight and the opportunity to change his fate, he wouldn¡¯t want to face Marcus, let alone confront magical beasts here. What he didn¡¯t know was that Marcus had shaken his head as he left. This Earth Knight had already written him off. A knight who could not face his own fears, who could not ovee the pressures of the environment, held no potential in his eyes. To Marcus, amoner bing a Noble was only possible through a baptism of blood and fire. If one was not prepared, it was better to go home early and farm in peace. Otherwise, they might end up as corpses under the hooves on a battlefield. Moving continuously through the woods, Marcus not only monitored every movement but also assessed the boys. The morning passed without incident, and he had more or less decided on the twelve members of the squad. So, at noon. He reported his selections to Liszt, ¡°Lord, Philip Wool, Zavier Dung, Jacob Sole, York Baldy, Wayne Haystack, Zachary Pinky, York Cobbler, Evan Handkerchief, Sean Redface, Tracy Hunchback, Mullen Crotch, Theodore Rottensock; these twelve boys will be your Retainer Knights.¡± ¡°Zavier Dung, sounds a bit like the brother of the servant Jim Bull Dung; York Baldy, York Cobbler, with the same name, one as Big York and the other as Little York then¡ Well, inform their families that from this moment, these twelve boys will be excused from production, supported by the castle.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Knight Squad¡¯s selections had been decided, and at noon, Liszt found a moment to summon the Smoke Mission. Indeed, the mission had beenpleted and updated. ¡°Complete the mission, reward the hatching Wind Falcon.¡± ¡°Mission: Besides drift bottles, the seaside might also bring unexpected surprises. Now, there¡¯s a sailing ship carrying surprises drifting toward the East Coast. Please find and rescue the distressed ship. Reward: A portion of poption.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Liszt didn¡¯t immediately pay attention to the reward of the Wind Falcon. Because he saw ¡°poption,¡± which is what Fresh Flower Town is currentlycking the most. The small town has less than two thousand people, not even as many as a slightlyrger vige in his hometown. Without poption, as andlord, he couldn¡¯t unfold any ns; what he desired most was poption. ¡°A poption reward rted to a ship in distress, does this mean a ship carrying poption is about to drift to the East Coast?¡± Thinking of this, Liszt eagerly called for Goltai. ¡°Liszt, what do you need?¡± ¡°I just realized, the fishermen of Oyster Vige face the sea where there are numerous sea monsters, which is very dangerous and must be taken seriously.¡± ¡°Sea monsters¡ shouldn¡¯te to the shore, right?¡± Goltai was somewhat skeptical. Sea monsters indeed posed a danger and frequently attacked ships, but they rarely came to the shore. Once the tide went out and they were stranded, it could lead to their certain demise. His mind not really on the conversation, Liszt emphasized, ¡°We can¡¯t be careless about even a bit of danger. Inform the patrol team immediately; they must focus on patrolling the East Coast during this period. Report any unusual activity to me. Hold the line for a while, and if truly no sea monsteres ashore, then readjust the focus of the patrol.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll go inform them.¡± Once Goltai left, Liszt finally had the mood to pay attention to the reward for the previous mission¡ªthe egg of the Wind Falcon. He had heard about the Wind Falcon; it was a type of falcon magical beast, considered a low-level magical beast, often appearing by the sea, feeding on fish from the sea. Being a small animal, it rarely infringed on humans, andparatively speaking, was less dangerous, but that didn¡¯t mean it was weak. On the contrary, it had strongbat abilities. It could release magic¡ªWind de. This magic was the same as that of the Wind de Wolf, but as a falcon, it had the natural advantage of flight, allowing it to strike from almost any direction. In other words, it could use hit-and-run tactics, wearing down its opponent without taking damage. ¡°So where is my Wind Falcon?¡± Liszt cast his gaze towards therge trees being cut down, alert in his heart, ¡°Could it be hiding in one of the trees that is about to be chopped down?¡± If there was indeed a Wind Falcon, the threat would be tremendous. He quickly called for Marcus, ¡°We can¡¯t just watch out for the terrestrial beasts in the forest; we must also be vignt of the sky, as there may be flying magical beasts here.¡± Marcus took down the bow and arrows from his back, holding them firmly in his hands, ¡°Lord,pared to ground beasts, flying magical beasts have more fragile bodies, and my arrows are always ready for them!¡± His confidence infected Liszt. ¡°I had wanted to learn archery from you but never had the free time.¡± ¡°Lord, you can learn anytime.¡± ¡°Hmm, once I¡¯m through this busy period, I will start learning archery,¡± Liszt decided. Learning archery was a must, as ranged attacks suited his nature, eliminating the enemy from afar. Closebat was too crude and came with a high risk of injury. As andlord who came to this world, he was supposed to enjoy life, not suffer. In the afternoon, Liszt kept looking up at the trees, hoping to find out which one held his reward. However, as the sun set in the west, Goltai rushed over, bringing unexpected news, ¡°There¡¯s a Fragrant Coconut Tree at Oyster Vige that is currently the scene of a major battle between monkeys and birds.¡± Chapter 63: Rich Spoils of War Chapter 63: Rich Spoils of War Trantor: 549690339 The battle between monkeys and a young bird. Goltai quickly described the scene in detail; it was actually a group of Fruit Thief Monkeys attacking an eagle: ¡°That bird built a nest on the Fragrant Coconut Tree, and it seems there are bird eggs in the nest¡ªthe monkeys have stopped stealing fruit and have started stealing bird eggs instead.¡± He took it as an amusing story. However, Liszt mounted his horse and announced on the spot, ¡°Logging is over for today. Everyone leave Thorn Ridge. Teacher Marcus,e with me to Oyster Vige.¡± Without a doubt, that bird was a Wind Falcon, and what was lying in the nest were eggs awaiting hatching. That was his mission reward. At the Lord Landlord¡¯smand, the Lumberjack Team immediately stopped working and started heading back to town along the half-built gravel path. Liszt, leading Marcus and four Retainer Knights, raced ahead to Oyster Vige. Upon reaching the East Coast, they saw the Patrol Team surrounding a Fragrant Coconut Tree. There was arge pile of monkey corpses under the tree. ¡°Lord Landlord!¡± The Patrol Members saluted one after another. Liszt looked up at the crown of the Fragrant Coconut Tree, which stood dozens of meters high, with the lowest branches as high as a four-story building and the highest, as tall as twenty stories. The tree in front of them was the tallest; it grew at a sixty-degree angle toward the sea, and looking up, the crown was almost a small point. At that moment, the crown was bustling with activity, chickens flying and dogs jumping erratically, and asionally the body of a monkey would fall, dead on impact. Even if they didn¡¯t die from the fall, their bodies could be seen covered in cuts as if sliced open by des. ¡°There is a Magical Beast up there; these wounds look to be caused by Magic Wind des,¡± Marcus cautioned, lifting the body of one of the Fruit Thief Monkeys. Liszt casually pointed, ¡°It¡¯s the Wind Falcon. These monkeys are attacking its nest; there should be its eggs inside. The battle is fierce. Teacher Marcus, do you have a way to retrieve the eggs? This could very well hatch into a new Wind Falcon.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s a Wind Falcon,¡± Marcus said, suddenly realizing, then frowned, ¡°Climbing the tree would be easy, but with a group of Fruit Thief Monkeys and a Wind Falcon up there, it would be very dangerous. A Magical Beast defending its nest is the most ferocious, and the Fruit Thief Monkeys themselves are a fierce wild beast too.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s wait, perhaps they¡¯ll both suffer losses,¡± said Liszt, somewhat uncertain. If it was a mission reward, it should not be difficult to obtain. Otherwise, getting bird eggs from a group ofbat-capable Fruit Thief Monkeys, or from abat-capable Wind Falcon, would be an impossible task. And so they waited for about fifteen minutes. The number of monkey corpses grew, and the Patrol Members gleefully collected the bodies. These were choice game, and though they couldn¡¯t eat them¡ªsince everything in the territory belonged to the Castle, and thus to Liszt¡ªit was certain the Lord Landlord would reward them with something. After some thought, Liszt told the Patrol Team, ¡°Collect the dead Fruit Thief Monkeys, finish off the gravely wounded with one stroke, and tie up those with minor injuries. I want them alive.¡± He hadn¡¯t forgotten his earlier n to train the Fruit Thief Monkeys to climb trees and pick Fragrant Coconut Fruit. ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord!¡± Suddenly, Marcus spoke up, ¡°Lord, be careful, the remaining monkeys are trying to flee!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Liszt saw about a dozen Fruit Thief Monkeys rapidly descending the trunk of the Fragrant Coconut Tree. And behind them, arge bird, nearly plucked bare, pping its wings in pursuit. ¡°Marcus, join me in intercepting the Wind Falcon, and all Patrol Members stop the Fruit Thief Monkeys. Don¡¯t let a single one escape. Capture them alive if possible!¡± When the snipe and m grapple, it¡¯s the fisherman who benefits. Seizing such an opportunity, Liszt made an immediate decision. ¡°Yes!¡± Faced with the chance to kick someone while they were down, the Patrol Members were excited, each drawing their weapons and positioning themselves under the tree. Marcus took out his bow and arrows, ready to draw and shoot at a moment¡¯s notice. Liszt himself drew the Crimson Blood Sword he carried, the Gemstone Weapon boosting his confidence immensely. In the blink of an eye. The remaining Fruit Thief Monkeys had already scrambled down the trees, and the Patrol Members rushed up, howling and swinging wildly. After putting up a desperate fight, the monkeys were exhausted and barely put up any resistance. They ran around aimlessly like headless flies, unable to do anything but get beaten. With a few hits from the spears, the monkeysy on the ground, unable to move. Elsewhere, a molting Wind Falcon was chasing after a Fruit Thief Monkey when Liszt suddenly charged over on horseback, the Crimson Blood Sword zing with mes. He unleashed the Ultimate Mystery Technique, Inferno sh. A torrent of fire rained down, and although the Wind Falcon deftly dodged, it still got caught in the firestorm, igniting its few remaining feathers. But after the attack, the Wind Falcon sensed the danger and let out a long screech, pped its wings vigorously, and flew towards the sky. Liszt couldn¡¯t let it escape, and roared, ¡°Marcus!¡± Marcus was already prepared, he released his grip, and the bowstring snapped forward, propelling two arrows side by side. Apanied by a sharp, piercing whistle, they plunged into the body of the Wind Falcon, burying the arrowheadspletely, blood spraying the sky. The Wind Falcon staggered and plummeted onto the sandy beach. When thest Fruit Thief Monkey was knocked to the ground by a spear and then swarmed by the Patrol Members, taken alive on the spot, the battle between the monkeys and the small bird ended with no victor. All were imed by the fisherman Liszt. After a quick count. There were a total of forty-six Fruit Thief Monkeys, with thirty-nine dead or fatally injured by finishing blows, leaving seven with minor injuries, all of which were bound. The body of the Wind Falcon was collected, its size not muchrger than that of an earth dog. An agile Patrol Member carefully climbed to the crown of the Fragrant Coconut Tree, found the nest, and pulled out a bird egg slightly smaller than a pineapple. ¡°Lord Landlord, there really is a bird egg!¡± The Patrol Member, excited, presented the egg to Liszt. Liszt took the bird egg in his hands, and before he could begin to admire it, the egg suddenly made a soft cracking sound. ¡°Lord, the bird egg is hatching!¡± Marcus was astonished. Liszt was also stunned, thinking to himself that the Smoke Mission was indeed formidable. He had only just picked up the egg, and it was already starting to hatch. As he was lost in thought, the cracking sounds continued, and after a moment, the shell was pecked open, revealing a naked, ugly bird head, its mouth open, making unpleasant ¡°gacking¡± sounds. The bird head¡¯s huge eyes looked at Liszt, crying out as if begging for food. Liszt coughed lightly, ¡°Teacher Marcus, what does a young Wind Falcon eat?¡± ¡°It should¡ eat small fish and shrimp, I suppose?¡± ¡°Then, Patrol Members, go to the fishermen¡¯s homes in Oyster Vige and bring back some small fish and shrimp. Remember, they must be alive.¡± He vaguely remembered from ¡°Man and Nature¡± that there were sea birds feeding their chicks, holding squirming small fish in their beaks, evidently, these were live fish. However, he also seemed to recall that some birds would eat the small fish and shrimp and then bring them back up to feed to their chicks. In any case, feeding them live prey was the first thing to do. Today¡¯s bounty was already substantial, and it wasn¡¯t as if he particrly cared about one small Magical Beast¡ªa young bird. With the major pest of Fruit Thief Monkeys dealt with, they could freely pick the Fragrant Coconut Fruits, and even had ¡°workers¡± for the harvest; therge Wind Falcon carcass was also a rich resource for Nalda, whether it was sold or eaten, it was a great supplement. And then there was the mission soon to bepleted, which would reward the town with scarce poption. ¡°What a wonderful day!¡± Watching the young Wind Falcon gobble up the small fish and shrimp, Liszt felt especially content, ¡°Teacher Marcus, let¡¯s return to the Castle together. Tonight, we continue the feast. Hmm, barbecue Fruit Thief Monkeys!¡± Chapter 64: There is a Juan Fu in the Castle Chapter 64: There is a Juan Fu in the Castle Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Caw! Caw!¡± ¡°Caw! Caw!¡± ¡°Caw! Caw!¡± In the castle¡¯s study, an unpleasant bird call was heard from time to time. The fledgling Wind Falcons were quite ugly, covered only with fine down that was so thin it was almost invisible, and curled up tightly against the skin, making them look like plucked chickens. Compared to the streamlined bodies of adult Wind Falcons that roamed the skies, they were worlds apart. Yet Liszt liked them very much, after all, they were flying Magical Beasts. There was already a Fierce Earth Dog in the castle, which he asionally took out for a walk, decking it out with a few Rock Spikes for a pleasing sight. If he could add a Wind Falcon to the mix, it would be absolutely cool to summon a Wind de whenever he felt like it. Unfortunately, falcons don¡¯t imprint on their owners and Liszt hadn¡¯t figured out how to train it yet. For now he could only feed it. He had already had the castle¡¯s maids sew a pair of leather gloves; he had seen videos of people doing falconry before, and they all wore a pair of leather gloves for the falcon to perch on. There seemed to be some sort of toy as well, which they threw to attract the falcon and then reeled it back in. Once the toy was back, the falcon would just circle nearby and not fly away. ¡°When I have time, I need to research this toy, or perhaps go to Coral City to inquire if there are any hunters skilled in birdkeeping, and find out how they tame birds.¡± The dinner was roasted Fruit Thief Monkey meat. It didn¡¯t have the tenderness of roasted beef and was slightly fibrous, making it tough to tear. However, perhaps due to their frequent consumption of Fragrant Coconut Fruit, the monkey meat had a faint scent of coconut milk after roasting, which was a unique taste different from ordinary roasted meat, and it proved very popr among the people at the banquet. ¡°If the meat of the Fruit Thief Monkey could be made a bit more tender, it would certainly be a delicacy. I suggest that the town could rear them inrge quantities,¡± Goltai said with his mouth full of grease. Liszt was much more elegant, as he didn¡¯t choose to eat the roasted Fruit Thief Monkey meat and simply watched others enjoy their meal: ¡°Being able to breed them inrge numbers is a good thing; that¡¯s also my decision. But eating their meat is not a good idea, for monkeys have higher intelligence and should be trained to climb trees and help fruit farmers with their work.¡± ording to the theories from his hometown, humans and monkeys had amon ancestor and both belonged to the primate family. This world didn¡¯t have such a concept; humans were humans, with no evolution involved. Besides dragons and elves, all other creatures were considered inferior to humans¡ªeven in the eyes of many, dragons and elves were only slightly more magical creatures and couldn¡¯tpare to humans. There had been instances of eating dragons¡ eating elves¡ and even cannibalism was not unheard of. So he didn¡¯t eat, but he didn¡¯t stop others from eating either. Isaiah curiously asked, ¡°Sir, can monkeys really be trained well enough to help fruit farmers with their work?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the same as training dogs and horses,¡± Liszt was so certain because he had seen plenty of monkey performances. He had also read a news article saying that in Mysia or Thand, local people trained monkeys to climb trees and pick coconuts. A fruit farmer who had mistreated his monkey ended up dead after the monkey, in a fit of rage, pelted him with wild fruits. Now, since the ownership of the Fruit Thief Monkeys belonged to Liszt, once trained and handed over to the fruit farmers, he was sure no one would dare to mistreat them. It was unlikely that the same situation of monkeys killing their owner would ur. ¡°If the Fruit Thief Monkeys are really trained well, that will be an interesting sight. I¡¯ve never thought we could make monkeys work for us,¡± ir said,ughing heartily as if he could already see the image of monkeys picking fruit. Liszt said with a smile, ¡°In that case, the task of training the Fruit Thief Monkeys will be your responsibility, ir.¡± ¡°Er, okay, I think I can handle it.¡± That¡¯s when Marcus suddenly asked, ¡°Sir, how should we deal with the carcass of the Wind Falcon? Do I need to make another trip to Coral City to sell it?¡± The Wind Falcon was a Low-Level Magical Beast, and it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to sell it for about a dozen Gold Coins. If it had been before, Liszt would certainly have sold it to purchase living supplies. But now, the town was not short on money to spend, as the ie from the ck Tulip was enough to support his noble lifestyle for decades. Feeling wealthy and powerful, Liszt said on the spot, ¡°No need to sell it. Let the meat dry, and someday we¡¯ll host a Wind Falcon barbecue party. As for the other parts, Teacher Marcus, do you have any good suggestions for their use?¡± ¡°Bird bones are hollow, especially the Wind Falcon¡¯s bones, which contain wind attribute magic power. The joint bones can be made into signal whistles for sending messages, and they produce a very loud sound. Larger bones could be turned into tools; they¡¯re light and strong, better than iron tools. Moreover, its feathers are excellent materials for making arrows,¡± said Marcus, quickly nning the use of every part of the Wind Falcon¡¯s body: ¡°You are about to learn archery, so you will need a batch of arrows.¡± Liszt asked, ¡°Does anyone in the town know how to make arrows?¡± Marcus immediately replied, ¡°I do. I make my own arrows.¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Marcus,¡± said Liszt, lifting his cup filled with hop-vored beer, ¡°This drink is to honor you, and thank you for those two arrows this afternoon. They secured the Wind Falcon, otherwise, it would have been a great menace.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to serve you!¡± Marcus, with a hearty gesture, raised his cup of hop-less beer and drained it in one gulp. The bonfire had died, and the stars filled the sky. Goltai, Marcus, and the others had already returned. The servants busied themselves cleaning up after the feast, while Liszt was holding a cup of milk tea brought by Butler Carter¡ªhe had a habit of drinking a cup of milk tea before bed. The rich nutrition of the milk was urgently needed by his body, being sixteen, an age for growth. ¡°Master, your bath water is ready,¡± announced the servant. ¡°How is the young Wind Falcon doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still squawking a lot, but we have fed it plenty of little fish and shrimp. It¡¯s certainly not hungry. However, Master, that little bird¡is quite ugly.¡± ¡°I agree with you. Let¡¯s go and see this little fellow. If it¡¯s going to squawk all night long then take it outside; I don¡¯t want to be woken up in the middle of the night,¡± said Liszt, handing his empty cup back to Carter, and walking inside the castle. Whenever he encountered servants working, they would stop and bow to him respectfully. This sensation was very pleasant. He was bing more and more ustomed to his noble identity, aligning his mindset and loyalty with the noble ss¡ªif anyone dared to shake the foundation of the nobles¡¯ power, it would mean crossing Liszt! ¡°Good night, gentlemen,dies,¡± he said with an impable, standard noble smile, ¡°I hope you all have sweet dreams until the morning.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Soon, Liszt had ascended to the second floor, which was his private area. Carter pushed open the door to the study. The previously quiet room immediately filled with an unpleasant squawking¡ª¡±caw caw,¡± ¡°caw caw,¡± ¡°caw caw.¡± ¡°No matter how many times I hear it, it still sounds unpleasant,¡± remarked Liszt, looking at the unsightly, curly-feathered little bird in a nest padded with some straw. ¡°Mr. Carter, what do you think we should call it?¡± ¡°There is a ¡®Douson¡¯ outside the castle, found in the forest and shivering all over. Maybe this little bird found on the Fragrant Coconut Tree, shaking all over, could be called ¡®Shivery Coconut¡¯?¡± Even though Carter misunderstood the meaning of ¡°Douson,¡± Liszt stillughed: ¡°Mr. Carter, you are bing more humorous. However, I don¡¯t like the name Shivery Coconut. It looks like it has curly, fine feathers, and I hope it will be lucky enough to live to the day it soars¡ Let¡¯s call it ¡®Juan Fu¡¯.¡± ¡°Hmm, Juan Fu¡ Master, I think that name sounds nice.¡± Chapter 65: A Leaky Sailing Ship Chapter 65: A Leaky Sailing Ship Trantor: 549690339 The next morning, Liszt took Juan Fu¡¯s bird¡¯s nest and hung it on the windowsill of the castle. On one hand, he wanted to let it bask in the sun, and on the other, he had had enough of the bird¡¯s squawking. Something odd happenedst night, as the bird unexpectedly started calling in the middle of the night. At this moment, Juan Fu, having just consumed some small fish and shrimp, was full of energy, crawling around in the nest and continuously emitting ¡°gah gee¡± sounds. Outside the castle, in the doghouse, Douson poked his head out, drooling as he stared at Juan Fu on the windowsill. ¡°Woof woof!¡± Seeing Liszte out, it immediately started wagging its tail happily, pulling on its chain cor with a nging sound¡ªLiszt was truly raising a dog, having always used a dog chain from its puppyhood. He unfastened the chain and held it in his hand. Douson instantly spread his legs and ran wildly, with the time Liszt took him for a walk every day being perhaps the happiest moment of his day. Leading Douson to the horse field, Liszt began training. When Douson was smaller, he generally trained once a day, now the frequency had been reduced to once every three days. He had sessfully taught Douson not to harm people or cast magic without amand, as well as not to eat things at random and not to chase the horses in the field. Of course, except for the Li Dragon horses, the other horses would avoid Douson. ¡°Sit down, Douson!¡± The previously lively Douson immediately squatted down, tongue out, looking at Liszt, barely distinguishable from a regr mutt. Liszt threw a small ball made of leather: ¡°Fetch it, Douson.¡± Douson instantly dashed out like an arrow, then jumped and twisted 180 degrees in midair, sessfully catching the leather ball and dashing back to ce it in Liszt¡¯s hand. ¡°Very good.¡± He rewarded Douson with a small piece of dried meat. Next, they repeated several training exercises, including casting the magic Rock Spike, until Douson was so tired he was panting. Then, Liszt reattached the chain and handed it to Thomas, ¡°Take him back.¡± ¡°Yes, m¡¯lord.¡± Considering the sun¡¯s position, Liszt thought that the lumberjack team should be arriving soon. However, it wasn¡¯t the lumberjack team that arrived, but a patrol member. ¡°Lord Landlord, urgent report!¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°An askew sailboat has drifted to the East Coast, with people onboard waving gs. Sir Goltai believes it to be a distressed ship. He is organizing a rescue party and asked me to report to you immediately.¡± Upon hearing the news. Liszt¡¯s spirit was lifted. He immediately said to the patrol member, ¡°I¡¯ll head over now. Tell Goltai to make sure to rescue the ship, especially the people on board.¡± By the time Liszt, dressed in his ck¡¤Abbieye and apanied by four Retainer Knights and Earth Knight Marcus, arrived at the East Coast, he saw a group of people on the beach pulling on ropes, dragging a sailboat, not too big yet not too small, towards the shore. Among those pulling the ropes, there were also several unfamiliar faces. ¡°Lord Landlord.¡± Isaiah, who was in charge of orchestrating the boat-dragging work, bowed in respect. Goltai also rushed over from the seaside, ¡°Liszt, these are refugees from Little Papa Ind. They fled by boat from Little Papa Ind, intending to seek asylum on Da Pa Pa Ind, but encountered a storm that damaged the ship, forcing them to drift along the sea breeze to Coral Ind and run aground on the East Coast.¡± Liszt nodded. He had heard of Little Papa Ind and Da Pa Pa Ind. At that moment, an elderly man with a somewhat hunched back approached him and, while still at a distance, initiated a prostrate salute, ¡°Respected Baron of Fresh Flower Town, a person in distress, Bunier Zhen Dan, presents his sincere greetings and expresses his deepest apologies for disturbing your nobility.¡± ¡°Zhen Dan?¡± Liszt had heard many unusual surnames, but still found the name Zhen Dan to be peculiar. ¡°My Lord, my family has been collecting sea swallow eggs for the Lord of Little Papa for generations.¡± The assurance of agricultural yields was difficult, and in many ces, food was scarce. Fear and ignorance of the ocean meant that the fishing industry was almost undeveloped. Meanwhile, serfs, driven by the need to survive, had to find ways to provide food to ensure the luxuries of the nobility in the castle. Among these, sea swallow eggs became one source of food. The sea swallow is a type of sea bird rted to gulls, and it usually builds its nest on seaside cliffs. Collecting sea swallow eggs is a life-threatening task that requires climbing cliffs hundreds of meters high and fighting against the protective sea swallows safeguarding their eggs. It is indeed no small feat for these serfs to have survived and left descendants. ¡°Understood,¡± Liszt extended his hand, signaling Bunier to get up, ¡°Why did you flee from Little Papa Ind?¡± ¡°Little Papa Ind was attacked by a group of pirates; the castle fell, and the fate of the Lord of Little Papa is unknown. We had no choice but to seize the pirates¡¯ ship to escape from Little Papa Ind. We originally nned to take refuge on Da Pa Pa Ind but encountered a severe storm. The ship nearly capsized, and we finally ended up on your Lordship¡¯s territory.¡± Liszt frowned involuntarily, ¡°Little Papa Ind was attacked by pirates?¡± Little Papa Ind is the family territory of the Little Papa Viscount. If he remembered correctly, the current lord was named Vincent Xiao Pa Pa. That family, along with the Viscount Gena Da Pa Pa from Da Pa Pa Ind, were part of the same family a hundred years ago¡ªthe Pa Pa Family¡ªknown for their finely sewn handkerchiefs. Later, one branch inherited the family title, and the other gained recognition on the battlefield¡ªboth bing viscounts¡ªso one changed its surname to Da Pa Pa, and the other to Xiao Pa Pa. ¡°The pirates looted the castle andmitted ughter on the ind. We had to flee.¡± ¡°What have you decided to do now?¡± Liszt looked toward the damaged sailing ship, its sails torn, the ship¡¯s body battered with several holes. The ship had already been pulled to the shore, and a group of bent figures were helping each other disembark, ¡°Will you continue to seek refuge on Da Pa Pa Ind or stay in Fresh Flower Town?¡± In Bunier¡¯s cloudy eyes, a glint of hope suddenly flickered: ¡°My Lord, might we¡ may we reside in Fresh Flower Town?¡± This was a poption reward for a task, and of course, Liszt wouldn¡¯t miss the opportunity: ¡°Stay, and I can grant you the status of serfs. In Fresh Flower Town, there¡¯s a lot of uncultivatednd I can assign for you to farm. A serf skilled in a craft can be highly valued. Whether you stay or go, report to Sir Goltai.¡± The ship was damaged and stranded; they had no way to leave. Besides, what difference does it make between going to Da Pa Pa Ind and staying in Fresh Flower Town? Therefore, after a brief discussion with the other refugees, Bunier reported to Goltai, and they all decided to stay, bing true serfs of Fresh Flower Town and pledging loyalty to Liszt. Since they had be serfs, it meant that these people, including the broken ship, were Liszt¡¯s assets. ¡°Teacher Goltai, take a census of the newly joined serfs¡¯ identities, then allocate them to various settlements. Also, clean the sailboat thoroughly; I want to know what¡¯s in it. A ship seized from pirates is bound to have some weapons on it, right?¡± Goltai was eager, ¡°Rest assured, Liszt, not even a loaf of bread can be hidden by these serfs, and I¡¯ll present before you a clear ount of everything they¡¯ve brought along with every detail about them¡ all in half a day¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget about this ship. If it can be repaired, fix it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Chapter 66: Brainstorming at the Dinner Party Chapter 66: Brainstorming at the Dinner Party Trantor: 549690339 Banquet. It seemed that banquets were held every day in the castle¡ªfor the nobility, eating and drinking were simply part of daily life. ¡°Little Papa Ind has encountered pirates, Teacher Marcus, are pirates prevalent in the Duchy of Sapphire?¡± Liszt asked while eating roasted meat. Marcus pondered before answering, ¡°If speaking solely of reports about pirates, nearly many small inds have experienced the scourge of pirates, but there might be another reason at y.¡± ¡°What reason?¡± ¡°These pirates, they are very likely to be in disguise. Not every noble family can manage to run a prosperous industry. When they face the brink of bankruptcy, risking danger bes a shortcut to their self-salvation. Particrly among those nobles with grievances, some might even assume the identity of pirates to plunder their adversary¡¯s wealth.¡± Hearing this brutal information. If it were the sixteen-year-old of the past, he might feel too upset to ept it¡ªthe notion that nobles, who pride themselves on their noble lineage and possess countless virtues, could stoop to moonlighting as pirates was inconceivable. But the current Liszt only furrowed his brows slightly, and soon rxed them, ¡°Fortunately, Coral Ind has a strong Knight Order, and Fresh Flower Town has not faced the danger of pirates for the time being. However, we must be prepared for potential threats. Teacher Marcus, the Knight Squad must be well trained.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Baron, I will devote all my efforts to training the Knight Squad, turning each one into a qualified battle knight,¡± Marcus assured. Liszt then turned to inquire of Goltai, ¡°Teacher Goltai, report the information about the new serfs now, during the meal. I find it the most suitable time to talk about official matters.¡± ¡°If you wish, let¡¯s discuss it now.¡± Goltai signaled a servant to fetch his coat, and pulling out a thick piece of parchment from the pocket, he unfolded it, ¡°There are a total of fifty serfs. In fact, they were originally freemen, so they smartly chose to escape when the pirates attacked.¡± Little Papa City on Little Papa Ind had fifty residents who owned their own properties. The rtionship between a freeman and andlord was more like that of a tenant and andowner, while serfs were considered ves. For the nobility, serfs were ¡°one of their own,¡± whereas freemen were ¡°outsiders.¡± Whenever wars broke out betweenndlords, they would choose to protect their serfs, as they are their assets. Freemenck such protection; if they die, they have iting, and it also serves as a chance forndlords to make some extra profit. So, being a freeman had its advantages and disadvantages, and not everyone wanted to be one. Some freemen from Little Papa City, upon seeing the defeat of Little Papa Viscount, knew they could be killed and robbed by the ¡°pirates¡± at any moment, and hurried to flee. They smartly chose to seize ships, taking advantage of the pirates still fighting in the castle, capturing a sailing boat. Unfortunately, having only a captain skilled in steering but no experienced sailors, they eventually lost control during a storm. ¡°So, none of them knows how to farm; they are all freemen with crafts,¡± Liszt was very satisfied with this, as craftsmen were more important than mere farmers to the development of his territory. Peasants could be bought as ves at any time in the future, but craftsmen were hard toe by. ¡°cksmiths, coopers, embroiderers, tailors, bakers, brewers, shoeshiners, carpenters, dyers, soap makers, tanners, confectioners, salt workers, locksmiths, chefs, and their families, oh, and an innkeeper and a horse merchant, as well as a few small merchants who sell on the streets.¡± ¡°What is Bunier¡¯s profession?¡± Liszt recalled the old man who had spoken to him during the day. ¡°He is a soap maker, proficient in creating various kinds of soaps with floral fragrances.¡± ¡°Excellent, I have had enough of using soapwort powder for bathing; it¡¯s best to have him quickly make soap from it.¡± As someone who insisted on bathing daily, Liszt had a great demand for soap,menting that there was not an abundance of it in the castle, only some soapwort powder¡ªthe powdered fruit of the soapwort nt. Soapwort powder indeed could clean, but it was also troublesome to use and did not feel pleasant during the washing process. In fact, Liszt knew of a more straightforward cleaning item¡ªsoap. This is a type of soap made from a mixture of pig pancreas and wood ash, which is quite simple to produce. Just crush the pig¡¯s pancreas and mix it with the wood ash to create the most basic pancreas soap. Unfortunately, no one in Fresh Flower Town raises pigs¡ He sliced off a piece of roast meat, forked it, and dipped it into some ketchup. The roast meat paired with ketchup tasted good. After swallowing, he took a sip of seafood soup and then contentedly wiped his mouth with a napkin, ¡°The work arrangements for the new serfs should be discussed between Mr. Carter and Teacher Goltai. Suitable individuals can be assigned to the town to help establish shops specifically for manufacturing what the castle needs.¡± With too few residents in the town, there obviously wasn¡¯t much demand. As the Landlord, he had to unabashedly enjoy all this. Only in this way could these craftsmen be of use in a short time. Carter bowed and said, ¡°Yes, my lord, I will consult with Mr. Goltai.¡± Having finished discussing the new serfs, Liszt moved on to another official matter, ¡°The efficiency of the Lumberjack Team still needs to be improved, but now there¡¯s a new problem. There are often other matters that distract Teacher Marcus and me, and during those times, the protective force of the Lumberjack Team is virtually non-existent, which is very dangerous.¡± ¡°But indeed, we can¡¯t find more forces to defend against the Magical Beasts of Thorn Ridge.¡± ¡°Therefore, I think we need a way for the Lumberjack Team to be able to protect themselves even if they encounter Magical Beasts,¡± Liszt said calmly. No one immediately answered, they were all pondering. Liszt wasn¡¯t in a hurry and continued to eat his dinner. In fact, he was testing those present; he already had an idea, one that had a strong possibility of dealing with the Magical Beasts. This idea originated from the Smoke Mission. After the morning¡¯s sea rescue, he hadpleted the mission. ¡°Missionplete, reward: fifty new people.¡± ¡°Mission: The danger in the depths of Thorn Ridge could ur at any moment, putting the Lumberjack Team in a precarious situation. As the Landlord who possesses a patch of Smoked Grass, you ought to use your resources wisely to ensure the safety of your people. Please defend against one attack from Magical Beasts. Reward: Miniature Ore Deposit.¡± The mission had made it quite clear that Smoked Grass could be used to defend against Magical Beasts. The odor of Smoked Grass was something Liszt found quite striking; not all Magical Beasts might be able to tolerate it, especially those with particrly sensitive noses. Therefore, he nned to make simple ¡°Magical Beast Repellent Incense¡± from Smoked Grass, to be lit in case of an encounter with a Magical Beast. He was determined to secure the ¡°Miniature Ore Deposit.¡± But he didn¡¯t directly share his n, hoping instead that someone woulde up with the idea themselves; otherwise, there was always this nagging feeling of nurturing a group of freeloaders. After a moment, nobody hade up with a good solution. This left Liszt quite disappointed. Just as he was about to reveal his own n, Isaiah suddenly said, ¡°Baron, perhaps we could use fire! Beasts are afraid of fire. Among the trees we fell are pines, which burn very easily. We could keep burning the cut branches and leaves continuously. This way, the Magical Beasts would be scared away!¡± Chapter 67: Flame, Trap, and Smoked Grass Chapter 67: me, Trap, and Smoked Grass Trantor: 549690339 Are beasts afraid of fire? This was quite an interesting question. Goltai shook his head, offering a different opinion, ¡°Not all beasts are afraid of fire; some are even curious about it, to say nothing of fire attribute magical beasts that are naturally drawn to mes.¡± Marcus contemted, ¡°I think this method might be workable. Small torches, of course, won¡¯t scare beasts, but the big fire from burning pine branches, I believe, would deter even fire attribute magical beasts. The value of the pine branches cut by the lumberjack team is not great; we only want the trunks.¡± The discussion on making firessted for a full quarter of an hour. Then ir added another point, ¡°We could involve the town¡¯s hunters in cutting the trees and have them set traps around the area. It might not work against magical beasts, but at least it will serve as an early warning system. Combined with bonfires, I believe it should be enough to ensure the safety of the lumberjack team¡¯s serfs.¡± Eventually, Liszt made the final decision, ¡°Bonfires, traps, these are measures worth trying, but you must not overlook one of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s crops.¡± ¡°What crop?¡± Everyone was curious. ¡°Smoked Grass.¡± ¡°Smoked Grass? Oh, my God, how could I forget such a dreadful nt,¡± Goltai immediately began to gesticte wildly, ¡°I am utterly convinced that just lighting a bit of smoked grass would even chase away a dragon with its smell¡ That scent¡ I still remember vividly the time you burned it at the dairy farm, Liszt!¡± Dragons would not be chased away by the smoke; on the contrary, they would be drawn to it. Liszt narrowed his eyes slightly, watching Goltai¡¯s expression, sure that the other man had brought up the matter unconsciously, not fishing for details. The day the Formless Dragon invaded, the burning of smoked grass, the dairy cows that died at the milk farm, the destroyed beacon tower, and that high, piercing dragon roar were all mysteries to others. But Liszt had said not to ask. So they had to suppress their doubts until they faded. ¡°I¡¯m convinced of it too. When I was studying smoked grass, I smeared a bit of smoked grass juice on the nose of a green rabbit, and it was miserable for two days, almosting down with an illness,¡± Isaiah agreed, nodding definitively. The green rabbit was his mount, a green horse. ¡°So¡¡± Liszt set down his knife and fork and wiped his mouth, pausing his meal, ¡°mes, traps, and smoked grass¡ªthree measures to protect the lumberjack team, ensuring that no magical beasts can harm anyone. This task, Teacher Goltai, Teacher Marcus, you should cooperate with each other to ensure nothing goes wrong.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Marcus epted themand. Goltai also nodded quickly, ¡°Leave it to me, Liszt.¡± Liszt brought up another point in passing, ¡°Additionally, we finally found a value for the smoked grass, so I¡¯ve decided to cultivate the smoked grass field on the north side of Fresh Flower Farm properly and expand the nting scale of smoked grass. Teacher Goltai, you will need toe up with a n and enforce it as soon as possible.¡± ¡°The wastnd we¡¯re reiming might not be enough,¡± Goltai hesitated, ¡°There is a serious shortage of serfs. We didn¡¯t have many serfs to begin with, and Oyster Vige took away some, along with the lumberjack team, the roadwork team, and the apprentices from town stores, even the knight squad and castle servants have taken away many serfs.¡± He stretched out his hand, bending his fingers one by one as he counted, ¡°Corn Grass, millet fields, tulips¡ and therge number of seeds you traded for, sweetheart cabbage, turnips, onions, coriander, and such; they all need serfs to nt them. I think we need at least one thousand more serfs.¡± Without agricultural tools, the method of reiming wastnd was sh-and-burn. Farming was an energy-intensive task that required many serfs to maintain the normal growth of crops and vegetables. Without enough serfs, the fields could not be nted. ¡°With mechanized nting, a dozen people could nt all the fields of Fresh Flower Town,¡± Liszt often dreamed of leading Fresh Flower Town into the farming mode of the American farm owner, withrge machinery moving through the endless fields. Unfortunately, it was all just a fantasy, as Fresh Flower Town didn¡¯t even have a few shovels or hoes. So he didn¡¯t insist that Goltai expand the cultivation hastily, ¡°Then let¡¯s juste up with a n, divide up the fields, and when we have enough hands, we can start nting.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± At the lumbering site. The thirty-plus lumberjacks, working in pairs, were chopping down big trees with their axes. It has to be said, the serfs who had been doing heavybor all year round had a lot of strength, and their efficiency at felling trees was pretty good. Liszt was riding on a Li Dragon Horse, slowly inspecting the area. Elsewhere, Marcus was leading the Knight Squad, continuously picking up the cut-off pine branches and dragging them to three fire sites in the woods. The fires were burning brightly, forming a triangle to protect the lumbering site. There were hunters setting up traps outside the fire. asionally, bird calls could be heard from the depths of the woods, with no sense of danger¡ªonly a scene bustling with activity. But Liszt was not the least bit rxed. The Smoke Mission¡¯s prompts were clear¡ªmagical beasts would raid the lumbering site. He just didn¡¯t know when the attack would happen. ¡°Magical beasts, huh. Since I¡¯vee to Fresh Flower Town, I¡¯ve already killed two.¡± One was a Fierce Earth Dog that had just given birth and hadn¡¯t recovered its strength, the other a Wind Falcon that fought to exhaustion against a Fruit Thief Monkey. But neither encounter had really been a fierce battle; they were more like taking advantage of the situation. The only direct conflict with a Wind de Wolf was a feint; it fled into Thorn Ridge after just one jab. Now, he was somewhat looking forward to the imminent magical beast attack. This time, he didn¡¯t know which kind of beast he would encounter, whether there would be a battle, and if he could kill another beast ¡ª the taste of magical beast meat was far superior to that of ordinary wild beasts, and it was also enriched with magic power, which Liszt loved. The sun zed down fiercely, with hardly a breath of wind. Even under the shade of the trees, it didn¡¯t feel much cooler. The Fire Attribute Dou Qi flowed through his veins as he rested his hand on the hilt of the Crimson Blood Sword. His gaze traveled across the dappled shadows on the ground, feeling his desire for battle rising. Given his personal style, it was unlikely that he¡¯d be able to charge into battle as a knight would want to show off a noble¡¯s bravery. It seemed that he would have to find his chance with magical beasts ¡ª in such a crowded environment, fully prepared, with Marcus assisting on the side, what better opportunity could there be to showcase himself? ¡°Come on, magical beasts, my sword is already dying for a fight!¡± Schwing! He abruptly pulled out half of the Crimson Blood Sword, wanting to flourish it a bit, but then he thought it wasn¡¯t very serious, so he decided to sheath it again. However, just at that moment, through the ¡°crackle and pop¡± sound of the pine branches burning, an unusual ¡°ng¡± sound rang out from a distance, quickly capturing his attention. Marcus, who was also inspecting the area, clearly noticed the noise as well, calling out sharply, ¡°Be alert!¡± He drew his short gun and moved closer to the direction from which the sound hade. Liszt tightly gripped the hilt of the Crimson Blood Sword, with the gemstone blue color of his pupils swirling like whirlpools¡ªhis Eye of Magic was already in use. Soon, he spotted faint traces of magic power in several patches of grass. With just a quick discernment, he recognized there were three magical beasts! ¡°Marcus,e back!¡± Liszt drew his Crimson Blood Sword with a ng, calling out loudly, ¡°Fifty meters ahead, there are three magical beasts!¡± Chapter 68: The Routine from Three Wolves Chapter 68: The Routine from Three Wolves Trantor: 549690339 A low-level Magical Beast, Marcus could contend with one and find an opportunity to kill it. But three, if he charged blindly, he would only be dismembered. Marcus didn¡¯t have time to ponder how Liszt knew there were three Magical Beasts, he immediately reined in his horse to return. At the same time, with fast dexterity, he returned the Spear to its ce on the horseback, and with a reverse hand, took down the bow and arrow, and bent the bow to load the arrow, firing four arrows in quick session toward the bush fifty meters away. Although the arrows all missed, their effect was clear. Suddenly, a Wind de Wolf leapt out from one of the bushes, its gaze coldly fixed on Marcus. It didn¡¯t attack rashly, merely looking on coldly, watching as the serfs of the Lumberjack Team gathered toward a pile of fire. Karl and the other Retainer Knights pulled out the dried Smoked Grass leaves distributed to them, ready to throw into the fire at any moment, to create a pungent smoke from the burning leaves, designed to scare away the Magical Beast. Liszt rode the Li Dragon Horse, joined Marcus, and confronted the grey Wind de Wolf. ¡°Sir, are you sure there are three Magical Beasts?¡± ¡°Quite sure,¡± Liszt held the Crimson Blood Sword, still not dissipating the Eye of Magic, ¡°There is one in that clump of bushes to the left of this Wind de Wolf, and another one in the bushes to the right rear side. It obviously wants to attract our attention, allowing the other two to sneak attack.¡± Marcus bent the bow to load another arrow, ¡°Wolves are cunning and cautious by nature, I¡¯ll flush them out!¡± Two arrows were shot, but there was no movement in the bushes. In a situation that should have been tense, Liszt suddenly felt likeughing. These three Wind de Wolves thought they could y tricks on him, believing that by hiding in the bushes they would go unnoticed, but under the watch of the Eye of Magic, they had nowhere to hide. ¡°That one on the left, move a meter to the left below the bush. The one on the right rear side, move one and a half meters to the right.¡± Upon hearing this, Marcus. Immediately drew another arrow, this time not two with one bow, but a single arrow, aiming for the bush on the left. Thwack! Awooo! A sound of flesh splitting open, followed by the pained howl of the Wind de Wolf, and the shaking of the bush. The Wind de Wolf, with an arrow in its shoulder de, fled, tucking its tail and quickly disappearing into the depths of the forest. The Wind de Wolf that served as a distraction also turned and ran. Only the Wind de Wolf hidden in the right rear bush remained, perhaps still hoping tounch a sneak attack. But the next moment. An arrow grazed its back and flew past, startling it, and no longer daring to hide, it bolted out of the bush, silently turning to flee. After just a few exchanges of arrows, without even needing to use the Smoked Grass, the three Wind de Wolves vanished without a trace. The Eye of Magic could no longer see the traces of magic power, Liszt called up the Smoke Mission to see the updated content, and with slight regret waved his hand, ¡°The Wind de Wolves havepletely fled, stand down the alert, continue with the lumber work.¡± They hadn¡¯t managed to leave a single Magical Beast behind, nor had they a chance to show off. But it was good that the mission wasplete. ¡°Missionpleted, reward: Miniature Saltpeter Mine.¡± ¡°A Saltpeter Mine?¡± Metal and gemstones came from Dragons, as for other mineral substances, they all originated from thend itself. Some time ago, Liszt was stillining about theck of saltpeter for making ice, unable to enjoy even a chilled beer in the height of summer. It was unexpected that he¡¯d now be rewarded with a Saltpeter Mine, quite considerate indeed. ¡°However, isn¡¯t it too wasteful to use saltpeter to make ice? I remember saltpeter is one of theponents of ck gunpowder,¡± he reflected briefly and recalled the form of ck gunpowder he had learned in high school physics¡ªcharcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). Now that a use had been found for the saltpeter, it was a pity sulfur hadn¡¯t been ounted for. ¡°Let¡¯s just use it to make ice first. The days are getting hotter and hotter. Without ice blocks to cool down, without chilled beer, life simply isn¡¯t worth living.¡± As his thoughts churned, the Smoke Serpent Script began to transform. ¡°Mission: The crisis of the magical beast invasion has been resolved. It is time to go all out in logging, widen the roads of Thorn Ridge, and re-integrate Fresh Flower Town into the trade of Coral Ind, winning development opportunities. Reward: a new species of mushrooms.¡± ¡°A new species of mushrooms?¡± Liszt immediately thought of Mushroom Hamlet: ¡°Could it be that magic potions are going to grow in the mushroom sheds of Mushroom Hamlet, just like the ck Tulips?¡± Mushrooms are a very important ingredient in noble cuisine. In terms of ssification, they are categorized as mushrooms, which people of this world call Abandoned Cordyceps¡ªmeaning nts abandoned by Elf Bugs. Because they can¡¯t produce a single Elf Bug. In this world, even a weed could potentially give birth to Elf Bugs, the only exception being mushrooms which can¡¯t produce them, leading some to question whether they are nts at all. However, they do contain many varieties of magic potions, and only nts can grow into magic potions, which again ces them in the nt category. In the end, no definite conclusion had been formed. The knowledge Liszt possessed told him that mushrooms are fungi¡ªbut in this world, whether they¡¯re fungi or nts doesn¡¯t really matter; this isn¡¯t a world that speaks of science. ¡°Although they can¡¯t produce Elf Bugs and hence supernaturally increase yield, as mushrooms, they grow very fast under appropriate conditions. If we indeede across a new variety of magic potion mushrooms, that would be enormously good news. It would mean that Fresh Flower Town had gained a new local specialty.¡± The ck Tulip could have be a specialty, but he had only one Tulip Bug and couldn¡¯t scale up. Therefore, it would be best to cooperate with Tulip Castle. But it¡¯s different with magic potion mushrooms. Without the need for help from Elf Bugs, they could expand their nting scale on their own, making them an excellent choice for a local specialty. Just the addition of one type of magic potion mushroom might draw an endless stream of merchant caravans. At least, Levis and Li Vera would certainly not miss out on a new magic potion¡ªfor the dream of bing a Sky Knight, they both aspired to be filled with potions. ¡°Logging! I will supervise the logging every day during this period. We must open up the roads of Thorn Ridge as soon as possible!¡± Liszt decided, excited. In the scorching heat of summer, as it became unbearable, he had been preparing to return to the castle earlier. Now revitalized, he immediately had Thomas pack food from the castle so they could enjoy a pic right at the logging site¡ªa precaution in case the Wind de Wolves decided to return. They had just finished their pic. On the nearby road, there suddenly came the clip-clop of horse hooves, and several knights galloping with a whoosh. It seemed that they had spotted the Lumberjack Team, and headed straight to the logging site. Karl and four Retainer Knights immediately went to greet them and then brought the knights over to Liszt. ¡°Baron,¡± said the knight leading them, a familiar face to Liszt, Lord Layden, a Knight Captain of Tulip Castle, who gave a Knight¡¯s salute, ¡°Lord Layden sends his regards.¡± Lord Layden had been the one to escort Levis and the others for the assimtion tradest time. Liszt returned the Knight¡¯s salute: ¡°Sir Layden, we meet again. What brings you here this time?¡± ¡°In five days, on June 26, it is the Festival of Sailing. The Earl has sent me to convey a message that all members of the Tulip Family wille to Fresh Flower Town to celebrate the Festival of Sailing with you.¡± Chapter 69: The Mysterious Disappearance of the Saltpeter Mine Chapter 69: The Mysterious Disappearance of the Saltpeter Mine Trantor: 549690339 Sea Festival. Li Si Te had almost forgotten about it. In the Duchy of Sapphire, the two most important festivals were the New Year Festival and the Sea Festival. The New Year Festival is a customary celebration of the entire continent, marking the end of one year and the beginning of another. Almost every country¡¯s nobles andmoners alike would celebrate the New Year. The Sea Festival, however, is unique to the Duchy of Sapphire, celebrating the first sea voyage of the Sapphire Family¡ªafter the failure of the Dragon ying Battle, the Sapphire Family was forced to migrate to the archipgo to establish their own nation. To gloss over the background of failure, the day of sailing was proimed as a day of great embarkation in pursuit of dreams. Commoners might prefer the New Year, a festival passed down through countless generations. But the Sea Festival was an annual celebration that the nobles of the ind nations had to partake in. ¡°Thank you, Sir Layden, for the effort in delivering the message.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty, Baron.¡± ¡°How are my grandmother, my father, as well as my brother, sister,dy, and Lidun doing?¡± ¡°All is well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± After chatting with Layden about the recent circumstances of Tulip Castle, Liszt inquired about the return of the Tulip Fleet and, without realizing it, had already returned to the castle. Layden and his party had not yet had lunch, so he immediately instructed the kitchen to prepare a meal and entertain them. ¡°Baron, is Fresh Flower Town nning to clear all the trees of Thorn Ridge?¡± Layden asked, puzzled by the extensive logging he had witnessed these past two days. ¡°The n is to clear them all, to eliminate the Magical Beasts¡¯ habitats. However, we currentlyck sufficient manpower. For now, we can only clear the trees on both sides of the road, creating open areas to reduce the risk of Magical Beast attacks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s indeed a good strategy. The Magical Beasts in the forest are terrible, but those in the open fields are just slightly stronger wild animals.¡± For knights with horses, open areas prevent surprise attacks by Magical Beasts, and even magic can be avoided. Moreover, horses can run so fast that Magical Beasts may not be able to catch up. Knights couldunch a charge in open fields, merging with their horses to employ various Dou Qi Manuscripts. Maintaining the etiquette and courtesies between nobles. After lunch, Layden and his party took their leave. Liszt then needed to make arrangements: ¡°Mr. Carter, in three days, the Tulip Family wille to the castle to celebrate the Sea Festival with me. I¡¯m not very fond of such noisy asions, so I¡¯ll leave the arrangements to you.¡± ¡°Rest assured, sir. I attended many Sea Festivals at Tulip Castle in my youth. The scenes of Butler Louis hosting the festival banquets are deeply etched in my memory. Now, with an abundance of seafood and Magical Beast Meat in the castle, we can hold a perfect banquet, despite slightlycking in beverages.¡± ¡°I remember among the new serfs, there is a brewer?¡± ¡°Yes, his name is Frank Dregs. However, he can only brew fruit wines and doesn¡¯t know how to make white wine, red wine, or beer. Moreover, we don¡¯t have any hops.¡± Liszt frowned, ¡°We don¡¯t have any beer with hops at all?¡± ¡°There¡¯s half a barrel in the cer. It¡¯s your lordship¡¯s only little indulgence, and I¡¯m somewhat reluctant to take it out,¡± Carter said regretfully, as Liszt had be the most important figure in his heart. ¡°Then don¡¯t take it out,¡± Liszt blinked. Carter responded with a knowing smile, ¡°I thought so too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity I forgot to have Layden convey a few messages to Levis when he left, asking Levis to help me purchase some wines and ingredients¡ In the end, the root cause is still the obstructed roads. Otherwise, the castle¡¯s Gold Coins should be spent, not left to mold.¡± ¡°Perhaps you could instruct Mr. Marcus to deliver the message?¡± ¡°No, Teacher Marcus has more important matters at hand; the Lumberjack Team needs his supervision, and the Knight Squad needs his training. If the Sea Festival is modest, then let it be modest. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing for Father Lord to see Fresh Flower Town¡¯s poverty.¡± A crying baby gets the milk. If the Earl sees that Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t even have hops beer, would his conscience not ache? Carterughed, ¡°My lord, you¡¯re bing more open-minded.¡± Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯ve recently read a knight¡¯s novel, which contains a little poem¡ªWhen life deceives you, do not feel sad, do not be in a hurry! In gloomy days, one needs to be calm; believe, joyful days wille! The heart forever longs for the future; yet now is often mncholic¡¡± Everything is but a moment, everything will pass. And what has passed will be fond memories. The Earl did not ce much importance on his third son, Liszt; it was hardly a significant issue. Thus, although life could sometimes be modest and strained, the current Liszt remained optimistic. Compared to mostmoners and minor nobles, Fresh Flower Town¡¯s living conditions were already quite perfect. Being able to eat white bread every day was a dream beyond reach for many. In the following days, the town was still buzzing with construction¡ªbuilding roads, cutting wood, and building houses in Oyster Vige. The serfs, with the copper coins paid by Liszt, worked enthusiastically even in the hot weather, which couldn¡¯t dampen their spirits. The castle was just as bustling, with Butler Carter busy directing the servants to clean inside and out and to decorate the castle. Cook Abbie Spoon, with her mighty voice, had Eileen and Little Lily, the two kitchen maids, spinning around, bustling between various ingredients. Marcus led the Knight Squad in protecting the Lumberjack Team and practicing the basics of Dou Qi. Goltai, Isaiah, and ir were also working diligently. Only Liszt was somewhat troubled¡ªhe couldn¡¯t find where the tiny Saltpeter Mine was! The mission was alreadypleted, but the reward of the Saltpeter Mine had yet to be discovered. No one reported to him the finding of any unusual stones, nor was there any abnormal situation that warranted his attention. For three consecutive days with no clues, Liszt was quite vexed. It was not that the Saltpeter Mine was of great value. Apart from using it for making ice, he didn¡¯t know what else saltpeter could be used for at the moment. It was the situation that was not optimistic, making him worry whether there was a problem with the Smoke Mission. The rewards for previous missions nearly always reached him on the same day. ¡°Could it be that my ¡®golden finger¡¯ is about to leave me?¡± At night, lying in bed looking at the Mushroom Hamlet mission still pending, he was truly worried. Thankfully. The worry onlysted until the fourth day. That day, after Goltai led the Lumberjack Team into Thorn Ridge to work, another team followed them¡ªthe rubble transport team, responsible for breaking down the stones of Thorn Ridge and moving them to the sides of the road for paving. While constantly searching for stones to smash, they suddenly discovered a pile of stones embedded on the earth¡¯s surface, apanied by arge amount of white crystalline substance. At first, they thought it was salt, which is very important in daily life, so the serfs were very happy finding something good meant the Lord Landlord would reward them. However, after a simple taste test, they realized the white substance had not the slightest saltiness, but instead, a bitterness. Despite this, they still scraped off a lot of the white material and presented it to Goltai for verification. Unable to identify it, Goltai reported the situation to Liszt. Looking at the white crystalline powder in his hand, Liszt honestly couldn¡¯t tell whether it was saltpeter, but he knew an experiment would reveal the truth. Chapter 70: Cheers for Ice Cold Beer Chapter 70: Cheers for Ice Cold Beer Trantor: 549690339 Potassium nitrate dissolved in water absorbs a great amount of heat, which is the principle behind ice-making with saltpeter. Thanks to his past experience of reading novels, Liszt knew quite a bit of suchmon knowledge. Moreover, he was aware that potassium nitrate could be reused. ¡°Saltpeter is a magical substance that dissolves in water and then chills the water until it freezes,¡± Liszt directed the servants to pour the white powder into a basin of water. Then, they watched the powder gradually dissolve. Tom dipped his fingers into the water and cried out in amazement, ¡°My lord, my lord, the water, the water has really cooled down, it¡¯s so cold!¡± Goltai pushed Tom aside, curious yet hesitant, but eventually dipped his fingers into the water too, ¡°It is indeed much cooler than before, Liszt. Is this a magician¡¯s doing? I once saw a magician proficient in ice magic who would make a fortune by creatingrge quantities of ice blocks during summer.¡± However, after a brief wait, the water had only cooled and had not frozen. ¡°Liszt, why hasn¡¯t it turned to ice?¡± ¡°Teacher Goltai, making ice with saltpeter isn¡¯t as simple as throwing in a bit of powder; what we¡¯ve done now is just to prove that it is indeed saltpeter,¡± Liszt said with a light smile. ¡°Now, gather all these pieces of saltpeter while breaking the rocks, and bring them all into the castle, without missing a single one.¡± ¡°Alright, I look forward to the moment you produce ice blocks. Having ice during the summer is the true mark of noble luxury.¡± Tomorrow is the Sea Festival, and the castle will host a banquet. Night fell. Looking at the amount of saltpeter powder collected in a day, enough to fill a wooden barrel, an excited Liszt instructed the servants to begin the real process of making ice with saltpeter. Saltpeter dissolved in water absorbs heat and turns the water to ice. But the brine directly resulting from melting saltpeter is toxic, so it was necessary to prepare arge tub and a copper basin with good thermal conductivity. Water was put into both the tub and the basin, then the copper basin was ced inside the tub. They poured the saltpeter into the water of the tub, waiting for it to dissolve and absorb heat, turning the water into ice. As there was a substantial amount of saltpeter powder prepared, the cooling effect of the dissolution was exceptionally strong. In no time at all, the water in the tub slowly began to solidify, and eventually, even the water in the copper basin began to freeze. ¡°It¡¯s frozen!¡± ¡°It really has frozen!¡± ¡°A miraculous scene; this is the method of legendary alchemists!¡± Marcus, Goltai, Isaiah, and ir, who were watching from the side, all marveled. In their minds, ice belonged only to winter, and nobles who built ice cers could enjoy the refreshing effect of ice in the summer. But an ice cer was a luxury, and only wealthyndlords could organizerge teams to harvest ice blocks from rivers andkes in the winter. For fallen nobles like Goltai, they could only scrape a few ice blocks each year at Tulip Castle to get a taste. Marcus, ir, and Isaiah did not even have the privilege of tasting summer ice. Liszt was just as thrilled, he had heard of ice-making with saltpeter before, but this was his first time undertaking the task. Seeing water turn to ice with his own eyes was indeed a stunning experience. ¡°My lord, it¡¯s turned to ice,¡± Thomas said as he circled therge tub, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Cut the ice,¡± Liszt nodded with a reserved noble smile on his face, calm andposed as hemanded, ¡°Cut the ice blocks into small pieces. Tonight, every gentleman anddy will be able to have a small piece of ice.¡± Carter said softly, ¡°My lord, ice is too precious, perhaps the servants don¡¯t need any?¡± ¡°Not to worry, Mr. Carter, do as I say,¡± Liszt replied. ¡°Yes, my lord. Your generosity is deeply appreciated on behalf of all the servants,¡± Carter bowed deeply, recognizing the fortune of serving a generous noble master. Having said that, he directed Thomas to bring the ice blocks in the copper basin to the kitchen to begin cutting them. Liszt then called for Tom, ¡°Preserve this tub of ice water well. Tomorrow, when the sunes up, take it out to evaporate, not a single drop should go to waste.¡± Goltai was puzzled, ¡°Liszt, what¡¯s the rationale here, these ice blocks should just be used as they are, why do we need to let them melt?¡± ¡°The saltpeter directly melts the condensed ice; of course, it can be used, but it cannot be eaten. After drying out the water content, it bes saltpeter again, and then it is repeatedly used to make ice.¡± ¡°Is saltpeter really that magical?¡± ¡°It¡¯s much more magical than you think,¡± Liszt thought to himself¡ªif he found sulfur, he would now dare to mix ck gunpowder. Perhapspared to yellow gunpowder, ck gunpowder strictly speaking isn¡¯t even considered an explosive, but it¡¯s still a mmable and explosive high-explosive material. Suitable for making some homemade bombs, its power wouldn¡¯t be weaker than the magic released by low-level magical beasts. When used in low-level battles, it can still achieve an element of surprise. Of course, in a world where dragons, elves, and magic power exist, ck gunpowder doesn¡¯t have any decisive advantage. The dishes at the banquet weren¡¯t very rich; Liszt couldn¡¯t afford to treat Goltai and the others to avish meal every day, as the castle¡¯s supplies ensured his own extravagant lifestyle. Even the alcoholic drinks were poor, all of them sour beers without hops. But the party atmosphere was buoyant because everyone¡¯s cup contained a few pieces of ice. As the ice melted, it turned the beer in their cups ice cold. A gulp refreshing the drinker instantly, cooling the heart, an absolute delight in this increasingly hot weather. ¡°Liszt, I propose, for the sake of the iced beer, let¡¯s toast!¡± Goltai happily raised his cup. Liszt picked up his cup in response, ¡°Then to the iced beer, cheers.¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± Gulp gulp, the sound of gulping down beer resonated at the dining table. The kitchen. Above the dining table. Eileen stirred the ice cubes in her te with her spoon, making ttering noises. Mrs. Abbie Spoon couldn¡¯t help scolding, ¡°Eileen, stop making that unpleasant noise, eat the ice cubes gifted to you by the master quickly!¡± ¡°Rather than eating the ice cubes, I prefer watching them melt. Mrs. Abbie, don¡¯t you feel the temperature has dropped in the kitchen today?¡± Eileen Four Fingers continued to stir the ice, then looked towards the seat beside her at Lily Bath Touch, ¡°Little Lily, do you feel it?¡± ¡°Of course, everyone¡¯s te has ice cubes.¡± As she spoke, Little Lily stuck out her tongue and licked the ice cube on her spoon; she didn¡¯t want to eat it all at once. The ice cubes didn¡¯t have much taste, but they were cool and feltfortable, making all the heatiness in the body fade away. Abbie said angrily, ¡°Little Lily, I won¡¯t allow you to speak to Eileen during meals. Your clumsy hands and rude way of eating will only bring shame to our kitchen!¡± ¡°Cough cough.¡± Butler Carter bit the ice cube in his mouth forcefully, even though he was already in his fifties, his teeth were still strong, ¡°Mrs. Abbie, they are still children; let them have some slight indiscretions during meals.¡± ¡°Mr. Carter, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t listen to you, but you shouldn¡¯t indulge them, or they will be unruly. Being clumsy is disappointing enough, and if they can¡¯t even learn a bit of etiquette, they will stay in the kitchen for a lifetime, unable to be maids upstairs,¡± Abbie said earnestly. Carter and Morson exchanged nces; they both knew that Abbie was a kind-hearted person who was tough on the outside but soft on the inside. But obviously, Eileen was not convinced, ¡°Mrs. Abbie, I don¡¯t even want to go upstairs. It¡¯s notfortable at all, you have to be so careful you can¡¯t even leave a footprint. I want to be a cook in the future; I like working in the kitchen.¡± ¡°You can forget about it!¡± Abbie red up immediately, ¡°As long as I¡¯m in the kitchen, you¡¯ll never be a cook, little girl, remember not to offend me!¡± ¡°But you will get old one day.¡± ¡°Even if one day I¡¯m so old that I can¡¯t do my job, the cook is still me, and you have to listen to what I say!¡± Chapter 71 - 071: The Festive Atmosphere of the Sea Festival Chapter 71: The Festive Atmosphere of the Sea Festival Trantor: 549690339 Before dawn had broken, Butler Carter¡¯s voice was already echoing up and down the castle. ¡°Tom, brace yourself!¡± ¡°Thomas, prepare Lord Liszt¡¯s festive attire without a single mistake, ck Abbieye!¡± ¡°Mrs. Morson, there¡¯s dust on the second-floor window. Have the maids clean it immediately. We can¡¯t give our soon-to-arrive guests the impression ofziness.¡± ¡°Good heavens, why does the kitchen have the oysters out in the sun? Take them away quickly¡ No, no, no, Eileen, absolutely not today!¡± ¡°I need to see the water in the castle¡¯s tank spilling over, but Jessie, you won¡¯t be carrying water, let John and Parker do that. You need to hurry and inspect all the cordyceps. Even on festival days, we can¡¯t neglect what¡¯s most important!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bring the entire thing out to sun. You should break it up¡ªsmall chunks of ice will sun more easily.¡± Carter took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was indeed a busy day, and he still had a pile of precious crystal tableware to polish, but he had to sort out the trivial matters first. He watched the newly arrived manservant Jim, struggling to move the water tank used for making ice the day before out into the sun. He couldn¡¯t help but tell him to use his head. Jim was tall and quite clever, but only green in experience. Upon hearing Carter¡¯s words, he immediately started apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Carter, I didn¡¯t think of that. I¡¯ll break up the ice blocks right now and put them in a few buckets and basins.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spill it, inside there is¡ saltpeter, the Lord specifically mentioned it¡¯s very valuable.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Carter.¡± After making his rounds around the castle, Carter went up to the second floor, just in time to see Thomas carrying ck Abbieye into Liszt¡¯s bedroom. He followed and knocked on the door to enter. ¡°My Lord, you¡¯ve awoken quite early today.¡± Liszt was donning his detested clothes and the particrly ufortable ruff ¡°Ruff¡± with Thomas¡¯s assistance. His mood was a bit sour for a moment, ¡°With all themotion in the castle, I found it a bit difficult to sleep.¡± Carter suddenly bowed, looking somewhat uneasy, ¡°I apologize, it was apse in my work, disturbing Your Lordship.¡± Liszt was just a bit groggy from waking up, but seeing Carter apologize, his little irritation quickly dissipated. It wouldn¡¯t do to have this old man, faithful to him, bear the brunt of this small urrence, ¡°It has nothing to do with you, Mr. Carter, don¡¯t me yourself. It¡¯s the seafest today, I had to rise early.¡± Carter breathed a sigh of relief. Thomas cast a sidelong nce, somewhat disappointed¡ªhe had quite looked forward to seeing the Lord chastise the butler. After dressing, Liszt had a quick breakfast, then mounted his Fire Dragon Horse, ready to take a tour of the hamlet¡ªtoday was the festival, and even if only the nobles celebrated, it was still important to share joy with themon folk, to savor their support andpliments. By this time, he had already spotted Goltai, also in festive attire. And Marcus, ir, and Isaiah, dressed rather formally. These three were not yet nobles with titles. ¡°Baron, Goltai offers you festive greetings.¡± ¡°My Lord, Marcus offers you festive greetings.¡± ¡°Baron, Isaiah offers you festive greetings.¡± ¡°Baron, ir offers festival greetings to you.¡± The four of them greeted Liszt in turn, meticulously performing the nobility etiquette. Liszt responded with noble courtesy as well, ¡°Happy holidays.¡± Then came his four retainer knights, and twelve squire knights, who each stepped forward to salute and offer their holiday greetings. Finally, the castle servants,ying aside their work, led by Carter, also offered their festival greetings. As he walked through the town with Goltai and the retainer knights, phrases like ¡°Lord Landlord, XXX offers you festival greetings¡± continuously came from both sides of the road, with freemen kneeling on one knee, and serfs kneeling on both knees. The authority of the nobility was continuously consolidated within such rituals, sinking deeply into people¡¯s hearts. Once themoners had grown ustomed to kneeling, the foundation of rule would be unbreakable. ¡°My lord, good news.¡± While patrolling Tomato Hamlet, Liszt encountered Jessie Asanobu, who had been promoted from assistant manservant to manservant, now earning a wage of two copper coins a day. ¡°Jessie, what¡¯s the good news?¡± ¡°I just checked the cordyceps in Tomato Hamlet and found that the Tomato Elf Bug has already been nurtured.¡± ¡°Is that so, this indeed is good news.¡± Liszt was delighted; the seventh elf bug hade to the castle. He directly led the patrol team to John Bian Dan¡¯s tomato fields. The cordyceps in the middle was notably tall, bearing red tomatoes. On one of its small yellow flowers, a plump, all-red elf bug basked leisurely in the sun. John Bian Dan watched nervously beside the elf bug, his duty to protect it for thendlord from any harm, and to prevent it from being contracted by anyone else. Only thendlord was qualified to contract an elf bug. And only those who possessed Dou Qi or magic could establish a contract. ¡°Lord Landlord, John Bian Dan offers you festival greetings.¡± ¡°Happy holidays, John.¡± Liszt briefly greeted him and then approached the bug, sprinkling a bit of Jade Powder to attract it. He then rubbed a little Jade Powder on his fingertip and reached out to the little one. The Dou Qi at his fingertip circted, the charm of magic power and Jade Powder working together, and the bug bit down without hesitation. A fleeting sensation of a heart-to-heart connection passed, and the Tomato Elf Bug had established a contract with Liszt. Goltai looked on enviously at the elf bug, chuckling joyfully, ¡°Today really is a day of celebration, as if the elf bug chose to nurture today to offer you, Liszt, its festival greetings.¡± If only his own domain had an elf bug, perhaps he would not have ended in bankruptcy. ¡°It is a clever elf bug, I can feel it,¡± Liszt smiled and turned to John Bian Dan, ¡°John, the tomato field where the cordyceps stands will still be cultivated by you. Remember not to harm the cordyceps; it¡¯s the most important existence in Tomato Hamlet.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord, John is willing to give his life to protect it!¡± He spoke with great excitement; the tomato fields near the cordyceps were high-yielding and high-quality, meaning he could keep enough tomatoes after paying his taxes. For him, a prosperous life had taken off ever since Liszt rewarded him with a Nalda. ¡°It will get better and better.¡± ¡°I want to grow tomatoes for the Lord Landlord all my life!¡± As he watched the patrol team depart, his gaze focused on the noble and invible silhouette, his heart surged with emotion: ¡°May the glory of the knight forever favor the Lord Landlord.¡± Chapter 72 - 0072: The Earl Visits Fresh Flower Town Chapter 72: The Earl Visits Fresh Flower Town Trantor: 549690339 The Earl¡¯s caravan appeared at Thorn Ridge around ten in the morning. Learning from thest time when the caravan had reached close to the Castle before being noticed, the Patrol Team had been wandering on the road of Thorn Ridge early on. By now, arge number of trees had been felled on both sides of the road. The logs had not been removed yet; they were spread out on the ground, looking like ayer of flooring, undoubtedly providing great visibility for humans and reducing the risk of Magical Beast attacks. However, the job was not yet finished. The woodcutting was still underway, and Liszt was nning to set up two barricades to block the paths of the Magical Beasts. Although wooden barricades have zero restraining effect on Magical Beasts, the beasts, still having the minds of wild animals, would most likely turn back upon encountering them rather than destroy them. With the notification from the Patrol Team, Liszt, along with Goltai and others, went to meet this enormous troop¡ªconsisting of only five horse-drawn carriages but apanied by a whole Knight Squad. Pristinely dressed, with weapons shining bright, this Knight Squad had originally followed the Earl in continental warfare. Many Knights, due to their military merits, were ennobled and left for their territories to enjoy the beautiful life of anded gentry, then another batch of novices from the Knight Academy filled their ces, Maintaining the integrity of the Knight Order. The Earl didn¡¯t travel by carriage; he rode upon his beloved Panther Horse and didn¡¯t wear festive attire but was d in armor¡ªI suspect he purposely wore military attire to avoid the ck Abaieye, especially the disc-like Ruff, which could smother someone with prickly heat, particrly during the summer. In the heat of summer, the Ruff isn¡¯t so friendly to people. No one likes wearing a scarf in the summer. ¡°Father, Sir Liszt extends his festive greetings to you.¡± Noble etiquette still needed to be observed. ¡°Happy holiday,¡± Li Weiliam responded, then looking towards the nearby Castle with a touch of emotion, ¡°More than ten years, and this little Castle has not changed much¡ No need for formalities, let¡¯s go directly to the Castle, the weather outside is too hot, your grandmother needs to cool off sooner.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liszt led the way at once. A momentter, the caravan stopped at the Castle¡¯s gate; all the servants, under the direction of Carter, stood ready on both sides to wee the distinguished guests. Goltai approached with exaggerated fanfare, ¡°My Lord Earl, seeing you fills Goltai with such excitement! You seem even more splendid than a few months ago, despite my weakened Dou Qi, I can still feel the immense pressure emanating from you, the pressure of a Sky Knight!¡± Li Weiliam enjoyed such ttery andughed, ¡°Goltai, yourplexion looks even healthier. How is life in Fresh Flower Town?¡± Only then did Goltai shake out his clothes and bow deeply, ¡°Goltai presents his festive greetings to you, my lord. Life in Fresh Flower Town is vibrant and thriving; I enjoy working here.¡± While conversing, the voice of Lady Penelope could be heard from behind, ¡°The dust was so heavy on the way, I need water to clean up. Going on a long journey feels like enduring a nightmare, wishing for it to end but having to press on regardless.¡± ¡°Grandmother, Sir Liszt offers his festive greetings to you.¡± ¡°Happy holiday,¡± Lady Penelope, assisted by her personal maid, entered the Castle and nced around, ¡°It¡¯s hard for you, living in the countryside, enduring such a straitened lifestyle¡ The only thing I might envy is the smell of this little house, the scent of the rural soil.¡± Then, she added, ¡°It¡¯s morefortable to me than the smell of Tulip Castle.¡± ¡°If you find itfortable, why not stay a few more days?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly, my servants at home don¡¯t know how to care for my Flowers. I¡¯d go mad if I didn¡¯t see them for even one day.¡± Following Lady Penelope was a middle-aged woman, dressed in glittering finery, her tall Bird Lady Hat adorned with various feathers¡ªthis kind of hat, originally called the Bird Lady Hat, symbolizes ¡°the sky¡± and can only be worn by the wife of a Sky Knight. Itter became a trend that during festivals, all noblewomen would wear various extravagant and bizarre hats. In addition to her conspicuous hat, the woman also exuded a fox-like charm¡ªespecially her eyes. Liszt, inheriting the memories of his predecessor, had the deepest impression of those eyes. Back then, Liszt always felt that those eyes were constantly observing in secret without showing any signs. Yet, when she smiled, they carried the sweet vor of the girl-next-door. The present-day Liszt, upon seeing those eyes again, could easily conclude that they were fox eyes. Slightly narrow, with upturned corners, they would curve into crescents when she smiled. ¡°Madam, Liszt presents his festival greetings to you,¡± he said with a faint smile on his face, demonstrating the impable etiquette of a noble as a matter of routine, even if his heart loathed it, his expression was still nothing but warm and cordial. ¡°Happy festival, Liszt. You¡¯ve grown taller,¡± the middle-aged woman replied with a smile. She was the current Countess, Lady Marie Lova. In her hand, she was holding a very young boy. The boy was clearly disdainful of the castle environment, showing only a forced semnce of respect while performing his courtesies: ¡°Brother Liszt, Lidun offers his festival greetings to you.¡± ¡°Happy festival.¡± Liszt responded indifferently and continued speaking to Lady Marie, ¡°Madam, please take Lidun inside the castle to rest. I will go and greet my brother, sister, and Sir Layden and the others.¡± Levis and Li Vera had been to Fresh Flower Town more than once. So after exchanging festivite greetings with each other, they entered the castle. Liszt then went on to greet the nobles who followed in the procession¡ªthese were lesser nobles serving at Tulip Castle, mostly Honored Knights and also a Baron, who was the Knight Captain of Tulip Castle, Miki. The leader of the Coral Ind Knights was personally held by Li Weiliam. As the captain, Miki was responsible for the regr training of the Knight Order and the security of Tulip Castle, effectively acting as the actual leader. After the formalities were over, the castle became even more lively. Because there were too many people, there was arge gathering of nobles upstairs and even more knights downstairs; fifteen servants were simply not enough. Fortunately, the Earl himself had also brought many servants along with plenty of food and drinks¡ªproving that they understood the countryside had little to offer. Consider it a pic here. Carter, acting as the butler, naturally tookmand of all the servants, even in the presence of Silva, the deputy butler of Tulip Castle. ¡°Carter, if there isn¡¯t enough food in the castle, don¡¯t bother, the Earl has brought enough food from Tulip Castle tost several days,¡± said Silva, younger than Carter, perfectly attired in a tailcoat, standing among the servants, he was every inch a noble of high status. Carter used to be just a butler at a manor castle. When interacting with Silva, the deputy butler, he had to follow the other¡¯smand. But now, he represented Liszt. So he couldn¡¯t help but puff out his chest, making himself look more spirited: ¡°Thank you for the Earl¡¯s consideration, but even without the food from Tulip Castle, the town can still offer a variety of delicious cuisine. We have prepared a feast, Mr. Silva. I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± Chapter 73 - 0073: A Successful Banquet Chapter 73: A Sessful Banquet Trantor: 549690339 ¡°ck Tulip, truly beautiful.¡± Li Weiliam caressed the sole ck Tulip with a gentle expression. The rise of the family had relied on the Tulip, and naturally, he had a special affection for it. Lady Penelope also gently touched the purple-ck bloom, ¡°Having a new variety of Magic Potion, and it being a Tulip at that, is a sign of the family¡¯s continued prosperity. I originally thought Liszt was not a lucky one, but now it seems he is the luckiest one in the Tulip Family.¡± ¡°We should promote the ck Tulip vigorously, for the sake of the family,¡± Lady Marie said, seemingly offhand. Following behind Lady Marie, Lidun said with a trace of naivety, ¡°It¡¯s really pretty, Father, can I have a ck Tulip too? I want to nt it on my bedroom windowsill so I can see it every day.¡± ¡°There will be a chance, Lidun,¡± Levis cut off Lidun¡¯s words directly, looking at the harvested capsule and then questioning Liszt, ¡°Have you already harvested a batch of seeds?¡± ¡°A total of thirty-five mature capsules, each with roughly thirty seeds. I think, entrusted to Xiangxiang for cultivation, we should be able to nt on arge scale within half a year.¡± ¡°Of course, Xiangxiang¡¯s speed in cultivating Tulips is top-notch among Greater Elves.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hand over the seeds to youter.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The two of them chatted briefly and settled the matter of nting the ck Tulip without leaving room for others to interject¡ªthe brothers were united in their views, willing to include Li Vera but certainly not Lidun. Not raised by the same mother, they naturally didn¡¯t have the same priorities. The Earl nced at Lady Marie and Lidun. Then looked at Liszt, who now stood much taller than himself, and ultimately said nothing. Lady Penelope whispered quietly in Li Vera¡¯s ear, ¡°The two boys already have their own opinions. Just look at Li Weiliam¡¯s face, it¡¯s truly delightful.¡± Although she whispered quietly, everyone was gathered close, and there was no semnce of privacy. Li Weiliam could only pretend not to hear, saying to Liszt, ¡°Fresh Flower Farm has fallen into disrepair. After I discovered the Tulips here, I nted a sea of Tulips and hope you can restore the scenery of that time.¡± ¡°Reviving Fresh Flower Farm has always been part of my ns.¡± ¡°I can see that, you really understand how to be apetent Landlord. Fresh Flower Town exudes a thriving atmosphere, I hope it continues.¡± After seeing the ck Tulip, as the day grew too hot, the group returned to the Castle. In the horse field outside the Castle, Li Weiliam saw the Li Dragon Horse. As a Sky Knight, his eye for horses was quite astute; just one nce was enough to see that the Li Dragon Horse was more magnificent than his own Panther Horse. ¡°What bloodline is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Liszt did not reveal the Dragon bloodline, for once mentioned, the Earl would certainly snatch away the Li Dragon Horse¡ªa Dragon Breed Horse was of immense importance to Nobles. ¡°Perhaps it carries the bloodline of an Intermediate Magical Beast. If you can breed a herd of equally magnificent horses, I¡¯ll buy a batch from you to rece the Knight Order¡¯s mounts.¡± ¡°That could take a long time.¡± Li Weiliam looked at Liszt with a meaningful nce, ¡°Don¡¯t be in a rush, time is on your side.¡± Inside the Castle. The servants had already prepared the banquet, and after a brief wash, it was time to enter the formal banquet stage. The footmen carried dish after dish on tes, cing them in front of each noble guest. Carter employed all his skills to direct the team of servants in an orderly fashion. The Earl¡¯s brought food did not cause any stir¡ªit was what they ate regrly. However, as seafood was served, what should have been a nd banquet hit a peak of excitement, with many appetizing dishes that they had never tasted before. ¡°What is this?¡± Lady Penelope, guided by a maid, dug a m out of its shell, took a bite, and found it fresh, smooth, and delectable, a taste distinctly different fromnd dishes that blossomed on the taste buds, ¡°Hmm, very delicious, so soft I almost don¡¯t need to use teeth.¡± ¡°ms, a type of seafood abundant by the sea, are very tasty in flesh. They are not only very delicious but also can prevent the onset of some diseases.¡± Li Vera, following the maid¡¯s method, peeled a shrimp: ¡°And what is this?¡± As the host, Liszt continued to exin, ¡°Mantis shrimp, or perhaps it¡¯s more interesting to call them peacock shrimps, their vor is fresh, sweet, tender, and smooth, delicate and soft, not at all inferior to the rock shrimps from Long Taro Castle. It¡¯s a pity we are now in summer, if it were spring, the breeding season for peacock shrimps, the taste would be even more delicate and delicious.¡± ¡°So, they are all from the sea¡ seafood?¡± ¡°Yes, Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have any special products, so to improve our recipes, we must look to the Sea of Azure Waves on the East Coast. Fortunately, there are countless delicious seafood waiting to be developed.¡± Seafood is an important food source. Not many nobles have noticed this yet, but perhaps after today¡¯s banquet, Coral Ind might experience a seafood development craze¡ªor perhaps not, as the ocean is far less important in the eyes of the nobles than thend. Sometimes, what restricts development is not vision. But inertia. Liszt discovered this among the incessant praises for the seafood. While the Earl and others highly appreciated the seafood, they preferred to buy it from Fresh Flower Town rather than catch it themselves. Perhaps, in their view, it wasn¡¯t proper to waste serfs who should be farming on bing fishermen. ¡°Naturally, I can supply seafood for Tulip Castle. In fact, as you have seen, I am opening the route through Thorn Ridge, and once it is through, I will organize a caravan from Fresh Flower Town to go back and forth to Coral City. We will regrly sell the goods produced in Fresh Flower Town.¡± The Earl took a sip of red wine and nodded, ¡°Once the restriction of Thorn Ridge is lifted, Fresh Flower Town might also develop into a prosperous town¡ Like your sister, train a group of knights, for the glory of nobility is always fought for on horseback.¡± After the seafood. Another delicious dish was served, dried meat of the Wind Falcon. It was also thest main course, using magical beast meat as the finale of the main dishes, a fitting climax. Watching the guests enjoy their meal with noints made Carter, the butler, stand proudly beside the banquet. Everyone used to think Fresh Flower Town was a poor and shabby town, where thendlord was forced to live on poor food in a simple life. But this banquet demonstrated Fresh Flower Town¡¯s affluence. An affluent noble is a dignified noble. And his diligent direction of the servants¡¯ efforts perfectly reflected the aristocratic demeanor of the castle, convincing anyone who might have seen Liszt as a ¡°country baron.¡± Here in Fresh Flower Town, was a ce blessed with the glory of knights. ¡°Master, may we serve the dessert now? Mrs. Abbie has already prepared a sufficient amount of ice cream.¡± ¡°Then bring it forth.¡± Chapter 74 - 0074: The Popularity of Ice Cream Chapter 74: The Poprity of Ice Cream Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Ice cream, what is that dessert?¡± True to her nature as a girl, as soon as the word ice cream came from Carter¡¯s mouth, Li Vera immediately took note and asked, ¡°Is it a dessert made of ice?¡± Carter gestured to a servant to bring the ice cream from the kitchen, then exined to everyone, ¡°Ice cream is a very delicious frozen delicacy, a special product of Fresh Flower Town Castle Kitchen, made from a unique recipe that is perfect for cooling off in the summer and as an excellent dessert after a meal. It¡¯s a great creation thought up by the master.¡± ¡°Sounds like some sort of frozen cheese.¡± Lady Penelope remarked with a bit of disdain, ¡°I¡¯m not fond of cheese; it would make me feel nauseous all afternoon.¡± Levis shrugged his shoulders, ¡°I don¡¯t like cheese either, perhaps I could have a cup of frozen juice instead.¡± ¡°Ice cream is not cheese, try it first, and I believe you will fall for the charm of ice cream, a food that is full of temptation,¡± said Liszt dismissively. ¡°You¡¯re knowledgeable about gourmet food as well?¡± Lady Marie asked with a smile, ¡°A dessert personally made by a noble, I must try it.¡± Initially, the earl was just eating the roast meat on his te. Upon hearing Lady Marie¡¯s words, his face turned slightly grim, and he spoke with greater seriousness, ¡°Liszt, you¡¯vee of age and been granted your ownnd; you should be focusing on developing Fresh Flower Town and attaining knightly glory. Focusing on food is not in keeping with noble etiquette; the kitchen is a ce for servants!¡± Nobles absolutely never enter the kitchen, as it was deemed a ce for lower-ss individuals. Liszt took a casual sip of chilled beer, not minding the earl¡¯s scolding, ¡°Father, ice cream is just an idea, and Mrs. Abbie made it based on this idea. As a noble, all I need to do is taste it and offer suggestions on the vor.¡± Saying so, he smiled at Lady Marie, ¡°If you like itter, you could praise Mrs. Abbie; she is a dedicated and diligent cook.¡± ¡°I would be happy to.¡± Marie smiled. She then lowered her head to cut the seafood on her te, and her smile quickly faded. In the short time of a few sentences, the servants had already brought out cups of colorful ice cream on trays, arriving beside each noble to ce the ice cream on the table. The cups were valuable crystal cups. Crystal is often an essory mineral to dragon gems and, if of good quality with magic power, can be used to makemps; with poorer quality and no magic power, it is often crafted into various crystal vessels and bes a symbol of noble status, power, and wealth. The castle had twenty crystal goblets. Normally used in banquets to hold red wine, they were now being used to hold ice cream. ¡°Hmm, this is ice cream? It looks pretty and smells great,¡± Li Vera said as she picked up the cup of ice cream and examined it carefully. Inside the cup, there were three round balls. One pink, one light yellow, and one light green. On top, there were also two tiny purple wild berries. She then nced at the cup beside Levis, which also contained three balls, but in the colors of light yellow, pink, and dark brown. Essentially, there were only four colors: pink, light yellow, light green, and dark brown. It was just that the colorbination of the balls differed from one person¡¯s cup to another¡¯s. Carter spoke with grace, ¡°Lords,dies, young masters, and misses, there are four vors of ice cream. The pink is strawberry, the light yellow banana, the light green matcha, and the dark brown chocte. You can choose different ice creams ording to your own taste preferences.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very cold.¡± Captain Mickey said, holding the cup without hurrying to taste it, but rather asking curiously, ¡°Liszt, are they made of ice? If I remember correctly, Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have an ice cer. Forgive my curiosity, but I cannot fathom how the ice cream is made.¡± ¡°Indeed, Fresh Flower Towncks an ice cer, but that doesn¡¯t mean we have no ice,¡± said Liszt, looking into everyone¡¯s curious eyes without any intention of hiding the truth, ¡°I found a very small saltpeter mine in the town. I remember reading a knight¡¯s novel that said saltpeter could be used to make ice, and hence, Fresh Flower Town had ice.¡± ¡°Saltpeter? Making ice?¡± The Earl looked at the increasingly unfamiliar Liszt, and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is this the work of a magician?¡± ¡°While magicians can make ice directly, saltpeter ice-making is a kind of¡ natural phenomenon. Saltpeter dissolves in water, absorbing heat, and that can turn the water into ice.¡± ¡°Magical saltpeter, may I see it?¡± ¡°Of course, you can, but I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible today, as the saltpeter has been used up. It takes so much saltpeter to turn a small amount of water into ice, and Fresh Flower Town has only a tiny saltpeter mine. Mining all the saltpeter, we can¡¯t make two buckets of ice in a day.¡± ¡°As Captain Mickey sighed, ¡°That¡¯s really a shame.¡± Li Vera spoke up directly, ¡°Liszt, give me enough saltpeter for a bucket of water, and I¡¯ll give you gold coins!¡± ¡°Try the ice cream and see if it suits your taste, sister,¡± Liszt said, awkwardly changing the subject. This sister had been addicted to stealing his toys since she was little; she wanted every good thing for herself. Li Vera red at Liszt. This brother, who she could bully when they were young, had grown up enough to ignore her. ¡°Even if only making two buckets of ice each day, it¡¯s quite remarkable. Tulip Castle can¡¯t open the ice cer and take out ice every day, and in the summer, ice is more expensive than gold coins,¡± Marie turned her head toward the Earl, ¡°Dear, saltpeter could perhaps be developed into an industry, you know, those nobles are always eying our ice cer in the summer.¡± The Earl scooped up a ball of ice cream with a spoon and said without looking up, ¡°Magical as saltpeter is, two buckets of ice a day are barely enough for Liszt¡¯s own use, not of great value.¡± As he spoke, he tasted a scoop of the chocte-vored ice cream, and his eyes lit up instantly, ¡°A very unique texture.¡± Levis joined the conversation, ¡°It is indeed delicious. It¡¯s called ice cream, isn¡¯t it? I like this strawberry vor of ice cream. It¡¯s creamier than frozen cheese but not so cloyingly sweet, more fluffy, melts in the mouth just right.¡± ¡°I prefer the matcha vor,¡± said Li Vera, who had already eaten her light green ball of matcha-vored ice cream. ¡°It makes a good dessert after a meal, especially after a summer banquet,¡±mented Captain Mickey. The delicious ice cream instantly conquered everyone¡¯s taste buds. There was only one person at the table shaking her head, Lady Penelope: ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not ustomed to such a taste. It doesn¡¯t feel like food at all to me. Mr. Carter, I¡¯d like a ss of iced sugar water instead.¡± ¡°Grandmother doesn¡¯t like it? I do. Mr. Carter, another cup of ice cream for me, please. I want both chocte and banana vors,¡± Lidun said, having already polished off a cup of ice cream. Ice cream was just an after-dinner dessert. Liszt ¡°invented¡± it merely to enjoy a cold treat in the summertime¡ªnot being able to drink iced beer all day long, but one could eat ice cream any time. However, at today¡¯s banquet, ice cream had truly stolen the show. Aside from Lady Penelope, as well as the disinterested Captain Mickey and the Earl, everyone else was conquered by the taste of the ice cream. The fourrge portions of ice cream made by Mrs. Abbie were eaten up in no time. Eventually, the luncheon ended with the deliciousness of the ice cream. Busily directing the servants to clean up after the meal, Carter stood up straight in the hallway, his tense moodpletely soothed, and upon running into Butler Xi Er Wa, he smiled broadly, ¡°Mr. Silva, thanks to the food brought by His Lordship, the gentlemen enjoyed the luncheon immensely.¡± Chapter 75 - 0075: The Serf of Twenty Silver Coins Chapter 75: The Serf of Twenty Silver Coins Trantor: 549690339 Ice cream brought the festival banquet to a climax and nicely soothed the sultriness brought about by the hot weather. But although the banquet was over, the nobles lying in their chairs, digesting their food, were still discussing ice cream. Li Vera was the most enthusiastic among them, having fallen deeply in love with the taste of ice cream. ¡°Liszt, tell me, how is ice cream made?¡± ¡°Let Mrs. Abbie tell you. I only provided the idea, shepleted all the other steps.¡± Liszt had no intention of keeping it a secret. If he could produce ice on arge scale, then he would definitely need to keep the ice cream recipe safe as a means of amassing wealth. But without the ability to produce ice inrge quantities, it was impossible to make ice cream on the same scale, let alone transport it long distances for sale. Keeping the recipe to himself was of no use. Of course, extorting Li Vera was still necessary. ¡°I will tell only you the ice cream recipe, and it must not be revealed to others. Additionally, as part of a fair trade, you surely can¡¯t expect to get my things for nothing, can you?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Pig iron or wrought iron.¡± ¡°A hundred pounds of pig iron, that¡¯s all I can give you. If you ask for more, I would rather not have the ice cream recipe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Getting anything was better than nothing, and Liszt understood the bnce¡ªgiving something away for free was foolish generosity, and the other party might even think you¡¯re a fool; demanding too much was always not good, especially since they were siblings by blood, who could support and look out for each other. Having struck this little deal, he felt somewhat sentimental. He remembered his ¡°youthful¡± self on Earth, when he had made ice cream by hand to win over the girl he liked. Although he did not win her heart, he did learn the skill to make ice cream, which, looking back, was not learned in vain. ¡°It would be great if I could produce ice on arge scale. Making ice cream is still troublesome. If I made popsicles instead, I could definitely make a fortune¡ even just making ice could be lucrative.¡± The ice cream recipe was sold to Li Vera. But when it came to Levis, he gave it away for free. ¡°Brother, how many more days before the Tulip Fleet returns?¡± ¡°If we go by the usual timing, they should be back at Coral City¡¯s docks in about a week.¡± Levis, lighting up a cigar, added, ¡°Are you talking about the ve trade?¡± ¡°Yes, I hope to buy a batch of serfs on the next voyage of the Tulip Fleet.¡± Having got the recipe, Levis was easy to talk to: ¡°Okay, but what price can you offer?¡± ¡°Ten silver coins per serf?¡± ¡°That was the old price. Now there¡¯s no fighting within the Grand Duchy, and serf trading is not somon, hard toe by.¡± ¡°But I heard not long ago that the lord of Little Papa Ind was killed by pirates, and his territory was lost.¡± ¡°The Sapphire Duke is very angry about this, and the news has spread throughout the principalities, demanding cooperation to surround and trap these pirates. However, the pirates disappeared without a trace after wiping out Little Papa Ind. Some believe this is not a group of pirates, but rather a lord in disguise. Da Pa Pa Ind has offered a reward of three hundred gold coins for pirate clues.¡± Levis briefly mentioned the reaction caused by the pirate attack on Little Papa Ind, then continued, ¡°Except for this incident, things have been calm within the Grand Duchy. ve trading will require looking further afield, preferably on the borders where the Eagle Kingdom and the Steel Ridge Kingdom are at a standoff.¡± ¡°Name a price; if it¡¯s eptable, I will agree.¡± ¡°Twenty silver coins per serf, it can¡¯t go lower than that, otherwise there¡¯s no profit for me,¡± Levis offered his price, ¡°Another thing, if the number of serfs is toorge, I need the gold coins paid now, or I won¡¯t be able to exin it to our father on the ounts.¡± Liszt considered for a moment and then nodded in agreement, ¡°A hundred gold coins, upfront, to bring back five hundred serfs for me.¡± ¡°Straightforward.¡± ¡°I have one condition. These five hundred serfs should mainly be young people, buy more female serfs if possible, and if there are any who have a particr skill, prioritize purchasing them.¡± ¡°You mean serfs who are cksmiths, tailors, tanners, that sort of thing? That won¡¯t be easy; artisans are usually freemen, and thews of all countries protect them. It¡¯s hard to trade them as casually as serfs.¡± The various aspects of a city¡¯s operation depend on the freemen, which is why they are protected by statew. Liszt clenched his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll add twenty more gold coins. Out of the five hundred serfs, at least a hundred should be artisans.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With aching heart, he paid Liszt one hundred and twenty gleaming Nalda Gold Coins. Looking at the shriveled purse, Liszt felt somewhat wistful. Originally, he had about one hundred and fifty Gold Coins, but after continuously paying the wages of the civilian workers, he had already spent quite a few Gold Coins. Now, there were only sixteen Gold Coins left in his purse, which could run dry at any moment. Fortunately, the passageway through Thorn Ridge was about to be cleared, allowing merchant caravans to be established, and the seafood from Fresh Flower Town could be sold in Coral City. He believed that the delicious seafood could surely create decent wealth for him. After discussing the matter of the serfs, Levis suddenly brought up saltpeter: ¡°Liszt, can¡¯t the production of ice using saltpeter be scaled up?¡± ¡°I wish it could, but unfortunately, it cannot.¡± ¡°You can mine more saltpeter deposits.¡± ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not about me wanting to mine; there simply aren¡¯t enough saltpeter deposits in Fresh Flower Town for me to exploit. I can give you some saltpeter powder and raw ore from when we mine it for you to try finding more. Maybe there are other saltpeter deposits on Coral Ind.¡± ¡°Alright, I will look for them. You might not have realized that if you can make ice during summer, you can definitely earn a lot of Gold Coins,¡± Levis said, taking a puff of his cigar. ¡°Once I find a saltpeter deposit, I won¡¯t let you down. Have you noticed that Lady Marie is urging father to get involved in the ice-making with saltpeter?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed,¡± Liszt understood. ¡°Luckily, father doesn¡¯t care much for ice-making with saltpeter. In the summer, he mostly goes to The Court to serve as the Grand Duke¡¯s coachman, where there are innumerable Ice Blocks to enjoy. There are many ice cers on Blue Dragon Ind¡ªthe biggest one, they say, is like a maze. There were workers transporting Ice Blocks who got lost and ended up freezing to death right there.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t say anything. The grandest Noble he had ever seen was Merlin Taro, and beyond that, he had no idea what life was like for a Noble family with a Dragon. After digesting their meal, the Sun had begun to tilt westward. The Earl and his entourage prepared to leave; if they did not set off now, they would have to travel at night. Before departing, the Earl rode on his horse with Liszt following on his own steed. ¡°Fresh Flower Town is very nice; I hope you continue to maintain your ambition. However, merely bing apetent Landlord is not enough. The rise of the Tulip Family was due to military achievements. The Grand Duke is young and strong, and he has never extinguished the me of expansion. So, if you want to step out of Fresh Flower Town, do not give up the pursuit of a Knight¡¯s glory.¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be faster to make me a Viscount? Liszt felt somewhat critical in his heart. The Earl obviously did not like him, yet he yed the stern father figure, which felt a bit off: ¡°I understand.¡± Afterward, neither of them spoke again, just riding quietly. A momentter, the Earl nced at the Li Dragon Horse that Liszt was riding: ¡°That¡¯s a fine horse. Take good care of it; it will be a Landlord¡¯s most importantpanion.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Then the two returned, the Earl rejoining his convoy. Carter, apanied by servants, stood at the gates of the Castle, respectfully seeing off their esteemed guests. Liszt bid farewell to everyone one by one. ¡°Grandmother, be careful getting on the carriage.¡± ¡°My little boy, if Fresh Flower Town isn¡¯tfortable for you,e back to Tulip Castle. Although it doesn¡¯t smell great there, you should find everything you need,¡± said Lady Penelope, looking back. ¡°I¡¯ll visit Tulip Castle often.¡± Li Vera embraced him and said, ¡°A hundred pounds of iron, when will youe to Coral City to get it?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Lady Marie, pulling along Lidun who was sullen at not being able to ride a horse, just smiled at Liszt and said goodbye. Captain Mickey and the other Knight guards disyed standard Knight etiquette. Like Li Vera, Levis also embraced Liszt, probably to show brotherly love in front of the Earl: ¡°Liszt, the doors of Tulip Castle are always open to you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The convoy set off slowly, and Liszt watched them go. Chapter 76 - 0076: Three Merchants of the Town Chapter 76: Three Merchants of the Town Trantor: 549690339 By the time the caravan had left Fresh Flower Town, the castle had once again regained its tranquility, although there was arge pile of dishes, wine sses, and the like that needed cleaning, and the small garden outside the castle had been trampled beyond recognition by the knights. But Carter could easily organize the servants to clean up at a leisurely pace. The castle had fifteen servants, which was more than enough. ¡°Teacher Goltai, the festival will be over soon, and we need to pull ourselves out of the festive mood. The construction of the town must not stop; we must continue to expand the lumberjack team and the stone-breaking team, and the fence-building team, as well, and strive to open the passageway sooner.¡± Goltai was still savoring the moment, ¡°As you wish.¡± He had been in his element at this banquet, engaging in lively conversation with the Earl, feeling a level of enjoyment he hadn¡¯t experienced in many years. ¡°Fresh Flower Town made quite the impression,¡± he described today¡¯s luncheon, with its dazzling array of seafood and the ice cream so refreshing it tingled the tongue. However, Liszt had a different thought. That evening, he had a private drink of red wine with Carter, ¡°Mr. Carter, I had intended to show the impoverished side of Fresh Flower Town, perhaps in exchange for some aid from Tulip Castle. identally, we threw a grand banquet with seafood, ice cream, Magical Beast Meat¡ªthere¡¯s simply no excuse to pretend poverty now.¡± Carter said with a smile, ¡°My lord showcased his charm. Your performance at the banquet won people¡¯s affection. If I were a knight, I might have just stayed in Fresh Flower Town to follow you.¡± The other meaning of a noble ¡®showing off wealth¡¯ was to demonstrate power and attract followers. Viscount Trick Lygrass was drawn by the Earl¡¯s charm and became a follower. He helped the Tulip Family and took part in the Grand Duchy¡¯s pioneering wars, eventually establishing the significant estate of Coral Ind¡¯s Count. ¡°But no knights stayed behind, did they.¡± ¡°I believe the seeds have been sown, perhaps one day they will suddenly blossom into flowers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very philosophical phrase, Mr. Carter, for that, let¡¯s have a toast.¡± ¡°To your health, my lord.¡± A gulp of red wine soothed his throat, Liszt asked, ¡°How much food did my father bring today?¡± ¡°A fair amount of various foods, though most were consumed during the banquet. The surplus consisted mainly of beer and fine wheat flour, along with some seasonings¡ªfennel, ginger, pepper, licorice, as well as salt, and sugar.¡± ¡°How much wheat flour and beer do we have?¡± ¡°There are about five hundred pounds of fine wheat flour and thirty barrels of beer.¡± The fine wheat flour was clearly intended for Liszt to make white bread. He was slightly lost in thought¡ªhe could feel that the Earl still had fatherly love for him. Some details could reveal it. For instance,ing to Fresh Flower Town for the festival was a gesture of closeness; if he truly didn¡¯t care about Liszt, there would be no need to visit this remote town for the celebration. Deliberately ying down the importance of saltpeter at the banquet could be seen as protection for him, especially since Lady Marie specifically mentioned that the Saltpeter Mine deserved development. Now he had also brought a lot of extra food for him. ¡°Could the Earl also be one to rebuke with his words but benefit with his actions? This is a bit troubling.¡± He was somewhat uneasy in his thoughts. If the Earl¡¯s family had nothing to do with him, he could easily maintain a gentleman¡¯s detached style of interaction, leisurely living his own life. What he feared most was being entangled in family affection. He didn¡¯t know how to deal with it, whether to embrace this affection ording to his current identity or to keep his individuality and maintain a distance. ¡°Is this the bond of kinship, that every person is inescapably ensnared by this?¡± Having drained the red wine in one gulp, he decided not to dwell on these troublesome thoughts anymore¡ªjust let things take their course¡ªneither initiating nor rejecting. Shaking off his reverie, he asked, ¡°Mr. Carter, has the seafood gifted in return to Tulip Castle been sent out?¡± ¡°It has already been delivered to Mr. Silva, all of it top-quality dried seafood.¡± ¡°Very good, one good turn deserves another.¡± He set down his wine ss. Carter too finished his red wine, put away both sses, bent slightly in a bow, ¡°Lord, you should rest early, I wish you a good night, I will take my leave now.¡± ¡°Good night, Mr. Carter, have sweet dreams.¡± In the following days, all was monotonous and calm. Liszt, apart from supervising the lumbering work, was also paying attention to another matter¡ªthe training of the Fruit Thief Monkeys. Initially, seven Fruit Thief Monkeys that were not seriously injured had been captured alive; all of them pulled through and regained their health. However, two of them were left with limps, and climbing trees was no longer much of a possibility for them. The remaining five were handed over to the hunters of the town for training. With ropes, whips, and fruitsbined in use, they quickly subdued the arrogant Fruit Thief Monkeys, getting them to climb trees and enter cages onmand. ¡°Three female monkeys, four male monkeys, I believe by the second half of the year, there will be ten Fruit Thief Monkeys.¡± The monkeys generally have two litters a year, but usually only one offspring per litter. Liszt looked on at the increasingly obedient Fruit Thief Monkeys with satisfaction, ¡°With no damage from the Fruit Thief Monkeys, this year¡¯s Fragrant Coconut Fruit can mature. I believe in one or two months¡¯ time, we¡¯ll be able to drink fresh and sweet coconut juice.¡± The Fragrant Coconut Fruit was not seasonal; besides winter, it bore fruits continuously throughout the other seasons. ¡°It seems Coral City doesn¡¯t sell Fragrant Coconut Fruit. Perhaps, if developed well, this could be another specialty of Fresh Flower Town. What a pity, though, that no Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bugs have been nurtured.¡± As he envisioned the future of the Fragrant Coconut Trees, the hunters had already begun training the Fruit Thief Monkeys to pick fruit. Faux fruits were tied to the tree branches for the Fruit Thief Monkeys to pluck; if they seeded, they were rewarded with a peanut. Those who refused got whipped. The monkeys couldn¡¯t escape, for they were tethered by ropes around their necks¡ªdare to run, and they¡¯d be pulled back and whipped. ¡°Remember this, animals can hold grudges and pitch fits as well. As long as they work diligently, there¡¯s no need tosh out with the whip without good reason. I will administer these whips on anyone I find beating Fruit Thief Monkeys without cause,¡± he emphasized with a serious expression. He certainly didn¡¯t want a rebellion of Fruit Thief Monkeys that could potentially kill several fruit farmers. ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord. We dare not forget any of your instructions,¡± replied the hunters, who were taking on dual roles and understood they would soon transition from being farmers to fruit growers, using the Fruit Thief Monkeys forbor. They were all delighted. Had it not been for the need of training, they would have been loath to use the whip¡ªa Fruit Thief Monkey to a fruit grower was like a horse to a knight. Leaving the Fruit Thief Monkeys behind, he returned to the castle and summoned a few of the new serf merchants. ¡°Old Geronte, Sherlock, Abagon, were you all merchants on Little Papa Ind?¡± Liszt repeated the question for confirmation. ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± ¡°Is there a merchant named Poliuxigin on Little Papa Ind?¡± Old Geronte replied, ¡°Lord Landlord, there are only the three of us who deal exclusively in smallmodities on Little Papa Ind. I can call out the name of everyone in the city, but there is no one named Poliuxigin.¡± ¡°All right, I was just asking.¡± Liszt gave Old Geronte an appreciative look. The implication in the words ¡°I can call out the name of everyone in the city¡± showed his significance. ¡°I¡¯ve called you here today to establish a merchant fleet belonging to the castle, and I hope to entrust you three with its management.¡± Chapter 77 - 077: The Milk Tea Gets Better and Better Chapter 77: The Milk Tea Gets Better and Better Trantor: 549690339 The management of caravan trade, Liszt had no intention of letting the townsfolk organize it spontaneously; he nned to establish a merchant group exclusive to the Castle. Without the drive and ideas for reform and innovation, he simply followed the practice of most nobles, managing his own domain. Old Geronte was elected as the head of the merchant group. Abagon and Sherlock assisted from the sidelines. ¡°The only product you can currently trade in is seafood, and I hope that from Coral City onwards, the seafood from Fresh Flower Town can gradually begin to be sold in all cities,¡± Liszt said. ¡°As you wish, Lord Landlord.¡± ¡°So tell me, how do you n to sell the seafood? It¡¯s a new thing, most people haven¡¯t eaten it before and will obviously fear it.¡± After a brief moment of thought, Old Geronte replied, ¡°Lord Landlord, we can advertise along the streets, iming that even the Earl raves about the seafood. I believe countless subjects will flock to the food praised by the Earl.¡± This was leveraging a celebrity¡¯s name for hype, not creative but very effective. Sherlock added a suggestion to Old Geronte¡¯s method: ¡°We can also first make contact with most of the noble families¡¯ kitchens, offering them free samples of seafood to taste.¡± ¡°Coral City has arge number of freemen who are also potential buyers of seafood. We can set up stalls in the streets and cook seafood for free, allowing the passing freemen to taste. I believe it won¡¯t be long before everyone in Coral City knows the delicious taste of seafood,¡± Abagon suggested. Liszt felt that both methods were good: ¡°It seems you already have aplete notion of how to do business. Once the road through Thorn Ridge is finished, you can start trading.¡± Old Geronte hesitated for a moment before speaking, ¡°Lord Landlord, we have no carriages, how will we transport the seafood to Coral City?¡± ¡°After the road is finished, I will buy several carriages first thing,¡± Liszt mused, remembering that there were still sixteen Gold Coins in the Castle, and a standard carriage suitable for hauling goods with a cargo cover was one Gold Coin apiece. He could buy six; any more would not be feasible, as there weren¡¯t enough horses to pull the carriages. After sending off Old Geronte and the others, Liszt sighed softly. He had thought the Castle¡¯s Gold Coins were sufficient, but now he saw they were far from enough. Five hundred serfs had cost him one hundred twenty Gold Coins, and in order to grow the town to a poption of five thousand, he would need at least another six hundred Gold Coins. To reach a poption of ten thousand, almost two thousand Gold Coins would be necessary. ¡°Otherwise, should I sell the Crimson Blood Sword? To Levis or Captain Mickey? It¡¯s too expensive for them, but they might afford a price of a thousand Gold Coins, right?¡± However, when he gripped the Crimson Blood Sword hanging at his waist, the gentle touch of Magic Power made it impossible for him to decide. This was a Gemstone Weapon. Produced by Dragons, it symbolized power. And it matched his Dou Qi attribute, so even if he became a Sky Knight in the future, the Crimson Blood Sword would still befit his status. ¡°I can only develop things slowly. Hopefully, this year, relying onpost for farming, Fresh Flower Town will have a good harvest. Alongside the Elf Bug I brought and the ones bred here, the tax revenue for the next quarter might exceed fifteen Gold Coins?¡± The taxes for this quarter had already been submitted to the Castle. After Isaiah¡¯s careful calction, the various crops and handicrafts collected this spring were worth around seven Gold Coins. In previous years, the tax revenue in spring was usually around three Gold Coins. There was virtually no tax revenue in the winter, about four in the summer, and around seven in the fall¡ªless than fifteen for the whole year. With the Elf Bug this year, relying onpost for farming, and seafood fishing, Liszt was confident that the summer tax revenue could reachst year¡¯s annual level. By autumn, the tax revenue would certainly be even higher, and surpassing Falcon Town governed by Li Vera wasn¡¯t impossible. ¡°My Lord, your milk tea is ready,¡± Butler Carter, holding a freshly brewed cup of milk tea, entered the study. A cup of milk tea before bed each night was Liszt¡¯s habit. ¡°Thank you.¡± Taking the milk tea, Liszt, who was already a bit thirsty, drank it right away, downing half of the perfectly-tempered drink in one gulp. His tongue lightly licked the dab of milk tea froth on the edge of his lips, and with slight hesitation, he asked, ¡°Mr. Carter, is today¡¯s milk tea still brewed by Mrs. Morson?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord, is there a problem with the way the milk tea was brewed today?¡± Carter became a bit nervous. Liszt shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no problem with the brewing, but I always feel that Mrs. Morson¡¯s skill is getting better and better, the milk tea is bing more and more delicious.¡± ¡°I will convey yourpliment to Mrs. Morson, I believe she will be very happy.¡± On the first day of July, the afternoon sun waszy, and the clouds asionally concealed the sun as if a naughty child stealthily covered apanion¡¯s eyes. The weather wasn¡¯t too hot, and there was a breeze blowing. Liszt, inspecting the woodcutting work, stood on the other side of Thorn Ridge, with a handsome smile on his face, he solemnly announced, ¡°The trees within a distance of one hundred meters on both sides of the road have all been chopped down, the Lumberjack Team has done a very good job inpleting my orders, and as thendlord, I express my respect to you.¡± Respect was just a matter of lip service. Next, it was still themoners¡¯ turn to continue working, ¡°Clearing the road through Thorn Ridge means that Fresh Flower Town will now be connected with the outside world, no longer secluded in the corner of Coral Ind. Now anyone can go out and take a look. However, to further strengthen road safety, we must insist on finishing the fence.¡± He paused, then said, ¡°Therefore, the original Lumberjack Team will not be disbanded for the time being, but will go directly to constructing the fence,pletely isting the forests on both sides of Thorn Ridge outside of the fence.¡± The wood needed for the fence was sourced on-site; there was arge amount of felled timber just lying on the ground. The best timber was transported to the castle for storage, the second-best timber was hauled to build homes in Oyster Vige, the next best for the fence construction, and the leftover scraps were taken by themoners to burn for cooking. The opening of the road was a moment worth celebrating. Liszt gathered Goltai, Marcus, Isaiah, and ir to arrange the following tasks. First was naturally the issue of the merchant caravans; after purchasing carts, seafood trade had to start immediately; second was procurement, Liszt nned to spend hisst ten Gold Coins to purchase a batch of scarce food, including hops beer; then was to advertise to merchant caravans from various cities in Coral Ind, telling them that Fresh Flower Town was now open for ess. The castle¡¯s merchant caravans were responsible for therge trades entrusted by Liszt, generally not involving too much trade betweenmoners. Merchant caravans from other regions entering Fresh Flower Town would enliven the atmosphere of the small town, bringing wealth and a cirction of goods for daily life. ¡°Lastly, there¡¯s one more point to note, Fresh Flower Town will wee freemen to settle here by lowering taxes, make sure to spread this news in every city,¡± Liszt now longed for more poption, not at all concerned about the bit of tax revenue, as the development of the domain was the first priority. The others busied themselves with carefully noting down Liszt¡¯s orders. Marcus suddenly said, ¡°My lord, I n to take a day off to bring my family to live in Fresh Flower Town.¡± Upon hearing this, Isaiah let out a long sigh, ¡°My foolish son probably doesn¡¯t want toe to Fresh Flower Town; he¡¯s used to loafing around in Coral City.¡± ir, however, cheerfully said, ¡°Then I will also bring my family over on the way. Life here is somewhat monotonous, but the air is fragrant.¡± Goltai gave an awkward smile, ¡°Liszt, I also want to bring my family here, but¡ Freya is already pregnant, I¡¯m unable to handle it well.¡± Liszt solemnly said, ¡°Teacher Goltai, although keeping mistresses is amon indulgence of nobles, it¡¯s ultimately immoral. I have no intention of telling you to stop immediately, especially since Freya is already pregnant. So, in Fresh Flower Town, just treat Freya as your wife.¡± After a moment of contemtion, he added, ¡°If her child is a boy, I hope he could be one of my Retainer Knights in the future.¡± ¡°Your generosity shames me, my lord, Goltai is willing to serve you!¡± Goltai stood up, walked over to Liszt, and bowed earnestly. This was the same form of loyalty shown by Marcus before, true allegiance. Chapter 78 - 0078: Small Town Real Estate Planning Chapter 78: Small Town Real Estate nning Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Completion of the task, reward: a new variety of mushrooms.¡± ¡°Task: Being a knight requires not only courage and wisdom but also sufficient survival skills to maximize the significance of one¡¯s life. Please learn Marcus¡¯s full set of archery skills. Reward: ck Pearl of the Deep Sea.¡± With the lumberjacking at Thorn Ridge passpleted, the Smoke Mission was timely updated. The new variety of mushrooms was evidently growing somewhere in Mushroom Hamlet, soon to be discovered, and Liszt had enough patience to wait for it. ¡°The ck Pearl of the Deep Sea, what is that?¡± He was somewhat puzzled, but pearls were not cheap on the market and were popr essories among the nobles; ck pearls should be even more valuable and could sell for a lot of money. He had been so poor recently that he was almost unable to pay his workers, and the thought of money consumed him. ¡°To learn archery from Marcus has been on the agenda for quite some time. So from tomorrow on, I shall officially start learning archery¡ but tomorrow seems impossible since Marcus will be visiting Coral City to pick up his family. Let¡¯s start the day after tomorrow then, first having the caravan go to Tulip Castle to purchase a bow and arrows for me.¡± On Coral Ind, only a few noble families were permitted to sell weapons. Liszt didn¡¯t need to be troubled by this, for he could simply make his purchase at Tulip Castle, since he was a direct member of the Tulip Family. Early the next day. The newly formed Fresh Flower Town caravan, led by Old Geronte, with three merchants, six drivers, and seven youths, drove six nags from the castle toward Coral City. Each horse carried several packs of seafood, along with pots and firewood, for boiling the seafood on-site. Marcus rode his dun horse, apanying the caravan and incidentally serving as its escort. The training of the Knight Squad was temporarily handed to the Retainer Knight Karl Ironhammer¡ªhe was the only one who had felt the Dou Qi and was on the verge of mastering it. The other three Retainer Knights had shown no signs of Dou Qi to date. As for the Knight Squad, the young men had been eating well and training hard, muscles starting to bulge on their bodies. The two with the best physical fitness who met the entrance standard of the Knight Academy, Philip Wool and Zavier Bull Dung, had started to feel the Dou Qi and could cultivate it at any time. ir also followed the caravan, on his way to pick up his family and settle them in Fresh Flower Town. For Goltai and Isaiah, whose families either did not wish toe or could not conveniently do so, they continued to keep the town¡¯s administration running, with plenty of work to do¡ªroads were still under repair, houses in Oyster Vige were still being built, and fallow fields were continuously being cultivated. Moreover, a new important task had also begun to be nned. ¡°Teacher Goltai, Isaiah, the town needs to be renned. Probably tomorrow, Marcus and ir¡¯s families will be arriving, so please make sure their housing arrangements are in order as soon as possible. They alle withrge families, so they can¡¯t continue to reside in the temporary administration buildings.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Your Lordship, I had already considered thisst night and rented two houses next to the temporary administration buildings for Marcus and ir¡¯s families to stay in temporarily,¡± Goltai spoke with increasing respect, having decided to follow Liszt because of his soon-to-arrive illegitimate child. Following meant he became a subject of Liszt. It was no longer merely a rtionship of noble ranks and teacher-student affections. ¡°I am pleased that you have anticipated my thoughts,¡± Liszt expressed satisfaction with Goltai¡¯s current attitude, ¡°Now, let¡¯s continue discussing the town nning. In about three months, a group of five hundred serfs and freemen will be settling in Fresh Flower Town. We will need to build more houses in each settlement, and the town itself must be expanded.¡± Goltai had long known that Liszt intended to engage in the ve trade, and upon hearing this, he directly asked, ¡°How will these civilians be allocated? How many serfs will there be?¡± ¡°If all goes well, there will be four hundred serfs to replenish the farming poption in the various hamlets. One hundred freemen, most of them craftsmen, will be allotted some workshopnd in the town as needed.¡± He spread out the rudimentary map of the town. On the only existing street, Liszt drew another line across it with his finger, ¡°We¡¯ll build another road to give the town a cross-shapedyout.¡± ¡°This is no small project, and three months may not be enough.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll build first and worryter,¡± said Liszt, who wasn¡¯t an expert with exact budgets or long-term nning, and many of his decisions were made on the fly. ¡°The streets must be built wide, and the four areas split by the cross should have designated purposes: the west for amercial district where we¡¯ll eventually have a trading center and a vegetable market.¡± The development of social systems in this world was quite primitive, and cities resembled densely packed shanties with no concept of nned districts. But Liszt refused to ept this standard: ¡°To the south, we¡¯ll have the workshop district for things like mills, ughterhouses, and smithies to be relocated to this area. The north will be designated for serf residences, and the east for freemen. Furthermore, to the west of themercial district, closer to the castle, we¡¯ll n a residential area for nobles.¡± It was highly hical to ssify people into hierarchical statuses. Yet such was the way of the social system; nobles couldn¡¯t possibly live alongsidemoners, and freemen didn¡¯t mix with serfs. After pondering Liszt¡¯s words, Goltai couldn¡¯t help but express his admiration, ¡°My lord, your ideas are truly unique; they¡¯ve opened my eyes to new possibilities in city building. By categorizing areas this way, even the most distant merchants won¡¯t struggle to find ces to do business.¡± Isaiah was a bit slower to catch on, but, understanding the value of city nning after hearing Goltai¡¯s exnation,mented, ¡°This has indeed been an eye-opener for me. Fresh Flower Town will be a pearl of Coral Ind!¡± Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°There¡¯s one more crucial point¡ªthere must be plenty of toilets. I cannot stand to see anyone defecating or urinating in the town, even if they¡¯re only three years old!¡± He added, ¡°We need to hang signs on every shop and on each conspicuous toilet sign, and ce markers at the entrances of roads. Whoeveres to Fresh Flower Town in the future must follow the rule against relieving themselves in the streets!¡± He felt strongly about this. Just a few days ago, during the Sea Festival, the knights apanying the Earl had defecated more than a dozen times around his castle in just one afternoon! For many knights, such behavior was normal¡ªwhen they needed to defecate, they simply did so. But Liszt would not allow it. He didn¡¯t want to be strolling through the stables and, by happenstance, step in excrement. As natives, Goltai and Isaiah didn¡¯t care much about such matters, as they too had frequently relieved themselves wherever they pleased. However, Liszt had given the order. They nodded in agreement, ¡°Rest assured, my lord, we will prioritize the hygiene of the town.¡± Suddenly, Liszt recalled another matter, ¡°Right, Isaiah, my Knight Squad¡¯s young men can¡¯t recognize a single word. I wish to hire you as a literacy teacher for the Knight Squad, to teach themmon writings, and at the very least, they should have the ability to read.¡± There was no Knight Academy in Fresh Flower Town, so he had to hire a teacher himself. To this, Isaiah didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Isaiah is willing to serve.¡± Chapter 79 - 0079: Crooked-neck Bob’s Mistake Chapter 79: Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s Mistake Trantor: 549690339 The trade caravan didn¡¯t return that evening, but waited until the following afternoon to make their way back to Fresh Flower Town. Out of the six horse-drawn carts, two were filled with goods, while the other four carried Marcus, the ir family members¡ªsix nags, all quite exhausted. Each pulling a cart alone seemed a bit too much of a burden. ¡°My lord!¡± Marcus dismounted and bowed in greeting, with arge group of people quickly descending from the cart behind him. ¡°Teacher Marcus, if I remember correctly, you don¡¯t have that many family members, do you?¡± Liszt counted carefully; just Marcus¡¯s family alone amounted to 22 people. ¡°My two sisters and their families are also willing to follow me and settle in Fresh Flower Town,¡± Marcus replied. ¡°They live in poverty in Coral City, mainly because they have too many children. Even though I help them out often, it¡¯s still tough to provide for even basic needs.¡± Liszt nodded; he was always weing of more people. Then members of the ir family also paid their respects. The irs weren¡¯t as numerous¡ªjust his wife with four children. Their eldest son had just gotten married not long ago and had no children of his own yet. He instructed Goltai to arrange for the settlement of the two families. Only then did Liszt begin to inquire about the business of this trade caravan. Old Geronte spoke with some nervousness, ¡°Lord, we didn¡¯t sell much seafood. Half of it was given away for free tasting to the citizens of Coral City. In fact, many who tasted it said the seafood was delicious, but one man broke out in red spots all over his body and suffered from vomiting and diarrhea after eating it, which caused the other citizens to be fearful of seafood.¡± Abagon added, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the patrol team hearing that the trade caravan belonged to you, Lord Landlord, we might have had all of our goods confiscated this time.¡± Seafood allergy? Liszt pondered. Some people are indeed allergic to seafood, but none of the residents of Fresh Flower Town had shown any allergic reactions to it, which made him think that seafood from the Different World wouldn¡¯t cause allergies. He hadn¡¯t expected that there would actually be people who are allergic to seafood. ¡°Such an incident is indeed unexpected, but don¡¯t feel pressured. Only a very few individuals will experience physical reactions from eating seafood. But these are rare cases, and once they stop eating, they¡¯ll recover quickly. Next time you sell seafood, remember to make this clear.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± ¡°Did you procure everything I needed?¡± ¡°Thick paper, powdered milk, hops for beer, red wine¡ we got all of those, but we didn¡¯t find the pig pancreases you asked for. The few butchers¡¯ shops in Coral City didn¡¯t keep any. I¡¯ve already made arrangements with them to save pig pancreases for us, so we can buy them next time we go.¡± Pig pancreases are used for making pancreatin, which is soap. The castle currently uses soap powder, ground from the fruit of the soap pod tree. Among the new serfs, there was a soap maker who could add flower petals to the soap powder to make scented soaps. But scented soap production isplex; the soap maker Buniercked the equipment, and thus far, had not managed to produce any. Thus, Liszt wished to make pancreatin himself. After reporting the situation, Old Geronte prepared to hand over the money from the sale to Liszt, who of course wouldn¡¯t handle money directly, as it would be beneath him. He picked up the cup on the table and said indifferently, ¡°Mr. Carter, please take care of the handover with Old Geronte. From now on, you and Old Geronte will be in charge of the castle¡¯s purchasing.¡± ¡°As you wish, sir,¡± Carter willingly took on the task. After enjoying a meal at the castle, Liszt did not inquire further into the arrangements for Marcus¡¯s and ir¡¯s families, entrusting the matter entirely to Goltai. As thendlord, his most important job was to enjoy himself. ¡°Sir, there is a minor issue at Mushroom Hamlet; I wonder if you¡¯d be interested in hearing about it.¡± Mrs. Morson, with Maisie helping to clean the study, spoke to Liszt, who was passing the time with a knight¡¯s novel. Mushroom Hamlet? Liszt¡¯s thoughts instantly turned to the reward for his quest, a new variety of mushroom, ¡°What happened at Mushroom Hamlet?¡± ¡°The mushrooms used in the castle are mostly picked from Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s ce, his mushrooms are the freshest and most tender. But these past few days, Bob has been looking troubled. A kind of bright red mushroom appeared on the racks where he grows his mushrooms. He shovels off a batch, and another batch grows back.¡± Before he had finished speaking. Liszt had stood up from his chair and walked out of the study without looking back, shouting from upstairs, ¡°Thomas, prepare the horse!¡± Thomas, who had been getting ready to sleep, hurried out of the room and quickly went to prepare the horse. Carter also walked over quickly, ¡°Master, do you need to go out for something important tonight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very important matter, I need to make a trip to Mushroom Hamlet. Inform Goltai for me.¡± He suddenly remembered something, turned around to the housekeeper still in the study, and said, ¡°Mrs. Morson,e with me to lead the way to Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s ce.¡± A momentter. Thomas had the horses ready. Holding torches and under the moonlight, they set off toward Mushroom Hamlet. Jessie, the manservant, rode to the town to call on Goltai and the four Retainer Knights who served Liszt, to meet up with Liszt in Mushroom Hamlet. Mushroom Hamlet was in an uproar for a while. Crooked-neck Bob was extremely nervous. Mrs. Morson knocked on his door and told him that Lord Landlord was going to his mushroom greenhouses. He thought there was a problem with his mushrooms, and the Lord Landlord wasing to hold him ountable. As a serf responsible for farming for thendlord, failing to cultivate properly could mean a whipping. ¡°Bob, don¡¯t be nervous, the master is kind; this is not a mistake made on purpose by you, he will not punish you easily.¡± ¡°Mrs. Morson, is this true? You must plead for mercy for me from Lord Landlord, please, I beg of you!¡± Bob was still nervous. By this time, Liszt was already inside his mushroom greenhouse. Thomas followed closely behind, holding a torch. ¡°Master, what are you looking for?¡± ¡°The thing I was looking for, I¡¯ve found it already.¡± Liszt¡¯s pupils swirled like whirlpools, and tiny specks of starlight twinkled as if within the vast universe, in his field of vision, the rotten wood used to grow mushrooms had pale red traces of magic power, outlining the shape of one mushroom after another. Dispelling the Eye of Magic, and aided by the torchlight, he saw the thing that was emitting magic power¡ªit was the bright red mushrooms. They looked a bit like Positive Red Mushrooms, dotted among the vast expanse of regr mushrooms. It was obvious that the surrounding mushrooms were already wilting, but this red mushroom alone was growing very fresh and vibrant. ¡°It¡¯s indeed a magic potion mushroom.¡± Liszt wanted tough heartily because the magic power of such mushrooms revealed a red color; it was a hue characterized by the Fire Attribute of magic, ¡°I have the Fire Attribute Dou Qi. For me, these red mushrooms are an excellent tonic!¡± Sky Knights are essentially potion-philes, hardly able to push through to higher realms of Dou Qi with their own bodies without arge amount of magic potion supplements. ¡°Thomas, have Mrs. Morson bring Bob over.¡± When Bob stood before him, anxious and unsure, he said with a smile, ¡°You are Bob, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Bob was so frightened that he knelt down, continually kowtowing, ¡°Lord Landlord, I¡ I have erred, I spoiled the mushroom ingredient, I¡ please, forgive me, Lord Landlord!¡± ¡°Bob, please get up. Not only will I not punish you, I will reward you.¡± Chapter 80 - 0080: Start Learning Archery Chapter 80: Start Learning Archery Trantor: 549690339 Crooked-neck Bob was so excited he couldn¡¯t sleep all night. Lord Landlord not only did not me him, but also rewarded him with ten silver coins! This was like a pie falling from the sky, and moreover, Lord Landlord told him to find a way to expand the cultivation area of the red mushrooms¡ªhe had given them a name, calling them me Mushrooms¡ªand preferably rece all the mushrooms with me Mushrooms. The more he nted, the more rewards he would receive in the future. ¡°Quiet! John from Tomato Hamlet got a Gold Coin reward from Lord Landlord!¡± His wife, disliking Bob¡¯s excessive excitement, couldn¡¯t help but pour cold water on him. Bob didn¡¯t care at all: ¡°What do you know? The reward is only ten silver coins now because Lord Landlord needs me to figure out the me Mushroom cultivation ingredients. I, Bob, am the best mushroom grower in Mushroom Hamlet; once I figure out the ingredients, Lord Landlord said, there will be more rewards!¡± He looked forward with longing: ¡°Definitely more than John¡¯s one Gold Coin! Maybe¡ it will be two Gold Coins? Oh, what a marvelous moment, to have two Gold Coins!¡± ¡°But you must first figure out the ingredients, and if you can¡¯t, Lord Landlord might take back the ten silver coins and have you whipped!¡± ¡°Of course, I will figure it out¡ªI¡¯m going to do it right now!¡± Finding the right cultivation ingredients for the me Mushroom would certainly not be left to Bob alone to figure out; Liszt had already discussed with the hastily arrived Goltai and gathered all the skilled mushroom growers from Mushroom Hamlet to investigate together. Whoever could figure out the recipe would be rewarded. Liszt, now down to just a few Gold Coins, would not be stingy. He wanted to use the magic of money to stir up the residents¡¯ enthusiasm for new things, rather than continue the stale, inherited ways of farming. ¡°Teacher Goltai, ssify the cultivation ingredients of the me Mushroom as Fresh Flower Town¡¯s top-secret information that must not be disclosed to anyone. In the future, all ces growing me Mushrooms should be restricted areas, essible only with Castle authorization,¡± said Liszt seriously. The Magic Potion of ordinary nts needs the cooperation of Elf Bugs, which makes them difficult to replicate. For example, the Magic Tulip can basically only be grown by the Tulip Family. Even if outsiders steal the seeds, without the Tulip Elves¡¯ cultivation, the nts would inevitably degrade into ordinary tulips within a generation or two. Mushroom Magic Potions, on the other hand, can be continuously propagated. If outsiders steal the spores and ingredients and do a little research, they would be able to mass cultivate them. Goltai understood the importance of the matter: ¡°Rest assured, my lord, I will discuss with Isaiah a set of confidentiality measures to ensure that there is absolutely no chance of the me Mushroom cultivation method being leaked.¡± ¡°Even more care is needed; this is a Magic Potion mushroom and no amount of vignce is too much.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Goltai nodded, then sighed with emotion, ¡°In just a short time, Fresh Flower Town has changed dramatically, with two Elf Bugs nurtured and two kinds of Magic Potions born. Thisnd is definitely the favored ce of Knight¡¯s Glory, my lord, you must certainly be the inheritor of Knight¡¯s Glory!¡± Knight¡¯s Glory is the slogan most cherished by the Nobles. This world has a very medieval style, but it hasn¡¯t developed a nearly all-ruling religion. This might be because humans can cultivate themselves to be invincible and free from illness and disaster. Thus, they scorn ¡®gods¡¯ or even have a sense of ¡®I am a god¡¯. The belief of the Nobles is only in Knight¡¯s Glory! The cultivation of Dou Qi and the constant striving to be more powerful Knights bring them everything! Of course, there are exceptions; Magicians definitely do not believe in Knight¡¯s Glory¡ªrumor has it, they believe in ¡°knowledge.¡± Liszt calmly looked at the moonlit night. If there truly was Knight¡¯s Glory, he believed that he was indeed blessed by Knight¡¯s Glory¡ªgifting him a beautiful life experience. ¡°I hope one day to ride a dragon.¡± Marcus arrived at the castle early. Starting today, he would teach Liszt archery. ¡°My archery technique is called ¡®Multi-Arrow,¡¯ which is an advanced extension of ¡®Basic Archery.¡¯ It focuses on controlling multiple arrows rather than the power of the arrows. Right now, my lord, youck basic archery skills, so you cannot learn ¡®Multi-Arrow¡¯ yet. You must start with ¡®Basic Archery¡¯ first.¡± As he spoke, he handed over a bundle of arrows. ¡°These are?¡± Liszt had a bow and arrows bought from Tulip Castle, which included a hard bow suitable for an Earth Knight, and he had also been given one hundred birch wood arrows. ¡°These are made of Wind Falcon feathers and oak from Thorn Ridge, Falcon Feather Arrows, all custom-made by me, totaling twenty-four. Within these, six are Falcon Tail Arrows made from the tail feathers of a Wind Falcon; to differentiate, I¡¯ve painted a red circle on the shaft. Falcon Tail Arrows have better bnce than Falcon Feather Arrows.¡± Marcus said with some regret, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that most of the Wind Falcon¡¯s feathers were destroyed by monkeys, otherwise, I could have made arge batch of Falcon Feather Arrows, which are much better than themon bird-feather arrows on the market. The subtle magic power in the feathers can make the arrows fly faster and more steadily.¡± The Wind Falcon had fought a chaotic battle with monkeys, and all its feathers were torn to shreds, and then Liszt had unleashed a powerful spell that burned many of them. Being able to fix and craft twenty-four Falcon Feather Arrows was not an easy feat. However, Liszt did not ept the Falcon Feather Arrows: ¡°I haven¡¯t learned archery yet and do not need Falcon Feather Arrows for now. Please keep them, Teacher Marcus. When it¡¯s time to clear out the Thorn Ridge Beasts, we will rely on Teacher Marcus¡¯s precise archery skills.¡± Marcus did not refuse: ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Then came the time for teaching. As a Divine Archer, Marcus had a profound understanding of archery and a clear teaching approach. Liszt quickly immersed himself in learning to shoot. As an Earth Knight, his physical condition was robust. He could continuously draw the bow and shoot arrows, which made learning archery much easier than for ordinary people. ¡°The Smoke Mission requires me to learn all of Marcus¡¯s archery techniques, which means it¡¯s not enough just to learn ¡®Basic Archery,¡¯ I must also learn ¡®Multi-Arrow¡¯¡ I need to speed up my learning progress, otherwise, this mission willst too long.¡± For this reason, Liszt even put his Dou Qi training on hold. He devoted himself entirely to archery. Therefore, on the castle¡¯s riding grounds, there was a shadow that sped back and forth, Liszt practicing shooting arrows from horseback at various erected targets. He learned very quickly, and after a day, he could already stand still and shoot at the target¡¯s center, with nine out of ten arrows hitting the seventh or eighth ring¡ªthe Earth Knight¡¯s control over his body allowed him to enhance muscle memory faster, helping him discover more precise shooting techniques. Two dayster, he was able to hit the target with five out of ten arrows while shooting from horseback. On the fourth day. Liszt continued to the riding grounds to practice mounted archery, but a shameful act urred on the grounds¡ªthe Li Dragon Horse mounted the Fire Dragon Horse, gyrating for more than four minutes before dismounting and acting nonchntly, lowering its head to graze. ¡°Hmm, the riding grounds are about to face a passionate season. Perhaps I should reduce the frequency of the trade caravan¡¯s travels and bring over all the female nags for the Li Dragon Horse to mate with¡ Although nags are of poor quality, crossbreeding with a trace of dragon blood, their offspring will definitely be much stronger than the nags.¡± Chapter 81 - 0081: Groom One-Eyed Barton Chapter 81: Groom One-Eyed Barton Trantor: 549690339 The Li Dragon Horse is a dragon breed horse, and to develop a Li Dragon Horse herd, the quality of the mares cannot be too poor. The Fire Dragon Horse is the most suitable mating partner, but as there is only one fire Dragon Horse, any battle-ready horse can be brought in for breeding. Marcus¡¯s mount, the dun horse, is one such battle-ready breed, though it is a stallion. The horses of Goltai, Isaiah, and ir are all capable of battle and, moreover, are mares¡ªmares are usually not easily sent into battle, are more docile, and suitable for the kind of nobility or noble descendants who are not very fond of entering battle. ¡°I think we will be out of horses to ride very soon,¡± Goltai looked at his mount, which was being passionately whipped by the Li Dragon Horse, with an indescribable expression on his face. The most crucial point was that this mare was clearly not in heat, and it was being forcibly mounted by the overpowering Li Dragon Horse. This was Liszt¡¯s perverse taste; his mount, the Fire Dragon Horse, had already been despoiled by the Li Dragon Horse, so the mounts of others were naturally not spared. Marcus had a smile on his face. It was unclear if he was taking pleasure in Goltai¡¯s mount being overpowered or if he was looking forward to a future with herds of horses in Fresh Flower Town. He simply said, ¡°Even pregnant mares can be ridden, with about 11 months of gestation. They can be ridden for the first seven months, but after that, riding should be reduced. Also, avoid intense, long-distance sprinting, which could increase the risk of miscarriage for the mare.¡± Marcus was quite knowledgeable about horses, but he was not the most knowledgeable person about horses in Fresh Flower Town. The most knowledgeable about horses was One-Eyed Barton, a serf who had drifted from Little Papa Ind; he had once transported horses for the Pa Pa Family, traveled to the south, ventured into the north, drunk water behind toilets, and encountered many kinds of horses. ¡°Lord Landlord, I have never seen a more magnificent horse than the Li Dragon Horse. It must possess extraordinary lineage,¡± One-Eyed Barton was around forty-five years old, with a bushy beard and one blind eye while the other squinted into a slit. To test his expertise, Liszt had him inspect the Li Dragon Horse. ¡°So, what lineage do you think it has?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen horses with low-level magical beast lineage, like the Fire Dragon Horse the Lord Landlord often rides, which is of a low-level magical beast lineage. I¡¯ve also seen crossbred horses resulting from the mating of an intermediate magical beast, the ck Nightmare Horse, with ordinary horses, a new breed cultivated in the horse fields of the st Furnace Fortress Kingdom.¡± As Barton spoke, he shook his head: ¡°But that breed does not possess the spirit and majesty of the Li Dragon Horse¡ It is taller than the Li Dragon Horse, but itcks the look and vitality. So I specte that its mixed lineage must be higher than that of an intermediate magical beast¡ Perhaps it is from an advanced magical beast, but I cannot be certain.¡± His high estimation of the Li Dragon Horse¡¯s lineage was still not close enough, for this was a dragon breed horse. Liszt, with ns he did not intend to reveal, remained low-key and asked One-Eyed Barton several more questions about horses, to which Barton responded verypetently. So he directly said, ¡°Barton, tell me your surname.¡± One-Eyed Barton¡¯s face darkened: ¡°Lord Landlord, Barton was once an orphan without a surname, raised by a horse merchant. Later, Lord Little Papa bought Barton from the st Furnace Fortress Kingdom, and I have been trafficking horses for Lord Little Papa ever since.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Liszt nodded, ¡°Have you ever been married?¡± ¡°No.¡± Not being married implied that having a surname was rather irrelevant¡ªhad he been married and had descendants, some legacy would be needed, and perhaps at that time, Barton might change his name to Barton the Cyclops? ¡°In that case, you will no longer need to till the fields. I hire you as the castle¡¯s stableman, specifically responsible for managing the stables and caring for the castle¡¯s horses.¡± Barton happily kowtowed: ¡°Barton will take good care of your lordship¡¯s stables!¡± A stableman¡¯s role was not simply that of a horse caretaker, but also a servant belonging to the castle, who would not need to worry about food and clothing as long as they did not make any missteps. In the aristocratic system, servants y a crucial role, bearing the burden of all the work in the castle and maintaining its internal operations. Essentially, servants can be divided into five categories: upstairs servants, Retainer Knights, downstairs servants, kitchen servants, and outdoor servants. Upstairs servants include tutors, family doctors, andpanions for the elderly nobles; they generally do not reside in the castle but are allowed to dine with the nobles upstairs. Retainer Knights involve those retainers who carry out menial tasks on the battlefield and those who apany inbat, with their own families. Downstairs servants epass the butler, male servants, and maids, who are the main workforce of the castle and live downstairs. Kitchen servants are servants who work in the kitchen. Beyond that are the outdoor servants; this is a general term because it includes coachmen, foresters, gamekeepers, doorkeepers, gardeners, etc. They usually reside in separate houses outside the castle and do not work in the castle on a daily basis but maintain horses, grow flowers, and hunt for the castle. If it is a Noble, the servants will be further subdivided. The hall greeters, meal servers, wine stewards,undry attendants, chief house officers, personal valets, secretaries, wardrobe attendants, Horse Tamers, Dog Trainers, jesters, harpists, drummers, flutists, and so on¡ªin short, nobles can hire a specific servant for any task they need. Formoners, bing a servant is a matter worth mentioning. Inparison to serfs, servants clearly enjoy a morefortable life and lighter work. And among nobles, it ismon for lesser nobles to serve as servants to the greater ones. For instance, Goltai, a downtrodden Honored Knight, serves as a tutor in the Liszt household. Even the Earl of Coral Ind, a Sky Knight who holds the power of life and death over the ind, takes pride in serving as a stable hand for the Sapphire Duke. The longer Liszt lived in the countryside castle, the more he felt that there was no equality among people. ¡°First, take good care of the Li Dragon Horse, Barton; it has worked hardtely, and I do not wish to see it copse one day under some mare,¡± Liszt said gravely, looking at the tirelessly working Li Dragon Horse. Barton inspected the horse¡¯s mouth through the gap as it opened its mouth: ¡°This is still a young stallion, a bit of restlessness is normal, and as the weather gets hotter, its rut will gradually subside over time. However, we must regte the number of times it mates with each mare.¡± ¡°The top priority is to ensure the Fire Dragon Horse is impregnated.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord,¡± Barton quickly fell into the role of a horseman, addressing Liszt as Lord. In order for the Fire Dragon Horse to be pregnant as soon as possible, Liszt had decided against riding the Li Dragon Horse and the Fire Dragon Horse; he switched to a nag and continued practicing archery. By mid-July, when he could move swiftly on the nag and hit all the targets, never straying too far from the bullseye, Marcus announced that his ¡°Basic Archery¡± training wasplete and he could begin studying ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±. All in all, it had only taken him a week. Therefore, he was very confident about learning ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, hoping to have it mastered by the time August arrived. ¡°Lord, your ice cream,¡± Thomas presented a cup of fragrant ice cream. Liszt, diligently practicing archery even in the scorching heat, took the ice cream and ate it voraciously. A refreshing chillness spread from his head to his toe, an indescribably delightful sensation. Without the aid of ice cream, cold beer, or chilled juice, he would never practice archery in the sweltering summer heat. Fortunately, the Miniature Saltpeter Mine mining had concluded, yielding a total of three hundred catties of saltpeter, enough to produce ample daily ice for the castle. At night, blocks of ice would also be ced in Liszt¡¯s study and bedroom to cool the temperature. With ice, this summer was not too hard to bear. Chapter 82 - 0082: The Most Difficult Task Chapter 82: The Most Difficult Task Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± contains no content about Dou Qi cultivation and does not belong to Dou Qi Manuscripts, but it does belong to Dou Qi techniques. Any knight of any attribute of Dou Qi can practice it. It¡¯s divided into three levels: Double Arrow, Triple Arrow, and Multiple Arrow, plus one Ultimate Mystery Technique? the Multi Shadow Arrow. Riding on a yellowish-gray horse, Marcus meticulously demonstrated the ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± he had practiced on the horse track and then exined each shot in detail. ¡°There are five ways to use the Double Arrow, but the one I use most often is to shoot two arrows at once, which simply means releasing two arrows to hit a single target. The next is the crossing of the two arrows, which involves firing two arrows side by side and using magic power to guide them to collide mid-air, thereby changing their course. The remaining Double Spiral Arrow, Double Chain Arrow, and Double Speed Variation Arrow are not very practical.¡± Riding on a horse, controlling the horse and controlling the double arrows, is indeed difficult. Therefore, Marcus meant that as long as one masters both the Double Arrow Released Together and the Double Arrow Crossing, one can be called a Divine Archer, undefeated on the battlefield. The other types of archery can only be effective when carefully considered on the ground. He continued, ¡°The Triple Arrow is essentially an advancement of the Double Arrow, with the principles of Three Arrows Released Together, Triple Spiral Arrow, Triple Chain Arrow, Triple Speed Variation Arrow, and Triple Random Shot being the same, but with higher control requirements. The Multiple Arrow is the same, with Multiple Arrows Released Together, Spiral Shadow Arrow, Multiple Chain Arrows, Multiple Random Shots, and Multiple Arrow Crossing requiring even stronger control.¡± Only after dismounting was Marcus able to perform the Triple Arrow and Multiple Arrow one by one. After emptying the arrows in the quiver, he shook his head, unsatisfied with his archery, ¡°The Triple Arrow can be mastered while stationary, but the Multiple Arrow can¡¯t be. It¡¯s too difficult. And thatst Ultimate Mystery Technique, the Multi-Shadow Arrow, takes me at least a quarter of an hour to prepare before I dare to shoot it.¡± A person¡¯s hand. One arrow is stable to hold; two arrows are not bad; three arrows can be managed, fitting exactly between three fingers, one arrow per gap. But more arrows are problematic, requiring two arrows to be held in each finger gap, a tremendous difficulty, let alone needing to distribute magic power to guide each one. Earth Knights don¡¯t have such delicate control over Dou Qi yet. The retainer plucked each arrow from the target and handed them back to Marcus. Marcus let out a long breath, easing his tense emotions, ¡°My lord, I¡¯m not so good at controlling more than three arrows at a time, and now the Ultimate Mystery Technique is even harder to master. That¡¯s why I split it into two shots, one with three arrows, which can just about achieve the effect described in ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±.¡± He pulled three arrows from the quiver, ¡°The first three arrows are shot with a gentle force, allowing them to be lobbed at a low speed. The next three arrows are shot with a swift force, to shoot them at high speed in a t trajectory, striking the first three arrows, thus uniting the speed of all six arrows and confusing their flight path, creating an illusion-like effect.¡± Having said that. He bit the three arrows in his mouth and then pulled out three more arrows to shoot immediately. The instant he released them, the three arrows soared diagonally upwards. With a very quick motion, he ced the three arrows from his mouth into his hand, drew his bow again immediately, and this time, he stretched the bowstring almost to a full moon. As the arrows were shot, they made a sharp hissing sound as they broke through the air. ¡°Whiz!¡± ¡°Whiz!¡± ¡°Whiz!¡± In midair, the three fast arrows flew on a t trajectory, hitting the arrows thrown in front of them just right. In an instant, the six arrows began spinning in the air. To the naked eye, it seemed as if dozens more arrows suddenly appeared, shooting chaotically at three targets. It happened in a blink of an eye. Before Liszt could even blink, the illusions scattered, leaving only the six arrows that hit the center of the targets. Five of them were embedded straight in the targets, but one arrow flew past. ¡°Still can¡¯t fully control the trajectory of all six arrows,¡± Marcus said somewhat disappointedly. But Liszt apuded, ¡°Teacher Marcus, your archery skills are already amazing. Let¡¯s start practicing quickly. I can¡¯t wait to perform the Multi-Shadow Arrow.¡± In truth, his heart was a bit bitter; Marcus¡¯s archery skills were profound. He had thought it was just a routine of two or three arrows, something to casually learn without seeking deep expertise, learning it was enough. But now he realized that without mastering Double Arrow or Triple Arrow, it was probably impossible to learn Multi-Arrow, let alone the Ultimate Mystery Multi-Shadow Arrow. ¡°This is probably the most difficult Smoke Mission I¡¯ve ever encountered¡¡± It¡¯s already past mid-July, and he sincerely doubted he would be able to learn ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± by the time August arrived. Though it felt very challenging, he decided to set aside his mental burden and focus on learning archery. One day, he would master the intricate ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±. Just as the Earl had said during the Sea Festival, ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient, time is on your side.¡± He was only sixteen years old. There were decades of long life ahead of him. Fresh Flower Town was thriving every day, with no crisis too big to handle, allowing for a lifestyle of ease and pleasure. The dream of Dragon Riding couldn¡¯t be achieved in haste. In the blink of an eye. August had arrived. During this past half-month, Liszt had been furiously practicing archery and had sessfully mastered Triple Arrow, now beginning to move towards Multi-Arrow. The mares in the horse pasture were mostly pregnant now, and the Li Dragon Horse had grown significantly thinner, tirelessly toiling day and night. Even with dragon blood, it couldn¡¯t endure endlessly. ¡°Sir, the alfalfa in the horse pasture has reached its support limit. Currently, the town has a total of fifteen horses, all grazing in the pasture, with five stallions and ten mares. Apart from the three elderly mares that have lost their reproductive ability, the other seven, including the Fire Dragon Horse, are pregnant,¡± One-Eyed Barton said, ¡°With so many pregnant mares, the Li Dragon Horse is about to strain itself, so they need a lot of nutrition. Relying solely on the pasture¡¯s grass is definitely not enough.¡± ¡°As long as the horses are well cared for, say whatever you need,¡± Liszt was very concerned about the horses¡¯ welfare. ¡°For their health and nutrition, they need better concentrated feed such as oats, barley, and wheat bran. If we could also have peanuts and peas, that would be excellent,¡± These foods were not inferior to whatmoners ate, and even exceeded them¡ªin quantity, at least, as one horse¡¯s daily ration was equivalent to that of three adults. Liszt did not refuse at all; he readily agreed to One-Eyed Barton¡¯s request, ¡°Okay.¡± He also had the confidence to agree, because since the road through Thorn Ridge had been cleared, Fresh Flower Town¡¯s merchant teams could now travel unimpeded for business. Currently, their main trade was in seafood, which had started to open up the market. Tulip Castle was the main purchaser, buying seafood worth half a Gold Coin every three days. The citizens of Coral City had also begun to enjoy the taste of seafood, purchasing simrly every three days, generating another half a Gold Coin in sales. Then there were the numerous lesser Nobles residing in Coral City, as well as those nearest to Fresh Flower Town in North Valley City and its citizens, adding up to one Gold Coin worth of seafood every three days. This meant that Fresh Flower Town¡¯s merchant teams could earn two Gold Coins every three days. An average of 67 Silver Coins a day, with the cost of seafood and travel being almost negligible, this was pure profit. Of course, Liszt had not seen any Gold or Silver Coins himself, as the merchant teams had earned a little, he would order the purchase of items needed for the Castle¡ªsalt, sugar lumps, fabric, spices, soap, beer, and so forth. And specially ordered pork pancreas. He even had the merchant teams buy ten piglets, delivering them to the Serfs of Barley Hamlet to raise for ughtering during New Year. Chick and ducklings were not in season to buy; colts, calves, andmbs were too expensive to afford; for now, the livestock business had to rely on the town¡¯s own produce. ¡°This time the merchant team brought back¡¡± After finishing the transaction with Old Geronte, Carter returned to the Castle to report to Liszt. ¡°Mr. Carter, I have a question,¡± Liszt, who had little interest in such intricate ounts, held his teacup, his brows furrowed in thought, ¡°Why does Mrs. Morson manage to give me¡ªa feeling that the milk tea tastes better than yesterday, every single day?¡± Chapter 83 - 0083: The Chance to Change Destiny Chapter 83: The Chance to Change Destiny Trantor: 549690339 Why does the milk tea taste better day after day? Liszt had noticed this for over half a month now, initially thinking that it was the improved skill of Mrs. Morson from Morson Paddy Field, but it was not possible for the skill to improve noticeable every single day. ¡°In fact, my lord,¡± Carter said, ¡°the desserts made with creamtely have also tasted better. Mrs. Morson and Mrs. Abbie think it might have something to do with the dairy cows on the farm. Both Dahei and Dahuang are pregnant with calves, and the quantity and quality of the milk have been on the rise.¡± ¡°Pregnancy can improve the quality of milk?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because the dairy farm has started to cultivate alfalfa. Compared to the previous two-leaf clover, alfalfa is more nutritious. I have visited the dairy farm, and the condition of the eight cows is very good, especially the three younger ones who have grown quickly and are nearing milking age.¡± ¡°Good, once the calves grow up, the castle won¡¯t be short of milk.¡± Liszt emptied his cup of milk tea in one gulp, ¡°This time, we must keep the calves that are in the cows¡¯ bellies alive.¡± The gestation period for dairy cows is about nine months, and to maintain milk production, they must be pregnant again soon after giving birth. So, a dairy cow can basically give birth to one calf per year. But due to limitations in nutrition, sanitation, disease, etc., not all calves can grow into dairy cows, and there¡¯s a high probability of them dying young. In this era, even human childbirth carried a substantial risk of infant mortality. Even if nobles had robust health and ess to doctors for treatment, it was impossible to ensure a hundred percent survival rate for infants. In more than a decade of breeding at the dairy farm, they had managed to raise only ten cows. Now that two older cows had been eaten by the Formless Dragon, only eight remained, but the pasture was sufficient to support a few more. Milk was an essential food for nobles, just as important as bread and beer. Liszt couldn¡¯t do without milk. He loved drinking milk tea. A cup of fresh milk in the morning and one cup of brewed milk for lunch and dinner, topped off with another cup of milk tea before bed. The nutrition from four cups of milkpensated for the energy he expended practicing Dou Qi every day¡ªknight¡¯s Dou Qi originated from the body; without nutrition, where would the Dou Qie from? He wiped the milk tea foam from his lips with a handkerchief. Suddenly, Liszt really wanted to invent pearl milk tea. However, there were no purple sweet potatoes or pumpkins on Coral Ind, so he couldn¡¯t produce ¡°pearls.¡± Therefore, he could only continue to drink milk tea without any additives¡ªwhen he first came to the castle, the milk tea brewed by Mrs. Morson was not just a mix of milk and tea, it also contained minced meat, eggs, salt, sugar cubes, sd, and more, which Lisztter forcefully eliminated. Restoring the original vor of milk tea. After finishing his milk tea, he cheerfully said, ¡°When the castle¡¯s ie improves, I n to raise more dairy cows. I aim to give every servant and retainer in the castle a cup of fresh milk every day.¡± Carter responded with a smile, ¡°You are always so generous.¡± A little kindness can ensure the enduring loyalty of servants, but the main reason was that he wanted to improve the nutritional treatment of the Knight Squad. The next morning. He continued practicing ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± at the horse track, no longer requiring Marcus¡¯s guidance. Marcus was training the Knight Squad not far away; Rom Barrel, Gray Scythe, and Auden Insole, three Retainer Knights, were also training with the squad. Only Karl Ironhammer was no longer training with the squad but had returned to Liszt¡¯s side¡ªhe had sessfully practiced Dou Qi and be an Apprentice Knight. The Dou Qi was very weak, and Marcus had judged that there was no potential left to tap into. But Karl was already more than satisfied, grinning ear to ear these past few days. Having Dou Qi meant being strong and healthy, it also meant being of great use. ¡°Karl, your Dou Qi talent was developed toote, and this is as far as you go. Once the Knight Squad training is up to standard, and you stay to be my Retainer Knight, it¡¯s hard to get a chance to improve. Therefore, I n to have you work in town,¡± Liszt said while practicing archery and talking with Karl. Karl was not young anymore and had already taken a wife and had children in Coral City. He said solemnly, ¡°My lord, Karl is willing to follow you forever!¡± ¡°I know your loyalty, but the position of retainer is not suitable for you. With your strength,peting with the young men of the knight squad would be very disadvantageous.¡± ¡°My lord, I¡¡± Karl also understood that he was no match for the young men of the knight squad. Among them were two youths, Philip Wool and Zavier Bull Dung, who had cultivated Dou Qi earlier than him, and both the abundance and recovery speed of their Dou Qi surpassed his; the remaining ten youths had all developed a sense of Qi and were close to obtaining Dou Qi, with ample time to strive towards bing Earth Knights. He felt a bit panicked. Not being a particrly clever person, he became bewildered about his future for a moment. Liszt sighed inwardly. He wasn¡¯t unkind or hard-hearted, but the position of Retainer Knights wasn¡¯t a ce for sentimentality¡ªthey needed to protect their own safety and could not afford to be careless: ¡°Go to the Patrol Team. The Patrol Team is made up ofmon people, and they need an Apprentice Knight to oversee their security work.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Karl felt somewhat disheartened. The Patrol Team was nowhere as glorious as the retainer knights of andlord. Liszt noticed Karl¡¯s disappointment and said indifferently, ¡°I will bestow upon you the status of a freeman and appoint you as the Defense Officer of Fresh Flower Town, assisting Goltai in managing the town¡¯s security, with the Patrol Team under your directmand. This position is important, do not let me down, Karl.¡± His expression shifted from disappointment to surprise in an instant. Karl bowed deeply, ¡°Thank you for the promotion, my lord. Karl is willing to serve you for life!¡± In the afternoon, the news that Karl had been promoted to a freeman and appointed as the Defense Officer of Fresh Flower Town spread throughout the entire stableyard. During a break in the knight squad¡¯s training, Marcus came over to give Liszt archery guidance. They chatted casually as well. ¡°My lord, Karl¡¯s story has made the knight squad train even harder, especially Rom, Gray, and Auden who are pushing themselves to the limit.¡± ¡°Dou Qi changes fate; it used to sound more like a slogan. But giving them a living example will make them realize that this is not just a slogan, but a tangible opportunity,¡± Liszt said as he shook his sore wrist. Even he himself was striving to be stronger. Marcus, however, remarked, ¡°It is you, my lord, who bestows upon them the opportunity to change their fate.¡± The statement was irrefutable; Liszt acknowledged it. Then changing the subject, he drew four arrows and practiced the ¡°Spiral Shadow Arrow¡± from the Multiple Arrow technique, making the four arrows follow a spiral trajectory¡ªthis was a preliminary skill for the Ultimate Mystery Multi-Shadow Arrow, with a key technique of how to create the illusion effect of the arrows. Two arrows were mped between his index finger, and two between his middle finger. Drawing the stiff bow to its full arc, he aimed at a target not far in front of him. Suddenly, he released his grip, and the four arrows shot out one after another with magic power spreading out around them, driving the arrows to spin in the air. Regrettably, the magic power dispersing one of the arrows was directed incorrectly, breaking the formation of the arrows. The airflow shattered, affecting the other three arrows, leading all four to miss the target. ¡°Stillcking a bit,¡± Liszt put down the bow and arrows, recalling where he had gone wrong¡ªthe study of archery was vast, involving control over the bowstring¡¯s force, direction of the arrows, bncing magic power, as well as ounting for wind resistance and gravity. Marcus watched thending trajectory of the arrows, his eyes shining. ¡°My lord, your archery talent has already surpassed many. I started learning archery at your age, but it took me three whole years just to get started in ¡®Basic Archery.¡¯ After bing an Earth Knight and nearly fifteen years of practice, I reached my current level of archery, and you are quickly catching up.¡± Chapter 84 - 0084 When will the task be completed? Chapter 84: When will the task bepleted? Trantor: 549690339 This isn¡¯t ttery. Liszt himself felt that his talent was extraordinarily potent. Perhaps his body, by nature, had strong lineage, superior genes, far surpassing those of ordinary people. Now with a soul that surpassed the era¡¯s thinking, his grasp of principles allowed him a clearer touch on the essence of cultivation. Others learned archery, perhaps solely through practice and experience. In their minds, there was no conception of air resistance, parabolic trajectories, inertia, or Newton¡¯s threews of motion. Yet he could, through some simplews of physics, discern the trajectory of an arrow¡¯s flight and thus more quickly master how to shape muscle memory to rapidly learn archery skills. What hecked was just control over technical details. Analyze failure. Improve technique. Bend the bow and shoot arrows again. Liszt felt that such pure cultivation, once one delved into it, was also a kind of painful yet joyful indulgence. ¡°My lord, I¡¯m nning to take a day off to buy my family out of serfdom and bring them to live in Fresh Flower Town,¡± Karl said, having sessfully handed over the position of defense officer, and following the afternoon¡¯s briefing for the patrol team, attended the evening¡¯s banquet in the castle for the first time. He was nervously fidgety with excitement. Liszt, biting into a piece of bread, replied, ¡°I approve your leave. Go ahead and bring your family to live here, Goltai will ensure your work is managed well¡ By the way, do you have enough money to buy their freedom?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve saved up enough, Rom and the others lent me some. There are only four people in my family, my parents and younger brother and sister, and the money I have is just enough to buy out their serf status.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, don¡¯t hesitate to speak to me, whether you need an advance on your sry or a low-interest loan.¡± Karl, formerly a retainer knight, had family members who were serfs of the Tulip family. Now that he had obtained freeman status, he wanted to free his family from serfdom. As a follower of a noble, he now had enough power to protect his family. Goltai raised his ss to Karl in celebration, ¡°ir and Marcus¡¯ families have settled into their new lives and are doing very well; your family will do the same.¡± Karl downed his beer in one go, excitedly saying, ¡°Fresh Flower Town will only get better, the glory of the knights shines upon this ce, shines upon the lord!¡± ¡°I agree!¡± Marcus, too, raised his ss and drained his beer. ir and Isaiah also raised their sses to drink heartily. Goltai, who had a taste for good wine, finished his ss, eagerly waited for the servant to refill it, and then promptly raised his ss again, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s drink another round to Fresh Flower Town, to our lord!¡± One ss of wine was downed. Then Goltai added, ¡°Karl,e back soon. In three days, a caravan from North Valley City wille to Fresh Flower Town. The patrol team needs to supervise the entire process and promote the rules of Fresh Flower Town to them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll return as quickly as I can, without dy to the work,¡± Karl assured. ¡°Douson, release the magic!¡± Outside the castle, Liszt held Douson¡¯s leash, issuing themand. Douson immediately followed the direction of his pointing finger, opened his mouth to roar, and in an instant, a rock spike emerged from the ground. After Liszt led Douson away, a male servant immediately came over, shovel in hand, to dig the rock spike out of the ground. This kind of rock spike was created by the earth attribute magic power solidifying the soil into a hard stonepound. It was extremely hard, with the toughness of granite. Every day Douson could produce many such rock spikes, then the male servants would collect them and use them for paving roads. Liszt had requested the construction of a stone road between the castle and the town¡¯s main street, passable even on rainy days; otherwise, it was impossible to go out when it rained. At the moment, this road was already forty meters long. ¡°Douson, up!¡± Liszt continued to train Douson. He had specifically bought all the wild rabbits caught by hunters, and these rabbits were materials for Douson¡¯s training. The wild rabbits ran rapidly on the ground, making various abrupt stops and changes in direction. Even if Douson was a magical beast, hailed as the King of Thorn Ridge, catching up to a wild rabbit still took considerable effort. It chased the rabbit around the riding ground for about a kilometer before finally pinning the rabbit to the ground and biting down on its neck. It killed the rabbit. Douson flung the rabbit carcass to one side. It no longer ate raw food, its mouth spoiled by Liszt, only consuming cooked meals. ¡°Ga ji!¡± On Liszt¡¯s left hand, which was cloaked in a leather glove, perched a fluffy big bird, Juan Fu, a young Wind Falcon. Still unable to fly, it had quite a loud voice, squawking ¡°ga ji,¡± ¡°ga ji¡± all day long, and had a huge appetite too, consuming several fish in one meal. Hearing Juan Fu¡¯s squawk, the cheerful Douson immediately turned around, then rushed beside Liszt, drooling at Juan Fu¡ªit certainly wanted to eat a bird, to taste its vor. ¡°Ga ji!¡± ¡°Ga ji!¡± Juan Fu pped its wings, seemingly eager to attempt flying. Once thisyer of down fell out, reced by flight feathers, it would probably be ready for its first flight. Liszt felt slightly troubled, as birds yearn for the sky and are hard to keep grounded. Yet without any sign of recognizing an owner, and with nobody on Coral Ind adept at taming birds, ¡°Stop squawking, or I¡¯ll make you into a red-cooked dish,¡± said Liszt nonchntly as he passed Juan Fu to Thomas, who hastily caught it with his gloved hand, fearing it might fall and be prey to Douson. Now roughly the size and weight of a sausage, Juan Fu was somewhat heavy for Thomas to hold with one hand. Liszt, sympathetic to his struggle, said, ¡°Take it back to the nest.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± By the time Thomas returned after delivering Juan Fu, Liszt had already exhausted Douson with training: ¡°Lead Douson back and tie it up, I¡¯m going to start practicing archery.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Seeing this, two robust youths rushed over to pass Liszt his bow and arrows: ¡°My lord, your bow and arrows.¡± They were Philip Wool and Zavier Bull Dung, members of the Knight Squad who had cultivated Dou Qi and were no longer required to train daily with the squad, beginning their duties as Retainer Knights. epting the bow and arrows, Liszt quickly entered his zone, practicing Multiple Arrow. Now, he onlycked mastery of Spiral Shadow Arrow; he had sessfully learned the other four techniques but wasn¡¯t very proficient yet. ¡°Today, I aim to master Spiral Shadow Arrow, and I¡¯ll start practicing Multiple Phantom Arrow tomorrow!¡± From morning until afternoon. Sweat streamed down time and again. Finally, as the sun set in the west, he sessfully executed Spiral Shadow Arrow. Four arrows spiraled through the air, instantly creatingyers of illusions, eventually all striking the target. ¡°Phew!¡± He breathed a sigh of relief. Rubbing his wrist, he decided to call it a day with archery: ¡°In another week, I should be able to master Multiple Phantom Arrow.¡± Thinking this, he summoned the Smoke Mission and habitually nced over it. But this nce revealed that the Serpent Script had transformed. ¡°Missionplete, reward: ck Pearl of the Deep Sea.¡± ¡°Mission: A trade caravan is soon to arrive at Fresh Flower Town, the first since the Landlord¡¯smencement. Ensure the trade¡¯s total proceeds reach at least 3 Gold Coins to attract the caravan for future visits. Reward: Drifting Bottle.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Liszt was puzzled, ¡°When did I actuallyplete the mission? I clearly haven¡¯t mastered the Ultimate Mystery Multi-Shadow Arrow?¡± Suddenly, it dawned on him. That time when practicing ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, Marcus¡¯s Multiple Phantom Arrow had one stray from the target. ¡°Does this mean that Marcus hasn¡¯t mastered the Ultimate Mystery Technique either? He shot in two sequences and still missed one, so he doesn¡¯t qualify as having mastery? So, do I only need to learn the earlier Double Arrow, Triple Arrow, and Multiple Arrow toplete the mission?¡± Without a doubt, that had to be the case. It was an unexpected blessing, which Liszt dly epted, then shifted his focus to the rewards and new mission: ¡°The ck Pearl of the Deep Sea? The Drifting Bottle? Is there any connection between them?¡± Chapter 85 - 0085: The Self-Recommended Captain Chapter 85: The Self-Rmended Captain Trantor: 549690339 The task was easy to aplish. He didn¡¯t need to pay attention to how much the residents of the town traded, as he had already decided that the castle would directly purchase any goods above three Gold Coins. Recently, seafood had started to turn a profit, and the East Coast had be a constant stream of Gold Coins for the castle. His money pouch had sessfully stopped deting and was slightly recovering; he now had about five Gold Coins saved. ¡°Old Geronte, I¡¯ve called you here because I have a task for you. Tomorrow, a merchant convoy from North Valley City wille to Fresh Flower Town. I¡¯m giving you three Gold Coins, and you must spend them all, purchasing anything you can.¡± Old Geronte was astute, ¡°Lord Landlord, are you using the allure of Gold Coins to entice the merchant convoy toe again next time?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Old Geronte understands, I will see to it that it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Good, you may go now.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, I wish you a good night.¡± As Old Geronte turned to leave, he saw Bunier at the castle gate and greeted him, ¡°Bunier, has the Lord Landlord also summoned you?¡± ¡°Oh, no, I made some soap and brought it to the castle specially.¡± Bunier shook the bag he was holding, ¡°Did the Lord Landlord call for you about the merchant convoy¡¯s matter for tomorrow?¡± Old Geronte said with a hint of pride, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m the leader of the castle¡¯s merchant convoy, and the Lord Landlord trusts me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m envious of you, but I must be going now.¡± Bunier passed Old Geronte and, led by a servant, entered the castle to see Liszt. He bowed respectfully and handed the soap to the servant. ¡°Finally, the soap is made, and we no longer have to buy those soaps from Coral City, where they charge two silver coins for materials that inly cost a copper coin.¡± Liszt picked up a bar of soap, feeling that Bunier¡¯s craftsmanship was decent and not much worse than the soaps bought from Coral City, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Bunier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Bunier¡¯s fortune to work for Lord Landlord.¡± ¡°I have another task for you.¡± ¡°Lord Landlord, pleasemand me.¡± Liszt said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a form, mixing pig pancreas and wood ash¡ªbasically these two materials¡ªto create a soap that is more potent in cleaning than soapberry. It¡¯s called ¡®fat soap.¡¯¡± The term ¡®pancreas¡¯ didn¡¯t sound pleasant, so Liszt simply described it as ¡®fat soap,¡¯ since it was a new concept with no contention over naming rights. ¡°There is something better than soapberry? Lord Landlord, can pig pancreas also clean and remove stains?¡± asked Bunier, surprised. ¡°That¡¯s the case, but I can¡¯t remember exactly how to mix them. Therefore, I¡¯m handing over the task of making fat soap to you, hoping that you can quickly figure out how to create a bath soap using pig pancreas and wood ash. Once you¡¯ve seeded, I will reward you handsomely.¡± Bunier quickly replied, ¡°It is Bunier¡¯s fortune to work for Lord Landlord. Please be assured, Lord Landlord, that Bunier will make the fat soap as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Hm, don¡¯t forget to keep making the regr soap as well; we cannot run out of soap in the castle.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord.¡± The rewards for the Smoke Mission arrived quickly. The next morning, Liszt received a report that the fishermen from Oyster Vige had found a stranded giant sea creature on the East Coast. A sea monster, the ck Pearl of the Deep Sea, Liszt immediately realized and set off for the East Coast. By the seaside, he saw the stranded sea monster, apanied by a putrid smell. ¡°Lord, do you recognize this kind of sea monster?¡± Goltai and the others had rushed over early, but they did not recognize what species the stranded sea monster was. Liszt looked closely and saw that the sea monster was some kind of mollusk, extremelyrge, at least over ten meters long. It had tentacles, soft and entwined together, and upon examining its body, which resembled a squid andy spread out on the sand, he noticed signs of decay that made it hard to discern what it looked like alive. He used the Eye of Magic and discovered that there was no flow of magic power in the body of the sea monster. Strictly speaking, this was just some sort of marine animal, not a sea monster. ¡°It might be a type ofrge squid, not a sea monster,¡± Liszt fanned away the air in front of his nose, as the putrid smell of the decaying squid was extremely foul. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s edible?¡± ir suddenly asked. Goltai made a face of aversion, ¡°I can hardly stand the smell, let alone eat it. I think it¡¯s not seafood; it¡¯s a monster! Maybe it¡¯s poisonous, or it might even have eaten people in the sea. I¡¯ve heard of a kind of sea monster that entangles ships, and this squid has ¡®hands,¡¯ so it definitely could entangle ships as well.¡± Whether or not it was poisonous or had eaten people, Liszt would not consider it seafood. Something rotten should just be thrown away. But thinking of the ck Pearl of the Deep Sea, which might be rted to thisrge squid, he ordered, ¡°Teacher Goltai, find some people to dissect thisrge squid to see if there¡¯s anything interesting inside. If there¡¯s nothing, chop it up and throw it into the sea to avoid creating a stench.¡± Goltai began organizing fishermen toe and dissect therge squid. Liszt then rode his horse towards the beached sailboat not far from the beach; this damaged sailboat, with a few holes, had already been repaired by carpenters. When the tide went out, they would move it back into the sea, and after the tide rose again, it could basically sail back out¡ It¡¯s just that, while they had a captain who could steer, theycked qualified sailors. ¡°Lord Landlord, Kostor sends his regards to you.¡± While Liszt was admiring the sailboat, his Retainer Knights Philip and Zavier stopped a fisherman. The fisherman knelt on the ground in a hurry, shouting loudly. Kostor? Liszt remembered the name, turned his horse around, and said to Thomas following behind, ¡°Let hime here.¡± Kostor was a tall, middle-aged man with a sun-baked, weather-beaten face: ¡°Lord Landlord, Kostor sends his regards to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already said that once,¡± Liszt looked at him with a critical eye, ¡°Stand up to talk. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you are the captain of this ship, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Lord Landlord still remembers Kostor, I am honored,¡± Kostor stood up and respectfully said, ¡°I used to work for Lord Little Papa as the captain of the Flying Number, a three-masted sailing ship that could reach 3 knots speed with the wind. This sailboat is even more outstanding than the Flying Number; it can reach 5 knots with the wind.¡± Knot was a unit of speed, and Liszt wasn¡¯t quite sure how fast a knot really was. But he knew that the fastest ship in the Tulip Fleet could reach 7 knots. It was said that the fastest sailing ships in the Court Fleet could reach a speed of 10 knots. Kostor looked up at the sailboat, his eyes filled with inexplicable emotion. ¡°Lord Landlord, don¡¯t you wish to see it return to the sea?¡± ¡°Do you want to captain this ship again?¡± Liszt looked with interest at Kostor, who clearly seemed ready to offer himself for the role. ¡°But Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have a single sailor.¡± ¡°They can be trained. I started out as a sailor, traversing the seas year-round. I know how to train qualified sailors. If Lord Landlord trusts me, you only need to give me twenty people; within three months, I can train them into qualified coastal crew members, and within a year, they should be able to sail in distant waters!¡± Liszt looked at him, ¡°Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have an appropriate seaport; how will you train the sailors?¡± ¡°We do, Lord Landlord, Fresh Flower Town has a ce that is very suitable for building a seaport! The terrain is t, the water is deep, and it can amodate medium-sized ships and below!¡± Chapter 86 - 0086: The Unopenable Tridacna Chapter 86: The Unopenable Trida Trantor: 549690339 Kostor crouched on the sand, tracing a rough outline of the East Coast shoreline with his finger, and then circled a spot at one end of the coastline, ¡°Lord Landlord, this here is a suitable ce for the construction of a harbor.¡± Liszt understood this crude map. Strictly speaking, the location of the harbor was no longer within the boundaries of Fresh Flower Town. The cow farm marked the northernmost boundary of Fresh Flower Town, while further northy the section of Thorn Ridge that extended to the sea. And the site Kostor mentioned was where Thorn Ridge met the sea. ¡°Thorn Ridge is made up of low hills with t roads running through it, and in recent times, I¡¯ve scouted the entire East Coast. I found that from this position, Thorn Ridge begins to fork, forming a t valley. Right by the sea is a deep-water harbor, which I¡¯ve personally dived to explore. The terrain and roads are both suitable for the construction of docks.¡± ¡°You dared to go deep into Thorn Ridge?¡± Liszt was somewhat surprised. Kostor¡¯s tone was somewhat fervent, ¡°Since taking refuge in Fresh Flower Town, I have always wanted to set sail again. But without a harbor or docks in Fresh Flower Town, I couldn¡¯t settle. So, I explored farther¡ I was lucky, encountering no Magical Beasts, only some wild beasts, and I found some Smoked Grass.¡± As he spoke, he suddenly knelt down again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Landlord, I went to the Smoked Grass field and picked up leaves that had fallen to the ground. Please penalize me.¡± Smoked Grass belonged to Liszt. Even naturally fallen leaves were his property, and picking them up was considered theft by anyone, let alone a serf. ¡°Stand up first, we¡¯ll talk about your actionster.¡± Liszt indicated for him to stand again and speak, ¡°You¡¯re quite bold, not only daring to enter Thorn Ridge but also to venture into the sea alone. It seems that neither Magical Beasts nor Sea Monsters can stop the love for the sea in your heart.¡± ¡°I love the sea!¡± Kostor took a deep breath, gazing toward the Sea Waves. ¡°I grew up by the sea, and as a youth, I sailed with ships. I¡¯ve spent more time at sea than onnd. I¡¯ve seen the long horn of the narwhal piercing the surface, which is a tooth growing from its mouth; I¡¯ve witnessed mirages of wealthy cities at sea, unattainable however I chased; I¡¯ve heard enchanting songs from within the fog, the singing of Sea Serpents¡¡± After a pause, he swallowed hard and spoke earnestly, ¡°I love sailing, I love moving across the sea, Lord Landlord, Kostor hopes to steer your sailboat and engage in maritime trade for you.¡± A brief exchange. Liszt could tell that Kostor was a person of insight, intelligence, action, and adventurous spirit. If he had been in the era of great European voyages, such a man might have be an explorer like ¡°Columbus¡±. Clearly, those who harbor dreams are worthy of respect. His talents were wasted in Fresh Flower Town. ¡°Kostor, I hereby appoint you Captain of the Fresh Flower Vessel.¡± He looked down at him from his position of authority. ¡°You may recruit your own Sailor Apprentices and train them in sailing skills along the East Coast.¡± ¡°Fresh Flower Vessel?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the name of the sailboat; I named it the Fresh Flower Vessel. It¡¯ll be the first ship of Fresh Flower Town!¡± Kostor was overjoyed, ¡°Lord Landlord, when do you n on constructing the harbor, and when do you n to set out for maritime trade? Just give me one year, and I will train a crew of qualified sailors!¡± ¡°You are not to enter Thorn Forest again until I have cleared all the trees of Thorn Ridge. There¡¯s no need for you to worry about the harbor; I will build the docks when the timees. There is no sry for the position of Captain at the moment; you need to be self-reliant, perhaps by charging tuition fees¡ Of course, you can choose to apply to be a teacher, teaching my Knight Squad about sailing.¡± Marcus teaches Dou Qi, Isaiah teaches literacy, and now with Kostor teaching sailing, Liszt highly values the education of the Knight Squad. Even if only a few of this group turn out to be exceptional, they can be qualified instructors for Liszt to train the next batch of Knight candidates. The oue couldn¡¯t have been better. Kostor knelt on both knees and paid his respects, ¡°Lord Landlord, I am willing to apply for the teacher position!¡± ¡°Then, Captain, introduce me to the Fresh Flower Vessel.¡± The Fresh Flower Vessel was a two-masted schooner evidently much smaller than a three-masted one. It could barely be used for oceanic trade. Within the Tulip Fleet, there were quite a few two-masted schooners. They were most suited for sailing within the archipgo, where they would not encounter severe ocean storms, greatly increasing their safety. It had no cannons. If it encountered a Sea Monster, fleeing was the only option; however, while there were often stories of Sea Monsters attacking ships, in reality, such attacks were rare. While they were admiring the Fresh Flower Vessel, the fishermen dissecting therge squid corpse suddenly shouted. The news quickly reached Liszt. It turned out the fishermen had extracted arge shell creature from the squid¡¯s stomach. ¡°A shell shaped like a wave¡± and rger than a human¡± were the descriptions given by the Clerk rying the message about this shell creature. Liszt immediately disembarked from the Fresh Flower Vessel. He understood, within this shell creature, there must be a ck Pearl of the Deep Sea. When he saw the shell creature for himself, he realized in an instant, ¡°This is a Trida!¡± The huge shell, the wave-like design, and the colorfully splendid mantle all dered its identity¡ªa Trida. In Liszt¡¯s homnd, the Trida was the world¡¯srgest shell creature. Its shell could be made into a gemstone and was extremely valuable; the flesh was also particrly delicious. On the table at his former home, there was a vase made from the shell of a Trida. Of course, that was a small Trida. The enormous Trida before him had at least a two-meter diameter, estimated to weigh over five hundred kilograms. The shell was tightly closed, and it was unclear whether it was still alive; the splendid mantle appeared to have been digested by the squid, exhibiting spots and signs of peeling. ¡°Lord, what kind of shell creature is this, do you know?¡± Goltai circled the Trida incessantly. ¡°Trida, a kind ofrge shell creature.¡± While speaking, he utilized his Eye of Magic to examine the Trida closely but did not detect traces of magic power. It seemed to be just an ordinary Trida, not a Sea Monster. ¡°Open it, I want to see if there are any pearls inside the shell.¡± ¡°Pearls? Can Tridas also produce pearls? I always thought that only the pearl oysters in Tranquil Lake could produce pearls.¡± Tranquil Lake was a vastke on Blue Dragon Ind and a property of the Sapphire Family. One of its special products was pearl oysters bred in theke. They were a type of small Sea Monster, or Water Monster, that lived only in freshwater and could produce pearls. The pearls had a hint of magic power with a mild Water Attribute that could calm the mind. They were decorations favored by Nobles. Many well-breddies wore a string of pearl nes around their necks. Liszt pointed at the Trida, ¡°Open it up and we¡¯ll know if there are any inside.¡± Goltai hurriedly organized the manpower, prepared to pry open the shell of the Trida, but the group struggled for a long time and still couldn¡¯t open the hard shell of the Trida. ¡°My goodness, have you not eaten enough!¡± Goltai looked on incredulously, ¡°A shell has exposed your true feeble nature?¡± ¡°Mr. Goltai, this thing is too sturdy, our levers have broken,¡± someoneined. ¡°I guarantee it¡¯s like a stone, seamless, and simply impossible to open,¡± another assured. ¡°Maybe we should build a fire under it. When I eat oysters, I always roast them, and they open on their own.¡± Chapter 87 - 087: Bring in a Princess Bed Chapter 87: Bring in a Princess Bed Trantor: 549690339 The shell of the Trida was extremely difficult to pry open, and the fishermen were helpless without the right tools. Liszt didn¡¯t insist, as long as the ck Pearl was inside, it couldn¡¯t escape. After the giant Squid was dismembered and its rotting body was thrown into the sea, Liszt ordered that the Trida be carried back to the Castle to be studied slowly. The immense Trida had a strange shape. Along the way, it attracted the curious gazes of many townsfolk, and upon reaching the Castle, all the servants came out to observe, having never seen anything so peculiar. ¡°Teacher Marcus, what do you think is the best way to open it?¡± Marcus pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Its strength is formidable, the two shells are tightly fixed together, but since its outer shell is irregr with many crevices, we could insert a stick to pry it open. A regr wooden stick won¡¯t do; we need a thick iron bar, although, we probably don¡¯t have such an iron bar.¡± Iron was precious, no one would forge a thick iron bar specifically for prying open the shell of a Trida. ¡°Perhaps we could use fire to burn it,¡± Carter suggested. ¡°The shell is too thick, fire would hardly damage it,¡± Liszt refuted, and besides, there was a ck Pearl inside. Thest thing he wanted was for it to be overheated¡ ¡°Use hooks. We can hook one on each shell and then use horses to pull them apart, thus opening its shell,¡± Marcus finally thought of a crude method. However, it proved effective. When two horses pulled on their respective ropes, almost snapping them, they eventually managed to pry apart the shell of the Trida. The now vertical Trida looked like a blossoming flower, not widely open, but enough to locate its ¡°bands,¡± the muscles used to close its shell. Marcus gripped his greatsword, his strength surging forth as he cut through one of the bands. Snap! The horses straining against the shell prompted the Trida to split into two halves, no longer able to close. Liszt¡¯s gaze was already on a group of protrusions on the inner wall of the Trida, where the pearls were nestled, round and plump. ¡°Cut it open, but be careful. The pearls inside are wrapped in it, don¡¯t scratch them.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Marcus personally wielded the knife, cautiously slicing through the membrane of the protrusion, and when he cut open thergest one, a shiny ck Pearl was revealed, asrge as a washbasin. ¡°There are more beside it, cut them all open and extract them,¡± Liszt said excitedly. He hadn¡¯t figured out what these ck Pearls were for yet, but finding suchrge ck Pearls was unimaginable. If these were auctioned in his homnd, they would certainly fetch an astonishingly high price. After Marcuspleted the cutting, a total of sixteen ck Pearls of varying sizes were extracted. Thergest was the one the size of a washbasin. Following that were two nearly the size of basketballs; then three about the size of a sea bowl; and finally, a bunch of smaller ck Pearls the size of apples, oranges, and ping-pong balls. After cleaning them, Liszt cradled thergest ck Pearl and suddenly felt traces of Magic Power flowing within it. He quickly used his Eye of Magic, and then, he saw a whirlpool-like profound Magic Power inside the ck Pearl. It was a light blue in color, indicative of Water-Attribute Magic Power. ¡°It actually has Magic Power?¡± Before, when he had used the Eye of Magic to observe the Trida, he hadn¡¯t detected the slightest trace of Magic Power. Little did he know, the ck Pearls themselves possessed Magic Power. ¡°My lord, these ck Pearls, they seem to have Magic Power?¡± Marcus also noticed something was amiss, butcking the Eye of Magic, he wasn¡¯t certain. ¡°There is indeed magic power here.¡± Li Si Te became lost in thought as he handled the ck pearl, recalling a knight¡¯s novel he had read. In one of these novels, it was mentioned that the song of a sea serpent could calm a raging storm, and there was a great knight who captured a sea serpent and turned it into a piece of magic equipment. This equipment allowed ships to sail steadily through storms without being affected. What exactly a sea serpent was, no one could say for sure. Some swore they had heard the song of a sea serpent¡ªKostor had just mentioned he once heard a sea serpent sing¡ªbut there were no records of what a sea serpent truly was. Most people believed that sea serpents were nothing more than tales spun by sailors. This story had no connection to the ck pearls. What sparked Li Si Te¡¯s imagination was the idea of a sea serpent transformed into equipment that sheltered ships from storms. ¡°Could these ck pearls also be turned into magic equipment to withstand storms? After all, they are magic items with water-attribute magic power, and the magic power is very rich, nearly rivaling that of gemstones produced by dragons. Suppressing sea storms might be uncertain, but making magic equipment should be feasible.¡± Without a magician, it was impossible to study the ck pearls. Li Si Te thought there might be other uses¡ªfor example, as an air conditioner. ¡°Teacher Marcus, Mr. Carter, everyone, do you feel the air has gotten much cooler?¡± Marcus took a moment to feel it: ¡°I don¡¯t feel the coolness, but there seems to be more moisture in the air. It must be the ck pearls condensing the water vapor around us.¡± ¡°Regardless, they are valuable items. How much do you think they could sell for if we put them on the market?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen a fist-sized white pearl before, and I heard that one could go for at least five gold coins. I guess ck pearls of the same size should fetch about ten gold coins? As for thergest ck pearl, my lord, I cannot estimate its value; it¡¯spletely new.¡± ¡°It has a very rich magic power, definitely worth more than white pearls, but the castle isn¡¯t in need of money at the moment. We¡¯ll have to think more carefully about its price,¡± Li Si Te was not very satisfied with Marcus¡¯s valuation. He felt that even if the ck pearls were priced at twice the value of white pearls, they would still be undervalued; their worth was probably far greater than imagined. So he said to Carter, ¡°Mr. Carter, please move them to my study.¡± He himself kept a ck pearl the size of a ping-pong ball in his hand, carefully ying with it. ¡°Yes, master,¡± replied Carter. A momentter, Carter came back to ask, ¡°Master, what about the opened Trida shell? Can we eat its flesh?¡± ¡°I think so¡ Well, let Douson try it first. If it¡¯s poisonous, we¡¯ll just throw it away.¡± ¡°And the two shells?¡± ¡°Clean the inner walls of the shells thoroughly. I want to see if there¡¯s any jadeite formation.¡± Jadeite Trida is a prized jewel in Li Si Te¡¯s homnd, one of the seven treasures of Buddhism. In the West, Trida, pearls, coral, and amber are considered the four major organic gemstones. Jadeite Trida, the whitest substance in the world, is formed through the jade-like transformation of the inner walls of a Trida shell. ¡°Such arge Trida should have some jadeite parts, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± But Li Si Te soon realized his mistake, as the tremendous Trida shell had no signs of jadeite on its inner walls. It was only then that he remembered; a living Trida couldn¡¯t undergo jadeite formation. Jadeite formation required time, much like the gestation of jade¡ªit was the product of millions of years of umtion and sculpting. Jadeite Trida formed when a dead Trida was buried in sand, slowly turning into jade over millions of years. Without jadeite formation, the shells could not be crafted into gemstones, yet Li Si Te had a wildly imaginative idea: ¡°Mr. Carter, what do you think would happen if we made it into a bed?¡± As he spoke, he imagined the animated films from his childhood¡ªthe Disney animations where the mermaid princess always slept inside a shell. Chapter 88 - 0088: What is the Value of the Black Pearl? Chapter 88: What is the Value of the ck Pearl? Trantor: 549690339 The Trida shell was huge, over two meters long and almost as wide, and while Liszt was still growing and now nearly reached a height of one meter eighty-five, he could still fit inside the clean Trida shell to sleep if he wished. Of course, that suggestion was just a casual remark. The shape of the Trida shell was too peculiar, its form like that of a great wave, not suited to be crafted into a bed. He had the Trida shell ced at the castle¡¯s entrance as a giant sculpture. It had to be said, the hollowed-out, cleaned Trida shell had quite an aesthetic appeal. Having dealt with the Trida, Liszt returned to the study to examine the ck Pearls. Carter had moved all the ck Pearls into the study, but now, apart from the small ck Pearl in Liszt¡¯s hand, the other ck Pearls were invisible¡ªthey had been stashed away by Liszt in a Space Gem near his chest, as he chose to keep valuable items close to his person. So when Carter brought in a ss of juice, he eximed in surprise, ¡°My lord, I clearly ced the ck Pearls on the shelf over there, where have they gone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve hidden them, no need to be astonished,¡± Liszt replied. ¡°Alright then.¡± Carter did not probe further about where Liszt had hidden the ck Pearls. As the butler, he didn¡¯t need to know. His role was simply to serve the lord well and manage the daily affairs of the castle. Sipping the juice. After exploring for half a day. Liszt gradually gained a basic understanding of the ck Pearls, ¡°They are rich in Magic Power, nearly as much as the gemstones produced by dragons. However, unlike gemstones that provide a continuous supply of Magic Power, the Magic Power of the ck Pearls seems to require manual replenishment. I don¡¯t have Water-Attribute Magic Power, so I can¡¯t replenish them.¡± The ping-pong ball-sized ck Pearl he was toying with in his hand constantly emitted ripples of Magic Power. This ripple was utterly different from that of a Dragon Gem. He distinguished between the two using terms he could understand: ¡°Dragon Gems are more akin to forming a stable maic field with Magic Power, which does not dissipate. ck Pearls, on the other hand, are like a radioactive element, continuously emitting Magic Power, and over time, you can feel the loss of their Power.¡± So, in essence, ck Pearls were many levels inferior to Dragon Gems. A Dragon Gem could easily fetch seven to eight hundred Gold Coins, while as Marcus had said, a ck Pearl might only sell for a dozen or so Gold Coins. ¡°However, who knows what exorbitant price a basin-sized ck Pearl could fetch! I believe those nobles, as insane about collecting treasures and antiques as they are, would be willing to pay with Dragon Coins,¡± Liszt mused. A Dragon Coin was worth ten thousand Gold Coins, and only particrly wealthy nobles could afford them. With that thought. He became unsettled, ¡°I always feel that the reward for the Smoke Mission this time is the most substantial¡ The content of the reward isn¡¯t particrly rich, but it¡¯s akin to being given money, tangible and real.¡± So far, he hadpleted eighteen missions, without fathoming the pattern for their appearance, nor the rules governing the rewards. But most of the mission rewards were very valuable. If one were to gauge, magical beast rewards like Douson and Juan Fu were probably worth over a hundred Gold Coins; productivity rewards like Elf Bug might be valued at a thousand or two thousand Gold Coins, as the Elf Bug was indeed magical and rare, but its ten-year lifespan was a significant limitation. As for ck Tulips, me Mushrooms, Dragon Breed Horses, they would probably fetch around a Dragon Coin in value; for a Dou Qi Secret Technique like ¡°The Eye of Magic¡±, it was definitely worth three thousand Gold Coins; and as for items like Corn Grass, Smoked Grass, a Miniature Saltpeter Mine, or fifty serfs, while challenging to quantify, were also very valuable. As for the information about the Formless Dragon, that was in a ss of its own. The most valuable were the gems of the Formless Dragon, gems that contained their own space, priceless treasures. However, these rewards either needed a long time to fully disy their value or due to various constraints, couldn¡¯t demonstrate their worth, or were simply so valuable that possessing them was a crime, such as Space Gems, which could not be revealed for fear of attracting disaster. But the current ck Pearls were different. They were highly valuable; the sixteen ck Pearls of varying sizes could fetch at least tens of thousands of Gold Coinsbined. Crucially, they could be sold separately, as they were not a set but individual entities. ¡°Should I sell it, sell it, or sell it?¡± Liszt pondered for a moment before deciding to take out a ck pearl the size of a sea bowl to test the waters of the market. Yesterday, Carter mentioned to him that August 19th was Levis¡¯s birthday and asked what gift was needed. He was to attend the birthday party at Tulip Castle. ¡°Just get some high-grade seafood as a gift. It would be a good opportunity to ask if he has any intention of buying ck pearls. The Tulip Family all have Water-Attribute Dou Qi, so they should be interested in ck pearls¡ They could get a magician to help forge a magic equipment. By then, they could also help me understand how exactly ck pearls can be used.¡± No one is better than a magician at studying magic items. It¡¯s uncertain if there are any magicians on Coral Ind, but the Tulip Family can definitely make contact with one. If the price is right, Liszt is prepared to sell a few ck pearls first and gather some gold coins, then hand them over to Levis to continue purchasing serfs for him. He also ns to buy more pig iron and wrought iron and give them to the smithy to make farming tools. He was not satisfied with the efficiency of the serfs farming in the town. Since he couldn¡¯t get oxen for plowing and the research on plows needed time, his only option was to make more shovels and hoes so all the serfs could turn the soil and farm more efficiently. This way, some could be freed to work in other trades. ¡°If a good price is gained, buy some calves, foals,mbs, and higher quality feed for the pregnant mares.¡± ¡°If convenient, the castle could be refurbished a bit, preferably with a heated kang, as winter is on its way. In an era without central heating, you have to rely on a heated bed for warmth.¡± Deep nning is probably what describes Liszt. Summer had just started not long ago, and he was already considering the challenges of living in winter. The merchant caravan from North Valley City arrived at Fresh Flower Town before eight o¡¯clock in the morning. After more than eight months, a merchant caravan had once again entered Fresh Flower Town. Usually, caravans followed the Tax Knight, visiting once every quarter except for winter, which meant three times a year. Each time a caravan arrived, the town celebrated as if it were the New Year. This time was no exception. The grand caravan quickly attracted all the residents of the town, who almost all stopped their work to watch. After finishing his morning exercises and not touching his bow and arrows again, Liszt took a bath and returned to the castle. Standing at the window, he could see the bustling crowd in the town. Especially the jesters who had set up a stage and started performing farces, attracting the majority of the town¡¯s residents. The sound of theirughter and cheers could even be heard from the castle. ¡°Maisie, go call for Mr. Carter,¡± he said to the maid Maisie, who was cleaning. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Soon, Carter hurried over, ¡°My lord, you called for me?¡± ¡°The town is very lively today. Tell everyone in the castle that if they want to take the day off, they can go ahead. There¡¯s no need to stay in the castle. Go to the town to watch the farce or buy some snacks to rx.¡± ¡°You are truly a generous noble. I will pass on your message to the servants.¡± ¡°That includes you, Mr. Carter.¡± Carter chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t need to, my lord. Let the younger servants enjoy your generosity. The castle needs someone to watch over it, and you should not be without the attendance of your servants.¡± Chapter 89 - 0089: Able to Raise a Pony Chapter 89: Able to Raise a Pony Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mrs. Abbie, Little Lily and I are nning to go to town to see the clown show, would you like to join us?¡± Eileen moved therge chunk of trida meat out of the basket to dry outside the castle. Douson ate arge piece of trida meat yesterday and not only was he fine, but he was also full of energy and vigor. So, trida meat is edible. ¡°Oh, heavens! Why would the master be so generous to give you a day off?¡± Mrs. Abbie busily arranged various seasonings on the stove, ¡°If you like your job as maids, you should stay in the kitchen obediently; there is a big pile of work to do every day.¡± ¡°Mr. Carter said that the master instructed that only a fried steak is needed for lunch and that we servants may eat beans and bread. It does not require much work,¡± Little Lily said while moving the trida meat as well. A single trida weighs over five hundred pounds; after removing three hundred pounds of the shell, there is still over two hundred pounds of meat. ¡°Mr. Carter, like the master, always indulges you young servants who are not earnest in your work. This is not the kind of benevolence that befits a qualified butler. Back in my younger days, the kitchen was busy all day long, and not a moment was spared idle ¡ª that¡¯s the proper work attitude for a kitchen maid.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The sound of Carter¡¯s cough came from the doorway; unbeknownst to them, he had already arrived: ¡°Although I can understand your dedication to work, Mrs. Abbie, don¡¯t always tense up. Go and take a stroll in town with the young ones; it¡¯s a rare asion when the merchant caravanes.¡± ¡°Sorry, Mr. Carter, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you,¡± Mrs. Abbie felt a bit embarrassed, having been caught speaking ill behind someone¡¯s back. ¡°No problem, in fact I take your calling me kind as apliment. Go on, join Eileen and Little Lily to see the clown show in town. The thought of those clowns makes even meugh.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do, I have to prepare the master¡¯s lunch.¡± ¡°Then make sure to return before eleven o¡¯clock, it¡¯s nine now, you still have two hours to roam around the town.¡± ¡°I¡¡± Before Mrs. Abbie could refuse, Carter cut her off: ¡°Consider it a work task I¡¯ve assigned to you, have a good two hours of fun.¡± ¡°Haha, good on you, Mr. Carter,¡± Eileen happily took Mrs. Abbie¡¯s arm, ¡°Come on, Mrs. Abbie, I can¡¯t wait to see the clowns.¡± Little Lily took Mrs. Abbie¡¯s other arm: ¡°Yeah, yeah, let¡¯s go!¡± Mrs. Abbie reluctantly began to walk out: ¡°I don¡¯t want to go shopping, but it¡¯s best I keep an eye on you two, to prevent you from getting carried away and forgetting toe back to work¡ Also, wait a moment, I need to change into a new set of clothes; I can¡¯t go out looking like this, it would be unseemly for the castle.¡± Carter watched with a slight smile as therge and the two small ones made amotion. Compared to working in the Earl¡¯s country estate castle, life in this small-town castle was a bit busier, but so much more lively. The youthful exuberance of the young people gave him an inexplicable surge in energy, making him feel as if he were growing younger instead of older with the passing year. He heard footsteps. Turning his head, he saw Mrs. Morson: ¡°Have Maisie and the others already gone to town to shop?¡± ¡°Yes, and Tom and Thomas went together as well. Mr. Carter, aren¡¯t you going with them?¡± ¡°Mrs. Abbie, Eileen, and Little Lily are changing into their clothes; they¡¯ll soon head to town to see the clown show, and I think you should join them. As for the castle, I¡¯ll stay to serve the master. You know, with even Thomas gone, there must be a manservant to attend to him when he requests water.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay as well, you can call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to join in the fun?¡± ¡°At my age, I should be avoiding crowds, not seeking them out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Mrs. Morson, I feel as if I¡¯m getting younger the more I live,¡± Carter dered, puffing out his chest to seem more spirited. ¡°Yes, young Carter.¡± ¡°Annie, have we already sold more than half of the tomatoes?¡± John Bian Dan walked up to his family¡¯s stall. The stall was situated on the southwest side of the small town, where arge, t area had been cleared out for visiting caravans to set up and conduct their business and trade. There were also a few wooden outhouses ced around the area. The Patrol Team and the town clerks repeated the announcement over and over, ¡°Lord Landlord has decreed that no one is allowed to relieve themselves in public, vitors will be fined and whipped! If you need to use the facilities, follow the arrows to the outhouses outside. The symbol with a circle on the bottom and an arrow pointing up () indicates the men¡¯s toilets, while the symbol with a circle on top and a cross beneath () is for the women¡¯s toilets¡ªdon¡¯t mix them up!¡± John had long since be ustomed to this rule. It had been a long time since he had defecated in the street; at home, they had prepared a chamber pot, storing up the collected waste. Onceposted, it was used directly as fertilizer for the tomato fields¡ªthis was the agricultural magic taught by Lord Landlord. Farms that used this magic fertilizer saw a harvest increase of twenty to thirty percent! There used to be town officials who organized the purchase of human waste. Now they could no longer collect it, as every household kept their waste to fertilize their own farnd. After the harvest, the kind and generous noble Lord Landlord took taxes proportionally, rather than the Tax Knights of the past, who seemed to want to take all of a serf¡¯s harvest for themselves. Ever since Lord Landlord arrived, John felt not just his own life, but also the lives of his neighbors and surroundingmunity, had improved dramatically. Of course, he was the luckiest one. Because Lord Landlord awarded him a Nalda for the tomato worms nurtured by the tomatoes he cared for! ¡°John, aren¡¯t you going to work on the housing project today?¡± Annie asked curiously, as her husband usually worked there when there wasn¡¯t much farm work, earning a copper coin a day. ¡°The housing crew is off today, nobody wants to work on this day; they¡¯ve alle here¡ to themercial district,¡± John said, pointing to a ce not too far away. ¡°Look, that¡¯s Wenger, he¡¯s also taking his son shopping.¡± ¡°Alright then, go and check out theedy show. Once I¡¯ve sold the tomatoes, I¡¯lle and watch theedy too. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen one.¡± John didn¡¯t leave but said, ¡°Oh, Annie, when I wasing over from there, I saw someone selling kittens. I want to buy one. You know, now that we have grain stored at home, rats are starting to be more frequent. These filthy thieves always nibble at our food!¡± ¡°Really, someone¡¯s selling kittens? Then wait here for me, I¡¯ll finish selling the tomatoes and we can go buy a kitten together. We have to choose one that¡¯s really good at catching rats.¡± After hesitating for a moment, John added, ¡°Actually, I also want to buy a pony. I want little Jack to learn how to ride from an early age so he can join Lord Landlord¡¯s Retainer Knights sooner.¡± ¡°Oh my, John, do you even know how much a pony costs!¡± ¡°Fifty silver coins, but, Annie, it¡¯s a pony!¡± John exined eagerly, ¡°If we miss this chance, who knows when we¡¯ll be able to get a horse. I hope to grow tomatoes for Lord Landlord for a lifetime, but little Jack doesn¡¯t like it; he wants to be a Retainer Knight.¡± ¡°But John, you have to understand, we can afford fifty silver coins, but a pony needs to eat a lot every day¡ª a single horse would consume the food of several people. Can we afford to feed it?¡± ¡°I can!¡± John said with conviction, ¡°Our tomato field at home is the best and always brings us a steady ie. I can also work. I asked the Steward of the construction crew, he¡¯s assistant to Lord Isaiah. He told me there will be more and more work in the town in the future, as Lord Landlord has ambitious ns to rejuvenate the town. As long as I keep working, we can afford to keep the pony!¡± ¡°Are you serious, John?¡± ¡°Of course, trust me, Annie.¡± Annie, looking into her husband¡¯s resolute eyes, ultimately didn¡¯t have the heart to say no, ¡°Alright, but you have to promise me that we won¡¯t be dragged down by the pony, okay?¡± ¡°I promise!¡± Chapter 90 - 090: Attitude Toward Life Chapter 90: Attitude Toward Life Trantor: 549690339 Liszt had not intended to disturb the bustling atmosphere of the town, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t help himself and made a trip to themercial district, followed by watching aedic performance. It was nothing but clowns juggling on stage, breathing fire, or doing somersaults. To him, none of this was fresh at all, yet the residents of Fresh Flower Town pped joyously. It made Liszt so inclined that he wanted to get on stage and show them a trick from ¡°Three Immortals Returning to the Cave,¡± to let these Different World inhabitants experience the charm of ancient Chinese cultural traditions. Of course. That was just a thought, as a noble could not afford to do something that would diminish his status. Moreover, in a world where magicians exist, magic tricks don¡¯t seem all that miraculous. After watching one y, he left themercial area and headed to the town¡¯s administrative office, not wanting to make the townspeople ufortable¡ªthe presence of theirndlord meant they couldn¡¯t rx, they were even afraid to speak loudly. Even though he had left, he continued to pay close attention to the matters of the caravan. He was listening to Isaiah report the prices of goods brought by the caravan, especially those rted to the production and daily necessities, which were all of concern to him. ¡°A pony costs at least fifty silver coins, isn¡¯t this price too high?¡± he asked with a frown. One should know, he and Levis traded ves, and a serf cost only twenty silver coins. ¡°Indeed, it is expensive, Baron. Coral Ind is far from the maind andcks appropriate grazing areas, so horse breeding is always limited, meaning the price of horses remains high. Even the horses from Blue Dragon Ind are priced simrly. On the maind, a pony might only cost a few silver coins.¡± Ind nations, all being inds, naturally do not suit for grazing and horse breeding. Liszt understood this principle, but did not want to ept it at the moment¡ªhe had given Old Geronte three Gold Coins, originally thinking he could buy arge number of goods. Now it seems, just six ponies would deplete the funds. ¡°How many young animals have the caravan brought?¡± he inquired, somewhat disappointed. He had wanted to acquire all the young livestock the caravan brought, but now that seemed an extravagant hope. Apart from him being able to purchase, it was likely that the ordinary residents couldn¡¯t afford to either. ¡°Five ponies, two calves, threembs, eight piglets, six puppies, and five kittens. Plus, there are ten rabbits.¡± ¡°I gave Old Geronte three Gold Coins, and it looks like it¡¯s no help, not enough to buy several animals.¡± At this moment, he desperately wanted to sell the ck Pearl, exchange it for money to buy livestock¡ªmeat was the most nutritious food, and he hoped to eat meat every day, excluding seafood. If the territory doesn¡¯t raise livestock, where can he, thendlord, get meat to eat every day! ¡°Three Gold Coins may not buy many livestock, but they can buy many other goods, as the caravan has brought many specialties from other regions.¡± ¡°But I had told Old Geronte to prioritize purchasing horses. Just five ponies would consume two Gold Coins and fifty silver coins, using up all the funds of the castle.¡± Liszt thought of the two Gold Coins he still had. Perhaps, he would have to spend them today to secure some livestock. Isaiah, however, said with a smile, ¡°Baron, ording to the trade records I checked, Old Geronte only bought two ponies. The other three were purchased by others.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°John Bian Dan bought one, and you must remember him.¡± ¡°So it was the farmer who grows tomatoes. I awarded him a Gold Coin, and evidently he could afford it. The other two?¡± ¡°The ir Family bought one, and Marcus also bought one, with Goltai lending him the money.¡± Liszt¡¯s mood brightened from gloom to sunshine, having bought all the horses. Although they were not owned by the castle, as long as they remained in Fresh Flower Town, that was good enough. He could requisition those horses at any time if needed. But he soonughed at himself again. He realized his perspective had been too narrow, focusing only on the livestock brought by the caravan, whereas, after selling the ck Pearl for money, he could purchase animals in other cities¡ªthat had been his n all along. With Gold Coins, was there anything he couldn¡¯t buy? ¡°Isaiah, how much do you think the caravan¡¯s transactions will amount to today?¡± ¡°I guess about six Gold Coins.¡± ¡°With a transaction volume of six Gold Coins, I believe many of the merchants in the caravan are already nning their next visit.¡± ¡°Of course, merchants are like flies; wherever there¡¯s money to be made, you will always see them swarming,¡± Isaiah said, with an inherent disdain in his voice. This was the unparalleled sense of superiority that the Noble ss held towardmoners, coupled with a desire to keep themoners in check. Nobles did not allow any ss to shake their ruling position. Sometimes, merchants made Nobles feel they were being challenged¡ªthey sometimes even had more wealth than Nobles. Money talked, and it was not umon for near-bankrupt Nobles to marry off their daughters to merchants or to take merchants¡¯ daughters as wives to retain their Noble status, a humiliating affair. Liszt smiled.Y0u can read sh0rt, t0uching, and r0mantic st0ries ab0ut c0uples, as well as children¡¯s st0ries f0r free 0n sitest0rys . c0m His thoughts about the merchant ss were consistent with those of the Nobility¡ªboth support and suppression were necessary. Back at the Castle. It was time for lunch. Although he had instructed the kitchen that he only needed a steak and nothingvish, the meal presented was as usual¡ªwith meat, vegetables, mushrooms, seafood, milk, and white bread. ¡°Mrs. Abbie didn¡¯t go out shopping?¡± ¡°Sir, Mrs. Abbie did go out, but she returned to the kitchen after half an hour. Perhaps she isn¡¯t ustomed to the bustling town or can¡¯t let go of her work in the kitchen. She is too dedicated, always busy,¡± replied the servant. ¡°You should tell her that I¡¯m not considering a raise for now, so she doesn¡¯t need to work herself to the bone. She should have her own life.¡± Although he had adapted to his Noble status and had even grown to love it, Liszt still held on to modern virtues; he hoped that even servants could have lives of their own, not dedicating every moment to their Landlord. Life should be about more than just work; it should include joys and sorrows,ughter, and family. Carter served Liszt throughout the meal, and said, ¡°For the Cook, the kitchen is life. For the servants, the Castle is life. Sir, you don¡¯t always have to worry about us. The Sun climbs from east to west every day; servants hustle from morning to night¡ªlife is about everyone doing their part.¡± His words carried a philosophical weight. Liszt was left speechless. His ideas were still at odds with the era; he pursued freedom at his core, yet the concept of ss hierarchy was deeply ingrained in everyone in the Different World. If servants didn¡¯t work, would they still be servants? If Nobles didn¡¯t enjoy luxuries, would they still be Nobles? Therefore, Liszt had no intention of arguing or correcting Carter¡¯s words. On the contrary, he felt a twinge of guilt, yet deep down, he felt quite pleased¡ªif everyone thought this way, the life of a Noble would be even more stable andfortable¡ªsuch good citizens! Just after finishing lunch, ready to y with Douson and Juan Fu, then take a nap, Goltai suddenly rode in from the town and handed a metal bottle shaped like a wine bottle directly to Liszt: ¡°Baron, please look at this. The fishermen from Oyster Vige found it by the seashore. They thought it was made of gold, but I have checked and it doesn¡¯t seem to be gold.¡± Chapter 91 - 0091: The Unopenable Bottle Chapter 91: The Unopenable Bottle Trantor: 549690339 The Metal Bottle had a shape somewhat like those used for packaging high-end rice wine, distinctively different. Its color was a golden yellow, close to the color of a Gold Coin, but a bit more toward brown. There were engraved patterns on it, withplex designs wrapping around some images. It looked like abstract depictions of the Sun and arge tree, along with bows, a type of harp, a bear, and an eagle in flight. In general, this Metal Bottle was just like the exquisite art pieces Nobles loved to collect. ng, ng, ng. He tapped his fingers on the Metal Bottle, producing a peculiar sound, not one that metal should make¡ªmore akin to the sound of stic. But it was clearly observable that this brownish-yellow bottle was indeed made of metal; it had the tactile sensation you¡¯d expect of metal. ¡°Teacher Goltai, what metal do you think this is?¡± Liszt shook the bottle. It seemed to be empty inside, with no movement. Goltai spread his hands: ¡°Gold, silver, copper, iron, it¡¯s none of the metals I¡¯ve seen before, I apologize for my inability to determine what it is.¡± ¡°It has no opening?¡± ¡°It appears to be a single piece. At the ce where the opening should be, I¡¯ve checked closely, there are no seams, and it cannot be twisted open.¡± Liszt tried it himself, indeed it could not be twisted open¡ªthe mouth of the bottle had no cap and was firmly in one piece: ¡°What do you guess is inside?¡± ¡°A bottle of fine wine?¡± ¡°Wishful thinking doesn¡¯t alwayse true, Teacher Goltai, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any liquid inside.¡± Goltaiughed heartily: ¡°Ha ha, one can always fantasize a little before it gets opened.¡± Liszt handed the bottle to Carter, instructing him to ce it back in his study: ¡°Keep it safe for now. When I find the time, I¡¯ll take my time figuring out how to open it.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± After Carter had left, Liszt gestured for Goltai to take a seat wherever he liked. He inquired, ¡°How¡¯s the trade with the merchant caravan going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going smoothly. Ever since you started developing Fresh Flower Town and providing plenty of paid job opportunities, the townspeople have gradually had extra money to spend at the merchants¡¯ stalls and pick out some small items. Nearly half of the merchandise the merchants brought has been sold, and even on the stage for the pstick y, a few copper coins have been thrown.¡± pstick ys are generally funded by the merchant caravan, who offer free performances to attract customers. Only if the audience is sufficiently amused would they toss coins onto the stage, rewarding the hardworking clowns. Fresh Flower Town was poor, and its residents, despite likelyughing themselves to the point of stomach aches, would be reluctant to throw even a single copper coin. Unexpectedly, there were indeed people who actually tipped the pstick performers. ¡°Who threw the copper coins?¡± ¡°I only saw one person throw copper coins, and that was your kitchen maid, Eileen Four Fingers.¡± Eileen Four Fingers? Liszt had little contact with this kitchen maid, barely seeing her once a day¡ªthe status of a kitchen maid was very low, they were prohibited from going upstairs, appearing in the first-floor hall, and especially showing themselves before the Noble lord¡ªhe just knew roughly about Eileen from what Butler Carter had mentioned, that she was a straightforward and lively young girl. ¡°Young people are always very generous,¡± hemented so. Goltai really wanted to say that you too are young, only sixteen, and not even as old as the young maid. Yet he did not speak out. The current Liszt held a maturity and steadiness usually found in middle-aged men, almost letting people forget his slightly youthful face when interacting with others. ¡°Perhaps this is the talent thates with Noble blood,¡± Goltai often thought this to himself. When he first followed Liszt to Fresh Flower Town, he simply wanted to snag a consultant position for free food and drink. At his age, he had no illusions about reviving a family business or restoring Noble glory. What he didn¡¯t expect was for Liszt to change Fresh Flower Town, and change his mindset of just getting by day-to-day. Freya¡¯s pregnancy was just a catalyst, Goltai was well aware. At the end of the day, it was still Liszt¡¯s will that determined the actions of those around him, otherwise, there was actually no need to pay such close attention to a mere bastard. Which noble didn¡¯t have several bastards out there? For the sake of family harmony, many noble bastards could only remain serfs their entire lives. ¡°Teacher Goltai.¡± Seeing Goltai a bit distracted, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but speak up to remind him. Goltai immediately sat up straight and replied, ¡°What would you like to say?¡± ¡°Regarding the trade caravan, as an official, you must supervise every transaction to ensure no duplicitous merchants exploit the civilians, and also prevent the patrol team and clerks from recklessly taking things from the caravan.¡± ¡°Rest assured, I emphasize this daily.¡± ¡°Ensure that the promotional work is done well, advertise that Fresh Flower Town wees outsiders to settle here and offers the most favorable taxes. Also, inform the people of the caravan about what Fresh Flower Town ns to develop next, show them the ns for themercial district, workshop area, and residential areas, so they can see the bright future of Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°As you wish!¡± After sending off Goltai, Liszt didn¡¯t immediately go to rest; instead, he went straight to his study and yed with the metal bottle on the desk. This drift bottle piqued his interest. He focused for a moment and summoned the Smoke Mission. ¡°Complete the mission, reward Sea Drift Bottle.¡± ¡°Mission: A bottle that cannot be opened, words that cannot be understood, do not indicate an unsolvable problem but rather a disparity in knowledge. The old tanner at the Tanners¡¯ Shop, blind and feeling his health declining, might be willing to trade a certain book in exchange for a son. Mission Reward: An unknown book.¡± As expected, the metal bottle picked up by the fisherman was a reward from the Smoke Mission. The transaction mission involving three Gold Coins for the merchant caravan had beenpleted some time ago. However, seeing the new mission, Liszt couldn¡¯t help but show a wry smile on his face, ¡°A bottle that can¡¯t be opened, does that mean I can¡¯t open the drift bottle? Words that can¡¯t be understood, does that mean there¡¯s a piece of paper inside, possibly in a foreignnguage? But what in the world is thistter part of the mission about, giving the old tanner a son?¡± If the man¡¯s wife were still in the bloom of youth, graceful and enchanting. Liszt wouldn¡¯t mind giving the man a son and a metaphorical hat. But he had thoroughly reviewed the data on the town¡¯s craftsmen during a previous census. He remembered this old tanner, who was actually a widower without kin. He hade to Fresh Flower Town ten years ago by begging and had since settled down, picking up his tanner¡¯s craft again. For such a person, how was he supposed to ¡®give¡¯ him a son? ¡°Give a son¡ perhaps my thoughts are a bit off-track, let¡¯s have someone investigate the old tanner first.¡± He shook the bell and called for Carter. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Mr. Carter, send a message to Teacher Goltai asking him to investigate the old tanner in the town. I need a detailed report; if the man is facing any difficulties, help him out along the way.¡± Upon hearing this, Carter responded, ¡°Master, perhaps you should ask Jessie. He¡¯s quite familiar with the old tanner.¡± ¡°Jessie?¡± Jessie Asanobu was once a male servant assistant in the castle and has now been promoted to male servant, mainly responsible for running external errands for the castle. A short whileter, Jessie, who was ying in the town, was called back. ¡°Master, you were looking for me?¡± Even as a servant, he still felt awkward in front of Liszt, unsure of where to ce his hands. Liszt directly asked, ¡°You¡¯re quite familiar with the old tanner? Tell me about him.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Uncle Phil? I met Uncle Phil when I went to the Tanners¡¯ Shop to have my shoes repaired. Uncle Phil is blind, which makes his work very inconvenient, and now his health is deteriorating, so I often visit him to help out with some things.¡± ¡°Have you heard that the old tanner wants a son?¡± Chapter 92 - 0092 The Old Tanner’s Collection Chapter 92: The Old Tanner¡¯s Collection Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Uncle Phil wants a son?¡± Jessie was first taken aback, then nodded his head, ¡°It seems so, I¡¯ve heard himin that he doesn¡¯t have a son to take care of him when he¡¯s sick.¡± Liszt looked at Jessie. Then he suddenly asked, ¡°Jessie, if I remember correctly, you¡¯re an orphan, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord, I was raised in the welfare institution of Coral City, grateful for the Tulip Family¡¯s generosity, which allowed us orphans to survive,¡± Jessie said devoutly. The welfare institution was an organization where nobles gathered orphans, asmoners often had idents that left children without care. To disy their benevolence, some wealthy nobles would establish welfare institutions on their family domains to gather orphans, who would then work directly for the castle when they grew up. Jessie was such an orphan. ¡°Is the Old Tanner at the Tanners¡¯ Shop now?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord, I was thinking of inviting Uncle Phil to go shopping with me, but he didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Then Jessie,e with me to see the Old Tanner, I have some business with him.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord, I will prepare the horses for you at once.¡± In the castle¡¯s stable yard, there was a rudimentary rest area where Philip and Zavier always stayed as Retainer Knights; they did not have the luxury of enjoying holidays. Seeing Liszt mount the Fire Dragon Horse, they each mounted a nag and followed him. Heading toward the Tanners¡¯ Shop. In every small town, there were generally Tanners¡¯ Shops, where tanners made leather, sewed fur coats, and mended shoes. There were specific crafts, including helmet tanners, armour tanners, vest tanners, drumhead makers, bag craftsmen, utensil tanners, and mostmonly, shoe tanners. The Old Tanner in Fresh Flower Town, Phil, was a shoe tanner. In big cities, shoe tanners were often wealthy freemen because handcrafting a pair of leather shoes required a lot of money. However, in small towns, the treatment of shoe tanners was poorer, as few could afford leather shoes. Thus, the Tanners¡¯ Shop could only barely make ends meet¡ªmost serfs and freemen wore wooden shoes or straw sandals. Of course, even more people went without any shoes at all. ¡°Is that you, Jessie?¡± The Old Tanner¡¯s somewhat hoarse voice came from the table, as he fumbled to mend a pair of shoes. Even though his eyes were blind, his hands remained deft. Jessie quickly said, ¡°Uncle Phil, it¡¯s Lord Landlord who hase, and Lord Landlord has some business with you.¡± ¡°Ah, Lord Landlord, Old Phil sends his regards to Lord Landlord,¡± the Old Tanner got up hurriedly from his chair, bowing respectfully, his hands trembling nervously, just asmoners do when they see a Lord. Liszt surveyed the narrow, gloomy Tanners¡¯ Shop, noticing its signs of neglect and disrepair, as it was so dpidated that the roof allowed glimpses of the sun above. Just like the Old Tanner himself, it bore signs of age and decay. ¡°Old Phil, don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯m just here to have a chat with you.¡± The Old Tanner¡¯s cloudy eyes showed no change in emotion. But Liszt felt that the man¡¯s hands had quickly stopped trembling¡ªnot because his nerves had been calmed, it appeared more like he had stopped putting on an act, as the earlier trembling was probably feigned. This was easy to understand; after all, nobles enjoyed seeingmoners tremble before them. The aged man had long learned to cope with life: ¡°Lord Landlord, it is an honor for Old Phil to have a chat with someone as noble as you.¡± ¡°You settled in Fresh Flower Town as a beggar ten years ago, so where are you originally from?¡± ¡°I was born on Dodo Ind, Lord Landlord.¡± ¡°Dodo Ind?¡± ¡°It is an unlorded wild ind, even further north of Coral Ind. The ind is home to a kind of Dodobird that can¡¯t fly and cries out as if saying ¡®dodo¡¯. There¡¯s also a particrly tall type of tree with a terrible name, the Human Skull Tree, and its fruits are known as Human Skull Fruit.¡± ¡°Human Skull Tree?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, those fruits are white and from a distance, look just like human skulls. But they taste really good. The natives of the ind satisfy their hunger with Human Skull Fruits; even Dodobirds eat them, but Dodobird meat is particrly nasty. Life on the ind is extremely hard.¡± A Dodobird that sounds like ¡°dodo.¡± It reminded Liszt of the dodo bird that had be extinct on Earth. He wondered if the Dodobirds here were the same species as the dodo birds on Earth. ¡°So, how did youe to Coral Ind from Dodo Ind? You were born on Dodo Ind, so you should be a native there. Where then did the inhabitants of Dodo Ind originate from?¡± Liszt asked. Around the Duchy of Sapphire, there are still many undeveloped inds, and Dodo Ind must be one of them. ¡°I am a native of Dodo Ind. I don¡¯t know where we came from. Ever since I can remember, we all lived on Dodo Ind. Then when the volcano erupted, many Human Skull Trees were destroyed, and without food, we had no choice but to cut down trees to make canoes and drift along the sea¡ It was during that time that I drifted to Hot Spring Ind and became an apprentice at the Tanners¡¯ Shop.¡± What followed was that Hot Spring Ind was caught in wars, and he was sold into very to Coral Ind as a serf. A Baron on the ind bought him, but after the Baron went off to war with the Earl, he never returned, all Domain Elves died, serfs feared punishment and started to flee. The Old Tanner also fled. Through twists and turns, he arrived in Fresh Flower Town. ¡°Back then, all the serfs were spreading rumors that the Baron had died in battle because a Retainer Knight who was of serf origin betrayed him. The followers were furious and decided to ughter all the serfs on the domain to avenge the Baron,¡± the Old Tanner said, with a sigh perhapsmenting his past ignorance. It was a low-level rumor; nobles value their serfs highly. The correct course of events should be¡ªwhen the Baron died without an heir, thendlord he followed, which is Coral Ind¡¯s Count, reimed all the rights to the domain, including the serfs. All in all, the Old Tanner¡¯s life wasn¡¯t dramatic nor was he a ¡°man with a story¡±; even his blindness urred naturally while he was in Fresh Flower Town. The only thing close to a story was his identity as a native of Dodo Ind. Liszt carefully inquired about Dodo Ind and found out it was just a tiny ind, with fewer than three hundred natives living on it, ultimately devastated by a volcanic eruption. Apart from the surviving few Human Skull Trees, there likely wasn¡¯t any value in developing it. He was somewhat disappointed. He had assumed that a person specifically mentioned in the Smoke Mission would have some mystery about them, but it turned out to be just an ordinary native. He still nned to continue the mission to get the book as a reward¡ªbringing Jessie along was to set him up with the Old Tanner as a son¡ªa fatherless, motherless orphan, with a widower who had no children; they both got along well and should easily form a father-son contract. But suddenly, he had a bold idea. ¡°Why should I follow the stepsid out by the Smoke Mission? I¡¯m not its puppet. I can simply ask the Old Tanner for the book directly, instead of relying onpleting a mission to get the book!¡± The Old Tanner couldn¡¯t possibly have many books, Liszt thought. So. He simply said, ¡°Old Phil, I heard you have a collection of books, don¡¯t you? I would like you to sell them to me.¡± Given themand by the Lord Landlord, the Old Tanner dared not refuse and immediately agreed, ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, I do have a collection of books, but there is only one. I will present it to you right away.¡± Having said that, he stooped his back and, with Jessie¡¯s support, took a wooden box out of a cab full of leather shoes. ¡°Jessie, the book is in the box, quickly give it to the Lord Landlord.¡± Jessie opened the box, took out a very thick book, and handed it to Liszt. Liszt scanned it and saw that it wasn¡¯t printed but hand-written, with Serpent Script and another foreignnguage on the cover. He didn¡¯t recognize the foreignnguage. But he did recognize the Serpent Script ¡°Philip, Scion of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡±. Chapter 93 - 093 Descendants of the Sun Chapter 93: Descendants of the Sun Trantor: 549690339 Serpent Script, themon script used in the Steel Ridge Kingdom, is also used in its vassal state, the Duchy of Sapphire. In addition to Serpent Script, there are variousnguages and scripts on the continent, such as the Wind Language of the Eagle Kingdom, the Rock Script of the st Furnace Fortress Kingdom, the High Speech of the Neverfall Empire, the Dragon Language of the Blue Dragon Empire, and so on. Liszt¡¯s predecessor did not speak foreignnguages, and therefore, he did not recognize the other strange script on the page¡ªactually, on closer inspection, it was less like writing and more like twisted drawings of little people. ¡°¡±Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡±, quite a strange title,¡± he mused curiously. ¡°Old Phil, whatnguage is this other script?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lord Landlord, the truth is I am illiterate. This book is a relic left by a native of Dodo Ind. He was my good friend; we were in the same canoe, but he died at sea, leaving only this book behind. I have kept it as a memento.¡± ¡°So it is a keepsake with sentimental value. In that case, I will return it to you after I finish reading it.¡± ¡°No, no, no, Lord Landlord, Old Phil is honored that you appreciate his collection. Old Phil hopes that you will ept it. Thank you, Lord Landlord, my Tanners¡¯ Shop is doing much better business now.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll buy it.¡± ¡°Old Phil would like to offer it to you, Lord Landlord, to express my respect.¡± ¡°I ept your respect, but I will still give you a reward.¡± Liszt returned to the castle with the diary. He asked Carter to take out three silver coins and give them to Jessie. Even if a book was very expensive, it wouldn¡¯t be worth three silver coins, but after all, it was an item with sentimental value: ¡°Jessie, give these three silver coins to Old Phil as a payment for the book. Also, tell Old Phil that I like his story very much and that he is wee to add anything else at any time.¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± After Jessie left, Liszt did not immediately open the book. Instead, he summoned the Smoke Mission. A momentter, a wisp of smoke appeared before his eyes, twisting into a Serpent Script passage. To his surprise and apprehension, the Serpent Script was no longer the usual sentences. It was changing. ¡°The mission has changed.¡± The Serpent Scriptsted for a few seconds; the smoke gradually twisted and formed new Serpent Script: ¡°Mission: Unlike other cordyceps that safely enjoy nourishment, the Thorn Cordyceps looks out in solitude. It has survived eight years and is about to age, but still, it is unwilling to give in. Please supplement nutrition for the Thorn Cordyceps. Mission reward: new species of Thorn.¡± The apprehension in his heart settled, leaving only surprise. He had been a bit adventurous and wanted to have a bit of a spat with the Smoke Mission, dering that he was not just a puppet that could be led around. Yet, in his heart, he was actually worried that in doing so, he might lose the Smoke Mission¡ªwhether it was a golden finger or some hidden maniptor, it was an existence he could not refuse. Besides, there was no need to refuse. Up to this point, the Smoke Mission had been all benefit and no harm, helping him develop rapidly¡ªeven if there was a hidden hand behind it all, it was probably one he could not resist. If it could not be resisted, then might as well enjoy it. So much so that some base thoughts still wandered in his mind: ¡°If I can ride a dragon, what does it matter if I sell these hundred-plus pounds to the hidden maniptor. As long as I can enjoy wealth and rank, hidden maniptor, I am willing to be yourckey!¡± There was no response. Sometimes, the Smoke Mission had a very low presence. Now it seemed. He might have a tiff with the Smoke Mission, but it would not quibble with him in return, continuing as usual. And it also proved that those mission rewards weren¡¯t concocted out of thin air by the Smoke Mission. They already existed. At most, the Smoke Mission went with the flow, lightly nudging the threads of cause and effect, tilting the trajectory of time a little. Like a breeze that gently moves the crests formed by destiny¡¯s long river, whether they twist left or drift right, they eventually fall back into the water, returning to serenity. ¡°Perhaps one day, I will understand the meaning behind the existence of the Smoke Mission¡ but for now, I¡¯m just going to enjoy the golden finger,¡± he concluded with an epting mindset, shaking off thoughts that troubled theyman. All that remained was pure joy. The reward for the new mission included a familiar term, ¡°new species.¡± There were two instances of ¡°new species¡± tasks before. The new species of Tulip brought the Magic ck Tulip, and the new species of mushroom, the Magic me Mushroom. What kind of Magic Potion will this new Thorn species bring? ¡°Not enough nutrients, huh? Tomorrow, I will have the serfs transport over the preparedpost to replenish the Thorn Cordyceps with nutrients!¡± What¡¯s somewhat regrettable, however, is that the Thorn Bug has already lived for eight years, meaning it has only two years of life remaining. ¡°It seems, I need to find a way to acquire another Thorn Bug¡ Tulip Castle seems to have a young Thorn Bug; I should buy it back when I have the chance.¡± Thorn is just a weed-like small shrub; therefore, Thorn Bugs aren¡¯t very useful, and the price shouldn¡¯t be too high. He waved his hand to disperse the Smoke Serpent Script. Liszt returned his attention to ¡°Philip, Scion of the Sun¡¯s Diary¡±: ¡°Philip, Descendant of the Sun, that surname carries a bit of dominance. My Retainer Knight is also named Philip, but his surname ¡®Wool¡¯ pales inparison¡ªtruly, the difference between a domestic chicken and a Phoenix.¡± Flipping to the first page revealed a very abstract drawing of the Sun. Because it was handwritten, the Sun wasn¡¯t very round, and the surrounding Light was smeared in triangr shapes, with various haphazard lines inside the Sun. It looked like the scribbling of a seven-year-old child. Below the drawing was a passage in Serpent Script, perhaps a poem. ¡°My grandfather has such a tattoo on his back.¡± ¡°He said his father¡¯s back was also tattooed with the same pattern.¡± ¡°I asked him why my father¡¯s back wasn¡¯t, and neither is mine.¡± ¡°He said our ancestors have abandoned us, we can no longer bear the pattern of the Sun.¡± ¡°I do not understand what it means.¡± ¡°My grandfather said we were exiled from our homnd to a sinfulnd, and it would take five hundred years before we could return.¡± ¡°After five hundred years, a great ship sailing in the sky, shining under the Sunlight, will bring us back.¡± ¡°Five hundred years have passed, but the Sky Ship has note.¡± Reading this poem, Liszt found it very interesting. The description in the poem seemed to say¡ªthe author¡¯s ancestors were a group of criminals, exiled to Dodo Ind for five hundred years? They tattooed the Sun¡¯s pattern on their backs to signify their lineage. But after five hundred years, the promised Sky Ship to take them back did note. So, assuming they were abandoned, the author¡¯s grandfather no longer gave tattoos to his son. ¡°Is this how the ¡®Descendants of the Sun¡¯ came to be¡¡± ¡°If the records are true, the natives of Dodo Ind should be the descendants of the Nobles on the maind. Only Nobles, especially those of the royal lineage who err, would be exiled; minor Nobles who err would simply be killed. Without the custom of recording their history, probably in a hundred years, the royal family would have forgotten about these exiled descendants.¡± The first page contained a drawing and a poem. The second page offered an introduction. ¡°My name is Philip, I¡¯m twenty-six this year, just returned from working on foreign inds. I do not n to go out again. Although the outside world is flourishing, life is tough. I n to stay on Dodo Ind, and marry Valissa. I will have my own son, whom I will raise. I am a Carpenter, able to build a big house for him to live in!¡± ¡°Starting from today, I will record every day; that way when I grow old, unlike my grandfather, I won¡¯t forget his stories and even where we came from. My son, because of my journal, will understand his father, and the interesting experiences I¡¯ve had.¡± ¡°However, I don¡¯t have much card stock or ink, so I must write sparingly. Hmm, write smaller, and even less.¡± ¡°Philip, Descendant of the Sun.¡± Chapter 94 - 094: The Last Entry of the Diary Chapter 94: The Last Entry of the Diary Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Year 119 of the Grand Duchy, February 15th.¡± This is the starting date of the first diary entry in ¡°Philip, Scion of the Sun¡¯s Diary.¡± ¡°The current year is 151 of the Sapphire Grand Duchy, which means this diary began thirty-two years ago?¡± Liszt calcted briefly. The Duchy of Sapphire had no official calendar of its own and did not use the calendar of the Steel Ridge Kingdom. The concept of history was not popr in the Different World; generally, people had no thoughts about the past¡ªthere was no idea of learning from history. Thus, the Duchy of Sapphire did not even have a National Day. Sea Outing Festival and the New Year Festival were the most important holidays. Sometimes the national anniversary celebration would be held on the Sea Outing Festival; other times it would be scheduled on the New Year Festival, and sometimes it would be celebrated on a random day, ording to the wishes of the Sapphire Duke. Liszt concluded that the concept of ¡°nationalism¡± had not taken root. The subtlety of the feudal nobility system lies in the structure of Knight vassge, the greatest essence of which is¡ªmy subject¡¯s subjects are not my subjects; my lord¡¯s lords are not my lords. For example, Liszt¡¯s master was Coral Ind¡¯s Count, not the Sapphire Duke. Therefore, as a subject of the Earl, he had no obligation to pay attention to the Sapphire Duke; the Sapphire Family had nomands over him. To him, his true nation was Coral Ind, not the Duchy of Sapphire. If he were to feel love, it would be for Coral Ind, with no need to love the Duchy of Sapphire. All Nobles were Landlords, even the King was merely arger Landlord. Of course, a widespread sense of nationalism could not form. That¡¯s why only Noblesmemorate the Sea Outing Festival,moners simply don¡¯t care. In Fresh Flower Town, Liszt¡¯s birthday celebration was definitely more important in the hearts of the residents than the Sea Outing Festival¡ªLord Landlord grants mend, as if a parent. Who is the Grand Duke, can he be eaten, steamed or braised? HIs thoughts digressed. Liszt continued to read the diary. ¡°Clear skies, climbed trees to pick fruit, ten Human Skull Fruits; cut down three trees; dug foundations, preparing to build a house. Organized the knowledge taught by my grandfather, in the Sun Script ¡®X¡¯ represents ¡®me,¡¯ I am a Descendant of the Sun, my ancestors spoke Sun Script.¡± This ¡°X¡± represented a very twisted character. It wasplex, it looked like a painting, seeming like a little person with wings, carrying some kind of tool, dancing exuberantly. ¡°A single word is like a painting, which country¡¯s writing is this, it¡¯s too bizarre. I guarantee, with such writing, one wouldn¡¯t learn five hundred characters even by the age of a hundred!¡± Liszt eximed. Of course, it was an exaggeration, but indeed, the so-called ¡°Sun Script¡± was veryplex. Many subsequent pages of the diary contained inconsequential records of daily life¡ªpicking fruits, cutting wood, building houses, trading items with someone, seeing certain wild animals. But at the end of each diary entry, a Sun Script character was recorded. I, father, mother, grandpa, grandma, big, rice, soil, sky, earth, horse, flower, individual, ten, painting, above¡ For some words, Philip provided specific exnations, such as rice being a certain kind of cereal grain, horse referring to a unicorn, and flower referring to a sunflower, which he had never seen, only heard from his grandfather,mon things to their ancestors. ¡°Unicorn? Could such legendary creatures really exist?¡± Liszt doubted. He even doubted the Sun Script itself, which just seemed like various little drawings; he didn¡¯t believe these depicted some kind of writing¡ªperhaps it was just Philip¡¯s grandfather, bored and concocting it himself, to fool his silly grandson. A thick diary. Most of it was Philip¡¯s mundane daily routines on Dodo Ind and Sun Script lessons. asionally, he would recall his time working on other inds¡ªmeeting a noble¡¯s daughter, a very kind youngdy, who taught them themoners¡¯nguage. Philip proudly stated that he learned the fastest and gained the young nobledy¡¯s favor, even reaching the point of eloping. Unfortunately, as documented in a certain diary entry¡ªhis affair with the youngdy was discovered by her mother, who wanted to kill him. With the nobledy¡¯s help, Philip then escaped that ind. He didn¡¯t mention the name of the ind, saying he did not want to sully the nobledy¡¯s reputation. Apart from these details. The diary asionally mentioned Philip¡¯s ancestors¡ªmainly stories his grandfather had told him. Such as, the ancestors raising a troop of magical dragons with two heads, the ancestors once shooting down the sun from the sky, the ancestors drawing extraordinary powers from well water, the ancestors living in cities grown from trees, the ancestors befriending wolves, bears, eagles, and tigers, the ancestors immersed in music. His grandfather referred to the ancestors as¡ªChildren of the Sun. ¡°So the question arises, why would the Child of the Sun shoot down the sun? Patricide?¡± The stories were fragmented and vague. Mainly because Philip¡¯s writing was very sinct. He worried he didn¡¯t have enough ink or thick leather paper to write on; theter entries became sparser, even reaching the point where he recorded his diary every few days¡ªhalf of the thick leather paper had been used, perhaps he realized that this diary could not record every trivial matter in his dull life. ¡°One might as well rename the book to ¡°Private Tutoring Records of the Sun Script¡±.¡± Liszt prepared to close the diary, having found no connection between it and the unopenable drift bottle. He thought he might as well smash the metal bottle. To see what exactly was inside it. But just as he was closing the book, since he was closing it from back to front, thest page closingst, something caught his eye from the periphery¡ªthis page was not nk. He casually flipped it open. To discover there was another diary entry, or perhaps an essay. ¡°My will.¡± ¡°Grandfather told me upon his departure, should one day a golden bottle be found upon the sea, it was a letter written to us by our ancestor. Our ancestor had mastered a method of sending letters across the sea, the magic-powered bottle would travel across the ocean guided by our bloodline. A smear of blood is all it takes to open the bottle and retrieve the letter inside.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it, but, my descendants, if one day youe across it, remember to send a reply.¡± This was Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s ¡°will,¡± which is why it was ced at the end of the diary. After reading it, Liszt waspletely unsettled. The bottle Philip mentioned must be the one the fisherman had found by the seaside, now sitting on his desk. ¡°Does this mean that Philip and his grandfather¡¯s stories are actually true, that they really are descendants of some exiled noble family? Is the Sun Script real too?¡± He recalled the prior mission. It mentioned an ¡°unopenable bottle, iprehensible script,¡± needing a book to guide one! Without a doubt, it was this book. Picking up the drift bottle, Liszt walked straight out of the study. ¡°Master, are you going out?¡± ¡°Off to the Tanners¡¯ Shop. Mr. Carter, you stay at the castle, let Jessiee with me. By the way, has Jessie returned?¡± He remembered that he had sent Jessie to deliver silver coins. ¡°Not yet; he probably went to the town to watch theedy y again, you know, young people always like to join in the fun.¡± ¡°Never mind, no need to look for him. I will take Philip and Zavier to the Tanners¡¯ Shop.¡± Having said that, he hurriedly left the castle, took two Retainer Knights, and dashed straight for the Tanners¡¯ Shop. Chapter 95 - 095: The Thorn Bug’s Desire Chapter 95: The Thorn Bug¡¯s Desire Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Old Phil, cut your finger; I need you to smear blood on this bottle,¡± Liszt said unequivocally. Philip was dead, and who knew how many of the indigenous people of Dodo Ind remained¡ªthis old tanner was probably one of them. As for whether he had the bloodline of the ¡°Descendant of the Sun,¡± Liszt did not know. All he could do was try. Although the old tanner did not understand why, he mustply with themands of Lord Landlord. He pricked his finger with a needle, squeezed out the blood, and smeared it on the beautiful golden bottle. Liszt had already deployed his Eye of Magic. He was intently observing the metal drift bottle. The moment the blood touched the bottle, his vortex-like pupils suddenly expanded as he witnessed a miraculous scene¡ªthe blood seemed to activate the magic of the metal bottle, which flowed along the engraved patterns, quickly outlining the lines of the sun, a big tree, a bow and arrow, a lyre, an eagle, and a bear. A manposed of lines emerged from the bottle, taking up a bow and arrow, shooting at the sun. A womanposed of lines also emerged from the bottle, picking up the lyre and gently ying it under the big tree. The eaglended on the man¡¯s shoulder, the bear snuggled up to the woman, and the magic lines on the body of the bottle were lively and vivid. Suddenly, the sun pierced with arrows fell, and a well made of lines emerged, spouting a fountain that shot straight up to the mouth of the bottle. Pop! A crisp sound. All of the lines formed by magic dissipated, leaving no trace of magic on the metal bottle; and where there had been no seam before, the mouth of the bottle cracked. Liszt gently pulled and the cap came off. He turned the mouth of the metal bottle down and shook it, and out fell something rolled up into a small stick. It was a very delicate, thin piece of leather paper, which Liszt unfolded. On it was a line of hieroglyphics¡ªno, more precisely, a line of Sun Script. Liszt remembered seeing these drawings but could not discern their meaning. His heart was full of puzzles waiting to be solved. Yet outwardly, he was in no hurry. He rolled the paper back up and nced at the old tanner, ¡°Old Phil, are you rted to Philip?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lord Landlord, maybe I am. Philip once said, he said we were all exiled criminals of some sort,¡± replied the old tanner. In fact, they should be rtives. Looking at the old tanner¡¯s hunched figure and aged expression, Liszt felt he was meant toplete thest mission issued by the Smoke Mission¡ªto at least give Old Phil a son, or rather, to at least facilitate a kinship contract between him and Jessie. It was the right thing to do, both morally and to aid in his mission. ¡°Old Phil, what do you think of Jessie?¡± ¡°Jessie is a good boy; he always helps me with chores, diving, sweeping¡ Thanks to him, the Tanners¡¯ Shop smells much better,¡± the old tanner replied. ¡°Do you know Jessie is an orphan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± said the old tanner. ¡°Have you ever thought that the two of you could form a contract of kinship?¡± ¡°What? This¡¡± The old tanner was evidently a bit flustered, ¡°Jessie is a servant of the castle, and I¡¯m just an old tanner. He could have a better life; I wouldn¡¯t want to hold him back. Lord Landlord, Jessie is a sensible child. He likes his work at the castle, and he works hard. I will tell him not toe here anymore, so he won¡¯t be distracted from his duties.¡± He thought that his rtionship with Jessie had displeased Lord Landlord. ¡°You misunderstood me; I don¡¯t me Jessie at all. It was merely a suggestion,¡± Liszt suddenly felt that getting involved in such trivial matters ofmoners wasn¡¯t befitting of his noble status. Why should andlord concern himself with such trifles of the popce? He stood up, ready to leave the Tanners¡¯ Shop, saying, ¡°Decide for yourselves. I will inform Mr. Carter to oversee it.¡± To be or not to be, it was just a suggestion. After returning to the castle, Liszt casually mentioned his task to Carter and then set aside these misceneous matters to start working on the trantion of the message from the drift bottle. With ¡°Philip, Descendant of the Sun¡¯s Diary,¡± he found the corresponding meanings for the figures in the drawing one by one. Soon, he had finished tranting the message. ¡°The tower has copsed, Tree City is burning, XX has perished, and the Child of the Sun will ascend with the mes. Children who are lost abroad, you are now free.¡± The ¡°XX¡± is a series of Sun Script, but there was no corresponding exnation in the diary, and its style was rather abstract. Liszt couldn¡¯t make out its specific meaning, but he could roughly guess that it should represent the dwelling ce of the Child of the Sun¡ªperhaps a country or possibly a continent. That is to say, the drift bottle brought bad news. ¡°The Child of the Sun, which country¡¯s nobility calls themselves that?¡± Liszt had read knight¡¯s novels, not a thousand, then at least one hundred, but none contained any record of the Child of the Sun. Stroking the parchment in his hands. He suddenly felt that this country might not be on this continent: ¡°The parchment on the continent is made of thick animal hide, not easily preserved, and not convenient to write on. But this parchment in my hand doesn¡¯t seem to be made of animal hide. It¡¯s very thin; such technology hasn¡¯t appeared on this continent yet, right?¡± But apart from the continental countries, the Duchy of Sapphire was the first to venture out to the sea and establish their nation. Immediately afterwards. Liszt came up with a possibility: ¡°Could it be that the Child of the Sun is not a human from this continent, but from beyond the Sea of Azure Waves?¡± Fresh Flower Town¡¯s East Coast faces the Sea of Azure Waves, and on the other side of it lies the legendary Devil¡¯s Sea, where no one can navigate. Legends are not entirely credible. If this Different World is also a, then byparison to Earth, perhaps the so-called Devil¡¯s Sea is just arger ocean. On the other side of the ocean, there might be another continent. Separated by an impassable ocean, perhaps there are also humans living on another continent. ¡°Well, there¡¯s too little information to make any effective judgments. For the time being let¡¯s assume that there¡¯s a continent on the other side, and a group of humans called the Child of the Sun.¡± Liszt reined in his spective thoughts, ¡°For now, I have neither the capability to unravel this perplexing mystery.¡± He put the metal drift bottle into the Gemstone Space without closing the lid¡ªjust in case he couldn¡¯t open it. The thin parchment as well as ¡°Philip¡¯s Diary of the Descendants of the Sun¡± were also ced in the Gemstone Space. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to focus on the Thorn Bug!¡± The Thorn Bug, eight years of age, unwilling to die alone in solitude, wanted to struggle onest time. Liszt could feel that this Thorn Bug was indeed somewhat different from the other Elf Bugs. He went to the Worm Room that Carter was taking care of and saw the Thorn Bug deep asleep in its box¡ªElf Bugs could sleep 24 hours a day. An intermittent telepathic connection kept Liszt constantly aware of his own Elf Bugs. ¡°Little fellow, I can feel the deep weariness within you, as well as your desire for evolution. Even though I know the chances of you evolving are slim, I am still willing to help you to the best of my abilities. Not for the Magic Medicine Thorns or toplete the Smoke Mission,¡± he said as he gently touched the grey-white body of the Thorn Bug. The Thorn Bug seemed to sense Liszt¡¯s presence and opened its little ck sesame seed-sized eyes, turning its head to look at Liszt. Among the seven Elf Bugs, it was the ugliest one, with a duller colorpared to the vibrant colors of the other Elf Bugs, and its body was also thinner and had a harder skin¡ªElf Bugs nurtured by shrubs and trees always seemed rougher than those nurtured by herbaceous nts. Its ck eyes gave away no discernible expression. But Liszt could still feel the Thorn Bug¡¯s closeness and docility towards him. ¡°I have instructed Goltai to stop supplying thepost to the farms for the near future. As long as your Cordyceps can absorb it, it will be prioritized for your use,¡± he said. Chapter 96: Lawbreakers Must Be Severely Punished Chapter 96: Lawbreakers Must Be Severely Punished Trantor: 549690339 Thorn Cordyceps was located at the edge of Thorn Ridge, close to the dairy farm, within a not-sorge area of Thorn Forest. Thorn Ridge got its name from the abundance of short thorn bushes that surrounded it. However, the thorn bushes rarely grew inrge clusters, typically appearing as small patches here and there. Liszt had investigated this and theorized that one possible reason was that thorn bushes are shrubs¡ªwithout a significant main trunk and tend to stay low to the ground in clumps. More urately, the area should be called a thorn bush thicket. Clinging to the edges of a forest of tall trees, the lofty canopy blocked out the sunlight, limiting the shrubs¡¯ growth. ¡°The Thorn Bug¡¯s restlessness might stem not only from inadequate nutrition but also perhaps due to the limited expanse of the Thorn Forest; the trees overshadow the spread of the thorn bush thickets.¡± To the south of the Thorn Cordycepsy the dairy farm. Liszt would not possibly shovel away the pasture grass to nt the utterly worthless thorn bushes. Therefore, he nned to organize another lumberjack team to fell the trees surrounding the thorn bush thickets, enabling the thorns to expand outward. The more thorn bushes there were, the wider the range the Thorn Bug could influence, the more pheromones it could collect, and the greater the possibility of evolution¡ªalthough he understood that the Thorn Bug¡¯s chances of evolving were next to none. The variety of thorns was too limited, making the collection of pheromones challenging. The likelihood was too low. ¡°Even though I can¡¯t discern the true essence of Elf Bug evolution, it often seems that the more nt varieties a cordyceps belongs to, the greater the potential for the Elf Bug to evolve. The extent to which nts grow also increases the chances of the Elf Bug¡¯s evolution.¡± This was evidenced by experience. The Tulip Family had managed their operation for generations, amassing a considerable variety of tulips, and with these varieties, they had cultivated the Greater Elf Xiangxiang, along with three Little Minor Elves and eight Elf Bugs. Of course. It wasn¡¯t to say that the Thorn Bug had no chance of evolving whatsoever. One should always harbor dreams, for what if they were actualized? ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, and the rest is up to the Thorn Bug itself, to see if it truly harbors any discontent and wishes to challenge its fate.¡± After patting the Thorn Bug, Liszt left the Worm Room. Around four in the afternoon, the leader of the North Valley City Caravan came to the castle to bid Liszt farewell. The leader was a middle-aged man with arge beard named Gabriel, who gave a deep bow: ¡°Honorable Baron, under your governance, Fresh Flower Town has emanated a dazzling light. I thank you for your generosity and kindness; the caravan has spent a wonderful day in Fresh Flower Town, and now, Gabriel bids you farewell.¡± ¡°Are you satisfied with the caravan¡¯s trade in the town?¡± Liszt asked with a smile. ¡°Very satisfied, Baron. The faces of the caravan members are brimming with the joy of their gains. We sold much more goods than imagined and also acquired some of the specialties of Fresh Flower Town. Personally, I am very fond of the business district environment, now that we are free from the trouble of dung.¡± ¡°So, Gabriel, does the caravan have ns for when it might visit again?¡± ¡°Not yet, but I think, now that the road through Thorn Ridge is safe, the caravan won¡¯t wait too long. Perhaps in a month, we will return,den with goods, to trade in Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Fresh Flower Town wees the caravan¡¯s visit at any time.¡± ¡°I thank you, Baron!¡± Gabriel bowed and left the castle. Returning to his team, which had already packed up their wares in the business district and was setting off at a leisurely pace, the horses pulled carts one by one along the road paved with a mix of pebbles and sand. Illuminated by the glow of the setting sun in the west, they made their way toward Thorn Ridge. They arrived with cargo in abundance. They left withughter and cheerful voices in abundance. And the delightful sound of Gold Coins, silver coins, and copper coins clinking against each other. A momentter. Old Geronte came to report the shopping situation this time, three Gold Coins in total. Apart from two small ponies, there was a pile of things, all handed over to Butler Carter, to be stored in the castle¡¯s cer. Liszt did not like these worldly affairs and went directly to the stable to see the small ponies. In the stable, the two small ponies, which seemed to be newly born not long ago, were very shy and hid in the corner of the stable, not daring to run around. They were both very ordinary Nags, one with a reddish-brown coat and the other with a brownish-yellow coat. Even without knowing how to judge horses, Liszt could tell that they were not fit for the battlefield. ¡°Are they mares or stallions?¡± ¡°One mare, one stallion, my lord,¡± Jim, who was feeding the ponies, answered. ¡°Take good care of them, don¡¯t let the other horses bully them.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Afterward, Liszt took another turn through the separate enclosure, a few pregnant mares were eating bran and peas, not showing any change yet. The Fire Dragon Horse, seeing his arrival, affectionately approached and stuck its head out of the fence. Liszt patted it, looking forward to the foal it would bear, wondering if it would be as majestic as the Li Dragon Horse. Perhaps with the blood of a Magical Beast mixed in, its foal might be even more majestic than the Li Dragon Horse. The banquet. A celebration of the caravan¡¯s sessful transactions at Fresh Flower Town, it was also a moment to report on work. ¡°Baron, the total transactions amounted to 7 Gold Coins, 63 silver coins, and 12 copper coins. ording to the low tax rate incentive scheme you have established, with the fixed stall tax and twenty-plus-one fluid tax, a total of 18 silver coins and 15 copper coins were collected¡¡± Isaiah reported the details of the tax collection. The caravan transactions would certainly be taxed. Generally,ndlords¡¯ taxation of foreign caravans was a standard ten percent, meaning one-tenth of the total transaction valium. Some more demandingndlords might adopt a standard of one-fifth. However, at Fresh Flower Town, Liszt had significantly reduced the tax rate to attract caravans. He set two standards. One was the fixed stall tax; after paying a silver coin for the stall, no matter how much money you made, there would be no additional taxes. The other was the twenty-plus-one fluid tax; that is, not paying ording to the stall but extracting one-twentieth of the total transaction amount as tax. This gave merchants a choice; if they believed their transactions could exceed twenty silver coins, they would save more by paying the fixed tax. If not reaching twenty silver coins, it was more economical to pay the fluid tax. Considering the situation in Fresh Flower Town, themercial tax collection was minimal, and Liszt did not intend to get rich from this aspect. ¡°There¡¯s no need to add thismercial tax to the castle¡¯s ounts; use it directly for the construction of themercial district. Aim toplete the construction of stalls, parking spaces, livestock spaces, as well as inns and toilet facilities promptly. Also, the wells and sewers must be nned together. While there is plenty of time, I hope the work will bepleted as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Rest assured, my lord,¡± Goltai nodded in agreement. ¡°Karl, tell us about today¡¯s security issues.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Karl was not attending the banquet for the first time, but he was still nervous, ¡°The Patrol Team generally performed well. We apprehended thirteen merchants for urinating and defecating in public, who were then punished with whipping; additionally, a thief was caught and redeemed by Gabriel. Among the townspeople, two were caught for theft, and three for coercive trading.¡± Liszt asked, ¡°Did you tell the caravan leader Gabriel that the first time a thief is caught, they can be redeemed with a fine, but if caught a second time, they will be detained and demoted to hardbor in the territory?¡± ¡°I have already notified Gabriel. He said that after returning, he would reprimand the thief, and the next time the caravan returns, absolutely no one will vite your lordship¡¯s rules,¡± Karl hesitated, then continued, ¡°My lord, how shall we punish the five criminals from the town?¡± ¡°Freeman or Serf?¡± ¡°Among the crimes of theft and coercive trading, there is one Freeman each, and the remaining three are Serfs.¡± Liszt looked towards Goltai. Goltai immediately said, ¡°My lord, you ce great importance on caravan transactions, and despite repeated publicity, there are still bold civilians who disregard the regtions. They must be severely punished! I think, the Serfs should receive fiftyshes, with all their possessions confiscated; the Freeman who stole should receive tenshes and a tenfold fine. If unable to pay the fine, they should be demoted to Serfdom.¡± ¡°Proceed as you suggest,¡± Liszt consented. The town had no realws; his will was thew. Those who did not abide by his will had to ept punishment¡ªbreaking thew knowingly made the crime one degree worse. Chapter 97 - 0097: The Constant Failure of Flame Mushroom Cultivation Chapter 97: The Constant Failure of me Mushroom Cultivation Trantor: 549690339 Before dawn the next day, the serfs from each hamlet were busy scooping up fermented manure from the cesspits. The serfs carried this manure toward the dairy farms. The disbanded Lumberjack Team also regrouped and arrived early at the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery, escorted by the Knight Squad. Marcus, carrying a quiver of Falcon Feather Arrows, scoured the shrubbery to ensure no Magical Beasts lurked nearby, before turning to nod at Goltai. ¡°Sir, the area is secure,¡± he said. ¡°Good,¡± Goltai turned around and shouted at the serfs, ¡°Focus and get to work! You¡¯ve taken the Lord Landlord¡¯s copper coins, and anyone caught cking off will be whipped to death by me! Remember, do not touch the Thorns; all other trees, without exception, must be cut down.¡± The serfs responded in unison. Then they began to cut down trees. They did not know why they were there to cut trees, but they followed the town officials¡¯ orders and also received a reward of two copper coins for a day¡¯s work. Before long, the manure-carrying team arrived, and Goltai hastily directed the serfs to fertilize the Thorn bushes. Finance Officer Isaiah followed, tasked with calcting each serf¡¯s pay. After tallying the number of workers, he recorded the data on thick parchment. Stretching leisurely, he conversed with Goltai, ¡°What do you think the Baron is nning with such care for the Thorn Bugs?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but there must be a purpose to what he does,¡± Goltai replied. ¡°Goltai, you¡¯ve be more and more invested in Fresh Flower Town,¡± Isaiah noted. ¡°Why not? With its booming development, I¡¯ll probably spend the rest of my life here. It¡¯s good to see it prosper. A barren countryside is unbearable, but in a prosperous one, there¡¯s plenty to discover,¡± Goltai said. ¡°Of course, nobody likes poverty.¡± ¡°For the Lord, and for ourselves, we must strive forward, Isaiah,¡± Goltai said, ncing at his old friend, who had recently be enamored with the idea of following Liszt. ¡°I think¡ yes.¡± The town officers, Goltai, ir, Karl, and Marcus, had all be followers of Liszt. As the only official who hadn¡¯t yet pledged allegiance, Isaiah naturally felt the pressure. Goltai didn¡¯t say much more; it was ultimately Isaiah¡¯s own decision. ¡°Isaiah, let¡¯s check the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery to see if there are any unusual Thorns. The Lord mentioned that the Thorn Bugs have been restlesstely, perhaps due to changes in the shrubbery.¡± ¡°What are we waiting for? I¡¯ll have to search carefully. If I find a Magic Medicine Thorn¡ well then. By the way, have the ingredients for cultivating me Mushrooms in Mushroom Hamlet been researched?¡± Goltai spread his hands helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s not so easy. Various ingredients have been tested to cultivate me Mushrooms, all to no avail. If it weren¡¯t for Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s mushroom shed still growing me Mushrooms, we might have botched it entirely. The Lord ces high importance on me Mushrooms; I don¡¯t even know how to report on this,¡± Goltai said. The cultivation of me was in a predicament. Goltai had mobilized all Mushroom Hamlet cultivators, distributing me Mushroom seeds for them to grow. Unfortunately, all attempts ended in failure¡ªallegedly, Crooked-neck Bob had be obsessed, staying in his shed day and night, watching the me Mushrooms grow, but unable to fathom why, after renting with new ingredients, they failed to thrive and the seeds died. ¡°Perhaps I should tell the Baron. He might have some good suggestions,¡± Isaiah suggested. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Goltai, don¡¯t you think the Baron is knowledgeable? He knows a lot. His vision is broader than all of ours; he can see the vast world that we cannot,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°Is that how you see the Lord?¡± ¡°Actually, it was Marcus who said that. This Retainer Knight, who aspires to be a Noble, holds the Baron in high regard,¡± Isaiah conveyed. After contemting for a moment, Goltai replied, ¡°Perhaps I really should report to the Lord. The matter of the me Mushrooms isn¡¯t something with which I can afford to becent.¡± He wanted to prove himself to earn an advisory position. But he was even more aware that if he screwed up with the me Mushrooms, Liszt might well kill him¡ªthe importance of Magic Potions to a Landlord was something anyone couldprehend. At noon, Liszt went for a round in the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery to inspect the progress and casually inquired about any unusual varieties of Thorn that might have been discovered. The officials had not made any progress, and even when Liszt used his Eye of Magic, he did not see any aberrant Thorns. He had now confirmed that the Smoke Mission could not create reward items out of thin air, the rewards were things that truly existed in this world, and as long as one was willing to dig, they could obtain the reward items even without going through the mission. This gave him great choice. He could choose toplete the mission, allowing the Smoke Mission to deliver the reward items to him effortlessly andfortably. He could also choose to bypass the mission, directly obtaining the reward items, to ¡°refresh¡± new tasks. He even thought that perhaps the mission could fail, but he didn¡¯t know what kind of ¡°punishment¡± would follow a failure, whether it would be the reward items being kept from him or some other additional punishment. Or, he wondered if new tasks would be avable after a mission failure? ¡°Perhaps one day, I could try to see the consequences of mission failure, but if it¡¯s possible toplete, I should still try to do so to avoid creating adverse oues,¡± he mused. He shook his head. Liszt was no longer troubled. Since there were no anomalies with the Thorns to be discovered, he could only wait toplete the mission to acquire new varieties of Thorns. Goltai approached, ¡°Lord, there seems to be a problem with the cultivation of the me Mushrooms.¡± ¡°What problem?¡± Liszt immediately became anxious. ¡°We have assigned me Mushroom seeds to all the serfs who nt regr mushrooms, but not a single one has sessfully cultivated a living me Mushroom. It seems that me Mushrooms can only grow in Crooked-neck Bob¡¯s mushroom shed. However, we can¡¯t find any differences between his mushroom shed and the others.¡± Almost a month had passed. The me Mushrooms still hadn¡¯t been sessfully cultivated. Liszt felt there must be a significant issue at hand. In fact, he had been monitoring the situation all along but wanted to give the serfs time to solve it¡ªthe Lord couldn¡¯t be expected to toil every day. To his surprise, a month had gone by. None of the distributed me Mushroom seeds showed any signs of life. Logically, the cultivation of mushrooms is quite rapid; once the spores germinate, they can usually grow from mycelium to fruiting bodies in just a few days, ready for harvesting in less than two months. However, the me Mushroom seeds (the mycelium) simply couldn¡¯t survive, no matter the variety of substrates and environments the serfs tried. Without specialized researchers, Liszt could only ask Goltai to lead the way to Mushroom Hamlet for an on-site investigation. To see if he could deduce some reasons with his knowledge. Arriving at Mushroom Hamlet. He saw Crooked-neck Bob, with bloodshot eyes and an exhausted appearance beyond recognition, kneeling on the ground, trembling all over, ¡°Lord Landlord, Bob is a waste, unable to cultivate the me Mushrooms alive in a month.¡± Liszt did not me Bob. He merely asked Bob in detail about the process of cultivating the me Mushrooms. After listening, he cast his gaze over the me Mushrooms and used the Eye of Magic, wanting to identify the root of the problem. He looked at the few me Mushrooms growing in the mushroom substrate and then at the me Mushroom seeds prepared in the new substrate. He noticed something puzzling. Normally, the Magic Power in a me Mushroom is a process of congealing. This included the me Mushroom seeds produced by it, which also continually condensed Magic Power. But after inoction, the me Mushroom seeds in the new substrate could not condense Magic Power and instead slowly dispelled Magic Power. ¡°What could be the reason for this?¡± Chapter 98 - 098: Speculation on the Cultivation of Flame Mushrooms Chapter 98: Spection on the Cultivation of me Mushrooms Trantor: 549690339 The dissipation of magic power was something Liszt could see, even though he wasn¡¯t a magician and couldn¡¯t delve into the essential reasons behind its loss. But as a transmigrator with a scientific mind, he had his unique insights. ¡°What¡¯s the biggest difference between the mushroom cultivation substrate for Fragrant Mushrooms and the new substrate?¡± ¡°ording to Crooked-neck Bob, the growing conditions for most mushrooms are roughly the same, with slight differences in temperature, humidity, and nutrient ratios at most.¡± ¡°But the fact that me Mushrooms can grow in the Fragrant Mushroom substrate indicates they don¡¯t reject it outright. We¡¯ve been experimenting with the new substrate for quite some time, trying all kinds of ratios, yet still unable to help me Mushrooms thrive. It mustn¡¯t be an issue with the substrate.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not an issue with the substrate, then what is it?¡± A momentter. He formted a hypothesis¡ªthe most significant difference between the Fragrant Mushroom substrate and the new substrate is that Fragrant Mushrooms grow on the former! Mushroom Hamlet had cultivated Fragrant Mushrooms for many years with no other mushroom species invading, yet me Mushrooms emerged, suggesting that me Mushrooms could be a mutant variety of Fragrant Mushrooms. This mutation might not result in an entirely new species but rather a coexisting variety during the growth of Fragrant Mushrooms. Mushrooms are fungi. Fungi are always full of surprises. The mycelium of Fragrant Mushrooms and me Mushrooms might entangle with and promote each other¡¯s growth. Therefore, he said, ¡°Teacher Goltai, please inform the serfs involved in the cultivation to try intermingling the me Mushroom spores with those of the Fragrant Mushrooms to see if it works.¡± ¡°Intermingling the cultivation?¡± Goltai didn¡¯t quite understand, but he did as instructed. Crooked-neck Bob, upon hearing Liszt¡¯s words, was greatly energized, ¡°Lord Landlord, Bob will try intermingling the cultivation right away, I must cultivate me Mushrooms for Lord Landlord!¡± ¡°This Fragrant Mushroom shed, remember not to mess with it at all, don¡¯t destroy the environment needed for the growth of me Mushrooms,¡± Lisztter emphasized sternly. It was alright if the me Mushrooms took a bit longer to cultivate; he wasn¡¯t yet at the stage where he needed to rely on magic potions to increase his Dou Qi. But if he ended up killing all the me Mushrooms, he would go mad. In the blink of an eye, five days passed. Liszt would visit the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery every day to check on the progress of fertilization and logging. The Lumberjack Team was experienced, and especially after the Smithy made a batch of sharp axes, the efficiency of cutting trees increased significantly. Arge circle of trees around the shrubbery waspletely cut down. Basically, all the trees within the region that could be affected by the Thorn Cordyceps were felled. The Fire Dragon Horse calmly ate various weeds; it was pregnant, but it didn¡¯t show, and riding it was still normal. ording to Marcus, riding it for a few more months posed no problem. In its box, the Thorn Bugy on jade powder,fortably wriggling. Over these days, Liszt could distinctly feel the Thorn Bug¡¯s spirits were high, constantly in a state of excitement. That was abnormal as, typically, the emotional fluctuations of Elf Bugs are very small¡ªafter all, no matter how magical an Elf Bug is, in essence, it is still just an insect; one could not expect it to exhibit human-like emotions. ¡°Could this little fellow really be wanting to evolve?¡± No sooner did the thought arise than he swiftly extinguished it, for the likelihood of sess was too slim. Greater hopes lead to greater disappointments, so it was better not to indulge in unrealistic fantasies. At that moment, ir, responsible for supervising the work, came over. ¡°My Lord.¡± ¡°Have you made any discoveries?¡± ir hesitated a bit but then spoke up, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m making a big deal out of nothing, but around the shrubbery, many young Thorn shoots have sprung up like grass from the soil, already reaching about half a finger in length.¡± His eyebrows raised. Liszt followed ir to inspect these Thorn seedlings. Indeed, on the clearednd where trees had been cut down, tender but lively Thorn seedlings were poking through piles of fallen leaves. The Thorns weren¡¯t like any variety found on Earth, being merely a type of spiny shrub that, at most, grew to a person¡¯s height, non-toxic, not flowering, and not fruiting, propagating by continuously extending roots to sprout new seedlings. To be exact, Thorns were considered weed-trees, with Thorn Bugs being merely wild Elves. The wilderness jungles, untraveled by man, always be home to a small number of naturally bred elves. But the wild vegetation is messy and the soil poor, which means the probability of breeding Elf Bugs is very low. This chance is far less than with species that humans have been cultivating over a long period, which produce a greater number of Elf Bugs. Moreover, the varieties of Elf Bugs found in the wild are hard to guarantee. They might be a weed or a poisonous fruit tree, with rtively low utility value. The greatest use of a Thorn Bug bonded by humans is to construct a hedge. Especially for the Nobles, who nt a hedge around the perimeter of their estates to separate themselves frommoners. In Fresh Flower Town, the Thorn Bug really doesn¡¯t have much use¡ªthe space outside the castle has all been converted into a racecourse, with absolutely no need for any hedge to act as a barrier. Regardless, since it¡¯s an Elf Bug, Liszt still decides to cultivate it. ¡°Did all these thorn seedlings just sprout up in thest two days?¡± He gently pulled out a seedling. It was tender, but there wasn¡¯t the slightest trace of Magic Power flowing within it. ¡°I didn¡¯t pay much attention at the start,¡± ir shook his head, ¡°It wasn¡¯t just me, none of the serfs noticed either, as if they had all grown overnight.¡± Liszt inspected the situation carefully. Indeed, these were not the ¡°Magic Medicine Thorns¡± he had imagined but merelymon thorn saplings. He still decided to summon the Smoke Mission to check on the situation. When the smoke twisted into Serpent Script, he finally understood¡ª¡±Complete mission, reward: fast-growing thorn species.¡± This meant that the mission to nurture the Thorn Cordyceps had beenpleted. It was disappointing that he didn¡¯t receive Magic Medicine Thorns as a reward, just a fast-growing type of thorn. ¡°A fast-growing thorn species, what do I need this for?¡± Liszt sighed in his heart, recognizing that not every Smoke Mission would bring a sizable reward. He didn¡¯t dwell on it and turned his attention to the newly issued mission. ¡°Mission: Without the devastation of the Fruit Thief Monkeys, the Fragrant Coconut Trees have finally borne ripe Fragrant Coconut Fruit. However, the fruit from one of the trees seems different. Please find out why. Reward: an Elf Bug.¡± Having read the mission, the sense of disappointment he felt just before was quickly smoothed over, and he became excited. Why was the Fragrant Coconut Fruit different? Because it was nurturing a Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug! The familiar pattern and familiar rewards shifted Liszt¡¯s gaze away from the thorn seedlings. He said to ir, ¡°Don¡¯t stop fertilizing the shrubbery, but the logging work can be scaled back, shifting focus to fence building. Keep a careful eye on these thorn seedlings and record their growth.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Momentster. Liszt had arrived at Oyster Vige. The construction of houses in Oyster Vige was not rapid, barely managing to amodate a few hundred serfs. No longer haphazardly built, the houses are arranged neatly into blocks, following the sketch personally nned by Liszt. Near the sea in the block, a huge za is reserved. In the za, a small hill made of colorful seashells symbolizes the specialty of Oyster Vige¡ªseafood. On the East Coast beach, stands a clump of tall Fragrant Coconut Trees, among which, one near Oyster Vige has a slightlyrger house and yard beneath it¡ªthe Fruit Thief Monkey Training Ground. A few of the best serfs at training Fruit Thief Monkeys live here; they have been freed from the fields and seawater to focus on training and raising Fruit Thief Monkeys, bing the honored¡ªFragrant Coconut Fruit Farmers. ¡°Lord Landlord!¡± Upon seeing Liszt, several Fragrant Coconut Fruit Farmers knelt and paid their respects. ¡°Stand up everyone. You¡¯ve been training the Fruit Thief Monkeys for quite some time now. Can they climb trees and pick fruit yet?¡± Chapter 99 - 0099: The Unique Fragrant Coconut Fruit Chapter 99: The Unique Fragrant Coconut Fruit Trantor: 549690339 The East Coast stretches for several kilometers, and there are a total of 171 Fragrant Coconut Trees of various sizes. The smaller Fragrant Coconut Trees might be only a few meters high, and there are even some that have just sprouted. Thergest Fragrant Coconut Tree, which was the site of the battle between the Wind Falcon and the Fruit Thief Monkeys, is nearly sixty meters tall and leans towards the sea. Liszt rode his Fire Dragon Horse and took shelter under the shade of the tallest Fragrant Coconut Tree. He guessed that if there truly was an Elf Bug, it would definitely be in this ¡°Tree King¡±. Cordyceps are generallyrger, stronger, and more vigorous than ordinary nts. If it had been before, he would have had to search each tree one by one to be sure of the Cordyceps. Now it was different; he just needed to deploy the Eye of Magic and look up at the top of the sixty-meter-tall Fragrant Coconut Tree. A few changes appeared in his field of vision. Faint traces of pale blue Magic Power circted in the foliage at the top, not very clear, but certainly enough. ¡°There are traces of Magic Power, just as I thought, this Fragrant Coconut Tree has be Cordyceps. My eighth Elf Bug is about to arrive! However, this Elf Bug has climbed quite high,¡± Liszt thought for a moment and then decided not to investigate personally¡ªclimbing trees was really not bing of a lord¡¯s dignity. He turned to look at a farmer next to him, ¡°You¡¯re Jiggs, the steward of the Fruit Thief Monkey Training Ground, aren¡¯t you?¡± Jiggs nodded hurriedly, ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± ¡°Can you climb trees?¡± ¡°I can.¡± ¡°Then climb this tree for me. Be careful not to damage the bark. Go up and take a look for me to see if there is something unusual about the Fragrant Coconut Fruits.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± Jiggs immediately set to work, climbing hand over foot toward the crown of the tree. He was not as agile as the Fruit Thief Monkeys, but he was steady enough, gradually making his way to the foliage. Momentster, Jiggs climbed down and began to report, ¡°Lord Landlord, it¡¯s very strange. There¡¯s a Fragrant Coconut Fruit that looks like it¡¯s fully ripened, smells very sweet, and it¡¯s veryrge, oh, about the size of a basin.¡± The size of a normal Fragrant Coconut Fruit is about that of a sea bowl. Now that a basin-sized Fragrant Coconut Fruit has appeared, there¡¯s no doubt that an Elf Bug is hidden inside. Liszt smiled, ¡°Jiggs, remember this, the tree is Cordyceps, and my Elf Bug is growing inside its Fragrant Coconut Fruit. You guys must guard this tree for me, not allowing anyone to touch the Fragrant Coconut Fruits, and you must go up each day to observe. If the Fragrant Coconut Fruit cracks open, notify the Castle immediately, do you understand?¡± ¡°My goodness, an Elf Bug? Incredible!¡± Jiggs was overjoyed and replied eagerly, ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord. Jiggs will definitely guard the Elf Bug!¡± He nodded lightly. Liszt concentrated his mind and summoned the Smoke Mission. He felt somewhat lightheaded; he had justpleted a Smoke Mission half an hour ago, and now, he had finished another one¡ªthis efficiency couldn¡¯t be too high. Just as expected. The Serpent Script formed by the smoke said, ¡°Missionpleted, reward: Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug.¡± Suddenly, a new mission appeared, ¡°The new-style milky bread brought by the trade caravan has sparked an inspiration in Reynard, the baker. He wants to make a new kind of bread, perhaps adding some meat would be a good idea, but he¡¯s distressed that he can only sell ck bread. Please help him realize the development of a new bread. Reward: Sunken Ship Treasure.¡± ¡°Sunken Ship Treasure?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes gleamed at the sight of the word ¡®treasure¡¯; there¡¯s nothing more exciting than discovering treasure and gaining an unexpected fortune. A task that must bepleted. ¡°Reynard wants to make a new type of bread, with a bit of meat? Is he nning to invent meat-floss bread?¡± In this world, the culinary realm is still at a very primitive stage of food processing¡ªroasting meat, roasting fish, boiling eggs, boiling meat, frying steaks, tossing sds; sauce was invented, and everyone likes to spread it on everything they eat; milk is only used to make cheese and pudding, and they also like to stuff it with minced meat. The worst is their fondness for bakingplete ingredients into a batter¡ªthe respectable name for it: ¡°Pie!¡± Mrs. Abbie was previously very skilled at making a dish called mushroom pie, the specific method being¡ªmix flour with sugar and oil into a paste, then sprinkle the whole mushrooms into it, stuff it into the oven, and bake it till done¡ªwith that, a mushroom pie was ready to eat. Liszt really couldn¡¯t get used to these ¡°pies,¡± always feeling like it was an insult to his taste buds. Even to his intelligence. But many times, he had to endure the torment of this dark cuisine and deeply regret why he didn¡¯t go to New Oriental to learn how to be a chef before. Eight hundred stainless beds, two hundred¡ Bread is the staple food of the Different World, from the king down to serfs, they all eat bread. Except nobles eat white bread, and the poor eat ck bread. The nobles¡¯ requirements for food are definitely aspirational, but s, the chefs¡¯ talents are limited, and after so many years, white bread is still white bread, ck bread is still ck bread. ¡°How do you make meat floss bread?¡± Liszt tried to recall the meat floss bread he had eaten, ¡°It seems like it¡¯s just bread with some meat floss sprinkled on top? But, how is meat floss made?¡± He couldn¡¯t figure it out. He quickly gathered his thoughts, gave a few instructions to the fruit farmers, mounted his horse, and left Oyster Vige. The retainer knights had already gone to inform Goltai that Liszt wasn¡¯t too concerned about the protection work for the Fragrant Coconut Tree Cordyceps. He was ready to head straight for the town¡¯s bakery, to inspect the lives of themon people. The bakery was in the most conspicuous position in town, a rare two-story wooden building. The first floor sold bread, and the second floor was the residence of the baker¡¯s family. The bakery provided two main services, one was naturally selling various kinds of ck bread, the other was to bake bread on behalf of others. Not all serfs could afford ck bread, they would more oftene to use the bakery¡¯s oven, bringing their own various bran and other ingredients to bake ck bread. Reynard was a freeman, and also the richest freeman in town, it was said that his family wealth amounted to as many as five gold coins. The undisputed richest man in Fresh Flower Town. However, some said the Old Drunkard was the richest man, as he had sold his smithy to thendlord for three gold coins, and despite his love for fine wine, his excellent cksmithing skills still brought him a great deal of wealth. At the moment, Reynard stood watching the baking oven, waiting for a new batch of bread toe out, but his mind was wandering. He was one of the few people in town who could regrly taste white bread, and the cream bread brought by the caravan a few days ago, he bought a bit and tasted its unique and wonderful vor. It also made him realize that bread could be made even more delicious. ¡°Could I make better-tasting bread?¡± In the past, he wouldn¡¯t have thought about it because even if he made it, no one in town could afford it. But now it was different, the road to Thorn Ridge had been opened, and the castle¡¯s caravans went on trade missions almost every three days. He could definitely follow the caravans to sell his own bread outside¡ªas long as he could get to North Valley City, where many nobles resided. ¡°And, I could also sell to Lord Landlord.¡± Reynard thought of the day the caravan arrived, when he met Mrs. Abbie and chatted with her, learning that she could only make the simplest white bread, ¡°Lord Landlord must be tired of the monotonous white bread by now, most of the cream bread was bought by the castle.¡± Just at that moment. He suddenly heard his wife shouting loudly, ¡°Reynard,e out quickly, Reynard, are you listening, thendlord, Lord Landlord is here!¡± Chapter 100: The Development of New Bread Chapter 100: The Development of New Bread Trantor: 549690339 In the bakery, Liszt saw the plump Reynard. Without showing much concern for his serfs or adopting a friendly demeanor, he went straight to the point, ¡°Reynard, how long have you been baking bread?¡± ¡°I started baking bread as soon as I arrived at Fresh Flower Farm, Lord Landlord, It¡¯s been eighteen years,¡± Reynard said respectfully, ¡°My mother was once a kitchen maid at Tulip Castle, and she taught me the skill of bread-making. I followed her here when Coral Ind¡¯s Earl started the Fresh Flower Farm in Fresh Flower Town.¡± The developmental history of Coral Ind is hard to trace, with ims that people were already living on the ind even before the Sapphire Duke came overseas to establish the kingdom. Later, the Sapphire Duke dered Coral Ind property of the kingdom and sent officials to govern it. By the time Li Weiliam Tulip was granted the title of Earl of Coral Ind for his military service twenty years ago, Levis was just two years old, and both Li Vera and Liszt had not been born yet. In those years, the Earl massively purchased serfs to popte and cultivate the wastnds of Coral Ind. Eighteen years ago, new Tulips were discovered in Fresh Flower Town, prompting the Earl to cultivate Fresh Flower Farm there. At its height, the Tulips reached two hundred acres in size, and the small castle was also constructed during that time. The following year, which is seventeen years ago, as increasingly more serfs gathered at Fresh Flower Farm, Fresh Flower Town was built. Reynard, transitioning from a baker who made bread exclusively for Fresh Flower Farm, became the town baker and settled down here. Life in the small town was hard, but Reynard quite enjoyed it. In a blink, eighteen years passed. He had be the wealthiestmoner in Fresh Flower Town. Liszt then asked, ¡°Have you always made ck bread?¡± ¡°asionally, I also make white bread, especially during festivals, and, well, whenmoners get married, they also order some white bread from me.¡± ¡°How is your skill in making white bread?¡± ¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know, Lord Landlord,¡± Reynard said, a bit embarrassed and with his head bowed, ¡°But, Mrs. Abbie from the castle has tasted my white bread, and she said it was delicious.¡± Aside, Reynard¡¯s wife suddenly interjected, ¡°Lord Landlord, Mrs. Abbie also said she wanted to coborate with Reynard on researching milky bread, which she mentioned you¡¯re quite fond of.¡± ¡°The Lord Landlord didn¡¯t ask you a question, who gave you permission to speak!¡± Reynard red at his wife and then quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Landlord, Reba is a foolish woman, she meant no disrespect to your authority.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t mind. He wasn¡¯t the kind of noble prickly to the touch, unable to ept the slightest offense¡ªbesides, he didn¡¯t feel that Reba¡¯s interjection was an affront at all. On the contrary, he was pleased that Abbie seemingly was coborating with Reynard about creating milky bread. He always supported culinary research, so he smiled and said, ¡°Reynard, the castle needs bread with better taste. Since you and Mrs. Abbie aremunicating, that¡¯s good, create more bread with different vors. Don¡¯t worry about not being able to sell them, as long as they¡¯re tasty, the castle will purchase them inrge quantities.¡± Reynard was overjoyed. This was exactly what he wanted, and he immediately epted the order, ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord, I will surely work with Mrs. Abbie to develop milky bread and many more wonderfully vored new breads.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Liszt stood up, adding another suggestion, ¡°I like adding a bit of meat to the bread, but roasted meat is too dry and hard, which doesn¡¯t go well with bread. Maybe you could try to make the meat very tender, almost as if it were mixed with the bread, that might taste good.¡± ¡°Reynard will remember that!¡± Reynard and Mrs. Abbie would likely need at least ten days to half a month to bake meat floss bread or any other new type of bread. There was no way they would finish this task before Liszt attended Levis¡¯s birthday party. The date was rapidly approaching August 16th. Only three days were left until Levis¡¯s birthday, after which he would turn twenty-three. By that age, the Earl and Melissa had already conceived Li Vera. However, Levis still hadn¡¯t found a suitable match for marriage and remained single. Honored Knight Layden from Tulip Castle had sent the invitation for Levis¡¯s birthday party. Upon receiving the invitation, Butler Carter got busy with the preparations for the gift, ¡°My lord, are we really just going to use seafood as the birthday gift?¡± He asked with some uncertainty, as Liszt had instructed him that giving some seafood as a gift would suffice. But seafood was the cheapest food in Fresh Flower Town, cheaper even than ck bread ¡ª it was found everywhere on the East Coast, not only collected by fishermen but even serfs would pick up some shells to eat. Liszt, engrossed in his book, didn¡¯t even lift his head, ¡°Mr. Carter, besides seafood, what else do we have in Fresh Flower Town that¡¯s worth offering as a specialty?¡± This rhetorical question left Carter speechless. The remote little town truly had no special produce worth boasting about, but he still tried to think of something, ¡°My lord, perhaps we could send some wild fruits from Thorn Ridge.¡± ¡°No, no, no, I have been poisoned by wild fruits before. Although I am now able to differentiate between the types of wild fruits, there is still a risk.¡± ¡°I apologize, my lord, it was thoughtless of me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nothing. After all, the castle picks a lot of wild fruits every day, we¡¯re used to it. I just feel that gifting wild fruits isn¡¯t a good sign.¡± Liszt had upied his predecessor¡¯s body and memories because of wild fruits, so of course, he wouldn¡¯t disregard them. He had ordered people to pick and test all the wild fruits from Thorn Ridge and eventually identified two poisonous kinds ¡ª including the ck Date Fruit that had poisoned his predecessor, a fist-sized, slightly purplish-ck fruit. All other wild fruits were edible. However, whether there were more poisonous wild fruits deep within Thorn Ridge was not something he could guarantee. Those fruits were picked by the braver serfs from the edge of Thorn Ridge. The small town also had some fruit trees, but not many, with just a few fruits scattered here and there. Liszt had already ordered the collection of various wild fruit seeds, nning to nt them en massee spring next year, but regrettably, he couldn¡¯t ensure a high germination rate. Without the Elf Bug, the growth of wild fruit trees was bound to be a challenge; the serfs had thought of nting them but couldn¡¯t make them thrive. The castle¡¯s wild fruits could only be picked from Thorn Ridge for the time being. With wild fruits ruled out as a birthday gift, Carter didn¡¯t know what else to give, something more appropriate than seafood. But then Liszt remembered, ordinary wild fruits from Thorn Ridge might not be suitable, but there were plenty of Fragrant Coconut Fruits on the East Coast, ¡°Calcting the time, the Fragrant Coconut Fruits should also be ripe by now. Mr. Carter, contact the fruit farmers and pick a bag of Fragrant Coconut Fruits. We¡¯ll pair them with the seafood as our gift.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± August 19th. Early in the morning, Liszt dressed in leather armor and strapped on the Crimson Blood Sword, setting off with his retainer knights just as the sun began to rise, facing the gentle breeze. Heading to Tulip Castle. Chapter 101 - 101 Levis’s Birthday Party Chapter 101: Levis¡¯s Birthday Party Trantor: 549690339 Walking on the main road of Thorn Ridge. Liszt felt quite satisfied. When he first arrived, this road made people anxious, constantly worrying about a magical beast jumping out. Now, the open view made it so that no one worried about the attacks of magical beasts. The original dirt road had also been transformed into a new gravel road, though it was still bumpy. Marcus rode a dun mare that was pregnant, half a horse length behind Liszt¡¯s Li Dragon Horse. He was fully armed, fearless in the increasingly warm weather, carefully inspecting every move around him. He was not only Liszt¡¯s home tutor for knight lessons but also the knight assigned by the Earl to protect Liszt¡ªsome countries would call such a knight a Chief Knight, but the Grand Duchy did not have this system. Following behind Liszt and Marcus was Karl Ironhammer, the town¡¯s defense officer. He did not need toe, but still volunteered to protect Liszt¡ªperhaps he was simply taking this opportunity to visit Coral City to see the sights, and to disy his loyalty? Riding alongside Karl and scattered on both sides were Philip Wool and Zavier Bull Dung, two young Retainer Knights with not bad talents, having taken the lead in cultivating Dou Qi in the squad. Further behind was Rom Barrel, who had also sessfully cultivated Dou Qi just the day before yesterday. As one of the first four to serve as retainers to Liszt, Rom practiced diligently and finally made progress. Liszt immediately appointed him as the captain of the Patrol Team, assisting Karl inmanding the team. Unfortunately, the other two of the initial four retainers, Gray Scythe and Auden Insole, had still not managed to cultivate Dou Qi. Marcus had given up teaching the two, as their talents were too poor and they had missed the opportunity during their youth; there was no hope. Liszt asked them to serve as assistants to officials, one assisting the Legal Officer ir, and the other assisting the Finance Officer Isaiah. To his own people, Liszt was still sentimental, providing them with quite decent statuses. At the end of the team were four young knights, who were part of the Knight Squad and had followed after Philip and Zavier to cultivate Dou Qi. They too were reassigned closer to Liszt to serve as Retainer Knights. As for the other members of the Knight Squad, they were still practicing diligently in the town. In addition, there was Servant Thomas. The entire team consisted of eleven people and eleven horses in total. The horses¡¯ hooves raced, kicking up clouds of dust. Since there were quite a few pregnant mares in the team, they did not travel very fast, but they still arrived at Tulip Castle, surrounded by a sea of tulip flowers, around 10:30 in the morning. ¡°Oh, my dear brother, you have finallye; I¡¯ve been waiting for you here for a long time,¡± Levis, dressed in festive ck Abbieye, wore a noble¡¯s proper smile on his face. He spread his arms, weing Liszt. A very enthusiastic wee ceremony. Liszt dismounted and spread his arms as well, and hugged Levis: ¡°Dear brother, I wish you a happy birthday.¡± ¡°Thank you for your wishes.¡± Liszt gestured to Thomas and the Retainer Knights behind him, ¡°Bring up the gift I¡¯ve prepared.¡± The gift was presented and handed over to Butler Xi Er Wa following behind Levis. ¡°What is it? It¡¯s a big package; it seems you didn¡¯t hold back on the expense,¡± said Levis, letting a servant open it¡ªording to customs here, gifts were to be unwrapped on the spot. The gifts inside the bag were beautifully packaged. First was a coconut the size of a sea bowl wrapped in cloth, looking very high-ss with a faint scent of coconut milk drifting through the air. ¡°This is Fragrant Coconut Fruit. The coconut milk inside is very sweet. Open it and take a sip, and you will know how sweet and delicious it is,¡± Liszt exaggerated. In fact, it was only slightly better tasting than ordinary coconut water on Earth. However, the fruit from which one could directly drink the liquid was unique. Levis became curious indeed, ¡°Coconut milk? This kind of fruit contains milk inside?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simply magical; I can hardly wait to have a taste,¡± Liszt turned to look at the other side of the bag, where everything was neatly packed in small bags, ¡°What are these?¡± ¡°They are seafood.¡± ¡°Seafood?¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t think of them as anything ordinary, these seafood are all hauled in by fishermen, the most precious of the catch. Especially the aged oysters¡¡± Liszt leaned in and whispered into Levis¡¯s ear, ¡°It can keep you up all night, indulging in whatever you wish to do.¡± Levis¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Really? This is too precious, thank you, Liszt, my dear brother, this is the best birthday gift I have received.¡± He wasn¡¯t married yet, but then again, who made a rule that an unmarried noble can¡¯t have a bevy of mistresses? After securing the gift, the two brothers walked into the castle side by side. The great hall of the castle was already filled with nobles of all ranks. Apart from two Viscounts who sent their sons, the rest of the Barons and Honored Knights had made the effort to be present. After all, Levis was the heir of Coral Ind, the future Earl of Coral Ind, and their next lord paramount. ¡°It¡¯s quite lively.¡± Liszt had to maintain a standard noble smile, greeting the nobles who hade to attend the birthday feast, not fond of these masked social interactions. Yet as a member of the nobility, to uphold the dignity of nobles, such asions were indispensable. Once he finished making rounds with his greetings. He was ready to go and pay his respects to the Earl. But upon asking, he learned from Levis that the Earl had already left Coral Ind: ¡°A messenger from the Grand Duke brought orders, all directndlords are to head to Blue Dragon Ind to discuss this year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate. In fact, I have been training the Knight Order, ready to follow Father to the maind at any moment.¡± The Pioneer Mandate was an order the nobles of the Duchy of Sapphire were most enthusiastic about. The order was simple: to heed the call of the King of Steel Ridge Kingdom, head to the maind, and plunder wealth, especially minesgold, silver, copper, iron, aluminum, and all manner of gemstones were targets of contention. The Steel Ridge Kingdom and the Eagle Kingdom were sworn enemies; both had ughtered each other¡¯s dragons. Thus, nearly every year, arge-scale war would erupt, with both sides scrambling to snatch minerals. The Duchy of Sapphire was a vassal state of the Steel Ridge Kingdom, not very strong, but it posed a significant threat with maritime raids. Years ago, the Earl had prated deep into the hearnd of the Eagle Kingdom, capturing an iron mine in one fell swoop and taking away at least two hundred thousand tons of iron ore. It was said that the ships hauling the iron ore were as numerous as ants moving house. Such a massive loss enraged the King of the Eagle Kingdom, who dispatched a Dragon Knight to intercept the fleet, only to be blocked by a Dragon Knight of the Steel Ridge Kingdom. It was also that battle where Marquis Merlin Taro, the captain of the Court Fleet, recognized the potential of Li Weiliam and arranged the marriage of his daughter, Melissa, to him. This story was one that Liszt had heard since childhood¡ªwhenever the nobility reminisced in feasts, they would always bring up this tale, ttering the Earl. Unfortunately, since that battle, the Eagle Kingdom began to take their coastal defenses seriously, and there had been no opportunity to achieve such a glorious victory since. Every year, the blood of a batch of knights was spilled, only to bring back a modest amount of metal and gemstone mines. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re going to battle too?¡± Liszt was somewhat surprised. ¡°Yes, I am already twenty-three; although I have not married, I am old enough, and if I don¡¯t go into battle, it would tarnish my reputation.¡± Liszt shook his head, feigning regret, ¡°I don¡¯t have a qualified Knight Squad, not even a chance to go to battle. I really wish I could fight alongside you, brother, and win the glory of a knight.¡± In truth, he had no desire for battle. How nice it would be to peacefully farm at home¡ªthere were so many uninhabited inds overseas. Why not develop those rather than go to the maind and risk life and limb? Chapter 102 - 0102 The Fatty of the Lycra Family Chapter 102: The Fatty of the Lycra Family Trantor: 549690339 The Earl and Lady Marie had already left Coral Ind, heading to Blue Dragon Ind. Lady Penelope sent her blessings, but she did note to Tulip Castle herself. Therefore, without the constraints of thendlord and the olddy, the atmosphere at Tulip Castle¡¯s luncheon was quite lively, especially among the young nobles, who were busy socializing and bonding joyfully. Liszt inevitably had to participate. Many nobles knew that the Earl did not ce much importance on this third son with less impressive talents, but regardless, Liszt¡¯s lineage was undeniably noble¡ªhis paternal bloodline was that of an Earl, and his maternal bloodline was that of a Marquis, with no deviation for three generations, belonging to the direct line of descent. ¡°Liszt, it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you. Now that the road to Thorn Ridge has been cleared, why not visit my Mudbrick Town?¡± ¡°Brooke, I¡¯ll make time to visit Mudbrick Town. It only takes two hours from Fresh Flower Town to Mudbrick Town. And you are also wee to visit Fresh Flower Town. I¡¯ll treat you to the finest seafood.¡± ¡°I will definitely go. I love seafood, especially oysters.¡± ¡°Of course, everyone loves oysters.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± After the sumptuous main course of the luncheon came the dessert. Liszt saw the ice cream, andpared to the four vors avable in the small town, Tulip Castle had as many as eight vors. Ice cream had not yet be widespread. So this time, the dessert astonished all the nobles, but there weren¡¯t many who inquired about the ice cream recipe, as ice was not something that minor nobles could afford. The only exceptions were the sons of two Viscounts, who approached Liszt with the request to buy the recipe, as their families could afford ice. Liszt was not polite about it. For the son of Viscount Shattered Stone City, Brandon Brokenstone, he quoted a trade price: ¡°Three hundred pounds of pig iron, and the recipe is yours.¡± This price was double what he had offered his sister Li Vera; outsiders should not expect to get his favorable price. Brandon gritted his teeth: ¡°Deal!¡± Then Liszt gave a price to the son of Viscount Beer Ind, Aubrey Lycra: ¡°One hundred and fifty barrels of hop-vored beer.¡± The heir of the wealthy Lycra Family did not hesitate in the slightest: ¡°No problem, as soon as I return, I¡¯ll have the fleet carry an extra fifty barrels of beer. Have your merchant caravan wait for the trade in Coral City.¡± ¡°Refreshing.¡± Liszt was very pleased; an ornate but impractical recipe had been sessfully traded for quite a lot of goods. But the next moment, he almost changed color. Because Aubrey suddenly said: ¡°By the way, Liszt, I¡¯m nning to catch seafood around the beaches of Beer Ind to sell to others. What do you think?¡± His face still wore a smile. Internally, he wanted nothing more than to kill Aubrey, but Liszt just casually asked, ¡°Seafood? Why has the Lycra Family taken an interest in seafood? Haven¡¯t the hop fields already brought enough wealth to the Lycra Family?¡± ¡°Who wouldin about earning too many Gold Coins, right?¡± Aubrey, very portly with a bulging belly akin to someone in their tenth month of pregnancy, clearly had been well-fed from childhood, ¡°Seafood is a great thing, especially oysters, endlessly delightful. The seafood business of Fresh Flower Town has made me envious.¡± Currently, only Fresh Flower Town on Coral Ind was engaging inrge-scale fishing and selling the seafood externally. The profits were substantial, bringing in nearly a Gold Coin a day. Just a few days ago, Liszt had boldly purchased three more wagons, adding to the previous six, for a total of nine wagons continuously trading seafood. Now, they had been divided into three merchant teams; Old Geronte personally led one back and forth between Coral City and Tulip Castle; Abagon led one toward Birch City; and Sherlock led another toward Serpent Spear City. Given the current sales momentum, two to three Gold Coins a day in the future was not an issue. He had been preparing to dominate the seafood market on Coral Ind, but unexpectedly, someone new came out of the blue. Aubrey actually wanted to get involved in the seafood business. If it had been some minor noble like an ordinary baron wanting to get into the seafood business, Liszt wouldn¡¯t have mindedining to the earl, letting the other party understand that you can¡¯t afford to offend the noblest bloodline on Coral Ind. However, the Lycra Family was different¡ªthe Viscount Beer Ind was one of the earliest followers of the earl, with notable meritorious services, making it difficult to pressure someone with power alone. If he were the heir to the earl, the Lycra Family certainly wouldn¡¯t dare to overreach, but the key point was that he was only the Baron of Fresh Flower Town. He squinted slightly. Liszt instantly contemted various countermeasures in his mind, but outwardly he remained as calm as the wind, ¡°Is that so? It seems that the seafood market on Coral Ind will be much livelier in the future.¡± With augh, Aubrey said, ¡°Liszt, sorry for the misunderstanding, I have no ns to sell seafood on Coral Ind. That¡¯s your business, and for the sake of our friendship, I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin it.¡± His words caught Liszt a bit off guard. The two of them hardly had any friendship; Aubrey was probably in histe twenties, a bosom friend of Levis. Surprisingly, Aubrey did not intend to get involved in the seafood market of Coral Ind at all. ¡°Not selling seafood on Coral Ind, then what do you mean?¡± ¡°Our family has a few decent channels that can sell to other inds. The seafood market was your first discovery; Coral Ind naturally belongs to you. I don¡¯t want topete maliciously with a friend,¡± Aubrey spoke with a tone of sincere candor. If Liszt were a bit less experienced, he might have been genuinely moved. No wonder the Lycra Family could monopolize the hop trade, knowing the times and when to advance or retreat; it¡¯s hard not to be sessful. He picked up his wine ss and raised it as a signal, ¡°To our friendship, cheers.¡± ¡°Of course, cheers to our friendship.¡± The seafood business, a false rm. But Liszt wasn¡¯t going to assume that the seafood market was now secure; today¡¯s friendly approach from Aubrey made it clear to him¡ªwealth stirs people¡¯s hearts. If at first the seafood was merely a novelty item for the nobility to taste, Now, he feared that the profit from the seafood business had been thoroughly researched by the nobility, at least one Gold Coin a day, and possibly even more in the future. Just think, one Gold Coin a day, over three hundred Gold Coins a year¡ªif one could earn three coins a day, wouldn¡¯t it amount to over a thousand coins a year? How is that any different from robbing people! It¡¯s almost equivalent to half a year¡¯s tax revenue from a small city. If minor nobles still respect Liszt¡¯s bloodline and dare not act recklessly. Then his sister, Li Vera, was probably already calcting how to snatch this business away¡ªLiszt was very clear about his sister, she wasn¡¯t the kind to dote on her younger brother; taking Liszt¡¯s toys had been her favorite pastime when they were children. Besides, Lidun and Lady Marie could be eyeing the opportunity as well. Catching seafood was not challenging at all. ¡°No, I can¡¯t be careless!¡± As the luncheon ended, Liszt was still pondering, ¡°Perhaps, I should bring Levis over and partner with him.¡± Levis, Li Vera, Lidun, and Lady Marie were all far from being kind and faithful people. But Levis after all was the heir to the earl, the futurendlord of Liszt; by winning over Levis, this business would be secure. ¡°I should offer shares to Levis, and coborate with him privately, not with Tulip Castle. He would likely agree. With Tulip Castle now having to share half its resources with Lidun, Levis must be anxious. If there¡¯s a chance to do business without Lidun, he won¡¯t miss it.¡± Chapter 103 - 0103: Brothers Discuss Collaboration Chapter 103: Brothers Discuss Coboration Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Liszt, look, I¡¯ve nted ten acres of ck tulips!¡± Greater Elf Xiangxiang, flying amidst the sea of tulips, with rows of yet-to-blossom tulips trailing behind her. Under the ring sun, the rows of tulips looked somewhat droopy. In the middle of the day, it¡¯s not just people who feel lethargic, nts do, too. Only the elves remained so effortlessly spirited and lively. ¡°Woo wah!¡± ¡°Woo wah!¡± Two Little Minor Elves followed behind Xiangxiang, uttering some nonsensical noises. Elves are not social creatures, but elves of the same kind can y together and even share knowledge about different nt species with each other. These two Tulip Lesser Spirits were Xiangxiang¡¯s entourage. Tulip Castle always hoped that these two Little Minor Elves could break through their constraints and evolve into new Greater Elves. ¡°nted at the end of June, and it hasn¡¯t even been two months, they¡¯ve already formed buds,¡± Liszt strolled between the rows, looking at the buds of ck tulips about to bloom, feeling excited, roughly in another month, these tulips would turn into one Gold Coin after another, flowing into his pocket. Xiangxiang held her pretty head high, proudly saying, ¡°Of course, these are the tulips I nted. Every single seed has sprouted under my care.¡± That expression clearly said, ¡°Hurry up and praise me.¡± Liszt smiled and praised, ¡°Xiangxiang is incredible.¡± ¡°Hehe, I am incredible!¡± Xiangxiang rolled twice in the air. ¡°Woo wah!¡± ¡°Woo wah!¡± The two Little Minor Elves mimicked Xiangxiang¡¯s movements and also did somersaults in the air. ¡°Liszt, these ck tulips are growing very well, filled with abundant magic power, and they have no obvious attribute distinctions. They are more outstanding than the two magic potions controlled by Tulip Castle. Magicians have alreadye to ce orders,¡± Frank, the family tutor of Levis, apanied Liszt. ¡°They will be the new cornerstone of Tulip Castle, further strengthening the family, and brother will rely on them to continue father¡¯s legacy and be a Sky Knight.¡± ¡°Ipletely agree with you, Levis has exceptional talent, and there is no doubt he will be a Sky Knight.¡± By that time, Xiangxiang had been causing a ruckus for a while, flying up to Liszt and saying with a grin, ¡°I will help Levis break through, and when that timees, I want to carry him flying, just like I did with you when you were little!¡± When Liszt and the others were children, Xiangxiang loved to grab them and fly up into the sky. Watching the little tykes scream in fright. But once they got used to the high altitude and stopped crying, Xiangxiang lost interest in flying with them. A sprite with a rather wicked sense of humor. Liszt recalled these scenes and felt a warm fondness; Xiangxiang loved to y and cause trouble but never intended to harm them. Because of the contract, she had be very close to the bloodline of the Tulip Family. ¡°Memories are deep-seated, it¡¯d be best if you could scare Levis into crying again.¡± Xiangxiang said with regret, ¡°Ah, now I can¡¯t scare Levis into crying anymore, and once he bes a Sky Knight, it will be even harder to make him cry. By then, he would be able to conquer the skies.¡± The reason they are called Sky Knights is that they have mastered Advanced Dou Qi. When they release their Dou Qi, they can briefly soar into the air. Even though they can¡¯t fly as freely as birds, a short leap ensures they can quickly strike anything or anyone within several hundred meters. After touring the ck tulip fields, Levis had already seen most of the nobles off. Those who remained were those with a good rtionship with him. Liszt was also getting ready to leave; he did not n to stay overnight at Tulip Castle, so he directly called Levis to the study to discuss matters. ¡°Liszt, is there something that can¡¯t wait until evening to discuss? There are still many people in the living room that I need to entertain.¡± ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t n to stay here overnight. After discussing matters with you, I¡¯ll head back.¡± ¡°So urgent?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot going on in the town that¡¯s waiting for me to handle.¡± ¡°Alright, what did you want to talk to me about? You¡¯ve already visited the ck Tulip ntation with Teacher Frank. As for the ve ships, we¡¯ll have to wait at least another month before they return.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about those things; I have something else to discuss with you.¡± Liszt wanted to talk about seafood, but he felt that saying it outright wouldn¡¯t have much impact. He needed toy the groundwork first, to whet Levis¡¯s appetite before discussing the seafood investment. After some thought, he began, ¡°I¡¯vee up with a new magic potion.¡± ¡°What?¡± Levis eximed in surprise, ¡°You have a new Tulip magic potion?¡± ¡°Not Tulips, mushrooms. me Mushrooms, a kind of magic potion mushroom.¡± Liszt was very pleased with Levis¡¯s expression. ¡°How about a partnership, dear brother?¡± ¡°Partnership! We¡¯re blood brothers, the best partners, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°So how do you propose we partner up, the same way as with the ck Tulip? A personal partnership with me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of allowing Lady Marie and that kid Lidun to have all the benefits, so it¡¯s still a partnership with you, brother. However, this time, I only n to sell the finished me Mushrooms to you. You¡¯ll be the me Mushroom vendor, not involved in their cultivation.¡± Lisztid out the nned partnership. me Mushrooms, he intended to turn them into a specialty of Fresh Flower Town, not directly selling the cultivation technique. ¡°That¡¯s not right, how many me Mushrooms can Fresh Flower Town produce? You should sell me the cultivation technique, and I¡¯ll handle the production. Wouldn¡¯t it be great to share the sales profits?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in desperate need of Gold Coins to buy serfs; otherwise, I¡¯d be open to profit sharing. If you can give me five thousand Gold Coins right away, I could even sell you the cultivation technique for me Mushrooms outright, without any subsequent profit sharing. You would only need to help sell the me Mushrooms I produce in the future.¡± ¡°Five thousand Gold Coins?¡± Levis sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t evene up with a thousand right now, let¡¯s stick to selling the finished product.¡± Without much haggling, the partnership was thus agreed upon. Liszt then asked, ¡°Brother, have you found the Saltpeter Mine yet?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve searched every city, and no one has discovered such a mineral. You really are a lucky guy¡ Why do all the good things happen to you?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because good people get good rewards.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± ¡°By the way, brother, I have another business proposition I want to partner with you on.¡± Levis¡¯s eyes sparkled: ¡°What kind of business?¡± His suddenly matured younger brother had already brought him many surprises. Just the ck Tulip and me Mushrooms alone had increased his chances of bing a Sky Knight by twenty percent, filling him with confidence in bing a potion maker. ¡°The seafood business. I¡¯ve prepared to set up caravans in every city on Coral Ind to sell seafood. But fishing isn¡¯t a skillful job, sooner orter someone wouldpete for that hard-earned money. So, I¡¯m nning to give you a twenty percent stake, and you help me get an exclusive seafood selling ordinance on Coral Ind.¡± He nned to monopolize the seafood business and legalize it, directly cutting off the possibility for others topete. ¡°The seafood market is not small, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re making quite a few Gold Coins a day?¡± Levis said casually. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you heard that, but I¡¯m not even making one Gold Coin a day right now. Perhaps when all the cities start selling, I could make two Gold Coins a day?¡± Liszt yed poor and then threatened, ¡°If you don¡¯t help me, I¡¯ll have to ask Father for help. I just want to earn some hard-earned cash to buy white bread to eat, brother.¡± Perhaps the Earl really didn¡¯t hold Liszt in high regard. But if Liszt truly pleaded, the Earl would probably not refuse, after all, it was a business Liszt had developed. ¡°Fine, but I want a thirty percent stake. The ordinance cane out tomorrow. Father left me in charge of all of Coral Ind¡¯s affairs while he¡¯s away,¡± Levis said with a smile, drawing on his cigar. Greed! Liszt inwardly despised him but said aloud, ¡°Alright, thirty percent it is.¡± As he spoke, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket, unfolded it, and gently ced the fist-sized ck Pearl that was wrapped inside it on the table: ¡°Brother, take a look at what this is.¡± Chapter 104 - 104 – Within the Book Lies a Beauty as Jade Chapter 104: ¨C Within the Book Lies a Beauty as Jade Trantor: 549690339 ¡°What is this?¡± Levis picked up the ck Pearl and weighed it in his hand, ¡°Is there Magic Power inside? It feels like there¡¯s Water Attribute Magic Power.¡± ¡°Indeed, there is Magic Power, it is a pearl.¡± ¡°A pearl?¡± Levis shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t seen pearls before. I have handled numerous pearl decorations that have passed through my hands. I once took a boat trip over Tranquil Lake on Blue Dragon Ind and even personally dug out pearls from Pearl Oysters. Those were white and not nearly this big.¡± ¡°This is a ck Pearl, excavated from another kind of shell, the Trida.¡± ¡°Trida? Is it also a product of Fresh Flower Town?¡± Levis caught on to the key point, the produce from Fresh Flower Town was just too abundant. ¡°Actually, it was a giant Squid carcass that the Sea Waves brought in, and inside the carcass, there was a Trida, and inside the Trida, the ck Pearl was found. Brother, whether it is a pearl or not, what do you think of its value? A Water Attribute Magical treasure, it is more precious than White Pearls.¡± ¡°Are you giving it to me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so greedy, I have already given you your birthday gift. This ck Pearl is a personal treasure that I carry with me, it helps me calm my restless emotions¡ªthe effect is tens of times that of White Pearls. I want to know if you¡¯re interested in buying it. You know, I am of Fire Attribute Dou Qi, whereas you are of Water Attribute Dou Qi.¡± ¡°That is true,pared to White Pearls, the sensation of this ck Pearl is much morefortable to me. How much are you nning to sell it for? A White Pearl of the same size on the market would go for a few Gold Coins. I¡¯ll give you ten Gold Coins for it, how¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Ten is too few.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not few, Liszt. No matter how much it calms the emotions, it¡¯s still just a decoration.¡± ¡°Perhaps Magicians could craft it into Magic Equipment. It has outstanding Magic Power storage, suitable for crafting Magic Equipment. My Fresh Flower Town doesn¡¯t have any Magicians, but I¡¯m sure you have contacts with some. Why not have a Magician craft a piece of Magic Equipment for you?¡± Levis shook his head: ¡°If its Magic Power were richer, it could indeed be crafted into Magic Equipment, but it doesn¡¯t have enough Magic Power, and it would be difficult to craft into effective Magic Equipment.¡± ¡°Cough, in fact¡¡± Liszt finally revealed his true intentions, gesturing with his hand the size of a Sea Bowl: ¡°I have another ck Pearl this big, and it is filled with rich Magic Power, absolutely suitable for crafting Magic Equipment. Water Attribute Magic Power naturally suits you, brother.¡± ¡°Arger ck Pearl? That big?¡± Levis was no longer passive. A fist-sized ck Pearl was indeed a rarity, at most an interesting decoration, but a Sea Bowl-sized ck Pearl was a different story. If there really was a pearl that big, plus it was filled with dense Magic Power, it would definitely be excellent material for Magic Equipment. Those Magicians, craving for such rarity, would pay a high price for the chance to study it. ¡°Five hundred Gold Coins, I¡¯ll sell you the ck Pearl.¡± ¡°I need to see the ck Pearl first.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Liszt called Servant Thomas to fetch the Sea Bowl-sized ck Pearl that Marcus had brought. Momentster, the slightly irregrly shaped colossal ck Pearl wasid on the desk in the study. Running his hands over the massive ck Pearl. Levis¡¯s eyes shone continuously. More knowledgeable than Liszt, he understood the value of such a treasure, so he made his offer: ¡°One hundred Gold Coins, I¡¯ll take it. This novelty, despite having dense Magic Power, can¡¯t guarantee real developmental value. I can¡¯t risk buying something unusable.¡± His reasoning was sound. Liszt himself could not be sure that the ck Pearl could really be crafted into Magic Equipment. But some haggling was still in order, and after several back-and-forths, the ck Pearl was sold at the price of two hundred eighty Gold Coins. Additionally, the fist-sized ck Pearl that he also had with him was included as part of the deal. After the trade. Counting the Gold Coins with satisfaction, Liszt said with a smile: ¡°Brother, once you have crafted the Magic Equipment, let me know. I would like to see what uses it has¡ This is also my first encounter with a ck Pearl.¡± Once its uses are confirmed, the remaining ck Pearls could be appropriately valued. ¡°No problem.¡± As he was preparing to leave the study, Liszt suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°By the way, brother, has Tulip Castle acquired any new books recently?¡± ¡°Not at all. When did you start to like reading so much? I¡¯d rather drink until dawn than stay in that study, looking at all those dizzying words.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of interesting knowledge hidden in books.¡± ¡°Knowledge?¡± Levis scoffed, ¡°Liszt, are you thinking of switching careers to be a magician? That¡¯s not a good idea. I deal with those magicians often, and they¡¯re all a bunch of bizarrely behaving maniacs, always talking about knowledge and exploration. The knight¡¯s honor is only ever taken on horseback!¡± Liszt hastened out of the study. There¡¯s a golden house in the book, there are beauties in the books. As a cultured man, he didn¡¯t want to stoop to the other¡¯s level. The coboration was confirmed. Liszt took leave of Levis and left Tulip Castle. However, he didn¡¯t head straight back, but took the path towards an independent castle next to Coral City¡ªthat was Lady Penelope¡¯s residence, and during a trip to Coral City, he couldn¡¯t fail to visit his grandmother. The castle was covered with climbing ivy. It added an ancient air to the castle, along with an inexplicably eerie touch. There was a tform on the second floor of the castle, filled with various flowers and nts. Besides socializing with nobility, Lady Penelope¡¯s life revolved mostly around these flowers and nts. Watering the nts while chatting, ¡°You came out from the castle so soon. Didn¡¯t Levis keep you for dinner to continue celebrating?¡± ¡°I declined. There are many matters in Fresh Flower Town that cannot do without me.¡± ¡°Apetentndlord always keeps himself busy. As long as a person is busy, he will feel fulfilled, effectively preventing a fall into degeneracy. Your father has been busy alongside your grandfather since he was a child, which is why he was able to be an earl before turning thirty.¡± Lady Penelope turned around and continued watering the flowers, ¡°It¡¯s just too bad that since marrying two troublesome daughters-inw, he has never been able to advance further¡ I just wish your brother would be a bit clearer in his mind, but that little rascal is also muddled. The youngest daughter of Marquis Roderick is quite a handful.¡± Marquis Roderick, one of the seven marquises of the Grand Duchy, served in the Blueblood Knight Order, deputymander. No wonder Levis is still unmarried; it turns out he has set his sights on a marquis¡¯s daughter. ¡°Cousin Meioubao is deeply in love with the Little Princess, and brother harbors affection for Marquis Roderick¡¯s daughter. It seems they both have quite the intentions.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the same.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think that because I¡¯m old, I can¡¯t hear news about you, Asina Salmon, right? Li Vera told me, she¡¯s a very cute girl, utterly admiring you, and yet you rejected her. She is a viscount¡¯s daughter. Although selling fish might be rather crude, having gold coins can just as well buy white bread, can¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Heh heh.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t want to say much. Lady Penelope continued to ramble on about ¡°young people not understanding things,¡± but soon she shifted her attention to one of her flowers. ¡°Oh, heavens have mercy, my Dragon Hollyhock is really going to die!¡± Chapter 105 - 0105: I’ll Take the Sick Dragon Hollyhock Chapter 105: I¡¯ll Take the Sick Dragon Hollyhock Trantor: 549690339 Dragon hollyhock, said to be a close rtive of the eggnt, bears small, edible, ck berries that are quite tasty. When he was younger, there were many wild dragon hollyhocks growing in the fields and Liszt loved to eat them. He wasn¡¯t sure if the dragon hollyhock in Lady Penelope¡¯s flowerpot was the variety he was familiar with. But upon hearing that the nt was sick, he immediately stepped forward out of habit and used the Eye of Magic to take a look at the dying dragon hollyhock. At that nce, he seemed to see a faint trace of magic power flowing, but it was just a sh and soon disappeared. Which made him extremely surprised. The presence of magic power meant that this dragon hollyhock was no ordinary nt. ¡°Could it be about to give birth to an elf bug?¡± Liszt thought excitedly, but he kept hisposure and continued to examine the dragon hollyhock. This dragon hollyhock was on itsst breath, its leaves yellowing and its roots showing ck spots. It had a few buds that looked like they were about to wither away. However, under the scrutiny of the Eye of Magic, he soon discovered the magic power flow again, very faint and sporadically visible. It was so subtle that one wouldn¡¯t notice it without careful observation. He was almost certain: ¡°It¡¯s highly unlikely to be a magic potion nt; it¡¯s very possible that the dragon hollyhock is about to give birth to an elf bug.¡± ¡°Poor dragon hollyhock, I don¡¯t know what disease it has caught, but it¡¯s been a week, and it hasn¡¯t been revived. Watching it wither day by day, just like I grow older day by day, is truly distressing,¡± Lady Penelope kept prattling and spraying the dragon hollyhock with clear water. ¡°Grandmother, you are in good health and there are no signs of aging,¡± Liszt said in a light-hearted tone, ¡°Since you feel sad watching the dragon hollyhock, why don¡¯t you give it to me to take care of? Maybe the climate in Fresh Flower Town will revive it. If it doesn¡¯t, I will bring you a new pot of dragon hollyhock.¡± ¡°I am pleased that you think so, Liszt. Take good care of it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Just like that, a pot of dragon hollyhock possibly harboring an elf bug was in Liszt¡¯s hands. Anxious to arrange for the dragon hollyhock, Liszt quickly took his leave and met with his retainer knights, hastening back to Fresh Flower Town. By the time he reached Fresh Flower Town, It was the afternoon, with the sun about to set. The sky was streaked with a red glow, a saying goes: ¡®No travel with a morning glow, a thousand miles with an evening one.¡¯ It would be another splendid sunny day tomorrow. Without taking a break, Liszt immediately ordered Goltai: ¡°Teacher Goltai, mobilize all the serfs to search for dragon hollyhock. Dig them up and bring them to the horse field. Remember to dig them up with the soil attached to the roots to avoid damaging them.¡± Taking advantage of the lingering daylight, he quickly found a few wild dragon hollyhocks near the horse field. He then moved the sick dragon hollyhock out of the flowerpot and nted it beside the wild dragon hollyhocks. He ordered people to bring manure, which was poured near the roots of the dragon hollyhock. As each wild dragon hollyhock was excavated and nted around the sick one, they formed a small dragon hollyhock field. ¡°My Lord, we¡¯ve gathered all the dragon hollyhocks we could find before nightfall. The sun has set now, and the serfs can no longer see to find more. I will have them continue the search tomorrow,¡± ¡°That will be fine.¡± Candles andnterns shone. Goltai curiously looked over the dragon hollyhock field and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the use of these dragon hollyhocks?¡± Many knew that the berries of the dragon hollyhock were edible, but they were too small and produced too little to be of significant culinary value. Thus, no one cultivated them, and most of them grew wild at the edges of fields. Typically, only children would enjoy searching for the berries of dragon hollyhock. ¡°There may be significance, but it¡¯s too early to be sure. Regardless, have all the dragon hollyhocks you can find tomorrow transnted here.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Back in the castle. Waiting for dinner. Liszt leaned back in the chair in the living room, opened a fragrant coconut fruit, and sipped the coconut milk, relishing its taste and rxing his body. Riding all day, despite his strong Earth Knight constitution, had still left him with a hint of fatigue. However, his mood was good, and he felt a tad excited. The worries about the seafood market were resolved. With the seafood sales from Coral Ind alone, he could support hisvish noble lifestyle. The sales channel for me Mushrooms was in ce, just waiting for the serfs to solve the cultivation technology issues. There was still a month to go before the harvest season for the ck Tulips. The sale of the ck Pearl had brought in two hundred and eighty Gold Coins, nicely alleviating the castle¡¯s financial strain. He was ready to buy a few more horses and several carriages to expand the caravan, aiming to establish the seafood business in every small city as soon as possible, reaching a scale of daily sales over three Gold Coins. Of course, these were all predetermined ns. What truly excited him were the Dragon Kui Elf Bugs. Apart from the four Elf Bugs the Earl gifted him at the feudal ceremony, and one more as a reward for discovering the ck Tulip, the remaining Peanut Bugs, Tomato Bugs, and Fragrant Coconut Bugs were all found through the Smoke Mission. Only this potential Dragon Kui Bug was a personal discovery, which gave him a great sense of achievement. It proved that even without relying on the Smoke Mission, he could still find opportunities of his own¡ªalthough it seemed that without the Eye of Magic, it would have been very difficult to discover the secrets of the Dragon Kui, and the Eye of Magic, after all, was brought by the Smoke Mission. In the end, it seemed he still relied on the light of the Smoke Mission. ¡°No matter how you put it, this is a good omen¡ Maybe in the future, I can often casually use the Eye of Magic to look for Elf Bugs that might be hiding in any nt!¡± In his original perception, Elf Bugs were extremely rare. The Tulip Family, working on Coral Ind for twenty years, had only obtained a little over a hundred Elf Bugs, which indicated a very low chance of encountering them. But in Fresh Flower Town, this small ce, in just half a year, three Elf Bugs had already been discovered. Put a step outside, and he has brought back a Dragon Kui Elf Bug. This could no longer be described as mere good luck. ¡°It can probably be confirmed that actually, the gestation rate of Elf Bugs is not low, but due to environmental restrictions, arge number of Elf Bugs may have been ¡®miscarried¡¯.¡± Without the Smoke Mission, the Peanut Bug would have died long ago, and the helpless serfs could not have provided the nutrition needed by the Peanut Bug. The Tomato Bug might have had a chance to gestate, but it might also have been directly picked by John Bian Dan, taking the biggest tomato and unknowingly eating the unborn Elf Bug. As for the Fragrant Coconut Bug, it¡¯s hard to say, but with its high position and the threat of the Fruit Thief Monkeys, it might also have been doomed. Even the current Dragon Kui Bug, without the Eye of Magic to spot its traces, was destined to die, with no chance of emerging into the world. ¡°Now that I have the Smoke Mission and the Eye of Magic, the Elf Bugs I can discover will surely keep pouring in. With these Elf Bugs, farming and umting wealth are bound to happen!¡± After dinner, Liszt summoned the three leaders of the trading team to the castle. He assigned them the matters of the seafood trade. Coral City, Birch City, North Valley City, Elm Forest City, Serpent Spear City, and Shattered Stone City make up the six cities of Coral Ind, and trade routes have been opened to five of them, with only Shattered Stone City being too far away for trade. Fresh Flower Town was situated at the northeastern tip of the ind, and Shattered Stone City at the southwestern tip, more than a hundred kilometers apart. ¡°Tomorrow, Tulip Castle will issue a seafood sale decree, which only we from Fresh Flower Town can obtain,¡± Liszt said with his hands sped behind his back, looking out at the night scene through the window. The nights of Fresh Flower Town were still without many lights. Against the pitch-dark background, the stars were unusually bright, shining brilliantly. A faint Milky Way was visible across the sky, suggesting that this Different World still belonged to the Milky Way Gxy. He continued, ¡°The seafood market is my exclusive domain, so make sure to take advantage of that. I want you to set up a fishing team near Coral City, catch seafood directly from the nearby beaches, and sell it externally.¡± Chapter 106: A Tour of Inspection of the Territory Chapter 106: A Tour of Inspection of the Territory Trantor: 549690339 The East Coast is only a few kilometers long, and although there is an abundance of seafood distributed along it, overfishing could exhaust the area¡¯s resources in no time. Liszt was unwilling to engage in such destructive practices. He nned to implement a fishing moratorium in Fresh Flower Town, or at the very least a closed season during the hottest period of summer when fish are breeding and growing vigorously, to ensure the protection of marine resources. Of course. The closed fishing season was just a temporary measure. Once Thorn Ridge was conquered and a dock was built in Deepwater Bay, he would promote nearshore fishing. The seafood resources by the coast were meager and had to be protected, but the marine resources off the coast were more than enough for the entire Coral Ind. Now, without docks, fishing boats, or fishermen, they could only develop the coastal fishery. ¡°Isaiah, I entrust you with the supervision of the establishment of Coral City¡¯s fishing team; I hope you can prepare everything as soon as possible. For each trade route¡¯s maintenance and the selection of responsible persons, Old Geronte will assist you from the side. Spread them out quickly. I will provide fifty Gold Coins for warehouse rental and the purchase of carts and horses.¡± ¡°Yes, Baron.¡± Isaiah took themand. Soon, they discussed the construction n for the caravan. It was divided into two parts. One part was to form the ¡°Fresh Flower Caravan,¡± stationed in Coral City, with Old Geronte as the caravan leader and Abagon as the deputy leader. Old Geronte mainly managed the ¡°Coral City-Birch City¡± trade route, the ¡°Coral City-Elm Forest City¡± trade route, the ¡°Coral City-Shattered Stone City¡± trade route, and the ¡°Coral City-Serpent Spear City¡± route. Abagon was in charge of the ¡°fishing team¡± and the ¡°Castle Procurement Team,¡± where the procurement team would buy whatever the castle needed and take it back. The other part was to establish the ¡°Thorn Caravan,¡± with Sherlock as the caravan leader, focusing on the regrmerce between Fresh Flower Town and North Valley City. Each caravan had its focus. But both were important: one specializing in the seafood business to provide Fresh Flower Town with Gold Coins, the other focusing on everyday trade to supply Fresh Flower Town with all kinds of life necessities. Waking up early. Exercising the body, practicing Dou Qi. Liszt wasn¡¯t as diligent as he used to be when he had the archery tasks, leisurely times often lead to subtle degeneration, and the luxury of the nobility erodes the fighting spirit. ¡°Douson, release magic!¡± After walking the dog and watching the servants smash the Rock Spikes to pave the road, he felt: ¡°Still, the life of cockfighting and dog walking is more enjoyable.¡± The progress on ¡°Douson Avenue¡± has reached sixty meters; it should bepleted smoothly by the end of the year. Well-fed and well-trained, Douson, though still not a fully grown Fierce Earth Dog, was already stronger than its mother had been, casting magic both quickly and urately, and executing Liszt¡¯smands to the letter. It had be a very goodbat assistant, a loyal guardian. ¡°Ga ji!¡± ¡°Ga ji!¡± From the castle windowsill, the shrill cries apanied by a familiar melody weed Liszt back. It was Juan Fu singing at the top of its lungs. The Wind Falcon¡¯s feathers were turning darker, and they had grown longer than when it was a chick, its longing to fly stronger every day. As a result, Liszt tied its feet with a rope. He hadn¡¯t yet decided how to train Juan Fu. It was likely he would kill it for its meat to avoid any trouble. After securing Douson, Liszt went to the Dragon Kui Field. The wild Dragon Hollyhocks he had nted the previous night were a bit wilted, not yet well adapted to the new soil environment. The Dragon Hollyhock that possibly harbored the Elf Bug was even worse than it had been yesterday; it seemed far weaker. On the brink of wilting. He used his Eye of Magic to observe carefully, noticing the bud of the Dragon Hollyhock was still flickering with Magic Power: ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t die; otherwise, it¡¯s all been for nothing.¡± I have done everything I could, now all that¡¯s left is to leave it to fate. In the town, there were many wild Dragon Hollyhocks that were being transnted one by one. It took a whole day, but almost all of the town¡¯s wild Dragon Hollyhocks were moved to the Dragon Kui Field, covering a whole acre. The serfs kept watering, fertilizing, and weeding, striving to use the most careful care to ensure the Dragon Hollyhocks would survive. ¡°Lord, you really should take a look at the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery yourself, the Thorns there have undergone a transformation overnight, they¡¯ve already grown to half a person¡¯s height,¡± ir said, gesturing with his hands to indicate the rapid growth of the Thorn species. In just a few days, the Thorn seedlings were rapidly bing Thorn trees. But he was also a bit puzzled, ¡°However, my lord, I can¡¯t think of any use for them; they don¡¯t bear fruit and can¡¯t be used for timber. Perhaps we could nt Thorns along both sides of the fences lining the roads at Thorn Ridge. That way, wild beasts, even Magical Beasts, would likely detour and not dare to tread carelessly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed a use¡ let¡¯s first cultivate the shrubbery,¡± Liszt could not think of a better use either. After that, he inspected the situation of the Fragrant Coconut Tree Cordyceps and the cultivation of the me Mushrooms. The Fragrant Coconut Tree Cordyceps were still gestating, with not much happening. The cultivation of the me Mushrooms, however, brought him a pleasant surprise. ¡°Your wisdom and insight are truly astonishing, my lord. After your guidance, the serfs in Mushroom Hamlet mixed the Fragrant Mushrooms with the me Mushrooms, and the me Mushrooms have sessfully grown! I don¡¯t understand it, but the me Mushrooms really do require Fragrant Mushrooms to grow alongside them,¡± Goltai excitedly pointed at the me Mushrooms that had started to develop from the mycelium into fruiting bodies. The admiration from his subordinate gave Liszt a sense of achievement. He replied with a mild smile, ¡°Once we find out the reason, the next step is to cultivate me Mushrooms on arge scale. Teacher Goltai, we need to expand Mushroom Hamlet as much as possible. If the ingredients for cultivating the me Mushrooms are not sufficient, have the Caravan procure them from outside.¡± He spoke with emphasis, ¡°I need Magic Potions!¡± ¡°As you wish, I will squeeze every bit of strength out of the serfs to cultivate an ample amount of me Mushrooms. The beautiful red mushrooms will bring unimaginable wealth to Fresh Flower Town!¡± ¡°It¡¯s necessary to squeeze, but their treatment can¡¯t be scant. Tell all the Mushroom Hamlet serfs that as long as they can cultivate enough me Mushrooms, the taxes on the apanying Fragrant Mushrooms will be halved directly!¡± ¡°My God, those contemptible serfs will be ecstatic, you truly are the embodiment of benevolence,¡± ¡°Of course, I am a benevolentndlord, but,¡± Liszt¡¯s tone changed, ¡°you must also tell those serfs that if anyone iszy, if anyone carelessly damages the me Mushrooms, I will make them understand that nobles are not only generous and benevolent but also wield whips that can y their skin.¡± Goltai nodded, ¡°Certainly, it¡¯s very necessary for them to understand this point!¡± People are not machines, uniformly diligent; there are always some who are idle andzy. After barely scraping by, they don¡¯t want to do a bit more work. Liszt did not like suchmoners¡ªhis thinking had be that of a qualified nobleman. Watching the figure of Lord Landlord leaving, Crooked-neck Bob felt downhearted. ¡°A Nalda¡¯s reward, my God, it was actually that old man Nash who got it! That old bachelor, how could he possibly cultivate the me Mushrooms before me!¡± he muttered resentfully. It wasn¡¯t a grievance aimed at Liszt; he did not have the courage for that. He was cursing Nash, simply because once the cultivation of the me Mushrooms seeded, Liszt bestowed awards based on merit, and the first to research the appropriate ingredients was Nash. As a result, Liszt awarded Nash a Gold Coin. Everyone in Mushroom Hamlet envied and resented Nash, especially Bob, who had been determined to win this reward. After swearing for a moment, Bob put aside his resentment and clenched his fist, ¡°Lord Landlord said, at the first harvest of the me Mushrooms, whoever¡¯s me Mushrooms are the biggest, best, and most plentiful, can still get a reward! This time, I, Bob, must get the reward and show everyone that I grow the best me Mushrooms!¡± Chapter 107: Correcting the Attitude of the Knight Squad Chapter 107: Correcting the Attitude of the Knight Squad Trantor: 549690339 Another day. The sun rose in the east. In the horse field, Liszt shouted, ¡°Multiple Phantom Arrow!¡± Six arrows emitted a fierce whooshing noise as they chased one another in the sky, colliding in an instant, then scattering in disarray, without formation. Only two arrows had struck the target a hundred meters away. ¡°Failure,¡± he shook his head. It was the expected result ¡ª another failure. His current level of archery was not sufficient to wield the essence of ¡°Multi-Arrow¡± ¡ª Multiple Phantom Arrow. Having not touched bow and arrow for several days, his skill had even regressed slightly. Just as sailing against the current, if you do not advance, you will fall back, and the practice of Dou Qi techniques was the same. Fortunately, he was already quite adept at the most basic part of ¡°Multi-Arrow¡±, the Double Arrow. On the battlefield, for an Earth Knight to effectively execute the Double Arrow, that was enough. ncing over at a distance, Marcus was training the Knight Squad. Just yesterday, another young member had developed Dou Qi, bing one of his Retainer Knights. Out of twelve members, half had be Apprentice Knights with Primary Dou Qi. Once all of them developed Dou Qi, It would be time to set out to clear Thorn Ridge. ¡°Before this winter, we must take Thorn Ridge!¡± Liszt didn¡¯t disturb Marcus¡¯s teaching. He handed his gear to a Retainer Knight and rode back to the Castle at a leisurely pace. Take a bath. Prepare for breakfast. Butler Carter stood to the side and reported, ¡°My lord, Baker Reynard and Mrs. Abbie have sessfully created a new type of bread in town. Would you like to try it now?¡± ¡°Oh? The bread is ready? Bring it quickly.¡± The new bread did not resemble the meat floss bread he had envisioned, but was round like a bun. The surface was cracked, revealing a creamy filling oozing from within. ¡°What kind of bread is this?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a name yet; it¡¯s waiting for you to name it, my lord. Mrs. Abbie said it¡¯s made with flour, eggs, and cream¡ separated into inside and outside parts. The outer part is a bit more of a hassle to make, but the baked cracks are quite attractive,¡± exined Carter, detailing the process of making the new bread. Liszt had already picked one up and taken a bite. Instantly, the creamy taste mingled with the bread¡¯s aroma in his mouth, tantalizing his taste buds, far more delicious than in white bread. This taste, this appearance. Liszt directly said, ¡°Mr. Carter, tell Mrs. Abbie and Reynard to call it ¡ª Pineapple Bread!¡± ¡°Pineapple Bread, a very vivid name.¡± ¡°From now on, rece the white bread in my breakfast with Pineapple Bread, but there¡¯s no need to change my lunch and dinner. Contact Sherlock, let Thorn Caravan try to coborate with Reynard and see if they can market Pineapple Bread in North Valley City,¡± Liszt instantly nned the sales strategy for Pineapple Bread. After some thought, he continued, ¡°Also, tell Reynard and Mrs. Abbie that as a reward for inventing the new bread, give each of them¡ ten silver coins, and tell them to continue to innovate. The more varieties of bread vors, the better.¡± He had initially wanted to award each person a Gold Coin. Having recently made money from selling ck Pearls, he felt flush with cash and generous. But a reward of a Gold Coin would be on a par with the rewards for discovering the Elf Bug and cultivating Magic Potions, which would be too extravagant. It was just bread to satisfy a craving, not worth too much of a reward. So he amended it to ten silver coins. Carter left. He slowly savored the Pineapple Bread, very satisfied that he hadn¡¯t been overly generous: ¡°You never know how expensive household supplies are until you run a household. Even the Lord¡¯s house doesn¡¯t have endless supplies.¡± Gradually, A wisp of smoke appeared before him, twisting and writhing, forming into a strand of Serpent Script. ¡°Complete the task, reward: Sunken Ship Treasure.¡± A momentter, the text dispersed, and the smoke regathered to set forth a new mission: ¡°Mission: Captain Kostor has been quite troubledtely. Since he began teaching the Knight Squad in sailing, the instruction has proved challenging as the young knights look down on the knowledge of sailing. Please correct their attitudes. Reward: Mutated Thorn.¡± ¡°So, the Sunken Ship Treasure is finally within reach¡ The Knight Squad unwilling to learn about sailing? It seems that the rewards from the task and the new mission might be linked. Probably, only Captain Kostor could locate the Sunken Ship Treasure.¡± He shook the bell and called his butler, who hadn¡¯t gone far, back. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Send someone to bring Captain Kostor here, I have some questions for him.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± About half an hourter, Kostor hurried to the castle: ¡°Apologies, Lord Landlord, I was diving near the shore and got dyed.¡± ¡°Diving?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been training my aquatic abilities and underwater fighting skills. Even though I am not a knight, I still desire to be able to fight.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the Knight Squad¡¯s learning progress with you recently?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Kostor hesitated. ¡°Speak your mind.¡± ¡°Your Retainer Knights have a very unfriendly attitude toward the study of sailing. They are not even keen on learning to swim, let alone instructing them in sailing. They always have the saying ¡®Knights rely on warhorses, not sailboats¡¯ on their lips. Moreover, Mr. Marcus upies much of the knights¡¯ time.¡± Liszt immediately understood. Although Marcus had been subdued by him and started to follow and show loyalty, understanding that the sea could also yield wealth, deep down he still esteemed the glory of knights and the charge of warhorses, thinking that vessels were merely a means to transport them tond battles and there was no need to learn sailing. Thus, he passed his views to the Retainer Knights and even encroached on Kostor¡¯s teaching time. Regarding Marcus, Liszt sighed slightly ¡ª changing a person¡¯s identity is simple, but changing a person¡¯s mindset is somewhat difficult. Fortunately, he could exercise the authority of andlord. He immediately summoned Marcus and the whole Knight Squad to assemble at the entrance of the castle. Liszt began to lecture them, ¡°Starting today, all of you will spend half of your time learning about sailing with Captain Kostor. Within three days, you must learn how to swim. Those who can¡¯t will receive fiftyshes. A weekter, I will quiz you on your sailing knowledge, tenshes for every question you fail!¡± The young men wanted to speak but stopped themselves. Liszt did not pay them any heed but called Marcus into the study: ¡°Teacher Marcus, you should know why I have summoned you.¡± Marcus solemnly said, ¡°My lord, I do not believe that knights need to be distracted by learning to sail. Indeed, we need to travel by ship across the ocean to the maind. Letmon sailors handle the vessel while we knights concentrate on fighting; the Coral Ind Knights have always operated in this manner.¡± His words were sensible. Knights are part of thend forces, and Liszt was asking them to serve as a navy, naturally, they were unwilling. However, Liszt had his own thoughts, ¡°How many of these Knight Squad members do you think can be Earth Knights? Or when will they be Earth Knights?¡± ¡°I think, by the age of twenty, some people should be able to be Earth Knights, Philip and Zavier possess noteworthy talents,¡± Marcus answered. ¡°Only two¡ I have worked hard to train them, and I can only reap two Earth Knights. So, can they form a Knight Squad and head to the maind battlefield?¡± ¡°Ready to fight to the death for you, my lord!¡± ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but that would be a foolhardy act borne out of impetuosity. Fresh Flower Town is still developing. I have purchased arge number of serfs; in the future, I will select vigorously, choosing suitably outstanding youngsters for training. But now, what I need are instructors with various basic skills, not experts inbat who are useless for anything else.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Teacher Marcus, some members of this batch of the Knight Squad will be the backbone of the Knight Order, while others will steer ships in the future, transporting my knights to the maind topete for mines¡ Division ofbor, each performing his own duty. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying now?¡± Liszt¡¯s expression was indifferent, but his eyes were stern. Marcus took a deep breath, knelt on one knee, lowered his head, and responded earnestly, ¡°Marcus has misunderstood your will, my lord, and passively resisted your arrangements for the Knight Squad. I await your punishment!¡± Chapter 108 - 0108: The Highly Poisonous Purple Thorns Chapter 108: The Highly Poisonous Purple Thorns Trantor: 549690339 With a month¡¯s pay docked, Liszt administered a simple punishment to Marcus. His main goal was to assist Kostor inpleting the Smoke Mission, so he required the members of the Knight Squad to learn to swim within three days. Swimming would definitely involve going into the sea, which could potentially lead to contact with the Sunken Ship Treasure¡ªhe was very eager to find out what the Sunken Ship Treasure contained. Was it filled with Gold Coins, or dazzling jewels? Or perhaps it hid a Dragon Egg. ¡°However, one wonders, do Dragons really hatch from Dragon Eggs?¡± The origins of Dragons in the Knight¡¯s Novels were diverse and conflicting; there has never been an urate answer. He had asked the Earl, but even the Earl didn¡¯t know where Dragons came from. It remained an unsolved mystery. The Knight Squad soon started their swimming lessons, but Liszt did not go to inspect; it was not toote toe back once there was a clue about the Sunken Ship Treasure. He was on his way to the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery, where the reward for the new mission was the Mutated Thorn. He wanted to check if he could obtain the reward early¡ªthe previous Rapid Growth Thorn was not a Magic Potion, but this time, the Mutated Thorn was very likely to be one! The thorns were as tall as half a person, and they covered arge area. But, disappointingly, after deploying the Eye of Magic Power, he did not detect any traces of Magic Power. ¡°No Magic Potion¡ Perhaps because the mission is not yetplete, so the Magic Potion has not sessfully mutated?¡± He summoned the Smoke Mission and found it was still iplete. Which meant that the attitudes of the young men had yet to be corrected. ¡°Ideological education alone is not enough; it seems I must make a trip to the seaside to see exactly who is resisting the nautical teachings.¡± He turned to Servant Thomas and said, ¡°You return to the Castle and bring my whip, thene find me at the seaside.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Ideological education by mere words is not very effective. One has to use the whip, so that they may unite spirit and flesh in excruciating pain and remember the lesson. Crack! Crack! With a dark expression, Liszt whipped two young Knights who feared the water ferociously¡ªthe inhabitants of the small coastal town on the ind were actually afraid to get into the water. Faced with the choice of whip or seawater, the two young Knights eventually chose the seawater. Under Kostor¡¯s instruction, when they started to paddle with a doggy stroke, Liszt summoned the Smoke Mission and finally saw a change. ¡°Complete the mission, reward Poisonous Mutated Fast-Growing Thorn.¡± ¡°Mission: The newly nted Dragon Hollyhock seems to be ill-adapted to the soil of Fresh Flower Town. Despite being well-nourished, it cannot quickly absorb the nutrients. Its gentle Magic Power is trickling away; it may be dying soon. Please help it gather Magic Power. Reward: One Elf Bug.¡± The Dragon Hollyhock was added to the Smoke Mission. Liszt was sure that it was indeed gestating an Elf Bug, but the problem was severe: ¡°It is not adapting to the local soil and is unable to absorb sufficient nutrients; its Magic Power is fading, which suggests that the Elf Bug is at risk of miscarriage¡ How can I help it gather Magic Power? It is not a Douson that can release Magic by being stimted.¡± He was stumped by this problem. At this moment, Kostor, who was teaching the Knight Squad how to swim, suddenly swam back from the sea and began shouting loudly, ¡°Lord Landlord, Lord Landlord, I¡¯ve discovered a sunken ship!¡± He hurried over to Liszt: ¡°A sunken ship! It¡¯s the wreckage of a sunken ship, buried halfway in the sand, just a short distance ahead in the sea!¡± ¡°A sunken ship?¡± Liszt¡¯s thoughts were reeled back in and quickly reacted, ¡°Captain Kostor, salvage it.¡± ¡°I need manpower to assist.¡± ¡°I will have Goltai support you. How long will it take for you to bring it up?¡± ¡°Please rest assured, the location of the sunken ship isn¡¯t very deep¡ªwhen the tide goes out, it¡¯s only about five meters deep. At that time, I can dive and wrap up the wreck so the people on shore can pull the ship out of the mud directly.¡± ¡°When will the tide go out today?¡± ¡°It should be after three o¡¯clock in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Get ready.¡± The countdown for the Sunken Ship Treasure had begun; a weight was lifted from his heart. Unable to salvage for the time being, Liszt returned once more to the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery. He was searching for the poisonous mutated fast-growing thorns¡ªthe reward for the Smoke Mission. ¡°Mutated and poisonous, does that mean these thorns are toxic?¡± ¡°They can be referred to as Rapid Growth Poison Thorn.¡± Still not a Magic Potion. Sort of disappointing. But Liszt felt that perhaps the reward was much more than that, ¡°This seems to be a chain mission¡ªa chain mission about the evolution of Thorn Bugs. It started with the reward of Rapid Growth Thorn, and now a Rapid Growth Poison Thorn has appeared. This thicket of thorns is bing more and more interesting.¡± Returning to the shrubbery, he didn¡¯t use the Eye of Magic again. He had used the Eye of Magic to search for Magic Potions in the morning; now, he wanted to find the toxic thorns. Faced with arge expanse of thorny shrubbery and not knowing what the Rapid Growth Poison Thorn looked like, he felt at a loss where to start. He could only mobilize his Retainer Knights, ¡°Look for thorns that are out of the ordinary. Remember, do not touch them carelessly; they could be poisonous.¡± The six Retainer Knights took the order and began searching in the thicket. Liszt, along with his personal servant Thomas, also searched. This search took several hours. They searched the shrubbery three times back and forth, eating meals delivered by servants¡ªof course, Liszt himself didn¡¯t search for long, as he had long since hidden in the shade of a nearby wild fruit tree, enjoying ice cream brought by a servant, watching others work. Finally, under the scorching sun in the afternoon, a serf sent to find the distinctive thorns discovered a particr thorn bush. This thorn bush blended into the thicket, not bearing the usual small spines on a green stem, but having a stem with purple stripes. The purple stripes lent it a touch of mystery, and each small spine was also purple, growing upon the purple stripes. ¡°Could this be the Rapid Growth Poison Thorn?¡± Liszt decided to test it. He had someone bring over a rabbit raised in the Castle and then used the small spine on the purple stripe to cut open a wound on the rabbit. The spine broke off instantly, releasing a purple liquid that mixed with the rabbit¡¯s wound. A momentter. The rabbit convulsed and fell to the ground, dead. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk, my Lord, this thorn is highly toxic; the rabbit didn¡¯tst even a quarter of an hour. If it were a human who got scratched by such a spine, I¡¯m afraid they wouldn¡¯t survive either,¡± remarked ir, who had been responsible for recording the growth conditions of the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery, in astonishment. Liszt was satisfied with the experiment, ¡°Reward this serf with ten silver coins.¡± The serf left with many thanks. The other serfs also left with thanks; although they did not receive a reward, each got a copper coin for their work¡ªearning a copper coin for less than two hours of easybor was such fortunate work. Looking at this nt of Rapid Growth Poison Thorn, Liszt had already thought of how to use it, ¡°ir, I have a new task for you.¡± ¡°At yourmand.¡± ¡°Cultivate a batch of Rapid Growth Poison Thorn vigorously. In the future, I want to nt it along the paths of Thorn Ridge and decorate my castle with formidable hedges.¡± ir took the order, ¡°As you wish.¡± Chapter 109: Five Large Trunks Chapter 109: Five Large Trunks Trantor: 549690339 East Coast. The tide had receded, leaving the beach, soaked in seawater, with plenty of shells, starfish, crabs, and other seafood behind. Fishermen had already started to harvest the seafood. Liszt sat on his Li Dragon Horse. He watched arge group of people busily working on the sandy beach with bare feet, connecting ropes and twisting almost all the ropes from the town into one thick cord. Captain Kostor had dived to locate the sunken ship and tied the rope around the dragon bone of the wreck. After swimming back, he gestured to everyone, ¡°Pull! It¡¯s ready to pull!¡± Dozens of serfs, like the Volga River boat trackers, stepped heavily and instantly tensed the ropes tight. Under Teacher Goltai¡¯smand, they shouted and mustered their strength: ¡°One, two, three!¡± One, two! Three! The shouts came in waves. The rope tightened against their shoulders, rxing and tightening with the rhythm of their bodies. They pressed their feet deeply into the sand with each step, leaving firm imprints. Among them were old men past their prime and young boys, all engaged in the same task. Their clothes ragged, skin darkened by the sun, hair stered to their foreheads, sweat dropping steadily. They really resembled the Volga boat trackers. But they were not. Liszt had seen Repin¡¯s famous painting ¡°Buks on the Volga¡± in his Chinese textbook. The boat trackers in the painting, who dragged ships along the river all year round, were depicted as numbed by life¡¯s hardships. Yet, the temporary workers from Fresh Flower Town had smiles on their faces, even under the scorching sun. Because for this job tracking the boats, each person could earn a copper coin. The generous and kind Lord Landlord hade from the grand Tulip Castle to this ce, bringing them plenty of food and the clinking of copper coins, and even silver coins and Gold Coins! Life had never felt so hopeful. ¡°One, two, three!¡± ¡°Work harder!¡± Goltai shouted, ¡°Youzy bunch, didn¡¯t you eat anything?¡± At sea, Captain Kostor continually dived and resurfaced, calling out loudly, ¡°Give it more strength, the body of the ship has been pulled out! A little more force, and we¡¯ll have the bow out!¡± A few cycles of the chant settled. Then Kostor shouted, ¡°Sess! The sunken ship has been sessfully pulled out from the mud and sand!¡± With the ship now pulled out, the boat trackers worked with even greater ease, dragging the battered sunken ship effortlessly onto the beach. This ship, covered in green algae, was barely recognizable in its original form, with only one mast remaining, and even that was broken. The hull was riddled with holes, and crabs asionally crawled out from inside. ¡°My lord, the sunken ship has been hauled up!¡± Goltai eximed excitedly. Captain Kostor also approached, ¡°An old-style schooner, by this form, it should be a hundred-year-old vessel. Lord Landlord, it must be a ship from the Duchy of Sapphire. A hundred years ago, only the Grand Duchy had the capability to build schooners.¡± Liszt rode around the wreck on horseback, ¡°A hundred-year-old shipwreck, then, is it a merchant ship? Or a warship?¡± ¡°It should be a merchant vessel, the cabin is sealed for transporting goods.¡± ¡°Well, what are we waiting for? Teacher Goltai, have people dismantle this hundred-year-old merchant ship. I want to see what¡¯s left in its cargo hold.¡± ¡°As you wish!¡± Building a ship is hard, but dismantling it is swift. Momentster, the cabin was smashed open. Patrol Members crawled inside and pulled out some fabric soaked and spoiled by seawater and debris of grains. It seemed to be a merchant ship that dealt in textiles and food, its fate unknown as it rested at sea¡¯s bottom. ¡°Can it be that sunken ship treasure is simply these few things?¡± Liszt expressed disbelief. And sure enough. A Patrol Member suddenly cried out, ¡°There are chests, here are several chests, intact and undamaged, the locks are still unopened!¡± ¡°Hurry up and move the chest out!¡± ¡°Give me a hammer; the chest is stuck in the ribs of the ship, and I have to break the wood to get it out.¡± After some effort, a total of fiverge chests were dragged out of the sunken ship¡¯s hold and ced on the sand. Captain Kostor circled the chests, sizing them up for a few moments beforeing to a conclusion: ¡°Lord Landlord, these seem to be made of redwood, solid and durable, and have obviously been treated for waterproofing. There must be valuables inside.¡± Liszt smiled, ¡°In that case, have them transported to my castle¡ Right, everyone involved in the salvage operation will be paid double. Captain Kostor who discovered the sunken ship, thus, he will be rewarded with a Gold Coin.¡± He had not yet seen what was inside the chests. He started handing out rewards directly, aiming to encourage his subjects to discover and explore, to bring him more good things. At the same time, the Gold Coin was to encourage Captain Kostor to recruit more Sailor Apprentices, to see if he could indeed build up a qualified crew. The fiverge chests, each as big as a desk, were neatly ced in the castle¡¯s hall. The locks appeared to be cast from brass and had rusted over time. Carter stood guard over the chests, preventing the servants from getting close. As a result, the maids and manservants could only crowd at the entrance of the hall, curiously eyeing the chests. ¡°Debbie, what do you think is in there, could it be mermaids?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a Siren, there are Sirens at sea.¡± ¡°The chest is quite old; even if there were mermaids or Sirens inside, they would have turned to bones long ago.¡± ¡°That might not be the case. I¡¯ve heard that mermaids can live for hundreds of years!¡± ¡°I bet it¡¯s all Gold Coins inside, no, Dragon coins! A whole chest full of Dragon coins could buy the whole of Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Jim, use your brains to think about this, even if you sold the entire Fresh Flower Town, including you and me, it wouldn¡¯t fetch a few Dragon coins! A chest full of Dragon coins could buy the whole of Coral Ind!¡± Carter turned around and scolded the chattering servants, ¡°Have you forgotten the etiquette of the nobility? Do your own jobs and pay no attention to what doesn¡¯t concern you, understood?¡± Mrs. Morson also came downstairs from the upper floor and cast a nce at the female servants, her gaze settling on Maisie: ¡°The cleanliness of the lord¡¯s study is uneptable, there are still crumbs in the corners. Maisie, this is your negligence, you need to clean it again.¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Morson.¡± Maisie nodded in response and hurried to get her cleaning tools. After the reprimands from the two butlers, the servants dared not misbehave and went back to their respective posts. Only Carter and Morson were left in the hall. ¡°Has the master not returned yet?¡± ¡°The master went to the Dragon Kui Field; the Dragon Hollyhocks there are not doing well, he is trying to find a solution.¡± ¡°I have seen that Dragon Hollyhock, and indeed, it¡¯s not in good shape. Mr. Carter, do you think it can survive?¡± ¡°I believe it can,¡± Carter replied with a faint smile. ¡°Because the master will save it. The glory of knighthood watches over Fresh Flower Town and, even more, over the master.¡± Liszt did not know that his butler trusted him so much. At that moment, he was staring at the Dragon Hollyhock, which was nearly devoid of life, frowning, pondering how exactly to help it gather Magic Power: ¡°The mission says ¡®Moisture-like Magic Power¡¯ is being lost, does it mean that the Dragon Kui needs more Water-Attribute Magic Power? In our town, only Marcus and I possess Attribute Dou Qi, but it is Fire Attribute and Wind Attribute.¡± Suddenly. An idea shed through his mind. He thought of the ck Pearls; in his Gemstone Space, there were fourteen Water-Attribute ck Pearls: ¡°Perhaps, I can grind the ck Pearls into powder and sprinkle it at the base of the Dragon Kui, allowing it to absorb the Water-Attribute Magic Power itself¡ I¡¯m not sure if this is the right approach, but it¡¯s the only usible method for now.¡± Better to try and fail than to do nothing at all. He immediately took out a fist-sized ck Pearl, ground it into powder, and buried it at the base of the Dragon Hollyhock. ¡°Whether it lives or dies, let¡¯s leave it to the fate of the Dragon Kui.¡± He mounted his horse and hurried back toward the castle, where five chests filled with treasures waited for him to open them. Chapter 110 - 0110 Vanishing Alchemy Chapter 110: Vanishing Alchemy Trantor: 549690339 The chests varied in weight. The lock was very sturdy. But this could not stop Liszt from using just one sword imbued with Dou Qi to cut through the copper lock of the lightest chest. The lock broke, and the chest opened. No one else was in the hall; Butler Carter had sent them all away, and he himself had stepped outside¡ªthere might be valuable treasures inside the chest; as a servant, he should not be concerned. Too many people, too much chatter. Liszt was very pleased with Carter¡¯s actions. Even though he trusted Carter¡¯s loyalty, he couldn¡¯t trust that all servants were loyal; in case they saw treasures that weren¡¯t meant to be seen, and talked about them outside, that would invite trouble. Wealth should not be unted. This principle must be understood. ¡°This chest is very light, quite different from the others, what could it contain? Or is it empty?¡± Liszt reached out and slowly lifted the lid. Immediately, a blinding light nearly dazzled his eyes¡ªthe chest was filled with intensely reflective white metal ore, which scattered the lighting in through the window all over the ce. He blinked. Getting used to the scattered light, he then took a closer look at the white metal ore in the chest. He took out a piece and weighed it in his hand. It hardly had any weight, but the feel of it was definitely metallic, cool and extremely hard. ¡°This is¡¡± He had never seen such a light metal before; in his knowledge, metals were generally very heavy. Of course, he also knew of one metal that was very light, lithium, lighter than water by half, able to float on the surface. But even lithium was heavier than the metal ore in his hand now. It felt as if he wasn¡¯t holding a piece of metal ore, but a piece of foam. He squeezed hard, but the metal ore did not budge. When he tried to cut it with a sword, he could not make a dent in it, only a faint scratch. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not foam, and it¡¯s not stic,¡± he looked at the ore in his hand, recalling the knight novels he had read, the corners of his brows lifting slightly, gradually breaking into a smile, ¡°I think I have guessed what this metal is. It¡¯s as light as nothing, hard as iron¡ It¡¯s a magic metal¡ªmithril!¡± In this world, metal was the same: gold, silver, copper, iron, aluminium, and so on. But there were also several special metals, which had an affinity for magic power, were very good conductors of magic, and were essential materials for making magic equipment. To date, there were three known types of magic metals¡ªmithril, fine gold, and mountain copper. Mithril as light as nothing, fine gold indestructible, mountain copper unbreakable. These three kinds of magic metal also originated from dragons, and it was said that the Neverfall Empire had a Mithril Dragon. In the knight novels, the ¡°Silver Knights¡± who often appeared to follow the protagonist into battle were all equipped with a set of brilliant mithril magic armor that made them swift as the wind. ¡°Mithril is very valuable, more precious than gold¡ªa chest full of mithril ore is worth at least one dragon coin!¡± Liszt couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips. The treasure¡¯s reputation was well-deserved! He quickly used a Space Gem to store all the mithril ore, leaving behind an empty chest. Just this chest full of mithril ore could be considered a rich haul. However, he had no intention of selling it; he would keep it to craft equipment when he needed it in the future. Touching the Crimson Blood Sword at his waist, he felt that it must contain a small amount of mithril¡ªthe magic conduction ability exceeded that of ordinary fine steel weapons. Even without a Dragon Gem embedded, a weapon alloyed with mithril was at least a magic weapon. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what¡¯s inside the second chest,¡± Liszt lifted his sword and gently severed the rusty copper lock, lifting the lid. A foul odor assaulted him. He nearly retched. Inside were neatly stacked books, and the stench of the aged paper and binding was overpowering. Holding his breath. Liszt saw the book on top, inscribed in handwritten Serpent Script¡ªRudolf¡¯s Alchemy Diary. ¡°An alchemy diary?¡± His gaze flickered slightly. The alchemist probably belonged to the profession of legend, possibly equivalent to a chemist, or perhaps a Taoist alchemist? Legends said they could turn ordinary stones into gold through magical alchemy, and whoever mastered the mystery of alchemy could possess wealth to rival nations. In knight novels, alchemists appeared quite frequently. It¡¯s just that many who imed the title of alchemist in reality never showcased any real alchemical skills¡ªthey were merely swindlers, tricking others for food and drink. Liszt, who had studied physics, didn¡¯t quite believe that the art of alchemy existed. Of course. In this Different World, where magic existed, who knew if alchemy were real? Like now, he had just seen a diary boldly iming the title of ¡°Alchemy.¡± ¡°Could it really contain records of alchemical techniques? Is this the rhythm of bestowing upon me the art of alchemy? Am I about to ascend to the peak of life so soon?¡± Liszt felt his heart rate begin to elerate. The career of an alchemist shouldn¡¯t be much less than those top-tier existences such as Dragon Knights, Dragon Domain Landlords, Archmages, and Dragon yers¡ªas having money meant one could do whatever they wanted. However, just as he was about to touch the book, the seemingly clear script in ¡°Rudolf¡¯s Alchemy Diary¡± suddenly shattered and dispersed into powder. Liszt¡¯s fingers passed right through the dust, grabbing at nothing. ¡°I¡¡± A string of curses almost escaped his thoughts. In the blink of an eye, the entire box of books turned to dust. A light touch was all it took for them to crumble, rendering any lettering unrecognizable and their forms forever lost. The wind blew in from the window, whisking away the powder along with a foul smell. Stunned for quite a while, Liszt finally regained hisposure, clutching his chest, almost vomiting blood: ¡°My alchemy!¡± The thick leather-bound books had decayed with age. The diary that contained the secrets of alchemy had also turned to ashes. His heart was in agony. Even though he doubted the existence of alchemy, the slim possibility that it might be real had slipped through his fingers, and the sense of loss struck a heavy blow to his spirit. The chest that should have been filled with treasures of knowledge had turned into a pile of useless g. A sigh escaped him. He forcibly suppressed his difort: ¡°Forget it, fortunees to those who have it, and those who don¡¯t, it¡¯s not meant to be. Who knows if the diary really contained alchemy. It was an unexpected find anyway, and losing it won¡¯t shake my determination. A box of mithril ore is valuable enough.¡± Afterforting himself, he cautiously drew his sword and opened the third chest. Inside were books as well. Lying on top were the covers of five books. Liszt learned his lesson and did not touch them directly, instead carefully memorizing the covers of each book. ¡°Beast Guide of the Steel Ridge Kingdom,¡± ¡°Close Encounters with the Multi-horned Magic Rhinoceros,¡± ¡°Tales of the Glittering Gold Tower,¡± ¡°The Colorful Mushrooms of the Red Monkey Forest,¡± ¡°The Rainy Night Thriller at Fox Manor.¡± The covers of these books were not written in Serpent Script by hand, but printed, clearlymercially published works. ¡°Glittering Gold Tower? Red Monkey Forest? Fox Manor?¡± He had never heard of these ces, but he could be sure that all three locations were within the Steel Ridge Kingdom. Only Steel Ridge and its vassal states used Serpent Script. Including the aforementioned Rudolf who wrote the alchemy diary¡ªthey must all be from the Steel Ridge Kingdom. He cautiously reached out to touch the books, hoping to turn a page. But it was still a failure. As soon as the books were touched, they immediately turned to powder and could not be preserved. ¡°What a shame, two boxes of books, a wealth of knowledge, all gone.¡± Liszt shook his head, turning his gaze to thest two chests, ¡°Are these two chests also filled with books?¡± Chapter 111 - 0111: Gemstones, Crystals, and Magic Jade Chapter 111: Gemstones, Crystals, and Magic Jade Trantor: 549690339 Thest two chests were not filled with books. To Liszt¡¯s surprise, one chest contained a variety of jades, the other various crystals, ¡°Jades and crystals, the value of these two chests, will definitely not be lower than that of the mithril ores!¡± He picked up a milky white jade. The regret of the vanished books was somewhat diminished. Jades and crystals can be considered types of gemstones. However, their origins are entirely different. Jadees from the earth and, like saltpeter and sulfur, is a naturally formed mineral. Crystals, on the other hand, originate from dragons. They are associated mineral stones produced alongside a dragon¡¯s gemstones. Dragons can produce gemstones, and gemstones possess extraordinary magic power. But gem mines are rare, and moremon are the associated crystal mines surrounding the gemstones¡ªthe topaz is apanied by yellow crystals, the ruby by red crystals. Crystals also contain magic power, butpared to gemstones, the magic power in crystals is rtively sparse. Nobles like to carve drinking cups out of crystal, and in Liszt¡¯s castle, there is a set of such crystal goblets used for entertaining distinguished guests. Crystals are alsomonly used to make magic lighting fixtures which can brighten both day and night until the contained magic power ispletely consumed. All reputable castles have crystalmps. Crystals are also an ideal essory for noblewomen, who can add quite a bit of grace to their demeanor with a crystal ne. Jades originating from the earth, also known as magic jades, are stones that also have magic power. However, the magic power they contain has already highly integrated with the stone itself, making it difficult to utilize for creating magic items. But jade is the best food for elves. During the transnting period for cordyceps, the elves relied on nibbling on jade to sustain life; when contracting elf bugs, jade is also used as bait; and using jade to make containers for elves to live in increases the probability of their evolution. Therefore, the value of jade is not cheaper than that of crystal. Opening the Gemstone Space. He put a chest full of jade and a chest full of crystals into it, shook the bell to summon the butler, ¡°Mr. Carter, I have stored the treasures in the chests, most of which are severely damaged and ancient, with only some slight residues left. Have someone move and dispose of them.¡± He had carefully examined the chests that contained books, and not a single legible word remained as the books werepletely rotted. This is a disadvantage of parchment paper, which cannot be preserved for too long. Liszt believes that theck of historical records in the different world is definitely rted to parchment paper. During its production process, the paper undergoes an ¡°acidification¡± process to allow for smooth writing. But acid-prone substances are likely to undergo chemical reactions, making them difficult to preserve for a long time. That is how he understood it. ¡°Despite the regrets, overall, this sunken ship treasure has made me a fortune, which is great!¡± Liszt thought to himself. His mood gradually became morefortable. So for that evening¡¯s dinner, he had the kitchen host a barbecue party. Goltai, Marcus, and others all attended. They knew that Liszt had made a hefty gain that day, but wisely refrained from asking about the specifics of the treasure. For three consecutive days. Liszt was monitoring the situation with the dragon hollyhocks. The transnted wild dragon hollyhocks had already adapted to the new soil environment and began to show signs of life. Their green leaves were vibrant, those that were flowering continued to bloom, and those bearing fruit continued to fruit. Only the dragon hollyhock nurturing an elf bug remained in a deathly state, with its magic power intermittent, feeling as if it could die at any moment. Yet, it did not die; it just remained there, stiff and still. On the Smoke Mission, there had been no change, meaning that the mission had not beenpleted. ¡°The magic power of the ck Pearl should be sufficient, I can see traces of magic power emanating beneath the soil¡ I can¡¯t exert any more strength. Little Dragon Hollyhock insects, whether you can survive or not, it¡¯s up to your own will to live.¡± This Smoke Mission could only involve waiting¡ªwaiting for the Dragon Hollyhock to die, marking the mission¡¯s failure, or for the Dragon Hollyhock to revive, signaling the mission¡¯spletion. Liszt stood up. Looking towards the direction of the Castle, a yellowish-gray horse was galloping toward the Castle. ¡°It¡¯s Marcus returning,¡± he mounted his Li Dragon Horse and rode back to the Castle, where he happened upon Marcus standing at the gateway. ¡°Teacher Marcus, was your trip sessful?¡± ¡°All went well, my Lord. Tomorrow, crystal craftsman Brad will arrive with the Fresh Flower Caravan¡¯s transport team to serve you in Fresh Flower Town for a month.¡± ¡°Well done, Teacher Marcus.¡± Liszt nodded. After obtaining arge quantity of crystals, the idea of crafting a telescope began to take shape in his mind¡ªss was the most suitable material for telescopes, but ss-making was ratherplicated. Liszt did not yet have the capability to produce ss, so he had to use crystal to make the lenses. Transparent white crystal, when polished to a smooth finish, made crafting of a telescope rather simple. In Coral City, there were craftsmen who specialized in making crystal ornaments, and while these craftsmen might not be able to create crystalmps, grinding concave and convex lenses would certainly not be beyond their expertise. ¡°For the telescope¡¯s lenses, should they be concave or convex?¡± Liszt had forgotten some of the physics knowledge. He just remembered that a monocr telescope consisted of two lenses, and the distance one could see changed as they were extended or shortened. Hiring a crystal craftsman for a month should enable him to produce a quality telescope. Crystal craftsman Brad. Arrived as scheduled the next day. He was a middle-aged man with a bald head and tworge mustaches, his voice booming: ¡°Respectful Baron of Fresh Flower Town, Brad greets you.¡± ¡°Brad, do you know why I hired you?¡± ¡°Mr. Marcus mentioned that you wish for me to create several crystal artifacts for you.¡± ¡°Right, I need you to make a batch of mirrors.¡± Liszt handed him several pieces of white crystal, which were deposits that often apanied sapphires. As for which Dragon produced the sapphires, Liszt did not have this knowledge¡ªinformation about Dragons was plentiful but often vague. Those nations possessing Dragons tended always to shroud them in mystery. ¡°Is this white crystal? I can feel the magic power it contains.¡± Brad was a frence craftsman and also an Apprentice Knight; he possessed Dou Qi¡ªa craftsman who worked with gemstones and crystals had to possess Dou Qi. Liszt unfolded a sheet of thick paper: ¡°I need you to craft these pieces of white crystal into mirrors of this design, with an extremely smooth surface. Moreover, their thickness must be consistent throughout, without any variations, and the shape must remain circr. The mirrorse in two sizes, but their thickness can vary.¡± The paper disyed diagrams of convex and concave lenses. Uncertain of what focal length of convex or concave lens would be suitable for assembling into a telescope, Liszt simply decided to have the crystal craftsman produce several of them, and he would experiment with differentbinationster on. ¡°As you wish, my Lord.¡± ¡°Then make yourself at home in Fresh Flower Town. If you can finish grinding the batch of mirrors ahead of schedule, you are free to leave earlier. The sry will still be the Gold Coin previously agreed upon.¡± Crystal craftsmen belonged to the higher end of the artisan spectrum, and they generally earned a good ie. Earning twenty or thirty Silver Coins per month was quite normal. If Liszt wanted to employ them, he had to offer a more substantial reward. In the days that followed, Brad meticulously began grinding the concave and convex lenses. Chapter 112: Respect for the Maid Chapter 112: Respect for the Maid Trantor: 549690339 The telescope was still being ground. The Dragon Hollyhock was still half-dead. The Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug was still incubating. The Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery¡¯s Rapid Growth Poison Thorns were sprouting new shoots every day. Homes in various settlements were still being built sporadically, and houses were also under construction in the four districts of the town, with roadwork never ceasing. On the Douson Avenue of the castle, construction persisted daily. Shooting arrows, practicing spears. Merging horse and man, charging into battle. Liszt¡¯s life was fulfilling every day. Mrs. Abbie¡¯s culinary skills evolved rapidly, not only could she make pineapple buns, but she also learned to cook a few new dishes¡ªthe Thorn Caravan traveled to and from North Valley City daily, procuring supplies needed for the castle. With gold coins, anything was attainable. ¡°Quietly nurturing¡ It¡¯s been almost half a year since I came to this world. I haven¡¯t done anything earth-shattering or made any radical developments. However, under my guidance, Fresh Flower Town has still entered a path of rapid development. Although the territory may still be barren, at the very least, it has taken on a new face.¡± Once he had only Goltai and Marcus as aides by his side. Now Goltai served as the Administrative Officer, Marcus as the interim Knight Captain, Isaiah as the Finance Officer, ir as the Legal Officer, and Karl Ironhammer as the Defense Officer; Old Geronte led the Fresh Flower Caravan as its captain, with Abagon as his deputy, and Sherlock captained the Thorn Caravan; Kostor was the captain of the Fresh Flower Vessel. A team had begun to take shape. The Elf Bugs grew from four, the Tulip Bug, Millet Bug, Alfalfa Bug, and Thorn Bug, to seven with the addition of Tomato Bug, Little Wheat Bug, and Peanut Bug, and two more were awaiting birth, the Fragrant Coconut Bug and the Dragon Kui Bug. The number of horses in town, including those belonging to the newly arrived officials and their families, had grown from fifteen at the start to seven pregnant mares, the purchase of two foals, and eight nags. There were also twelve carriages allocated to the caravans. The grass at the horse farm was no longer sufficient; it had be necessary to purchase fodder from outside. In addition. Magic Potion, Smoked Grass, Fruit Thief Monkeys, seafood¡ The only slow development was the poption, from the initial 1991 people to now 2074, an increase of just 83 people. However, by the end of September, five hundred serfs would be transported here to add to thebor force. ¡°The greatest gains are actually all within me,¡± Liszt leaned back in his chair, leisurely sipping a cup of milk tea without any additives. Behind him stood a fruit tree outside the castle, a green apple tree with a low yield, small fruits, and a tart taste. At least it could provide a bit of green shade. He felt pleased. Perhaps Mrs. Morson¡¯s cooking skills had improved, or maybe the quality of the pregnant cows¡¯ milk had increased, but regardless, the milk tea was bing tastier by the day. So much so that after drinking it, he could feel the nutrients in the milk tea making his body exceptionallyfortable and invigorating his spirit. It swept away the lethargy of the scorching summer days. ¡°Douson is a good guard dog, Rock Spike is very powerful in attack, and Juan Fu could probably be kept for meat. The Space Gem is the most priceless treasure, the value of the Mithril Mine, Jade, Crystal, and ck Pearl should be calcted in Dragon coins. The Crimson Blood Sword is a gemstone weapon, along with the Drift Bottle from the Child of the Sun.¡± His personal wealth, if really assessed and measured, was probably unparalleled in Coral Ind. ¡°I also learned the Dou Qi Secret Technique¡ªthe Eye of Magic. Although I don¡¯t know why the Bald Vulture Knight, Stefan, hid the Eye of Magic in a book, I should thank him. This assistive Dou Qi Secret Technique far surpasses any other powerfully destructive Dou Qi Secret Techniques.¡± Douson was frolicking all over the ce. ¡°Woof woof!¡± Thomas followed behind it, pulling on the leash, sweating profusely. Given Douson¡¯s current strength, Thomas, just an ordinary person, really couldn¡¯t hold on to it. Liszt shifted his gaze away from Douson. He nced at the small garden beside the castle. There, a maidservant was collecting the meat jerky that had been drying in the garden. Her ck-and-white maid uniform was quite pleasing to the eye. ¡°Is that Little Lily?¡± Liszt, who was somewhat distant, couldn¡¯t make out the maid¡¯s facial expression but could tell it was her from her figure. Little Lily, the kitchen maid, was the tallest among the maids in the castle, standing at probably one meter seventy. He remembered the first time he saw Little Lily, the seventeen-year-old girl was just a skinny, dry stick. Perhaps it was from eating and living well in the castle and the ensuing rxation, but it was clear now that she had developed breasts and her buttocks were a bit perkier than before. ¡°The youngdy has blossomed, indeed. The sight of a maid at work is truly a delight to the eyes.¡± After reflecting on this, he redirected his gaze and began to circte the Dou Qi within his body¡ªjust moments ago, there was some restlessness, as if wanting to express respect to the maid. His body was also developing rapidly. He had shot up in height, and he estimated that he must now be about one meter eighty-three tall. Earth Knight Marcus was a standard one meter eighty-six, and standing beside him, Liszt was now almost the same height. The Earl was about one meter eighty-one tall, and histe mother Melissa was said to be a tall beauty. Thus, Liszt surmised that he might still grow taller, surpassing Marcus wouldn¡¯t be a problem, and maybe he could even reach one meter ny? The restlessness was hard to smooth over. Liszt simply stood up, drew the Crimson Blood Sword hanging at his waist, and began to practice the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±. Time flew, and it was suddenly September. The Earl had returned from Blue Dragon Ind and had summoned all his followers to gather at Tulip Castle. As the newly ennobled Baron of Fresh Flower Town, it was only natural for Liszt to attend. The Coral Ind faction was not particrlyrge. In total, there were two viscounts, sixteen barons, eighty-two Honored Knights, in addition to one Hereditary Viscount (Levis) and a few life barons. A life peerage is a non-hereditary title that allows for equivalent status and privileges withoutnd and cannot be passed down. Some countries have established them, while others have not. In the Duchy of Sapphire, life peerages are generally granted to adult heirs of great families¡ªthey havee of age but their fathers are still alive, so it is not their turn to inherit. Some may even be over forty years old without having inherited, which can be somewhat awkward. Hence, life peerages were introduced. Of course, some magicians, skilled craftsmen with contributions, and even merchants of considerable wealth might also be granted life peerages. ¡°The Grand Duke has already issued the Pioneer Mandate. After autumn, we will act in coordination with Steel Ridge Kingdom to attack the coastal regions of Eagle Kingdom,¡± Levis informed Liszt with urate news upon encountering him, ¡°Father has decided to ept the mandate and participate in this war.¡± ¡°Are you going as well?¡± Liszt asked. ¡°Of course, I have to go. This is a test for me; I need to prove that I can carry on Father¡¯s will and be favored by the glory of knighthood,¡± Levis said, not nervous but excited, ¡°The Grand Duke has arranged for Father to cooperate with Marquis Roderick, and I will act as the liaison officer, coordinating the actions between the two knight orders.¡± ¡°Marquis Roderick?¡± Liszt recalled that Lady Penelope had mentioned that Levis was pursuing the man¡¯s daughter, ¡°What¡¯s the name of the marquis¡¯s daughter?¡± Levis¡¯s eyes shimmered with the light of spring: ¡°Loria, Loria Gold Wheat Ear!¡± Chapter 113 - 0113: The Role of the Black Pearl Chapter 113: The Role of the ck Pearl Trantor: 549690339 The surnames of the great nobility are always very elegant. Even within marquis families, the Long Taro Family¡¯s surname ¡°Long Taro¡± is a step below that of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family¡¯s ¡°Golden Wheat Sheaf¡± in terms of ss. This is also a disy of heritage. The surname of the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, just decades ago, was still ¡°Golden Wheat.¡± This is a powerful family, and the reason their surname is not ¡°Barley¡± or ¡°Little Wheat¡± is that their family not only has a Little Wheat Greater Elf but also a Barley Greater Elf. Before the Grand Duchy of Sapphire was established, the Golden Wheat Family had already risen by trading in grain. Later on, following the Sapphire Family, they established a nation and became one of the earliest Marquis families in the Grand Duchy. However, much like the Pa Pa Family, which split into Small Pa Pa and Big Pa Pa, the Golden Wheat Family also went through a division decades ago. The branch that had the Little Wheat Greater Elf, for their military achievements, was ennobled as Earls and changed their surname to ¡°Golden Wheat Grain.¡± The branch that had the Barley Greater Elf inherited the title and changed their surname to ¡°Golden Wheat Sheaf.¡± Every change of the surname. Signifies the development of the family, the elevation of bloodlines, and the alteration of status. ¡°If one day, I also cultivate a Tulip Great Elf, and rely on military achievements to be ennobled as an Earl. Then, following noble custom, perhaps the Tulip Family might change its name to ¡®Red Tulip,¡¯ and I to ¡®ck Tulip¡¯¡ Liszt ck Tulip?¡± Sometimes, Liszt would indulge in such idle fancies. ¡°Then, dear brother, may your wishese true,¡± Liszt said with a smile as he wished his brother well after learning the daughter of the marquis¡¯ name. ¡°I will seed. Unlike Cousin Meioubao, Loria and I have been in correspondence for half a year already, I know she has taken notice of me. What I need to do now is to outperform the otherpetitors with excellent deeds. Cousin Meioubao is simply having a one-sided crush, the princess has¡ many guests.¡± Levis said, not forgetting to tease Meioubao in the process. This cousin, well, he is beyond reproach in character, appearance, and family background, but he happens to be smitten with a flirtatious princess. Liszt actually had a good impression of Meioubao, so he did not join Levis in teasing: ¡°By the way, brother, the ck Pearl I sold youst time, have you had it crafted into magic equipment?¡± ¡°It has been sessful. The magician carved special magic runes on it, and then it became an item capable of silencing the wind.¡± ¡°Silencing the wind?¡± ¡°The water-attribute magic power within the ck Pearl can suppress the flow of wind, especially silencing Wind System Magic. I saw with my own eyes a Wind de released by a magician dissipate aftering within five meters of the ck Pearl. Though it¡¯s a bitrge, when hung on a warhorse, it can defend effectively against stealth attacks by Wind Dou Qi.¡± He looked at Liszt and continued, ¡°Especially for someone like your Marcus, a knight with Wind Dou Qi who loves to practice archery, vainly trying to use Dou Qi to control arrows for a fatal surprise attack. Now, when facing elite Wind Dou Qi Earth Knights, I don¡¯t need to be anxious.¡± ¡°It seems the ck Pearl is quite useful; I feel like I sold it too cheaply.¡± ¡°Two hundred and eighty gold coins is not a small amount; it can only silence the wind after all. If it could silence all magic power, then it would truly be valuable.¡± Levis leaned in closer, ¡°Do you have any more ck Pearls? As far as I know, a pearl oyster can produce several pearls, and Tridas should be the same; you must still have ck Pearls.¡± Liszt responded with a question instead of an answer: ¡°It can silence the wind, with a range of up to five meters?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Such capability sparked a flurry of thoughts in Liszt¡¯s mind. What he sold to Levis was a ck Pearl the size of a sea bowl, capable of enveloping a radius of five meters, silencing all wind. If reced with two ck Pearls the size of a basketball, how much area could they silence? And what about that one the size of a basin, how much area could it silence? It was likely to cover a radius of dozens, if not hundreds, of meters. Such an ability might, on the battlefield, merely avoid the sneak attacks of Wind Dou Qi. But if applied to sailing, just think about it, if the Fresh Flower Vessel were equipped with a ck pearl the size of a washbasin that silenced the wind around the entire ship, it would essentially never encounter a storm. Sailing the seas would then be like walking on t ground¡ªeven if it couldn¡¯t calm the surges, silencing the wind would greatly reduce the threat. As for whether a ship could sail if the wind was silenced¡ aren¡¯t there oars? If a storm was encountered, just take out the ck Pearl, and when there¡¯s no storm, put it away again. There¡¯s always a way to solve the problem. In an instant, he made his decision, ¡°ck pearls as big as washbasins or basketballs, absolutely cannot be sold. They are a must-have item for arming my own fleet in the future!¡± So he replied with an indifferent tone, ¡°Of course, I have some more. I originally nned to keep them as collectibles. ck pearls are not so easily obtained treasures.¡± ¡°Sell me another one.¡± ¡°You want another one?¡± ¡°Yes, I n to make it into a new piece of magic equipment and then give it to Loria¡ What do you think, isn¡¯t that a thoughtful and sincere gesture?¡± Liszt casually said, ¡°Women generally have no resistance to jewelry, I think it¡¯s a good idea. How much are you willing to spend? I have one ck pearl about the same size as the one I sold you, as well as a few smaller ones.¡± ¡°Two hundred and eighty Gold Coins.¡± The price was the same as the previous ck pearl, and Levis quoted the same price. ¡°To silence all winds with such a function, you can¡¯t get it for two hundred and eighty Gold Coins,¡± Liszt said unhurriedly, as it was now a seller¡¯s market. It was time to raise the price from the ground up. After some back-and-forth haggling. Finally, another ck pearl was sold by Liszt at the price of four hundred and thirty Gold Coins. ¡°Liszt, your heart is as ck as those merchants.¡± ¡°Whether my heart is ck or not is not important. What¡¯s important is that you can show Loria your crimson heart, right?¡± The Earl announced the Pioneer Mandate during the midday banquet. He then began to summon his followers to join him in the military campaign¡ªamon urrence, as every year or two, a Pioneer Mandate would be called. So in one afternoon, all the followers were rallied. Among them, the Earl himself would dispatch the most elite Coral Ind Knights, consisting of ten Knight Squads totaling one hundred and thirty people, along with a temporarily assembled garrison Knight Order, fifteen Knight Squads totaling one hundred and ny-five people. His followers would send out twenty-six elite or ordinary Knight Squads, totaling three hundred and forty-two people. All together, six hundred and sixty-seven knights were mixed into four Knight Orders. The Earl himself would lead the elite Coral Ind Knights, while Levis also acted as the liaison officer and led one of the mixed Knight Squads, Viscount Trick Lygrass led another, and Jonas Rubble Viscount led thest one. ¡°Rest for three days, gather all knights in Coral City in three days, and set sail to Golden Ind by ship, to act together with Marquis Roderick¡¯s Knight Order,¡± the Earl announced in full military attire, hand on sword, his grey-green eyes seemingly glowing, his words resonating with authority. All the nobles participating in the war. Each of them covered their left chest with one hand and performed the knight¡¯s salute, ¡°We follow you, my lord!¡± Liszt stood in the corner; he was not participating in the battle¡ªFresh Flower Town couldn¡¯t even muster a single Knight Squad. A regr Knight Squad indeed didn¡¯t need all members to be Earth Knights, but they at least had to possess Dou Qi. Of the twelve young knights, six had not yet developed Dou Qi. Chapter 114: The Conservation of Cordyceps Chapter 114: The Conservation of Cordyceps Trantor: 549690339 The Earl was very busy, Liszt merely took a moment to greet him and offer his blessings before leaving Tulip Castle and returning to Fresh Flower Town. Before departing, the Earl solemnly said, ¡°Fresh Flower Town is developing quite well, I have been paying attention. Train your Knight Squad, I hope that in next year¡¯s Pioneer Mandate, you and Levis can fight side by side.¡± ¡°I am looking forward to it as well.¡± Liszt responded with these words. Yet in his heart, he was nomittal¡ªengaging in battle was out of the question, he would never partake in battle in this lifetime. ttery wasn¡¯t his forte, only farming, could he maintain his way of life. However, no one could predict the future. He would not be cooped up in Fresh Flower Town forever, remaining a countryside Baron. Riding dragons was a major life goal, while owning his own small ind was a minor one. To possess an ind as a fief, he would at least need to climb to the rank of Viscount, which would require some effort. During the return journey, the Li Dragon Horse galloped. He zoned out slightly while on horseback. The excitement of the nobles at the Pioneer Mandate banquet had indeed infected him¡ªthe nobles might be parasites, but their thirst for glory was very pure. To fight, to charge, to risk their lives for wealth and honor. ¡°Will I really not go to war? But without warfare, how else can I advance in rank? Rebel? Without the power to y a dragon, rebelling is tantamount to suicide.¡± You can¡¯t treat the Sapphire Family¡¯s Sapphire Dragon as an ornament. That is a top-level power in this world, akin to a nuclear weapon; it is best not to test it. ¡°Earning merit on the battlefield is the most effective way to advance¡ A Lord does not need to lead the charge, let the knights do the fighting and killing, it is still possible to ensure one¡¯s safety. In the worst-case scenario, being captured and ransomed back is a bit embarrassing, but preserving one¡¯s life is most important.¡± ¡°Perhaps I could follow the path of a typical Noble¡¯s second son, and court a noble damsel?¡± Some nobles who only had daughters, their ranks would certainly be inherited by the daughters, as the Grand Duchy recognizes Baronesses. Such noble damsels are the best marriage prospects for second sons of nobles. Some noble damsels, pampered by their parents, would already have their own fiefdoms and be hereditary nobles, like Li Vera. They too would be prime marriage prospects for second sons of nobles. ¡°Unfortunately, in the Duchy of Sapphire, suitable noble damsels are after all in the minority¡ There are many noble damsels at the ranks of Honored Knights and Barons, but noble damsels at the rank of Viscounts, Earls are very rare. The archipgo itself isn¡¯t veryrge, with only seven Marquises and a little over twenty Earls.¡± Besides, there was a very realistic problem¡ªnoble damsels aspired to marry higher ranking noble heirs, not just any minor nobility. ¡°I am handsome, my father is an Earl, my grandfather is a Marquis, and I have been granted a Baron¡¯s fief. Amongst the second sons, I am probably a verypetitive candidate, let me think about which single Viscount damsels in the Grand Duchy are suitable for marriage¡¡± After some thought, he couldn¡¯te up with a single one. All nobles hope to have a son to inherit their rank. Nobles with only a daughter are very rare. The battlefield is too dangerous, and Baronesses are too scarce, Liszt then considered a third way to achieve rank¡ªby making a significant contribution. If he could contribute the art of paper-making to the Sapphire Duke, maybe he could fish for an Earl¡¯s, or even a Marquis¡¯s rank. ¡°But ranks conferred for contributions are lifelong ranks without fiefs. This method is utterly uneptable.¡± The more he thought about it, the less feasible it seemed. He gave a self-deprecatingugh, feeling resignated, ¡°Rather than going through all this trouble, it would be better to hope for the Earl and Levis to¡ stop, I feel like such thoughts shouldn¡¯t arise, after all, they are dear blood rtives.¡± After returning to Fresh Flower Town. Liszt fell back into the leisurely rhythm of life. The Earl was too pressed for time with war duties and couldn¡¯t even hold his September 14 birthday party on Coral Ind, so there was no need for Liszt to worry about diplomacy and he could devote himself to developing the town. The Dragon Hollyhock was still half-dead, but as long as it hadn¡¯t died, it indicated that the Elf Bug had a will to survive. Hope remained. What brought him joy was the Fragrant Coconut Tree, as farmer Jiggs came to report that a Fragrant Coconut Fruit had cracked open. Instead of coconut milk flowing out, a plump, milky-white Elf Bug had crawled out. He brought Jade Powder and a Jade Box. Liszt hurried to Oyster Vige and personally climbed the several dozen meters high Fragrant Coconut Tree to see the long-awaited Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug¡ªit was very plump, fatter than any Elf Bug he had on hand, and also exceptionally white, as if it were faintly glowing. It appeared as though it had just bathed in milk. ¡°Little guy,e on, my treat, have some Jade Powder.¡± He sprinkled Jade Powder on the Fragrant Coconut Fruit to tempt the Elf Bug. A newly born Elf Bug, acting on instinct, was quickly attracted by the magic power contained in the Jade Powder. It began to gobble up the Jade Powder in big bites. Next, all Liszt needed to do was to smear his finger with Jade Powder and stretch it out to the mouth of the Elf Bug. A bite down. The contract wasplete. The pleasure of a heart-to-heart connection closely linked him with the Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug, sharing joy and sorrow. Having put the Fragrant Coconut Bug into the Jade Box, Liszt rewarded the farmers who had been patiently taking care of the Fragrant Coconut Bug, giving each person a silver coin, ¡°Jiggs, you all must continue to take good care of this Cordyceps, understand?¡± ¡°Understood, Lord Landlord.¡± Back at the castle, he handed the Fragrant Coconut Bug over to Carter to be ced in the Worm Room. Carter was very happy but also expressed his concerns, ¡°My lord, we now have eight Elf Bugs, and the castle servants may not be able to take adequate care of each Cordyceps. Do you think it is necessary to hire new servants to specifically care for the Cordyceps?¡± This question reminded Liszt. Indeed, no one in Fresh Flower Town would dare to defy him, let alone destroy his Cordyceps. But it¡¯s always the unexpected that happens¡ªif amoner went mad and cut down the Cordyceps; or if an animal identally ate the Cordyceps¡ªdon¡¯t expect fences to stop everything. ¡°Your concern is very reasonable, but I don¡¯t n to hire servants for watching the Cordyceps. Instead, I n to set up a formal team to guard them,¡± he said. No sooner had he thought it than he acted, immediately calling Goltai, Marcus, and Karl Ironhammer. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Teacher Goltai, Teacher Marcus, Karl, I¡¯ve called you here because I have more and more Elf Bugs, and the Cordyceps are distributed all over the town. They need better protection.¡± ¡°Do we need to assign more Patrol Members to frequently patrol the Cordyceps, my lord?¡± ¡°Merely patrolling is not enough. I need dedicated, long-term protection. Do you have any good ideas?¡± Liszt had ns in mind, but he didn¡¯t reveal them. To hint but not divulge¡ªthis is the Controlling Path of those in high positions. Goltai thought for a moment and said, ¡°Currently, the protection for Cordyceps relies mainly on castle servants for care, local farmers for supervision, Patrol Team for inspection, and fences for istion. Perhaps we can train more Patrol Members to specifically patrol the Cordyceps.¡± Marcus was more straightforward, ¡°The Knight Squad could take over patrol duties.¡± Last came Karl, ¡°My lord, I think we can arrange for Patrol Members to stand guard around the Cordyceps. Currently, we have twenty Patrol Members overseeing the town, which is not necessary; we can spare eight Patrol Members to protect the Cordyceps, ensuring they are guarded at all times.¡± ¡°Karl¡¯s suggestion aligns more with my thoughts, but we don¡¯t need Patrol Members for the job; that¡¯s a waste of manpower. Select sturdy serfs from each vige, arrange them to guard the Cordyceps in shifts, and have the town administration pay their sry, one copper coin a day,¡± he said after a pause. Then he continued, ¡°In addition, Teacher Marcus, arrange for members of the Knight Squad to teach the guarding serfs some basicbat skills.¡± Chapter 115 - 0115: Thorn Chain Quest Chapter 115: Thorn Chain Quest Trantor: 549690339 Rom had been very excitedtely; he thought he would end up like Auden and Gray, unable to cultivate Dou Qi and ultimately abandoned by Mr. Marcus. Being abandoned and bing a useless person without Dou Qi was a terrifying prospect. He, along with Karl, Auden, and Gray, all of serf origins, had been employed as Retainer Knights for Baron Liszt. However, Karl had now be an Apprentice Knight and the Defense Officer of Fresh Flower Town, leading a Patrol Team of twenty men and basking in sess. When meeting Karl, he would have to address him as Mr. Karl. The change in status brought immense pressure to him, a suffocating urgency as if the giant hand of fate was choking his throat, trying to strangle his hopes for progress. He was terrified of achieving nothing, so he practiced diligently not only during Marcus¡¯s lessons but also on his own, with reckless abandon. Eventually, he sessfully cultivated Dou Qi, Primary Dou Qi, and became an Apprentice Knight. His wish fulfilled, his earnest and hard practice bore fruit¡ªLord Landlord appointed him as the captain of the Patrol Team, assisting Karl in maintaining the town¡¯s security. His status was not equal to Karl¡¯s, but Rom was already very satisfied, his talent being not as outstanding as Karl¡¯s and having taken many more days to cultivate Dou Qi. He should rightly take a ce beneath Karl. The Patrol Team originally had a captain, who was just an ordinary person and was very resentful about his arrival. However, Rom taught him how to behave with just a few easy punches. ¡°Strength, with just Primary Dou Qi, I already possess the power that ordinary people cannot hope to match. How much more powerful could an Earth Knight be with Intermediate Dou Qi?¡± Before obtaining Dou Qi, his understanding of knights was not very clear. He only knew that knights were strong, but how strong they were and how marvelous Dou Qi was, he had no idea. Now that he had acquired Dou Qi, he fully understood the tremendous qualitative change Dou Qi brought to knights. ¡°Earth Knight¡ I have no hope of attaining Intermediate Dou Qi in this lifetime. However, Lord Landlord has already given me a chance to change my fate, and I, Rom Barrel, will seize it! In the future, I will ensure my son starts practicing Dou Qi from a young age!¡± He was not yet married, but already many girls in town had shown their affection for him. An Apprentice Knight was still very appealing. ¡°My son will be an Earth Knight like Mr. Marcus! Then, he will have the hope of reaching out to join the Nobles!¡± For a bright tomorrow. Rom diligently did his job every day, never shirking his Patrol duties, and took great satisfaction in his role as the team captain. What Rom didn¡¯t know, however, was that his hard work had all been noticed by Liszt. Liszt did not like mundane affairs; dealing with the various day-to-day issues of the town was not his style. He did not wish to be a Han Xin skilled at leading soldiers but rather a Liu Bangpetent at leading generals. Thus, he appreciated subordinates who worked diligently. Rom was one such diligent subordinate. ¡°Rom, in light of your performance, I have a new mission for you.¡± ¡°Pleasemand, my lord!¡± ¡°You and Karl have both be Apprentice Knights capable of handling responsibilities on your own, so I n to establish the position of ¡®Worm Affairs Officer¡¯ in Fresh Flower Town, under which there will be a ¡®Bug Guard Team.¡¯ Members will be selected from the strongbor force of each post. You will serve as the Worm Affairs Officer, and your task will be to lead the Bug Guard Team in protecting the Cordyceps.¡± After much thought, Liszt decided to establish the Bug Guard Team as a separate entity. This team¡¯s basic temte was roughly equivalent to a militia organization, an augmentation to the Patrol Team. With an increasing influx of people to Fresh Flower Town, it would be impossible to maintain security with just the Patrol Team. Thus, the Bug Guard Team would be an integral part of the security forces. Patrol Team police station. Bug Guard Team militia barracks. Knight Squad Army. Such was the thought process of Li Si Te, the sessor of borrowing ideas; his notions always tended to fit this mold. Rom immediately knelt on one knee, performing the knight¡¯s salute, ¡°Rom wishes to follow Your Excellency¡¯s footsteps for life!¡± His body trembled slightly, a sign of excitement, never having imagined that opportunities to change his fate woulde one after another. Now, he officially stepped into the ranks of the officials. Being an official wasn¡¯t formally a social ss, but assuming such a role indicated that one had entered the ranks of the ¡°nobility reserves.¡± When he left the castle, he was still somewhat dazed, feeling as if his body was afloat, ¡°Serving Your Excellency is a moment deeply graced by knightly honor in my life, Rom!¡± Perhaps it was Li Si Te¡¯s heartfelt care for the Elf Bugs that was sensed. Just two days after the establishment of the Bug Guard Team, he saw the Dragon Kui Cordyceps in the Dragon Kui Field regaining a hint of vitality in their leaves, and the previous ck spots had also dissipated a great deal. ¡°Has it pulled through?¡± Li Si Te hastened to summon the long-missed Smoke Mission. Without any surprise, the Smoke Serpent Script had changed, ¡°Complete the task, reward one Dragon Kui Elf Bug.¡± ¡°Indeed, Dragon Hollyhocks nurture Elf Bugs; this is my ninth Elf Bug, very good¡ although I am unsure of what use the Dragon Hollyhocks are.¡± The berries of the Dragon Hollyhock are edible, but only as a snack; even with the boost from the Dragon Kui Bug, it¡¯s unlikely for it to yield many berries. Better than nothing, at least it is an Elf Bug. Smoke twisted, issuing a new task, ¡°Task: The long overdue heavy rain is about to visit Fresh Flower Town, the homes of the residents of the territory are mostly in disrepair, unable to withstand the torrential rain, as a Lord how can you sit idly, please repair the territory¡¯s houses. Reward: Mutated Thorn.¡± ¡°Another reward of Mutated Thorn?¡± pondered Li Si Te, ¡°This is the third task about Thorns, it seems to be a chain of tasks! The previous Formless Dragon chain task rewarded a Space Gem, I wonder what good thing this series of tasks will reward?¡± He had a vague guess? Thorn Minor Elf! ¡°Could it be the Thorn Minor Elf?¡± Not being certain, Li Si Te still forcefully suppressed the notion, harboring no hope to avoid disappointment, and should it truly be awarded, it would be an immense surprise. For now, just strive toplete the task at hand. ¡°Repairing houses, it seems it¡¯s time for another all-hands-on-deck battle.¡± He immediately convened all the officials of the town, arranging the housing repair work of the territory, ¡°This summer there has scarcely been any rainfall, which is unusual. I specte that there might be strong stormsing in the next few days. Most houses in Fresh Flower Town are old wooden huts, which are very unsafe.¡± ¡°The new houses are already under construction, as for those serfs, just let them fix their wooden huts themselves.¡± Goltai couldn¡¯t help but look down on serfs. ir appeared to be brown-nosing, ¡°The most in need of repair is the castle, where Your Excellency resides, should be even safer and more beautiful.¡± ¡°The castle¡¯s repair work can wait until after the autumn harvest when thebor force is idle. Now, each of you assign the tasks, and make sure every damaged wooden hut is properly reinforced. All civilians, regardless of whether they are serfs or freemen, must ept the work arrangement.¡± After a pause, Liszt said, ¡°All civilians will receive nopensation and must work for free to repair their own huts. However, the materials for repairing the huts will be provided by the Castle, as a benefit I bestow upon the residents.¡± ¡°You are truly generous. I will arrange this immediately and ensure that all the wooden huts are repaired within a week.¡± Chapter 116: Dismantling One’s Own Wooden Hut Chapter 116: Dismantling One¡¯s Own Wooden Hut Trantor: 549690339 Clip-clop, clip-clop. Horse hooves crunched over the gravel path, the Li Dragon Horse arching its neck, its ck mane fluttering in the wind. This main road had been under construction for over two months, with an average of 180 civilian workers maintaining it daily, each paid a copper coin a day. Meaning, this road cost 180 copper coins every day, amounting to over ten thousand copper coins, roughly 1 Gold Coin in two months. Sometimes, the cost of manpower is astonishingly cheap. Rocks brought in from various ces were smashed into pieces the size of fingernails, neatly spread over the ground, mixed with the sands from the East Coast, giving the whole road a clean and tidy appearance. Without cement, stepping on gravel and sand, one would invariably get them unknowingly into their shoes. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Thorn Ridge is just a hillock with plenty of small stones; they are too small to even cut into bs. Otherwise, building the main road with stone bs would be more beautiful,¡± thought Liszt with some regret. The town was truly barren, with its surrounding resources extremely scarce. He had now sold ck Pearls twice, his purse bulging with over five hundred Gold Coins. But he couldn¡¯t immediately convert it into resources¡ªlivestock couldn¡¯t be bought inrge numbers due to theck of pasture; too few hands for more construction; roads couldn¡¯t be repaired often due to a shortage of stone; and not enough tools to cultivate barren fields. Just like today, the whole town was busy refurbishing wooden houses. Thus, there were no workers for the road. Under the supervision of the Patrol Team and Clerks, themoners began inspecting their own wooden houses for soundness. Those with cracked beams were to report for recement, those with holes in the roof were to report for patching, those with loose windows were to report to have them secured, and those with decaying corners were to report for repair¡ªthemoners were very enthusiastic. Because Lord Landlord provided the repair materials. This made themoners feel like they had gotten a great deal, and not reporting it would be a huge loss! ¡°Perhaps, I should start making bricks. If stone is insufficient, bricks will suffice,¡± Liszt mused as he witnessed the fervent renovation battle of wooden houses. Stonemasons and carpenters are the construction workers of the Different Worldmoners live in wooden houses, nobles in stone castles. In Fresh Flower Town, only Liszt¡¯s castle was constructed with rock masonry and glued with glutinous rice. The value of glutinous rice was very precious; the Elf born from glutinous rice was called ¡°Wall Elf.¡± Its valuey not in its edibility but its strong adhesive quality. Without cement, walls were bound either with mud or glutinous rice. Fortunately, the Tulip Family had a Glutinous Rice Minor Elf, so the castles built by the Earl were extravagantly bonded with glutinous rice. Such castles, much stronger than those bonded with mud, could also be built very tall. Take Liszt¡¯s castle, for instance. Removing its pointed rooftop, it could continue to be extended several floors higher. ¡°The turning process of brick making has almost no technical content. Once suitable y is found, qualified bricks can be made¡ However, you need to build a brick kiln for firing bricks and that requires coal, or at least charcoal. Without experimentation, it¡¯s hard to produce qualified bricks.¡± Liszt, who enjoyed reading and pondering in his free time, knew quite a lot. He understood the production of ice from saltpetre, y brick firing, handmade papermaking, ck gunpowder forms, primitive concrete, distilling spirits, pancreas forms, telescopes, ss firing, and even grenade-making once ck gunpowder was sessfully mixed. Additionally, things like waterwheels, plows, windmills¡ªhe could exin the basic principles after a bit of tinkering. But to turn knowledge into physical objects is no simple feat. The biggest constraints were materials and manpower. Ice making with saltpetre required saltpetre; had he not found a Miniature Saltpeter Mine, ice making would remain an idle boast; the same went for ss firing, which needed quartz sand and soda ash. Quartz sand likely required finding a quartz vein, which he remembered as somewhat translucent rock. But what exactly is soda ash, is it soda? He remembered that a bit of alkali was needed when making porridge, and there might be a small amount of alkali in wood ash, but where could he obtain the pure soda for ss firing? ck gunpowder, besides saltpeter, also requires sulfur. Cement needs limestone. ¡°Strictly speaking, I seem to still not know what sulfur and limestone look like, right?¡± Liszt suddenly realized a very serious problem. He only knew saltpeter could produce ice, quartz could burn ss, limestone could make cement, and sulfur could make explosives. But what do limestone and sulfur look like? He only knew before that saltpeter was white, mentioned in many books, found in toilets and corners, and it was only after the Smoke Mission hinted about a Miniature Saltpeter Mine that he was able to find saltpeter. If he were to look for a saltpeter mine himself, he feared he might go grey-haired without finding any. ¡°Limestone sounds like amon type of rock, maybe rted to marble or granite? As for sulfur, should I try looking around a volcano crater? They say that volcano craters smell of sulfur.¡± At this moment, Liszt felt that. The real him was far more ignorant than he imagined: ¡°This is somewhat embarrassing¡ but I¡¯m definitely sure where to find the soil for making bricks!¡± Theoretically, brick-making requires y, the kind that can be fired into red bricks. But if one doesn¡¯t aim for very high quality, most soils can be used to make bricks, with any slightly sticky soil being quite decent material. There¡¯s plenty of such soil in Fresh Flower Town. ¡°Once the mission ispleted, I¡¯ll gather a bunch of serfs to make bricks for me. I want them to build houses for me.¡± He intended to build greenhouses for me Mushrooms, toilet facilities, pens for pigs, horses, cattle, sheep, and factory buildings. Then, perhaps, a ser field, a basketball court, and recruit a team of professional yers toe over for matches. ¡°Still, I¡¯ll need to take time to find quartz, limestone, and soda ash. The uses of cement and ss are very extensive.¡± Then he suddenly thought, ¡°Actually, I am a noble. Enjoying life should be what I¡¯m supposed to do. Why am I always thinking about inventing things and conducting research?¡± He was once a liberal arts student. Not a science student. He studied Information Management at college. ¡°Life is so beautiful, I don¡¯t want to be a magician.¡± As he rode his horse, lost in his thoughts. On a nearby street, a loud crash was heard as a wooden house unexpectedly copsed. Liszt raised his hand to block the sunlight, looking in that direction, a crowd buzzing with excitement. He thenmanded the Retainer Knights, ¡°What happened there? Go and ask.¡± The Retainer Knight quickly brought over a Patrol Member who was supervising the scene. The Patrol Member knelt on the ground and answered Liszt¡¯s question, ¡°Lord Landlord, it was the loud-voiced Hunte who tore down his own wooden house.¡± ¡°He tore down his own wooden house?¡± ¡°Yes, we saw Hunte with a stick, striking his own house forcefully, breaking several supporting pirs, and then the house copsed, burying Hunte inside. However, he wasn¡¯t crushed to death but merely broke an arm.¡± ¡°Why did he tear down his own wooden house?¡± ¡°Uh, Hunte heard that Lord Landlord¡¯s castle would provide materials for house repairs, so he wanted to rece his wooden house¡¡± Chapter 117 - 0117 The Torrential Rain at the End of Summer Approaches Chapter 117: The Torrential Rain at the End of Summer Approaches Trantor: 549690339 Insolent peasant! Upon hearing the report from the patrol member, the thought shed across Liszt¡¯s mind¡ªit was as if someone had bumped right into thendlord¡¯s head¡ªseeking to take advantage of thendlord himself. However, he didn¡¯t immediately take the patrol member¡¯s word for it. ¡°Sean, go and question Hunte¡ªwhether it was he himself who dismantled his wooden hut,¡± he ordered. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Retainer Knight Sean returned quickly, and along with him came Goltai. The answer was affirmative: Hunte, upon hearing that the materials for the repairs of wooden huts would be paid for by the castle, immediately boasted that he would rece every single piece of wood of his own hut. Then, in tragically misced enthusiasm, his hut copsed. ¡°Teacher Goltai, what do you think should be done?¡± Liszt asked without anger on his face, only inquiring calmly. ¡°The vilemoner should be beaten to death alive!¡± Goltai responded loudly, ¡°My lord, the freemanmoner Hunte harbors malicious greed, he even dares to covet what is sacred and invible to the castle. He should be punished severely. In my opinion, we should demote him to a serf and administer a hundredshes!¡± There were quite a few civilians watching nearby. Hearing Goltai¡¯s words, they couldn¡¯t help but shrink their necks. Being demoted to a serf wasn¡¯t terrifying, but a hundredshes could kill a person. Some of the civilians had also tampered with their own wooden huts, trying to gain some advantage. Upon hearing this, their legs nearly buckled with fear. The sudden longing for greed faded in their hearts, as they stealthily stepped towards their homes, intending to stuff back the tampered wood¡ To be honest, a hundredshes seemed a bit harsh. The crime did not warrant death. Still, Hunte¡¯s actions had displeased Liszt considerably¡ªhe worked hard to lead Fresh Flower Town towards prosperity, yet some people did not appreciate it and even sought to take advantage. This kind of attitude could not be encouraged; it had to be nipped in the bud. ¡°Considering that his arm was broken by the incident, let¡¯s keep a record of theshes for now. Once he has recovered, we shall conduct the fiftyshes in two separate sessions,¡± he decided. He nced at the anxious civilians around him and told Goltai, ¡°Make sure the publicity is done well, I don¡¯t want to discover a second person whomits a simr act.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡± A cruel smile appeared on Goltai¡¯s face, ¡°I will make these foolishmoners understand what is more important: a few pieces of wood, or their very lives.¡± After such amotion, Liszt had no interest in continuing the inspection of the wooden hut maintenance. He turned his horse around and headed back to the castle. The Dragon Kui Cordyceps in the Dragon Kui Field were gradually recovering, and the magic power could now flow steadily through the cordyceps. ck spots and withered leaves were slowly regaining their green vitality. After inspecting the Dragon Kui, Liszt rode around the riding range for a while. Finally, he returned to rest under the green apple tree. Carter, carrying a set of keys and just out from locking the cer, approached. His pace was slow, disying the serene confidence of the elderly. His clothes were always impable: a bit worn but ironed to smooth perfection, not a thread loose nor excessively wrinkled. ¡°My lord, you do not seem to be in the best of spirits,¡± he observed. ¡°It seems my mood is written all over my face.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Carter asked with a gentle smile, instantly imparting a sense of warmth. Liszt motioned for Thomas to bring Carter a stool, then said, ¡°Mr. Carter, do you think I am apetentndlord?¡± ¡°I have never doubted that for a moment. You have the bravery of the Tulip Family, and the nobility ofpassion, fairness, humility, and honor. You are always blessed with the glory of knighthood.¡± ¡°Has there been any change in Fresh Flower Town in the past six months?¡± ¡°The change is significant. I remember when I first came to Fresh Flower Town, the expressions on the faces of the townspeople were numb. Now, it¡¯s as if they¡¯ve been reborn. I¡¯ve seen many smiling faces here, more than in any other ce. Everyone is grateful for your kindness, my lord.¡± ¡°Not everyone.¡± Li Si Te picked up an ice-cold fruit juice and took a sip. The cooling sensation spread from his throat to his belly and then throughout his body. ¡°Today, I met amoner who wanted the castle to repair his new house for free. He demolished his old wooden house without the slightest consideration for the kindness I had bestowed upon him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not worth getting angry over such amoner. The lowlymoners are different from the honorable nobles; they are always full of vices.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ept your reasoning.¡± Li Si Te put aside the slight displeasure in his heart, ¡°In fact, Teacher Goltai¡¯s whip has already soothed my anger.¡± Perhaps he hadn¡¯t even noticed it himself. He was increasingly adopting the standpoint of the nobility in considering matters. As a transmigrator, Li Si Te still couldn¡¯t defy the heavens and change the grand era. Little by little, he became part of it, betraying the ideas ofmunism and falling on the side of the exploitative ss. He was not far from bing a qualified native. But to this, he had his own rebuttal, ¡°My dream is to ride dragons, not to change the world!¡± The great battle of repairing wooden housessted for a full five days. It couldn¡¯t continue any longer because on this day, the north wind howled, and dark clouds shrouded the sky. The alfalfa grass on the horse farm swayed with the wind, unable to stand upright even for a moment. The castle servants were busy installing wooden boards over the windows to keep out the wind and rain. If he had the money, Li Si Te could have used crystals to carve ss panels to install on the windows, just like in Tulip Castle. But he wasn¡¯t that extravagant. The box of crystals was reserved for making magic items in the future. For now, the castle windows relied on removable wooden boards for protection. In addition, each window had a curtain woven from straw, which could normally shield from sunlight and mosquitoes. But not now, as the strong winds outside would tear the curtains to shreds. Once the boards were installed, the already dim light in the castle grew even dimmer. Carter quickly had the servants light candles in the study, living room, and other rooms to restore brightness inside. Now that Li Si Te had a fairly sufficient amount of money, a few extra candles could be lit¡ªthey lit five or six in the study alone. ¡°Mr. Carter, don¡¯t worry about wasting them. I need my room to be bright enough. Reading in dim light is very harmful to the eyes,¡± Li Si Te held a novel, idly flipping through it. He had already read all 182 books in the castle¡¯s library at least twice. Generally, a book had tens of thousands of words at most, and only a few thousand words at the least. He greatly admired the authors of these knight novels for being able to weaveplex andplete stories in just a few thousand words. And they had to include dragons, princesses, knight orders, kings, wars, feasts¡ otherwise, no noble would buy their books. Nobles wouldn¡¯t buy books, and these down-on-their-luck nobles, who made up stories, would starve to death¡ªmake no mistake, those who chose writing were mostly destitute nobles. Commoners couldn¡¯t write at all. ¡°My lord, looking at the weather now, there will be a heavy downpour today.¡± ¡°A downpour would be good. The ponds in Fresh Flower Town are nearly dried up and desperately need replenishing with rainwater.¡± ¡°Just hope it doesn¡¯t damage the crops and affect this season¡¯s tax revenue,¡± Carter said, lifting a wooden board to peek at the gloomy sky outside, expressing his concerns. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The castle is not short on food, nor is the town. The East Coast is Fresh Flower Town¡¯s dining hall,¡± Li Si Te said nonchntly. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze not focused on the knight¡¯s novel in front of him. Instead, he was looking at a wisp of smoke that twisted into a line of Serpent Script: ¡°Missionpleted, reward: Mutated Fast-Growing Thorn Species.¡± Chapter 118 - 0118 Dirty Things in the Sunken Ship Chapter 118: Dirty Things in the Sunken Ship Trantor: 549690339 The storm approached with fury, and as Fresh Flower Town was swayed by strong winds and sand filled the sky, there was a moment when suddenly the entire world fell silent. Then,rge raindrops pattered against the spires of the castle, as if a bucket of water had been overturned, sshing everywhere upon hitting the ground. From the doghouse, came the loud barking of Douson. Downstairs, in one of the rooms, Juan Fu was also making a ¡°cluck, cluck¡± noise. Outside and inside the castle, there were two different worlds. If one listened closely, Liszt could hear the servants in the kitchen downstairs chatting together¡ªwith the storm hitting, there was nothing to do but to chat. Mr. Carter¡¯s footsteps meandered upstairs and downstairs; he was always on the move, checking every aspect of the castle. He ran into Mrs. Morson, who was inspecting the maid¡¯s cleaning, and they seemed to exchange a few words, evaluating the performance of the male and female servants. The two butlers were conscientious and diligent. Yet the fifteen servants did not always get along so pleasantly. Thomas¡¯s attitude towards the male servants was particrly nasty, but as he was Liszt¡¯s personal manservant and held a high position, no one dared to say much. Not only did he often pick on the male servants and asionally speak ill of them, but sometimes he was not so respectful to Carter either. Carter could not understand why Liszt would tolerate someone as unpleasant as Thomas¡ªThomas ruined the familial harmony among the castle servants. But it can only be said, Carter and Liszt had different statuses and thus looked at things from different perspectives. Carter tried to fill the castle with harmony and love. But Liszt did not wish for that¡ªif the servants united, it would make him, the master, ufortable. Just imagine, if a servant made a mistake and all the servants, being too friendly, helped to cover it up, they could easily fool Liszt. Without Thomas, the shit-stirring stick, the servants would be increasingly indulgent. With Thomas keeping an eye out and picking faults, the servants would work with trembling fear. Superiors always have to nt a few confidants within the lower ranks; it¡¯s justmon sense, something even schoolteachers know when they cultivate students adept at snitching. Liszt chose not to eavesdrop on how the servants were chatting. His expression turned slightly stern. His thoughts wandered: ¡°Do phantoms really exist in this world?¡± In his younger years, the bedtime stories passed down by word of mouth mentioned specters. It was said that these were souls that had left their earthly shells after death, without consciousness, aimlessly wandering. Almost no one had truly seen a phantom. He rummaged through all of the memories of his former self, and on Coral Ind, he had never heard of anyone encountering a phantom. Among the hundred-plus knight¡¯s novels he had recently read, a few mentioned phantoms, but mostly they were rare side characters with low frequency, just like vampires, werewolves, and mine zombies. Before, he wouldugh it off when reading; it didn¡¯t seem important. Now, the reason he was thinking about phantoms again was due to the Smoke Mission which reminded him of them. ¡°Mission: An old, run-down sunken ship, weathered by the seaside winds and sun, but passing fishermen often feel a chill down their spine, as if something in the ship is watching them, keeping them from approaching. Please find out the reason. Reward: A piece of broken bone.¡± The sunken ship hiding five treasure chests was not something Liszt had people chop up for firewood. He felt that the sunken ship could barely be considered a tourist attraction, so he left it at Oyster Vige to add to its historical depth. He even nned to one day have it well-maintained when he found the time. But this sunken ship, it turned out, still held secrets. ¡°What could be inside a sunken ship? When the patrol team searched for the treasure before, they turned the whole ship inside out. Besides some fabrics, grain residues, and five chests, there wasn¡¯t anything else¡ Or is there something that¡¯s hard to see?¡± He could easily let his mind wander¡ªghosts, dirty things, sunken ships, ghost ships, and eventually to the specters of legend. Crack! Boom! A sh of light streaked past outside the castle, followed by a thunderous boom of lightning. The wind picked up again, apanied by the sound of the pouring rain, isting the castle from everything outside. Walking to the window, he lowered a nk of the shutter and watched the rain curtains that seemed to connect the sky and earth. Liszt felt a sense of destion as if he was isted from the world. Loneliness welled up inside him as he abruptly realized he had been in this world for half a year, transitioning from a world of technological civilization to one of magic and Dou Qi. It was neither good nor bad. Back in his hometown, the standard of living had been higher, but he was just a miserable, overworked drone. Here, the living standard was rtively poor, but he was an all-powerful noble with Dou Qi to strengthen his body, making him immune to hundreds of ailments. ¡°Comparatively speaking, I prefer my life now, and I like the sight of maids bustling in front of me¡¡± The corners of his mouth lifted slightly in a smile; he was not overly concerned. Soon his thoughts returned to the Smoke Mission. ¡°If there really is a specter in the sunken ship, then it needs to be eradicated soon to prevent endangering the lives of the fishermen¡ The mission reward is a segment of broken bone, but what does that have to do with the specter?¡± He really wanted to go to the sunken ship right now, find out the reason andplete the mission. But the rain outside was too heavy, making it hard to travel. He could only stay in the castle, bored and waiting. However, the wait sted for three days. The relentless rain of varying intensity flooded the entire town. Fortunately, they had carried out maintenance on all the wooden houses beforehand, and the patrol team braving the rain had not found any copsed houses. The cordyceps were also safe, even the most fragile Dragon Kui Cordyceps, which remained intact due to proper protection. Nevertheless, the three days of heavy rain still imed two lives. An elderly serf who went out to pick vegetables slipped and never got up again. Another was a mother of three who braved the rain to collect seashells on the beach; she fell ill after returning and died. ¡°Collecting seashells on the beach?¡± Upon hearing Teacher Goltai¡¯s report, Liszt was struck with a thought: ¡°Could it be rted to the sunken ship?¡± He immediately asked, ¡°Teacher Goltai, has the body of the deceased woman been examined for anything unusual?¡± ¡°Examining the body, I¡¯m sorry, sir, I did not examine the body. I thought it was just a serf who died of illness, which is quitemon.¡± Perhaps Liszt was being too sensitive. But he still decided to personally inspect the dead woman¡¯s body: ¡°Teacher Goltai, we must remain alert. Lately, some fishermen have reported that there is something seriously wrong with that sunken ship, like there¡¯s some kind of dirty thing there. I suspect that this woman¡¯s death might have something to do with the sunken ship.¡± ¡°The sunken ship?¡± Goltai was puzzled. He hadn¡¯t heard such news, but since Liszt mentioned it, he couldn¡¯t ignore it¡ªhe believed that Liszt had many informants in Fresh Flower Town, and nothing could escape Liszt¡¯s attention. ¡°Then, my lord, shall I arrange for it now? Do you want to go check the body together?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Chapter 119 - 0119: The Cold Magic Power in the Dragon Bone Chapter 119: The Cold Magic Power in the Dragon Bone Trantor: 549690339 A grand procession rode on horseback, sshing through puddles of water. Retainer Knights and personal servants crowded around Li Si Te, with officials like Goltai and Marcus closely following behind. Compared to the meager entourage of a few kittens at the beginning, now their presencemanded the air of being ¡°attended from front to back.¡± Actually, there was no need for so many people to follow within the town. But Li Si Te still preferred it this way¡ªhe really enjoyed the noble style. His entourage was still not as grand as that of the Earls or even his brother Levis, who were always followed by a Knight Squad, so he needed to work on growing his team. It would be best if he could bring along Douson and Juan Fu as well. Leading with one hand and lifting with the other. ¡°My lord, the roads of Fresh Flower Town are better than those of Coral City,¡± Isaiah praised sincerely; ¡°In Coral City, every rainy day feels like a city of manure, with feces floating in the streets making one nauseous. Here, there isn¡¯t any feces, not even mud.¡± The main roads were gravel, mostly free from mud. The paths between the hamlets were made of beach sand, there would be some mud, but not much. Goltai¡¯s timely, cheerfulughterplimented him, ¡°Without the lord¡¯s wisdom, there would be no such wonderful environment in Fresh Flower Town. Before, I couldn¡¯t appreciate the benefits of road construction, but now they are gradually unveiled before my eyes. I hope that in the future, every road will be built with gravel.¡± Li Si Te smiled. He didn¡¯t show any signs of pride¡ªthis was nothing; wait until he introduced concrete, then there would be something truly astonishing. The sky hadn¡¯t clearedpletely yet and there was still a light drizzle. He wore arge ck cloak over his armor and rode a pure ck Li Dragon Horse. At first nce, he appeared rather foreboding. If not for his handsome face and a few strands of light golden hair on his forehead adding liveliness, he could probably pass as a Ringwraith from The Lord of the Rings. A whileter, the party arrived at Barley Hamlet where the woman who died of illness was a serf of the vige. Her body was still in her home. ording to the funeral customs of the Duchy of Sapphire, after death, the body was to be buried directly into the ground. But due to the heavy rain these past few days, they couldn¡¯t bury her. The diseased woman¡¯s three children, two of whom were already adults, led by their stolid father, knelt on the ground to wee Li Si Te¡¯s arrival. The purpose of his visit was exined by a retainer on his behalf. Li Si Te only needed to approach the body and inspect it. Marcus and Goltai had examined the body first, but neither could see any problems with it. Then Li Si Te personally conducted an inspection. Facing the dead was a first for him, and he was slightly nervous inside, but he controlled himself well and didn¡¯t reveal any emotions. Observing with the naked eye, he saw nothing unusual about the body, but when he used his Eye of Magic, a sh of ck magic power passed over the body. Upon closer examination, the ck magic power disappeared again. Li Si Te chose to trust his eyes. He observed quietly and after about a minute, another sh of ck magic power flickered within the body and then vanished. ¡°My lord, did you observe anything?¡± asked Marcus. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with the body. I felt signs of magic power on it, she didn¡¯t die from normal disease, but from some kind of filth.¡± Goltai eximed in surprise, ¡°Is there really such filth? What could it be, if it was from the sunken ship, could it be phantoms? There are legends of ghost ships on the sea. The sunken ship we found, it wouldn¡¯t be a ghost ship, would it?¡± ¡°Whether it is or not, we will find out after checking¡ Right, about this body, what do you think should be done with it?¡± ¡°To be safe, it should be burnt.¡± Here, there was no concept of ¡°the dead are the most important¡±, nor any Tomb Sweeping Day for ancestor worship. After death, people were usually buried simply, especially themoners. Once dead, wrapped in a straw mat, buried in a deep pit, there were no further concerns. Even somemoners were unwilling to dig a single pit, opting instead to throw the bodies of their loved ones into the mountains or water, which was entirely possible. So when Goltai proposed to cremate the bodies, the dull husband of the deceased woman had no objections. On the contrary, there was a vague sense of excitement. Because Liszt had given the man apensation of ten silver coins through Goltai. The debris from the shipwreck had killed the woman, and ultimately, the mey with Liszt himself, for it was he who forbade others from dealing with the shipwreck¡¯s remains. Though he was andlord, he would face no punishment. The ten silver coins were also afort to his own conscience. A momentter. A fire. The body burned to ashes in the mes. Watching the remnants after the burning, Liszt breathed a sigh of relief upon not discovering any traces of dark magic power. It proved that even contamination could be cleansed with fire. After dealing with the body. The group hurriedly rushed to Oyster Vige, arriving near the sunken ship. Before Liszt could get close, Marcus called out to stop him, ¡°My lord, the sunken ship is dangerous. You should stay away, and leave the inspection to us.¡± Goltai also spoke with righteous indignation, ¡°Indeed, my lord, you shouldn¡¯t put yourself in danger. Mr. Marcus is an Elite Earth Knight, he can surely handle the sunken ship.¡± As he spoke, he stood beside Liszt with no intention of approaching the shipwreck. It seemed the shipwreck had been washed by heavy rain, as much of the seaweed and other attachments on its surface had been washed away, revealing the mottled wooden nks and the corroded metal brackets. This was not arge ship; it was much smaller than the Fresh Flower Vessel and severely damaged, with the ship¡¯s cabin almost entirely visible from the outside. Marcus led the members of the Knight Squad to surround the shipwreck, ready to enter the cabin for inspection. Suddenly, Liszt said, ¡°Teacher Marcus, there¡¯s no need to go to such trouble. This sunken ship definitely has issues. Just smash it, dismantle it, and inspect each nk to prevent any idents.¡± He did not intend to keep the contaminated shipwreck as a sightseeing spot anymore. Thus, violent dismantling was the safest and quickest method. Naturally, Marcus wouldn¡¯t refuse and immediately led his men to split open the shipwreck; the nks and iron frames were dismantled piece by piece and piled up on the beach. During this process, Liszt intermittently employed the Eye of Magic. Just as two Retainer Knights were carrying a broken dragon bone, Liszt suddenly saw a flicker of dark magic power at the break of the dragon bone. Magic power usually has color. For instance, fire attribute magic power is mostly red, and water attribute magic power is mostly blue, which bes especially clear when it manifests as Dou Qi. However, this is not absolute, as some magic powers represent multiple mixed attributes and can have a variety of bizarre colors. Some that do not exhibit any specific attribute can also disy various colors. Even Archmages who have delved deep into the study of magic cannot unravel the essential mystery of magic power. What ck magic power represents. Liszt did not understand. But he knew that he had likely found the reason for the problems with the sunken ship, ¡°Teacher Marcus, examine this dragon bone carefully. I can feel traces of magic power.¡± With Liszt¡¯s warning, Marcus quickly picked up the dragon bone, touched it with both hands, and observed and felt it closely. Momentster, Marcus¡¯s eyes shone with light; he felt the magic power too: ¡°My lord, there is indeed a problem. I feel a cold magic power!¡± Liszt spoke with a deep tone, ¡°Smash this dragon bone open. I want to see what¡¯s hiding inside it!¡± Chapter 120 - 0120: A Very Plump Specter Chapter 120: A Very Plump Specter Trantor: 549690339 The ship¡¯s keel is a main load-bearingponent at the bottom center of the ship, extending from bow to stern. Once they discovered the broken keel had issues, it was easy to identify the unusual aspect of the keel¡ªMarcus found that the keel was not one solid piece, but had traces of being pieced together. Following the seams, they disassembled the keel and split it neatly into two halves. Inside the separated keel, embedded like in a casting mold, was a bone about a meter long, with one end fractured and the other end being the joint part. It was covered in dense carvings of magic runes. ¡°What bone is this?¡± ¡°There are magic runes on it, it must be the work of a magician!¡± ¡°This is a piece of magic equipment.¡± ¡°The bone is huge, could it be from a magical beast? Do intermediate magical beasts have bones this big, or could it be from an advanced magical beast?¡± Looking at the bone, Goltai and the others chattered away in confusion. Liszt¡¯s pupils, deep like whirlpools, could see through his Eye of Magic that dense magic power was circting within the bone. The magic power seemed to want to burst out, but it was firmly sealed by the magic runes on the bone, unable to break through. Only at a few slightly dimmed rune sites was a bit of magic power leaking out. Just then. Marcus reached to pry the bone out of the dragon bone. But as soon as his hand touched the bone, the magic runes suddenly lit up one by one, then with a swish, the lit runes quickly extinguished. A dark light burst forth from the bone, heading straight for Marcus¡¯s face. Marcus reacted quickly, tossing aside the dragon bone and rolling on the ground. His posture might not have been graceful, but he moved swiftly; as he rolled, he drew his sword and unleashed his Dou Qi in a counterattack against the dark light. Boom! The dark light was sessfully blocked. In midair, it suddenly dissipated, forming a faintly glowing humanoid figure with only an upper body, its lower half fluttering like ragged cloth. Its facial features were unclear, but it could be seen as the shape of a woman¡ªwith breasts, very full. It had two hands hanging by its sides, with long, slender palms that even had dimly glowing nails, at least ten centimeters long. ¡°Protect the lord!¡± Marcus roared loudly. The Retainer Knights, facing such a bizarre scene for the first time, were somewhat panicked, but still quickly formed a circle around Liszt, each drawing their spears, tense as they watched the hovering humanoid form. Goltai stepped back two paces and swallowed, his voice trembling, ¡°What¡ what is this?¡± ¡°A specter!¡± Liszt had been eagerly anticipating specters, and now that he saw a real one, he felt not the slightest bit nervous; indeed, there was even a hint of excitement in him. He found this world growing more interesting by the moment. It was not just magic and Dou Qi, and not just dragons and elves, but also various mystical existences¡ªspecters had now been verified as real, so might the vampires, werewolves, unicorns, and sirens depicted in knight¡¯s novels also exist? What about giants and dwarves, who had also appeared in knight¡¯s novels? Did they exist? And even those called elves, but are humanoid beings with intelligence like humans¡ªdo they exist? ¡°A specter?¡± Goltai shrieked. ¡°Is it really a specter? Specters exist? Incredible, Marcus, you must be able to kill the specter, right!¡± Marcus stood tensely opposite the specter. It wasn¡¯t exactly a standoff, since the Specter, after its failed attack on Marcus and revealing itself, just floated in mid-air like this, stupidly motionless. If not for the slight fluctuation in its body and the faint glow it emitted, it really looked like a slide in a projector. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee I can kill it, I¡¯ve never seen a Specter before, it has no body, just a bunch of light,¡± Marcus said cautiously, his hands clutching the Knight¡¯s Sword. Liszt, protected by the crowd, was still casting the Eye of Magic. He discovered that the magic power in that bone seemed unrted to the Specter; there wasn¡¯t much magic power in the Specter¡¯s body. Because whether it was the Eye of Magic or the naked eye, what they saw of the Specter was a dim shadowy figureposed of a half-body shape. He quickly recalled all the information about Specters he knew. Specters didn¡¯t seem to be any vicious ghost or monster; in the Knight¡¯s Novels with recorded encounters, the protagonist would deal with them easily, with no detailed battle descriptions. Even in bedtime stories, Specters were just treated as a curious phenomenon, not as a harmful entity. Just as Marcus was growing impatient and about to attack the Specter¡ª a spark of inspiration came from nowhere. Liszt suddenly thought that if a Specter could parasitize inside a Dragon Bone, it was somewhat simr to the Djinn in ddin¡¯s Lamp. He then brushed against his chest inside the cloak, having already taken out an unknown metal Drift Bottle from the Space Ring. He tossed it to Marcus. ¡°Teacher Marcus, try to see if you can trap the Specter inside,¡± he said. It was just a whimsical idea, somewhat fantastically inspired. But astonishingly, when the bottle came into Marcus¡¯s hands, the Specter abruptly charged at Marcus, and before Marcus could swing his sword to intercept it, the Specter had swiftly entered the Metal Bottle. ¡°Uh¡¡± Liszt was somewhat stunned. He never imagined that he would actually capture the Specter, it was simply inconceivable. But when Marcus walked over cautiously, holding the bottle, Liszt quickly masked his surprise with a look of serene tranquility and handed the bottle cap to Marcus. Marcus quickly sealed the bottle cap on. Several threads of magic power shed, the Metal Bottle and cap bing one, leaving no visible seam. ¡°Lord, your Magic Bottle,¡± Marcus said respectfully, handing it over. He was finding it more and more difficult to fathom the Landlord he followed, as if everything was in thetter¡¯s control. The Specter from the sunken ship was captured without anyplications. Liszt took back the bottle and tucked it under his cloak, avoiding others¡¯ gazes, and directly sent the bottle into the Gemstone Space¡ªhe certainly didn¡¯t wish to be in close contact with the Specter. It was better to send it to the static confines of the Gemstone Space and wait until he had verified the information about Specters before conducting further research. ¡°But speaking of which, that Specter, it¡¯s at least 36D,¡± he mused. The Metal Bottle could only be opened by the bloodline of the Sun Descendant. The only source of blood for now was from Old Tanner at the Tanners¡¯ Shop. Old Phil the Tanner and the servant Jessie had not yet formed a contract as father and son, but their interactions remained close, as good as if they were father and son. Since Old Phil was getting on in years, Liszt only collected a small amount of his blood in a Jade Bottle, without asking for more. He also brought plenty of food for Old Phil aspensation. ¡°Jessie, take good care of Old Tanner. I¡¯ve taken a bit of his blood¡ªit¡¯s just for research, and I have no intention of harming him. The other servants can take over more of his work at the Castle; I¡¯ll have Mr. Carter make the arrangements. Most importantly, you must take good care of Old Tanner,¡± he instructed. ¡°Yes, master,¡± Jessie nodded. Next to them, Old Tanner said, ¡°I am honored to be able to contribute to Lord Landlord.¡± Liszt smiled slightly, ¡°It¡¯s good you think so.¡± In the future, he woulde regrly to collect blood until he had enough to open the Metal Bottle an unlimited number of times. Chapter 121 - 0121: Dragonbone Stabilizer and Bloodline Fruit Chapter 121: Dragonbone Stabilizer and Bloodline Fruit Trantor: 549690339 The shipwreck incident was resolved satisfactorily. The Smoke Mission was consequentlypleted. ¡°Missionpleted, the reward is a piece of a broken skeleton.¡± Undoubtedly, the item awarded for this mission was therge bone found within the dragonbone, carved with magic runes. Naturally, the bone was part of Liszt¡¯s collection, and its purpose was not yet clear¡ªit could basically be determined that this bone was a piece of magic equipment. ced within the dragonbone of ships, it likely rted to sailing equipment. Thereafter, Captain Kostor, the most knowledgeable about sailing in Fresh Flower Town, rified Liszt¡¯s confusion about the bone, ¡°Lord Landlord, this bone is indeed a piece of magic equipment. It¡¯s called a ¡®Dragonbone Stabilizer,¡¯ and it can make the ship¡¯s dragonbone more stable, thus making the ship sturdier. But its most significant function is the deterrence of sea monsters.¡± ¡°Dragonbone Stabilizer? Deterrence of sea monsters?¡± Captain Kostor spoke fervently, ¡°Most Dragonbone Stabilizers are made of the skeletal remains of high-level dragonkin magical beasts because they contain the bloodline of dragons. When stimted by magic power, it can produce a faint Dragon Might, thereby scaring away sea monsters¡ Lord Landlord, this Dragonbone Stabilizer was custom-made for the Fresh Flower Vessel!¡± The skeletal remains of a high-level dragonkin magical beast. In terms of hierarchical distribution, high-level dragonkin magical beasts are even rarer entities than Greater Elves. On the inds of the Duchy of Sapphire, such high-level dragonkin magical beasts are seldom found. In fact, even advanced magical beasts are scarce within the nation, and only a single intermediate magical beast, the Purple Sand Crocodile, is currently present on Coral Ind. This bone was extremely precious and had been carved with runes by a magician. Liszt immediately infused his own Dou Qi into the Dragonbone Stabilizer, and the magic runes on it gradually lit up. Momentster, it had be a glowing bone staff. A faint, heart-throbbing pressure began to emanate from the staff. Liszt had experienced this pressure before when facing the Formless Dragon; the Dragon Might made it hard for his Dou Qi to circte. However, the Dragon Might from the staff was much weaker and did not affect his Dou Qi cirction¡ªthis was Dragon Might amplified by magic runes, and after all, dragonkin magical beasts are not true dragons, with a diluted bloodline. ¡°It¡¯s somewhat of a letdown, such Dragon Might is somewhat weak in its influence.¡± ¡°Not at all weak, Lord Landlord. I¡¯m covered in goosebumps, and I feel as if I¡¯m suffocating. Those sea monsters, regardless of size, would definitely flee as far as they could upon sensing the Dragon Might.¡± That made sense. The majesty of a dragon wasn¡¯t just something humans understood; as the natural enemies of magical beasts and sea monsters, sensing the presence of a natural predator, they would invariably flee. This Dragonbone Stabilizer was a treasure. Liszt handed the Dragonbone Stabilizer to the Retainer Knight to hold and told Captain Kostor, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it for now, and if the Fresh Flower Vessel ever sets sail, I¡¯ll decide then whether to install it on the ship.¡± Captain Kostor was somewhat disappointed but still bowed respectfully, as he dared not question the decision of thendlord. ¡°By the way, Captain Kostor, since the sunken ship had a Dragonbone Stabilizer, why doesn¡¯t the Fresh Flower Vessel have one?¡± Liszt suddenly thought of a question. ¡°The technology to craft Dragonbone Stabilizers has been lost with the fall of the Cohen Marquis Family. I once saw a sea vessel passed down from the Cohen Marquis Family and that was when I learned what Dragonbone Stabilizers were. It was a unique magic equipment manufacturing technology mastered by the magicians of the Cohen Marquis Family.¡± The key to the Dragonbone Stabilizer¡¯s technology was probably in the magic runes carved on its surface. The Cohen Marquis were the founding marquises of the Duchy of Sapphire, among the first followers of the Sapphire Duke a hundred years ago. However, the Cohen Marquis Familyter seemed to have be embroiled in a court coup and afterward¡ they were no more. This matter was not recorded officially, and over the span of more than a hundred years, there weren¡¯t many left who cared for the Cohen Marquis. There were too many nobles lost to history; it is the living who are worth socializing with, whereas the dead are forgotten. The magicians who mastered the technology. They must have also be a speck of dust in history along with the Cohen Marquis. ¡°What a pity, the Dragonbone Stabilizer has a huge impact on sailing¡ If we want to sail toward the Devil¡¯s Sea, the Dragonbone Stabilizer could definitely y a significant auxiliary role. If we could find a dragon¡¯s skeleton to make the stabilizer, I¡¯m afraid even the fiercest sea monster would turn tail and flee.¡± It is said that the Devil¡¯s Sea has great storms and huge sea monsters, with no ships able to sail upon it. However, Liszt was very curious about the Devil¡¯s Sea, or rather, about whaty beyond the sea, ¡°Sooner orter, I¡¯ll hire a magician to research the Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique for me.¡± Tounch the great age of sea exploration! There are still many secrets left to unravel. Why would a specter be hiding inside a Dragonbone Stabilizer, how did the specter kill that woman, why would the specter enter a metal bottle, and whether it could continue to survive in the Gemstone Space. What state of existence it holds, who it was while alive, what it looked like, and why it boasts a magnificent 36D. All are questions. However, Liszt did not continue to ponder at the moment. A new mission was waiting for him. ¡°Mission: After the torrential rain, Thorn Ridge is more replete with magic power than ever before. A solitary magic potion nt is nurturing a fruit that can change the bloodline of a magical beast; perhaps a new intermediate magical beast is about to be born, and a crisis is looming over Fresh Flower Town. Please solve the crisis. Reward: A Bloodline Fruit.¡± The Bloodline Fruit is not a species of nt. It is a rather special existence among magic potions, an anomaly produced by an ordinary nt, but it cannot reproduce, even with the help of a corresponding elf. When the fruit gathers enough magic power and matures, it¡¯s the moment the nt dies. The fruit is called the Bloodline Fruit, a highly condensed embodiment of magic power, capable of stimting the bloodline evolution of wild beasts and magical beasts¡ªIt¡¯s said that wild beasts can gather magic power and be magical beasts after eating the Bloodline Fruit; low-level magical beasts that consume it inrge amounts can evolve into higher-level beasts. The Bloodline Fruit cannot be cultivated and is extremely precious. Moreover, it¡¯s something one may encounter by chance but cannot seek out. After maturation and falling to the ground, the magic power begins to fade, and in about a few minutes, it will devolve into an ordinary fruit. Many nobles are searching for the Bloodline Fruit, to raise domesticated livestock-type magical beasts¡ªThe Fire Rabbit is a small magical beast that has been artificially bred using the Bloodline Fruit, specially raised for consumption. Of course. The magic power of the Bloodline Fruit is astonishing, and after consuming it, there have been quite a few wild beasts and magical beasts that died from being ¡°over-nourished.¡± Seeing this mission, Liszt was anything but calm, ¡°I must obtain the Bloodline Fruit; otherwise, if an intermediate magical beast evolves in Thorn Ridge, Fresh Flower Town will suffer. I don¡¯t want to live under the shadow of an intermediate magical beast at all times!¡± An intermediate magical beast can contend with a human Sky Knight and, with thick skin and flesh, are generally not something a Sky Knight can deal with. The purple sand crocodile in the shallow waters to the south of Coral Ind has been discovered for many years and is still living well. It¡¯s not that the Earl doesn¡¯t want to hunt it but that the risk is too great. If the Earl gets killed by the purple sand crocodile in retaliation, the loss would be more than the gain. It¡¯s better to leave the shallow water area for the Purple Sand Croli to reproduce and thrive, and there¡¯s no need to take risks as long as they do not overstep the boundary. An Earl¡¯s family with extensive estates can afford to set aside an area to raise magical beasts. But Liszt cannot afford this; once an intermediate magical beast evolves in Thorn Ridge, there will be no peace for Fresh Flower Town. ¡°Teacher Marcus, the Knight Squad has been training for several months, it¡¯s time to start eradicating the magical beasts of Thorn Ridge and eliminate all threats!¡± Chapter 122 - 0122: Taking Douson to Attack Thorn Ridge Chapter 122: Taking Douson to Attack Thorn Ridge Trantor: 549690339 ¡°As you wish!¡± Marcus saluted solemnly, his eyes bright and spirited, ¡°Knights need the baptism of blood and fire toplete their essential transformation. The time hase for the members of the Knight Squad to face their trial!¡± Knights are born to fight! This was Marcus¡¯s belief. Now, he had convinced himself to lie low in Fresh Flower Town, waiting for the great battle to arise, to seize noble glory. But that didn¡¯t mean his ardor had cooled. Conquering Thorn Ridge was a fixed n, and he had always been looking forward to it. Liszt, too, had not been idle. After bulking up his purse, he began stockpiling weapons. Now, he had umted a whole fifteen sets of knight¡¯s full body armor and weapons. One set of knight¡¯s equipment included a warhorse, a Knight¡¯s Spear, a Knight¡¯s Sword, a round knight¡¯s shield, a full suit of armor, as well as horse armor, in addition to weapons like war hammers and ils. It wasn¡¯t about fine craftsmanship but about meeting the standards for the battlefield. To have one full set of equipment neatly arranged would cost as much as five Gold Coins. The war hammer and il, as siege defense weapons, could be omitted from the purchase. However, extra Knight Spears must be prepared. In battle, it¡¯s very easy for a Knight to break his spear during a charge, and typically each Knight needs to be equipped with three Knight Spears. A Knight is indeed a great spender of gold. The cost of food to train the body, the expense of the equipment, and the upkeep of both the equipment and the warhorse all require money. A Baron with a small town as his fief could only maintain a Knight Squad by diverting all his resources. The once-impoverished Fresh Flower Town simply couldn¡¯t afford a Knight Squad. But now, with the daily profits from the seafood business, Liszt could finally cultivate his own Knight Squad. ¡°My lord, I heard you want to exterminate the beasts of Thorn Ridge. Karl Ironhammer is willing to lead the Patrol Team and join the clearing sequence!¡± Karl, the town¡¯s Defense Officer, rushed to the castle upon hearing the news. Soon after, Rom Barrel, the Worm Affairs Officer, also hurried to the castle: ¡°The Bug Guard Team is mostlyprised of serfs; their fighting power is almost nil. But Rom is willing to serve as your Retainer, my lord, and fight for you in Thorn Ridge!¡± Thebat abilities of Karl and Rom were simrly weak. Liszt was very satisfied with this sentiment, ¡°Your loyalty and courage areforting to me. However, the affairs of Fresh Flower Town need your attention. You don¡¯t have to join me in clearing out the beasts of Thorn Ridge. Just ensure the defense affairs of Fresh Flower Town are handled well. In case any beasts flee into our town, I will need you to stand and fight.¡± ¡°As you wish!¡± ¡°We swear to defend Fresh Flower Town to the death!¡± Then Goltai, ir, and Isaiah, one after another, came forward to pledge their loyalty and requested to join the battlefield. Liszt encouraged them as well, but letting this group of unskilled fighters onto the battlefield would be more of a hindrance than a help. The mission was urgent, and Liszt had prepared early. As soon as the sky cleared and the roads were still muddy, he nned to set off. With Thomas¡¯s assistance, he donned a ck Magical Beast Leather Armor, equipped with his Gemstone Weapon Bloodsword, and stepped out of the castle. His boots tread upon the alfalfa of the paddock that still had some puddles, and with a whistle, the Li Dragon Horse grazing in the distance galloped over. Philip and Zavier, the two Retainer Knights, walked up one after the other, carrying Liszt¡¯s gear. They didn¡¯t bring the Knight¡¯s Spear, only two Knight¡¯s Swords, and a round Knight¡¯s Shield, because the uing battle would be in the woods, and the long Spear would not be suitable for charging. Of course, there were also bows and arrows. Liszt¡¯s archery skills were second only to Marcus¡¯s. ¡°Sir, here is your Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package,¡± Thomas handed over several small packets wrapped in thick paper, which contained dried smoked grass and flint. In an emergency, just rubbing the flint at the top of the packet would ignite the paper, releasing the stench of the smoked grass. It was believed this could save a life at a critical moment. Eliminating the possible crisis at Thorn Ridge was certainly important, but preserving one¡¯s life was even more so. However, the Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package was just a decoy; in his Gemstone Space, he hadrge bundles of smoked grass ready to be thrown at any moment, potentially burning to hold off the beasts¡¯ killing intent. He slung his bow and arrows, mounted the horse. Suddenly, Liszt saw Douson beside the doghouse, wagging its tail at him. His eyes lit up, Douson had be adept at releasing Rock Spikes and, strong and well-built, itsbat capability was certainly not much inferior to an Earth Knight¡ªmaking it an excellent assistant. Most importantly, it had been trained to be very obedient and was utterly loyal to him. ¡°Thomas, bring Douson over here.¡± ¡°Are you taking Douson onto the battlefield?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Thomas untied the rope, and Douson dashed over to the side of the Li Dragon Horse in an instant. The Li Dragon Horse was very familiar with Douson and showed no sign of tension. Douson did not attack the Li Dragon Horse but simply wagged its tail nonstop. ¡°Douson, follow me.¡± Liszt spurred his horse forward, and Douson hurriedly followed, extremely obedient. Everything was ready. When he reached the intersection of the main road and the horse track, Marcus was already waiting with the Knight Squad, ready to set out. Goltai and others stood there as well, seeing off the Knight Squad as they departed for battle. Douson was in no way daunted by the scene, mixing in with the group, calm and collected, closely following the Li Dragon Horse. ¡°My Lord, Douson has really distinguished itself,¡± Marcus remarked appreciatively. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve brought it to Thorn Ridge. In Thorn Ridge, it has a natural advantage and may be able to provide unexpected assistance.¡± ¡°Indeed, for the sake of the fief, the castle, and for you, my Lord, it too should make its contribution,¡± said Marcus, cing his right hand over his chest and bowing to Liszt, ¡°I am willing to charge into battle for my Lord!¡± The other Retainer Knights followed suit, saluting one by one. ¡°I am willing to charge into battle for my Lord!¡± Liszt¡¯s expression turned serious. His sapphire eyes under the helmet swept over his Knight Squad, full of vim and vigor: ¡°Let us set out, to Thorn Ridge!¡± The Li Dragon Horse strode forward mightily, and the rest of the horses followed suit, closely surrounding Liszt in their midst. There was no dust. Only the ssh of water. The Knight Squad moved along the waterlogged road, gradually drawing away amid the blessings of Goltai and others. Old Carter, the butler, with other servants, stood at the castle gate, gazing at the retreating backs of the knights. His face showed nervousness, relief, and anticipation. He ced his hands over his chest and called out loudly, ¡°May the knights¡¯ glory watch over the master; the master will surely returnden with endless glory.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Carter, we all believe that to be true,¡± Mrs. Morson said gravely. In the nearby stables. One-Eyed Barton muttered softly with a pipe in his mouth, ¡°The master¡¯s Knight Squad has too mixed a collection of horses; they should keep a group of ck horses to look more impressive¡ However, the master is truly of the Tulip Family lineage; his radiance is undeniable. May the knight¡¯s glory shine upon him forever!¡± The Knight Squad had already gone far. Goltai, Isaiah, and ir walked together toward the town. ¡°The threat of Thorn Ridge seems soon to be resolved,¡± Goltai said lightly. Isaiah¡¯s face showed some worry: ¡°Magical Beasts aren¡¯t so easy to deal with, Goltai. Do you really think the Baron can take care of those beasts that are so good at hiding?¡± ¡°I have a lot of faith because Liszt is much moreposed than you think. Don¡¯t see him as a mere sixteen-year-old. He is apetent Landlord and a capable Knight. I¡¯ve seen his archery; it is already on par with Marcus. His side-sword is a Gemstone Weapon gifted by Marquis Merlin.¡± ir said cheerily, ¡°The Lord is a Son of Glory watched over by knightly radiance. Thorn Ridge isn¡¯t a difficulty, just a whetstone to sharpen his de.¡± He looked back at the sandy path, now void of any figures, and spoke with a slightly frivolous tone: ¡°When the Lord returns, it will be the time for the evening party¡¯s bonfire to be lit.¡± Chapter 123 - 0123: Another Fierce Earth Dog Chapter 123: Another Fierce Earth Dog Trantor: 549690339 Liszt decided that he would spend the uing period amongst the thorns. He publicly dered that he was going to eradicate the magical beasts of Thorn Ridge, and indeed he prepared to do so, but his most essential goal was to snatch that Bloodline Fruit. An exhaustive search was indispensable. ¡°All game that can be hunted must bepletely eradicated. Thorn Forest is destined to be cleared, and there¡¯s no need to keep the beasts!¡± Marcus was themander of the Knight Squad. He scolded the Retainer Knights loudly, ¡°Wayne, Evan, you two idiots who can¡¯t even muster Dou Qi, are responsible for gathering the bodies of the beasts. Pile them up and hang them on trees, do you understand? We are going to take all this food with us when we return!¡± This was a ruthless strategy. In Liszt¡¯s n, apart from the wild fruit trees, all other trees in Thorn Ridge would be felled. Not only would the magical beasts be killed off, but all wild beasts as well. The area wouldter be transformed into farnd, stones would be extracted for road construction, and timber would be used for building houses and fueling fires. Environmental protection was nonexistent. Liszt¡¯s hand rested on the Crimson Blood Sword hilt, and his pupils asionally turned into spinning vortices as he used the Eye of Magic to locate the lurking positions of the magical beasts. This was his biggest reliance for eliminating the Thorn Ridge Beasts. Although Marcus did not know about the Eye of Magic, a mysterious Dou Qi Secret Technique that Liszt possessed, he vaguely guessed that Liszt had the ability to see through magic power¡ªbeing andlord from the Tulip Family with some secret methods was nothing out of the ordinary¡ªthus he was equally confident. Douson was probably the most fearless one; it was his first time visiting Thorn Ridge, and the entire dog trembled with excitement, darting back and forth, thoroughly enjoying itself. ¡°Douson, be quiet!¡± Liszt gently called out. In the field of view of the Eye of Magic. Douson was yellow, Marcus was cyan, and the other Retainer Knights were vague gray-white Dou Qi, their Dou Qi properties not yet disyed. Rustling sounds. A hare jumped out of the bush. Marcus did not move, but a Retainer Knight who had developed Dou Qi charged forward on his horse, piercing lightly with his longsword, and thus impaled the hare. The motion was fluid and smooth, aided by Dou Qi and the relentless practice of knightly drills, this twelve-year-old Retainer Knight was already agile, far surpassing an adult. The longsword quivered, and the body of the hare was thrown to the back of the group. Wayne, who had not yet developed Dou Qi, hurriedly caught the hare¡¯s body, pulled out a rope, bound the hare¡¯s feet together, and hung it behind the horse. There were already several small animals¡¯ carcasses hanging behind the horses, with thergest being a roe deer. In this way, the Knight Squad swept through the morning without encountering a single magical beast, but they did hunt arge number of wild animals. Once a certain number was reached, the carcasses of the animals were bundled up and hung in the trees¡ªthis prevented most wild beasts from stealing the carcasses. The town was not short of food. Some of this game would be cured or smoked for the castle¡¯s stores; some would be distributed to subordinates and their families as a way to win their hearts. The leftovers that couldn¡¯t be eaten would be sold at the seafood shop, a castle business aimed at providing seafood to the popce¡ªthe prices for the game were already set by Liszt, just slightly more expensive than ck bread. This allowed the residents of Fresh Flower Town to have a taste of the game from Thorn Ridge. It was a kind of welfare gifted by thendlord. Liszt was a good man, or so he always considered himself. The serfs thought the same; never had there been andlord who treated their serfs so well. Lunch consisted of barbecuing game in the middle of Thorn Ridge, with the Retainer Knights bringing spices for the food. After cleaning, they sprinkled the spices, skewered the meat on sticks, and cooked it right there. The mes quickly roasted the meat, tender inside and crisply charred outside. The savory aroma spread, whetting appetites and sessfully attracting nearby beasts, which then became targets for the Retainer Knights to practice their swordsmanship¡ªover the course of the morning, the knights¡¯ sword skills improved rapidly, with hands-on experience helping them grow quickly, bing neither panicked nor clumsy. ¡°We¡¯ll probably need three days to thoroughly search the southern part of Thorn Ridge. It¡¯s inevitable that some will slip through the. Without food in the forest, they are likely to spill over to Fresh Flower Town,¡± Marcus said while eating his roasted meat, contemting the consequences of their military operations. Liszt did not ask the Retainer Knights for help with roasting the meat. He roasted a deer thigh by himself, cutting slits in the meat with his dagger, sprinkling it with seasoning, and brushing on several moreyers of oil. He cooked it over a high fire until the skin was golden brown, and the oil and seasonings had thoroughly prated the flesh. This skill, he had tested a few times in the castle, to great sess¡ªa Noble might not enter the kitchen, but it wasmon to grill meat oneself in the wild since it was considered a refined pleasure. ¡°Before I set off, I had already instructed Teacher Goltai to tell the residents of Fresh Flower Town not to leave their homes unnecessarily in the near future and to go out in groups when they had to work. After this period passes and the Lumberjack Team cuts down all the wood in Thorn Ridge, Fresh Flower Town will bepletely worry-free.¡± With his dagger, he prodded the deer thigh. It felt like the meat was roasted enough. He blew on the golden skin and took a gentle bite as if into a crispy cookie¡ªthe skin was crunchy. The meat was tender and easy to tear apart, its aroma bursting hot on his tongue. It was so hot that Liszt felt like spitting it out but couldn¡¯t bear to because it was too delicious. He ate the meat while exhaling. ¡°Delicious!¡± In his heart, he praised himself fiercely. After nibbling half of the deer thigh, he remembered that he should be observing his surroundings for any lurking Magical Beasts. The moment he used the Eye of Magic, he immediately noticed a yellow Magic Power-formed Fierce Earth Dog to the left front of the campfire¡ªif Douson hadn¡¯t been snuggled at his feet, he would have thought it was Douson! ¡°Teacher Marcus, do you see that thick tree trunk to the left?¡± he mentioned to Marcus without any change of expression, putting down the deer thigh and reaching for his bow and arrows on his back. Marcus¡¯s brows lifted: ¡°I see it. Is there something afoot, my lord?¡± ¡°In the bushes to the left of the trunk, there¡¯s a Magical Beast hiding. It could be a Wind de Wolf or a Fierce Earth Dog,¡± Liszt hadn¡¯t been able to directly identify which Magical Beast it was. Marcus nodded. He became serious. He turned and made a few simple hand signals to the Retainer Knights nearby¡ªthis was amon battlefieldmunication method among knights, as they couldn¡¯t always rely on shouting¡ªthe signals meant to be on guard, that there was an enemy nearby in the direction he was pointing, and to pass the message around to each other. Without a sound, all the Retainer Knights got the signal. Each of them held their weapons and began to move slowly, surrounding the area of the bushes. Douson seemed to sense the tense atmosphere, suddenly standing up with its fur slightly bristled. Liszt reassured him in a soft voice: ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Douson, wait for mymand.¡± Only then did Douson restrain its urge to charge, its dog eyes darting everywhere, sniffing the smells in the air¡ªbefore, it was only busy smelling the roasted meat. The was set. Liszt and Marcus exchanged nces, each raising their bow, with two arrows set to the string, aiming at the bushes. With a loudmand, ¡°Fire!¡± The two men instantly released the arrows from their bows, with four arrows shooting toward the bushes from different directions. Marcus, unaware of the exact location of the Magical Beast, had arrows that were slightly off, but Liszt¡¯s were on target, aimed precisely at the head of the Magical Beast. Thwack! As expected. Only one of Liszt¡¯s arrows hit, striking the Magical Beast¡¯s back¡ªas it quickly reacted in a critical moment, twisting its body to dodge the dangerous attack. With that move, the Magical Beast jumped out of the bushes, an arrow sticking out of its back¡ªnot too deeply. It lunged directly at the nearest Retainer Knight. Still daring to counterattack. ¡°It¡¯s a Fierce Earth Dog!¡± Marcus raised his bow again, shooting first at the position where the Fierce Earth Dog was charging to save the life of a Retainer Knight. Liszt also raised his bow to shoot, while simultaneously giving amand, ¡°Douson, target the prey, cast Magic!¡± Chapter 124 - 0124: The End of the King of Thorn Ridge Chapter 124: The End of the King of Thorn Ridge Trantor: 549690339 Fierce Earth Dog, the King of Thorn Ridge, a powerful low-level Magical Beast. It is very likely rted by blood to Douson¡ªDouson¡¯s mother had died, but its father was probably the very same one before them. Despite the possibility of kinship, it did not stop Douson fromunching an attack under Liszt¡¯smand. Magic Power sprayed from its mouth, crossing the gap in space to urately converge at the designated location, forming the Earth Attribute magic¡ªRock Spike. Whoosh! The Rock Spike burst from the ground beneath the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s belly, nearly skewering it through. The Fierce Earth Dog quickly sidestepped, dodging the Rock Spike with agility and continuing its evasion as it also avoided the four arrows shot at it. Then, it adjusted its stance and charged at the Retainer Knight once more. The Retainer Knight, having caught a moment to breathe, was ready to defend, propping up his round knight¡¯s shield in front of him. But he suddenly heard Lord Landlord¡¯s bellowingmand in his ear, ¡°Zachary, roll!¡± His body involuntarily followed the voice¡¯smand, falling to one side and rolling twice on the muddy ground. In their knight training sessions, Marcus had repeatedly ingrained the concept of ¡°Lord above all¡± in their minds. As for themands from Lord Landlord, there was absolute obedience. Therefore, Zachary didn¡¯t need to think with his brain; his body had developed a conditional reflex to act upon Liszt¡¯smands. This time, obeying themand saved his life. Where he had been just a moment before, a thick Rock Spike shot out from the ground. Had Zachary not moved, the Rock Spike would have pierced through his body, likely impaling him in a critical area. Cold sweat broke out in torrents. Zachary swallowed hard and felt even more grateful towards Lord Landlord for the life-saving warning. However, there wasn¡¯t much time for gratitude, as the Fierce Earth Dog, missing its strike, charged at him again, seemingly fixated on biting and hunting him down to the death. ¡°My Lord, you shoot the arrows, I¡¯ll charge!¡± Seeing that the arrows could not hit the Fierce Earth Dog, Marcus called out loudly. Liszt had no objections to such amand¡ªat that moment, he was fully embodying a qualified archer, understanding that dealing damage from the rear was the logical choice. Besides, he also had tomand Douson to cast spells and remind the Retainer Knights to dodge the Rock Spikes. The task was heavy. In the chaotic battlefield, there was an order. The Fierce Earth Dog was indeed fierce, and the Rock Spikes appeared unpredictably, but under the observation of Liszt¡¯s Eye of Magic, every move it made was revealed. Aside from scratching an unwary Retainer Knight, the other Rock Spikes had not achieved any sess. About ten minutes of skirmishing. The Magic Power of the Fierce Earth Dog had plummeted to a low ebb, and based on Douson¡¯s daily spellcasting experience, Liszt understood that the Fierce Earth Dog would have difficulty casting Rock Spike again in the short term. He abruptly drew his Crimson Blood Sword, ¡°Charge, finish it off!¡± His steed, the Li Dragon Horse, lifted its head proudly, galloping furiously, rushing towards the Fierce Earth Dog that was now surrounded and with no escape. Douson also charged with him; it did not understand the concept of kindred cruelty¡ªLiszt¡¯smand was its code of conduct. Two Earth Knights. Ten Apprentice Knights, plus two for chores. Fourteen men against a Magical Beast whose Magic Power was exhausted; the oue was inevitable. All knights practiced coordinated attack patterns, secure in their positions, leading to Marcus taking the brunt of the assault head-on while Liszt found an opportunity to strike. ¡°Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill!¡± The Crimson Blood Sword, inbination with the Ultimate Mystery Technique of the ¡°Fire Dragon Drill¡±, was unmatched in momentum, fully enveloping the cornered Fierce Earth Dog. mes filled the sky, the manifestation of Liszt¡¯s explosive Dou Qi. Howl! The Fierce Earth Dog let out continuous pitiful wails. The King of Thorn Ridge, under the humans¡¯ hunt, could only end in bitterness. ¡°It didn¡¯t take much effort, and it fell.¡± Liszt calmly sheathed his Crimson Blood Sword, waiting for the mes to die down, to see the grim fate of the Magical Beast he had just killed by his own hand. But just when everyone rxed a bit. Before the mes could dissipate, a charred silhouette suddenly burst forth, breaking through the ckened encirclement. It was the Fierce Earth Dog that was supposed to be killed by Liszt¡¯s powerful move. It was covered in wounds, even giving off a faint scent of roasted meat, but it still had the ability to run. ¡°Pursue!¡± How could Liszt tolerate his prey running away just as it reached his mouth? The Knight Squad didn¡¯t bother tidying up their barbecue setup; they all pursued. Douson was particrly eager, leading the chase after the scorched Fierce Earth Dog. ¡°My lord, be careful, we might encounter other Magical Beasts.¡± Marcus¡¯s mood was quite gloomy, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a Fierce Earth Dog to be so tricky, feigning death and escaping. It was also my negligence, without confirming the death of the Magical Beast, one must never let their guard down, they are cunning!¡± ¡°Magical Beasts are indeed cunning, but it won¡¯t survive, its body is nearly burnt to a crisp!¡± Liszt¡¯s morale was still high, unaffected. On the battlefield, he did indeed fear death and instinctively hid behind others. But once he set his mind to something, he would give it his all to aplish it. If he said he would hunt down a Fierce Earth Dog, then he definitely wouldn¡¯t allow it any chance to catch its breath. With the Eye of Magic, he could already discern the timings of when Magical Beasts released magic, which meant he no longer faced any magic from Magical Beasts that could be fatal to him. A Magical Beast without magic is no different from a wild beast! Thorn Forest, there was nowhere in it Liszt couldn¡¯t go! Momentster. The fleeing Fierce Earth Dog finally stopped running. It stood in front of a nt, gasping for breath, with burnt wounds bleeding profusely. It turned to look at Douson, who was closing in, and the many Knights following behind, as if making a decision. Its gaze shifted to a golden, fist-sized fruit hanging on the nt¡¯s branches. The dog leaped towards the fruit, attempting to consume the golden treasure. However, a sharp whooshing sound came from behind. In the next instant, the Fierce Earth Dog felt its body being propelled by a force, inadvertently leaping half a meter further forward. Its mouth grazed the golden fruit, missing its bite, and uponnding, pain engulfed its body, and it could no longer hold on. It died. A short distance behind it, Liszt put down his bow and arrow, letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°What a tough creature, it really could run¡ Fortunately, I arrived just in time.¡± Through the Eye of Magic, he had already spotted the magic-infused fruit, the Bloodline Fruit. Clearly, it had not yet matured and would be a waste if consumed by the Fierce Earth Dog now. Next to the dead body of the Fierce Earth Dog, Douson crouched down, its dog eyes fixed intensely on the golden fruit as drool flowed like a waterfall. It too was drawn to the allure of the Bloodline Fruit. ¡°Douson, stop drooling!¡± Liszt scolded, calling Douson back from reaching towards the Bloodline Fruit. ¡°Woof, woof!¡± Douson immediately wagged its tail at Liszt, constantly ncing at the golden fruit, clearly trying to please Liszt in hopes of getting a taste of the Bloodline Fruit. ¡°Hold your horses, it¡¯s not ripe yet.¡± Liszt dismounted, scanned the surroundings to ensure there were no other Magical Beasts nearby, and then turned his attention back to the Bloodline Fruit. The nt was unidentified, likely belonging to some kind of fern. Bearing just one golden Bloodline Fruit, it appeared rather striking. The fruit was very beautiful, round and full, not only was the color a dazzling golden hue, but there was also a translucent quality just beneath the skin. It didn¡¯t give off any fragrance, nor did it seem to radiate magic power outward. However, in the field of vision granted by the Eye of Magic, it contained a substantial amount of magic power within. It was almost at a solidity level. ¡°Is this¡ a Bloodline Fruit?¡± Marcus, who had just finished dealing with the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s body and checking the terrain around, approached Liszt and immediately eximed in a low voice. Chapter 125 - 0125: The Turning Point of Douson’s Destiny Chapter 125: The Turning Point of Douson¡¯s Destiny Marcus understood the value of the Bloodline Fruit¡ªnobles often were willing to spend thousands of Gold Coins for the location of a Bloodline Fruit. If it weren¡¯t for the risk of failure associated with the Bloodline Fruit, its value might have been measured in Dragon coins. He was both excited and relieved, ¡°Thankfully, we started the campaign to clear out the Thorn Ridge Beasts early. Otherwise, by the time the Bloodline Fruit was ripe for the picking, this Fierce Earth Dog might have further evolved and be even harder to hunt down.¡± It was for this very reason that Liszt had initiated the early purge of Thorn Ridge. He reached out and touched the Bloodline Fruit,menting that it wasn¡¯t edible for humans, ¡°It seems like this Bloodline Fruit will soon mature. The Fierce Earth Dog originally wanted to gamble on this chance, but now it belongs to me.¡± ¡°My lord, treasures like these, once mature, will surely attract the Magical Beasts of Thorn Ridge. These beasts have acute senses; they must be lurking nearby, waiting for the Bloodline Fruit to ripen,¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that just perfect,¡± Liszt had a stroke of inspiration, ¡°We can use the Bloodline Fruit as bait, wait at ease, and set up traps around the area.¡± ¡°I will lead the Knight Squad to set the traps right away!¡± Marcus said, exhrated. Before entering Thorn Ridge, the Knight Squad was well-prepared, bringing plenty of ropes, shovels, and traps. The knights had also learned a lot from hunters¡ªthe knights¡¯ everyday work not only involved charging into the battlefield but also hunting Magical Beasts in the forest. Marcus was an expert. He had set numerous loops along the frequent routes of the Magical Beasts; such loops wouldn¡¯t stop the beasts but could effectively hinder their movements when triggered unexpectedly. The sess of the hunt still relied on him and Liszt¡¯s offensive capabilities. By the time all traps were set, it was already evening. During this time, Liszt was by the side of the Bloodline Fruit the whole time, waiting for it to mature. He was also contemting whether to feed the Bloodline Fruit to Douson or the Li Dragon Horses. Douson was a Low-Level Magical Beast that might evolve into an Intermediate Magical Beast after eating it. Of course, it might also fail to evolve, but dying an explosive death was unlikely. Li Dragon Horses were Dragon Breed Beasts that might evolve into Low-Level Dragon Breed Magical Beasts after eating the fruit. Here too, there was a possibility of evolution failure, even a risk of exploding to death. ¡°Better to give it to Douson. Li Dragon Horses are extraordinarily rare Dragon Breed Beasts charged with the responsibility of proliferating their species. They cannot afford any loss,¡± Liszt decided after careful consideration. As for Juan Fu in the castle, he was outright ignored. The sun set in the west. The campfire was lit once again. Liszt took the front leg of the Fierce Earth Dog from a retainer, skewered it on a stick, and prepared to roast it for his dinner. His physical strength grew day by day, and his Dou Qi climbed ever higher. At the stage of an Earth Knight, his progress was incredibly rapid, iparable to that of a Common Earth Knight. The reason was simple: he ate well! While talent is key to training, the essence of it is the absorption and utilization of nutrients. If every meal was Magical Beast Meat, even a pig could be a Magic Power Pig. Without enough to eat, even those with exceptional talent could not cultivate Dou Qi. ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson barked at him, drooling, coveting the Magical Beast Meat in his hands. Liszt patted Douson¡¯s big head, ¡°You can¡¯t eat this. It might be your father¡¯s meat, or if not your father¡¯s, then perhaps your uncle¡¯s or maybe your brother¡¯s¡ anyway, it¡¯s likely rted to you.¡± Fratricide was already cruel enough, but cannibalism was beyond the pale ethically. So Douson only got a roasted hare. Then he drooled as he watched Liszt tucking into the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s leg while nibbling on the skinny rabbit. ¡°Don¡¯t be envious, your delicacy is right here,¡± Liszt pointed at the Bloodline Fruit, a significant opportunity for Douson, ¡°Look, the Magic Power is almost tangible. It¡¯s about to mature, probably tonight. Douson, conserve your strength; I hope that after tonight, you can be an Intermediate Magical Beast.¡± An Intermediate Magical Beast was a match for a Sky Knight. Moreover, a well-trained Magical Beast was imperative on the battlefield, owning an Intermediate Magical Beast was like having a Sky Knight as a retainer, one without ambition. Poised for glory on the battlefield, the owner of a Middle-Level Magical Beast only needed to await a rise in rank. ¡°Can Douson evolve?¡± Liszt wondered internally. He was unsure. There were all sorts of powerful Magical Beasts in the world, but on Coral Ind, the Magical Beasts were mostly Low-Level ones, with only a single Purple Sand Crocodile. The Fierce Earth Dog was known as the King of Thorn Ridge, but it was still essentially a Low-Level Magical Beast. Whether it was an opportunity to rewrite its bloodline or simply a waste of a Bloodline Fruit on a failed evolution was hard to predict. ¡°My lord, would you like to rest for a while?¡± Marcus asked, returning from his patrol. ¡°No need, staying up asionally is not a big deal.¡± Time passed. The night grew deeper. Apart from the asional crackling of the campfire, Thorn Ridge was left with only the sound of the wind and the unnamed chirring of insects, punctuated by the asional calls of small animals. Douson had already sprawled at the foot of Liszt, snoring evenly. Liszt leaned against the trunk, his spirit still fairly vigorous, watching the bloodline fruit. After a long time, his gaze suddenly sparkled with vitality, and his spirit lifted, ¡°It¡¯s about to ripen, I can feel it. The magic power is about to dissipate from the bloodline fruit. It¡¯s reached the critical point!¡± He kicked Douson, waking him up. He also called out to Marcus, ¡°Teacher Marcus, the bloodline fruit is ripening. Have the knights stay alert, and be careful of possible magical beasts!¡± ¡°Is it ripening?¡± Marcus¡¯s expression was serious as he quickly alerted the Knight Squad to get ready. Just at that moment. The bloodline fruit suddenly fell, spreading an overpowering fragrance swiftly. It had ripened! Liszt quickly picked up the bloodline fruit and stuffed it into Douson¡¯s mouth, ¡°Eat it quickly, Douson, eat it!¡± The bloodline fruit onlysted for a few minutes. Wasting a moment would mean losing some of its magic power, reducing its effect significantly. Douson understood this was something good. His mouth opened, and he gulped down the bloodline fruit in one swallow. Meanwhile, Liszt, who was utilizing the Eye of Magic, had already noticed several shadows of magic power rapidly approaching. ¡°Marcus, we are under attack! Magical beasts, to the east, southwest, and northwest!¡± Crack! Crack! The traps were the first to act, entangling two of the magical beasts. Marcus charged forward, leading the way toward the beast to the east, a familiar one, the Fierce Earth Dog! It turned out that the Fierce Earth Dogs of Thorn Ridge weren¡¯t limited to just Douson¡¯s family. A burst of Wind Attribute Dou Qi furiously unleashed, and the Fierce Earth Dog, whose hind legs were caught in ropes, was struck before it could react. It immediately retaliated with Rock Spike, forcing Marcus to dodge in a frenzy, unable to kill the Fierce Earth Dog for the moment. The magical beast from the southwest was also caught in the ropes. Several Retainer Knights roared as they attacked. Liszt drew his Crimson Blood Sword and nced at this beast, a boar-shaped one. In Thorn Ridge, there¡¯s only one kind of boar-shaped magical beast, the Thunderfang Boar that once attacked Fresh Flower Town in the winter. It was a Thunder Magic Beast, its teeth capable of releasing Thunder Magic ¡ª Lightning sh. Boom! Without hesitation, the Thunderfang Boar unleashed Lightning sh, lighting up the woods with a bolt of lightning. ¡°Dodge! Get close! Raise shields! nt swords! Release Dou Qi!¡± Liszt issued fivemands in one breath. The Retainer Knights reflexively retreated, gathered together, raised their shields, and nted their longswords in the ground, releasing their Dou Qi, which clung to their round shields. Boom! The lightning struck the round shields like a whip, instantly sending two Retainer Knights flying. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Two screams of agony. Chapter 126 - 0126: The Formidable Elite Earth Knight Chapter 126: The Formidable Elite Earth Knight The screams were heart-wrenching. But after the two Retainer Knightsnded, they managed to struggle to their feet, evidently without serious harm. Their good response had neutralized the powerful magic¡ªthey had all practiced resisting routines for the Magical Beasts they might encounter at Thorn Ridge. The Thunderfang Boar was one of them! Falling back was to wait for the exhaustion of Lightning sh; Thunder Magic was the most draining, its force weakened with distance, and the Thunderfang Boar would also have a rather long preparation time when releasing Lightning sh. Moving closer was to disperse the Lightning sh¡¯s attack on a single target. Raising shields was to erge the area affected by the lightning, protecting the body. nting the sword was to channel the force of the Thunder Magic directly into the ground. Releasing Dou Qi was to use it to neutralize the remaining force of the Thunder Magic involved. Indeed, two Retainer Knights had been sent flying, but managing to have a group of Apprentice Knights sessfully neutralize a powerful magic strike was a sessful strategy. ¡°All units, obey orders, hit-and-run attack! Tie down the Thunderfang Boar, wait for mybined strike!¡± Marcus finally spared a moment of attention from the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s Rock Spike attack and hurriedly issuedmands to the Retainer Knights. He was themander of the battlefield, tasked with overseeing the entire situation. ¡°My lord, there¡¯s another Magical Beast!¡± ¡°Leave this one to me!¡± Liszt¡¯s voice was cold. He had the Eye of Magic, which made him safer than the others, ¡°It¡¯s just a Serpent Type Beast!¡± The Crimson Blood Sword was imbued with Fire Attribute Dou Qi, mes slowly igniting. He had already charged toward the serpent-like monster to the northwest¡ªThorn Ridge had no record of such a serpent-type monster, but regardless of the record, Liszt had to face it. Douson could no longer be relied on. After consuming the Bloodline Fruit, it had be listless on the ground, seemingly caught in deep sleep. ¡°Fire Dragon Stab!¡± With the Eye of Magic locking on the target, Liszt did not hesitate tounch his attack. The Crimson Blood Sword turned into a bloody arrow, aimed straight at the serpent-like monster¡¯s vital spot. That spot was clearly where the magic converged, visible to his Eye of Magic. Strike a snake at its vital spot, it was the snake¡¯s weakest area, and a solid hit meant certain death. The Serpent Type Beast appeared to sense the fatal threat, as its thick body, wide as a bowl, twisted, dodging the attack while opening its mouth to spew magic power. Liszt leaped into the air, dodging the Magic Attack. At the spot where he had jumped, a dark whirlpool formed, quickly corroding the dry grass and dead leaves on the ground to sludge. ¡°Dark Magic Whirlpool! It turns out to be a Shadow Snake!¡± he quickly identified the species of the serpent-like monster he was hunting¡ªit was a Shadow Snake. The Shadow Snake was a Dark Attribute Magical Beast. It tended to live in swamps or dark, damp woonds, capable of releasing the spell ¡°Dark Magic Whirlpool.¡± The Dark Attribute¡¯s magic power inherently carried a corrosive effect; once hit by the Dark Magic Whirlpool, it could instantly corrode a human¡¯s body to nothingness. This was a very malicious creature, but its body was quite frail. If it were Marcus, he might well have been caught off-guard, legs severed by the Shadow Snake, left to be devoured by it. But it was facing Liszt now, dodging the magic with ease, and the remaining time was a matter of how to kill it cruelly. ¡°Heart of the Fire Dragon Drill!¡± He started with a powerful move, a rain of fire raining down on the Shadow Snake, which coiled into a ball, not even getting the chance to cast spells. A lion still uses its full strength to fight a rabbit, Liszt never believed in conserving energy in a fight, his style was either to stay back and attack or to go the front line and bombard fiercely. Ssh! The mes ignited the scales of the Shadow Snake. Scorched by the burn, the Shadow Snake kept rolling in agony, trying to extinguish the mes. Whether it was the heat of the mes affecting its judgment, the snake released magic wildly. A small area was hit with three Dark Magic Whirlpools in quick session, all of them missing Liszt by a wide margin. Facing such an irrational Shadow Snake, Liszt let out a relieved smile, raised the Crimson Blood Sword high, and aimed for the vital seven inches of the snake before bringing it down with a mighty swing. Crack! With one strike, the Shadow Snake was cleaved in two. The lower half writhed in madness, while the upper half could not twist and turned, its mouth still opening and closing. No more magic could be released. All that was left for it was death. ¡°Huh¡¡± Liszt exhaled a heavy breath, momentarily at a loss. Once considered useless, he had now easily killed a Magical Beast. While the Shadow Snake wasn¡¯t very strong, it was still a Low-Level Magical Beast with strengthparable to that of an Earth Knight. Yet in his presence, it only had the chance to be beaten, notsting more than ten moves before being cut in two: ¡°It seems I¡¯ve grown this strong, almost like an Elite Earth Knight.¡± Indeed, with the Eye of Magic to see through illusions and the Crimson Blood Sword to enhance his power, it was clear that Liszt had be stronger. His reflections were brief, for in the next moment, not waiting for the bifurcated Shadow Snake to stop squirming, he mounted his horse with the Crimson Blood Sword in hand, charging towards the Thunderfang Boar¡ªsome Magical Beasts required fighting on foot, and others were better dealt with on horseback. The Thunderfang Boar, massive and thick-skinned, required the power of a warhorse to hunt. ¡°Charge!¡± Rider and steed became one, Dou Qi bursting forth, the Crimson Blood Sword slicing through the air with a piercing whine. As he charged into the fray, the Thunderfang Boar was about to release magic, only to be sent flying by Liszt¡¯s ¡°Inferno sh,¡± blood scattering on the spot, and its magic thwarted and kept at bay. The thick-skinned Thunderfang Boar was not seriously harmed, however, and started to charge at Liszt with grunts of defiance. But after only two steps, it was sent flying once again, this time by Marcus who had just dispatched the Fierce Earth Dog, charging in unison with the horse despite his injured left leg, blood flowing freely from a gash caused by a Rock Spike. However, this did not hinder his mounted charge. ¡°Sir, let¡¯sbine our attacks!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the left, you take the right, one round of charging each. Follow mymand and don¡¯t let it cast any magic!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± After a brief exchange, Liszt initiated another round of charging, knocking the Thunderfang Boar off its feet once again. Before the boar could rise, Marcus charged again, knocking the still unsteady beast back to the ground. Two Elite Earth Knights, alternating rounds of attack. As their teamwork grew more seasoned, the Thunderfang Boar lost its chance to stand up again. It couldn¡¯t release its Lightning sh, and so it could only bellow in frustration as more and more gashes were cut into its flesh, quickly soaked with its own blood, then stained ck by the mire on the ground. The Retainer Knights, exhausted by the Thunderfang Boar¡¯s antics, lit torches one by one, surrounding the battlefield to prevent the boar from breaking through and escaping. Watching the two Earth Knights toy with the Thunderfang Boar, their blood surged with excitement, wishing it were they who were in the fray, tormenting the beast. After at least a dozen charges back and forth. Marcus¡¯s warhorse was too tired to lift its feet any longer, and the Li Dragon Horse was also heaving with heavy breaths. It was then that the Thunderfang Boar finally ceased its intive grunts, lying on the ground, breathing in far more than it could breathe out. ¡°It¡¯s finally dead.¡± Liszt breathed heavily. The Thunderfang Boar was not much of a threat to Earth Knights¡ªit moved clumsily and unleashed its magic slowly, making it easy to dodge. But its hide was too thick, and they could only wear it down softly and slowly till its death. Marcus¡¯s face was pale, his left leg bleeding quite a bit, sapping his strength, but he still managed to shout first, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t just stand there, clean up the battlefield, we¡¯re preparing to leave!¡± After saying this, he dismounted, ready to tend to his wound. However, Liszt suddenly spoke in an urgent tone, ¡°Teacher Marcus, we¡¯re in trouble. One, two, three, four¡ a total of seven beasts, converging on us.¡± Chapter 127: Douson’s Big Battle Against the Wind Blade Wolf Chapter 127: Douson¡¯s Big Battle Against the Wind de Wolf It was the Wind de Wolves. These cunning creatures didn¡¯te to snatch the Bloodline Fruit right away but showed up after a big battle, hoping to benefit from the fisherman¡¯s fortune. The previous three Magical Beasts had already kept the team in disarray. Now facing seven all at once, and at night with their conditions not being ideal, it was very difficult to defeat this group of Wind de Wolves. ¡°Sir, we should retreat.¡± Marcus directly took out the Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package he had distributed: ¡°Fighting at night is very disadvantageous for us, traps won¡¯t stop the pack of wolves, and my left leg is injured, preventing me from unleashing my full strength. Let¡¯s light the Smoked Grass now, I¡¯ll use ¡®Multi-Arrow¡¯ to cover your retreat, and we¡¯ll retreat toward the main road.¡± Liszt was decisive: ¡°Okay!¡± When it¡¯s time to act, do it with zeal; when it¡¯s time to run, do it just as decisively. The flint had not yet struck. A piercing wolf howl shattered the eardrums: ¡°Awoo, awoo, a-w-o-o-o-o-o-o¡¡± Liszt turned his head and saw Douson, who had been lying on the ground unconscious, had at some point stood up, thrown back its head, and was howling at the sky. Its body seemed to inte like a balloon, muscles bulging under its fur, eyes bloodshot, and teeth bing even more ferocious and sharp. He quickly employed the Eye of Magic. Liszt saw that Douson¡¯s earthy magic power was rising like mes, giving the impression of a fiery fierce beast: ¡°Douson!¡± Douson, hearing Liszt¡¯s call, turned its head, showing a moment of confusion in its eyes. The next moment, a familiar scene shed by, and Liszt¡¯s order echoed in its ears: ¡°Attack the prey!¡± Instinctively following the direction of Liszt¡¯s finger, it charged out. There, were two Wind de Wolves. Seeing Dousoning, they hastily retreated, but by then, Douson¡¯s speed had be so fast, it caught up with the Wind de Wolves in just two steps, and opened its mouth to release magic. Arger Rock Spike shot out from the ground, impaling one of the Wind de Wolves, its bellypletely torn open, with intestines and blood spilling out. ¡°Woo-awoo¡¡± the Wind de Wolf howled in agony. The other six Wind de Wolves charged over, pouncing toward Douson, starting a battle without any prelude. The Wind de Wolves¡¯ Wind des flew chaotically, slicing through branches and trunks, and tearing furrows in the ground. Douson¡¯s Rock Spikes fired precisely with each shot leaving marks on the Wind de Wolves. It was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, unrivaled in ferocity, with the Wind de Wolves trying to bite Douson, only to be swatted away. Even when bitten, it was only superficial, as its muscles, inted like balloons, allowed it to effectively avoid the Wind de Wolves¡¯ sharp teeth. Then it would turn around and bite back, and the Wind de Wolves couldn¡¯t stand it, yelping and jumping away. Blood sttered, magic flew. The battle between wolf and dog was extremely fierce. ¡°Has Douson evolved?¡± Marcus asked, his hand trembling slightly while holding the Smoked Grass Fire Stone Package, the scene was indeed spectacr, a Fierce Earth Dog taking on six Wind de Wolves by itself. Liszt¡¯s breathing was slightly hurried, he had seen the look in Douson¡¯s eyes just now, as if it didn¡¯t recognize him anymore. There even seemed to be a bloodthirsty hostility lurking, the innate instincts of a wild beast, and he had no doubt that Douson might attack him at any moment. Fortunately, at the critical moment, he didn¡¯t panic, and his mind remained clear. He quickly gave the order to attack, redirecting Douson¡¯s attention. As he expected. Douson¡¯s response to his order was a conditioned reflex, subconsciously charging out, attacking the Wind de Wolves. What he hadn¡¯t expected was for Douson to take on six alone without falling behind in the least. ¡°I don¡¯t know, its magic power is very violent, maybe it¡¯s evolution, maybe it¡¯s not evolution. Either way, it needs to vent!¡± said Liszt, his tone calm but with an undertone of indifference, ¡°Teacher Marcus, Douson seems to be influenced by the Bloodline Fruit, bing wildly beastly. Be prepared to take it down.¡± If Douson really bes unrecognizable and attacks himter, he will not hesitate. Marcus nodded heavily, drawing his bow and arrow, and while retreating to the vicinity of the intact traps, he paid close attention to the scene of the fierce battle between the dog and the wolves, ¡°Understood!¡± The Retainer Knights stood in formation, protecting Liszt in the center. Quietly waiting. The battle did notst long. The wildly peerless Douson found an opportunity, impaling a Wind de Wolf with a Rock Spike, breaching the perimeter of the wolf pack, and then began his ughter. He violently grabbed a Wind de Wolf and before it could twist its body to flee, another Rock Spike emerged, piercing through the wolf. It was far more proficient in using magic than the Wind de Wolves, and the Rock Spike was already a spell suited for stealth attacks, having been trained by Liszt for a long time. One by one. The Wind de Wolves were cruelly impaled by it. And the frenzied aura on its body gradually subsided, and when it was about to kill thest Wind de Wolf, it ran out of magic power and failed to release another Rock Spike. It watched helplessly as the Wind de Wolf escaped disaster and fled into the distance without looking back. For a moment, it gasped for air, forgetting to give chase. But the next moment. Four sharp arrows flew, pinning the severely wounded Wind de Wolf to the ground. It was Liszt and Marcus acting together, catching one that slipped through. After shooting the fleeing Wind de Wolf, the two of them bent their bows to notch another arrow, taking aim at Douson. They did not shoot. Liszt gently called out to the panting Douson, ¡°Douson, sit.¡± Douson paused, its bloodthirsty eyes flickering, as if it no longer understood Liszt¡¯smand or recognized who Liszt was. It just gasped for air, staring at Liszt and the others, without any movement. Liszt maintained his archery stance. His heart was filled with mixed emotions. Having raised it for nearly half a year, even though it wasn¡¯t as a pet, he had grown fond of it. He didn¡¯t want to turn into strangers and then have to kill Douson by his own hand¡ªa loss that wasn¡¯t just a Bloodline Fruit, but so much more. Time ticked by slowly. Liszt¡¯s mood also darkened bit by bit. However, at that moment, Douson slowly sat down and barked at him twice with a ¡°woof woof.¡± In an instant, his spirits lifted, and Lisztughed out loud, beckoning, ¡°Douson,e back!¡± Douson immediately wagged its tail, limping over to him. Dismounting, he touched Douson¡¯s fur, and Douson cooperatively stuck out its tongue, licking Liszt¡¯s palm. Its eyes had lost their bloodthirsty crimson and returned to their usual liveliness and vibrancy. Marcus smiled and turned to shout, ¡°Clean up the battlefield, collect the prey, let¡¯s head back!¡± The Retainer Knights were relieved from the tension of the battle, chatting andughing as they picked up the bodies of the magical beasts, packing and hanging them on the horses. After this battle, it¡¯s likely that no magical beasts will be left on the southern side of Thorn Ridge¡ªThorn Ridge had been divided into two disconnected sections by the main road, with a fence constructed,pletely separating the north from the south. ¡°How¡¯s the leg injury?¡± Liszt inquired. While bandaging, Marcus replied, ¡°It¡¯s just a superficial wound, the bones are fine. Sir, has Douson evolved? Has it be an Intermediate Magical Beast?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it looks¡ bigger than before.¡± Chapter 128 - 0128 Glory Belongs to Lord Landlord Chapter 128: Glory Belongs to Lord Landlord Douson had indeed grown a bitrger, mainly because his muscles had developed quite a bit, and it seemed as if they were inted by the magic power of the Bloodline Fruits, giving a somewhat swollen appearance. ¡°Teacher Marcus, have you ever seen an intermediate magical beast?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± Intermediate magical beasts were not something just anyone could encounter, just like how Coral Ind only had one Sky Knight, the Earl, and only one intermediate magical beast, the Purple Sand Crocodile. These weren¡¯t crocodiles kept in zoos that one could visit with a ticket purchase; the magic of intermediate magical beasts wasn¡¯t limited to just one single type. ording to the records of Tulip Castle. The Purple Sand Crocodile was a water-attribute magical beast, which had released three types of magic during a skirmish with the Knight Order. These were ¡°Water Arrow Barrage,¡± ¡°Water Wave Shield,¡± and the extremely powerful ¡°Waterfall,¡± capable of summoning waves over ten meters high on drynd which could even crush an Earth Knight to death. Therefore. Liszt couldn¡¯t be sure whether Douson had evolved into an intermediate magical beast or not. At least from the current state of affairs, Douson hadn¡¯t undergone much change, and even in a berserk state, it had no overwhelming advantage over the pack of Wind de Wolves¡ªthe dense and numerous wounds on its body were proof of that. ¡°Regardless, the Bloodline Fruits should bring about some changes to Douson; subtly and gradually, they will make it stronger.¡± Liszt reassured himself in his heart, trying not to worry too much. The Knight Squad had been cleaning up for quite a while and still hadn¡¯t managed to deal with the corpses of the magical beasts. Mainly because the Thunderfang Boar was simply toorge, estimated to weigh as much as a full-grown hippopotamus, close to 3 tons. No horse, no matter how strong, could carry the Thunderfang Boar. There were also two Fierce Earth Dogs, seven Wind de Wolves, and one Shadow Snake; today¡¯s haul was immense. ¡°Let¡¯s send some of the magical beast corpses back first, then bring the caravan¡¯s wagons. This Thorn Forest still has many more animal carcasses to be collected,¡± Marcus thought aloud. Liszt had no objections to this, as mundane matters like these he couldn¡¯t be bothered to contemte. Right now, he only wanted to return to the castle, take a good bath, and then get some sleep. On the way back, he summoned the Smoke Mission. ¡°Complete the mission, reward one Bloodline Fruit.¡± ¡°Mission: You have initiated an attack, determined to eradicate Thorn Ridge, to create a peaceful new environment for Fresh Flower Town. So gather your determination and ughter all magical beasts in Thorn Ridge. Reward: Traces of the Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡± The new mission gave Liszt a burst of energy. The reward was actually the traces of the Li Dragon Horse Herd¡ªan existence he had always suspected might not be a solitary one. Logically, there shouldn¡¯t be horses on the ind, but who could guarantee that there really was no horse herd? After all, this was a world full of magic power. Unexpectedly, the Smoke Mission provided a direct clue. There were indeed Li Dragon Horse Herds. This was a Dragon Breed Horse, its value goes without saying. ¡°I was nning to rest after clearing out the southern Thorn Ridge and finding the Bloodline Fruit. Now it seems I can¡¯t rest. I must press on and finish the extermination work, to wee my Li Dragon Horse Herd!¡± The moon had long since set. The stars in the sky twinkled brightly. Under the starlight, Liszt and his Knight Squad, bearing a full harvest, returned to the castle. Lamps were lit in the castle, and the butler, Old Carter, had been waiting all along, not knowing when the lord of the castle would return. Following Liszt¡¯s instructions before leaving, there was no need to wait if he wasn¡¯t back by nightfall. Yet he still rose from bed from time to time, going to the window to look outside. Then, he saw the torches. ¡°The master is back,¡± Carter felt an inexplicable relief, then quickly dressed and knocked on Mrs. Morson¡¯s door, ¡°Mrs. Morson, the master is back, wake the maids and prepare the bathwater for the master. Have the kitchen rush to prepare ate-night meal, the squad has already reached Douson Avenue.¡± ¡°Alright, Mr. Carter, I¡¯ll get up right now,¡± Mrs. Morson responded. Carter quickly roused the servants one by one, and then continuously litmps, awakening the entire castle from darkness¡ªhis lordship loved light; he always said not to worry about wasting candles, now that they had money! Lights in the castle rapidly brightened. The returning master on horseback felt exceptionally at ease. Liszt couldn¡¯t help but think of a song¡ª¡±Stars light up, illuminating my doorstep, guiding lost children to find their way home.¡± It didn¡¯t seem quite fitting, so he thought of another short poem¡ª¡±The steady cadence of my horse¡¯s hooves is a beautiful mistake; I am not a homeer, but a passerby¡¡± Alright. Neither was very fitting. Unable to find the right words to describe his feelings at the moment, he was simply excited. When he reached the castle gate, the servants were already lined up, waiting to greet him. ¡°Knightly honor favors us! Lord, seeing you return safely brings me peace of mind,¡± Carter said. ¡°No need for concern, Mr. Carter; it was just a hunt in the forest, and there were no dangers,¡± Liszt replied with a light smile. ¡°Tom, take my retainer knights and drive out the merchant¡¯s wagon. Later we¡¯ll head back to Thorn Ridge to haul all the game we¡¯ve hunted¡ You¡¯ll be busy tonight.¡± ¡°As you wish, Lord, I¡¯ll take care of it now,¡± Tom responded. Carter, seeing the knight squad return with the carcasses of the game, understood that it would be a sleepless night: ¡°Serving his lordship is our honor.¡± ¡°Has Mrs. Abbie prepared thete-night snack?¡± ¡°The kitchen has started working; I¡¯ve had Mrs. Abbie prepare portions for the entire knight squad.¡± ¡°Good, when we return, we must drink heartily and celebrate today¡¯s bountiful harvest,¡± Liszt said without dismounting his horse. ¡°Thomas, lead Douson over there; it¡¯s injured and needs to be bandaged.¡± ¡°Your wish is mymand, Lord,¡± Thomas replied. Gazing at the game that had been unloaded, Liszt went on, ¡°Mr. Carter, inform Teacher Goltai that he cane and divide this batch of game. Reserve a portion for the castle, distribute another portion to the families of officials and retainer knights, with the rest to be supplied to the seafood shop at the price of seafood.¡± The game being discussed was just beasts. As for magical beasts, they definitely couldn¡¯t be handled the same way¡ªLiszt wasn¡¯t that generous yet. Except when hosting banquets, when he would allow his subordinates to enjoy a little extra, the meat of magical beasts was exclusively for him. After two trips, all of today¡¯s spoils had finally been brought back. Piled in front of the castle like a small hill. The great hall on the first floor was bustling with activity. It was a rare moment, transcending the noble hierarchy, where thendlord and retainers sat together at the same table. Tonight¡¯ste-night snack wasparable to a holiday feast¡ªLiszt had the kitchen prepare an entire Shadow Snake into steaks, and each official and retainer received arge piece of steak. Meat from a magical beast, rich in magic power, was a great tonic that they normally couldn¡¯t afford. Seizing this opportunity, everyone devoured their share, wishing they could even lick the tes clean. Outside in the castle, Douson also received arge piece of steak. ¡°Knightly honor watches over Fresh Flower Town, it watches over Lord Landlord, with courage and wisdom going hand in hand! I propose, let us raise a ss together, to Liszt, who is favored by knightly honor, glory be to Lord Landlord!¡± Teacher Goltai, holding a ss filled with juniper wine, took charge of the banquet¡¯s atmosphere. Fostering interaction and enhancing the mood were among his specialties. The others lifted their sses and shouted in unison, ¡°Glory be to Lord Landlord!¡± Sitting at the head of the table, Liszt¡¯s face was not the formic noble smile, but one of excited joy, savoring the atmosphere. He lifted his ss and dered loudly, ¡°The glory is mine, and I am with all of you!¡± Chapter 129 - 0129 Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn Chapter 129: Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn Though they aimed to conquer all of Thorn Ridge in one fell swoop, they still rested for two days, mainly because the members of the Knight Squad had some minor injuries, including Marcus, whose leg had sustained a graze. Having Dou Qi, they recovered from minor injuries very quickly. Two days were enough to relieve the fatigue in their bodies and let the wounds scab over. Liszt, unharmed, woke from a night¡¯s sleep feeling reinvigorated and adjusted to optimal condition. He was in high spirits, racing his horse across the training field and rigorously practicing ¡°Fire Dragon Drill,¡± ¡°ming Wave,¡± and ¡°Multi-Arrow.¡± Thisbat experience had granted him ample experience. He felt that the Dou Qi within him had surged significantly. Originally a tender noble, a newbie among the Earth Knights, he now solidified his foundation and took a great stride toward bing an Elite Earth Knight. Compared to Marcus, he was almost on par¡ªthe experience was stillcking, and so was the amount of Dou Qi, but with the Eye of Magic and the Crimson Blood Sword, the oue of a real fight was uncertain. ¡°I think in a one-on-one duel with Marcus, it should be an even split!¡± he estimated. Turning to look at Douson who, with glossy fur, was frantically running around the training field seemingly bursting with endless energy, he started to strategize: ¡°With Douson¡¯s help, Marcus is definitely no match for me. In fact, I believe that Douson alone could be an even match for Marcus.¡± It wasn¡¯t yet clear whether the Bloodline Fruit had caused any evolutionary changes in Douson. Regarding this knowledge, there was still too little. But there was no question that the amount of Douson¡¯s magic had increased tremendously; it used to be able to cast Rock Spike only about ten to twenty times a day, but now could cast it from morning till dusk. While it might not reach fifty times, thirty-five times was absolutely within reach. Because of this, the progress on Douson Avenue¡¯s road construction had greatly elerated. ¡°Douson, cast the magic!¡± Whoosh! A Rock Spike rose from the ground, one and a half timesrger than the ones Douson used to cast. The amount of rock produced in a day was equivalent to three to four days¡¯ yield in the past, making it resemble a mini ¡°Rock Young Dragon¡±¡ªording to a knight¡¯s novel called ¡°Mercenary World,¡± dragons in their youth looked somewhat like dogs. Overall, Douson, having gotten a taste of blood, had more than doubled in strength, but it was still far from reaching the power of an Intermediate Magical Beast. Its recovery ability, however, had increased dramatically, and the wounds on its body were about to healpletely. ¡°Looking at Douson¡¯s current performance, it wasn¡¯t a waste of the Bloodline Fruit after all, at least, it¡¯s much better than if the evolution had failed.¡± About this clean-up, he was satisfied. The Shadow Snake¡¯s hide was excellent lining material for leather armor. There were some signs of fire damage, but overall, it was rtively intact and could at least sell for ten Gold Coins. As for the two Fierce Earth Dogs, one was entirely charred and could only be kept for Liszt to eat; the other had its furrgely shed by Marcus, so it couldn¡¯t fetch a high price. The internal organs could be sold to magicians, but mostly they were kept for personal consumption since the castle wasn¡¯t in urgent need of the money. The tworge tusks of the Thunderfang Boar were excellent forging materials, especially suitable for creating Magic Equipment, with one tusk worth at least five Gold Coins. The hide was also great for making leather armor and could sell for around ten Gold Coins. The meat and bones could either be kept for consumption or sold. Selling them for seven or eight Gold Coins wouldn¡¯t be difficult. With a massive physique and tough hide, the Thunderfang Boar was valuable all over. The other prizes were the seven Wind de Wolves¡ªsince they were hunted by Douson, the wounds were small and the fur was mostly intact, making it feasible to sell each for over ten Gold Coins without issue. If estimated, this batch of magical beasts could bring Li Si Te at least a hundred and thirty gold coins. ¡°The Southern Thorn Ridge has probably been cleared out, but there are likely still many magical beasts in the Northern Thorn Ridge. We can harvest another hundred or more gold coins. Clearing out Thorn Ridge not only yields magical beast meat and materials to exchange for gold coins but also sharpens the Knight Squad and reduces the threat to the town. It¡¯s a profitable deal.¡± The math was sound, but the magical beasts were a one-time bounty; once killed, they were gone. The Thorn Forest of Thorn Ridge would also disappear¡ªhe had already ordered Goltai to reorganize the Lumberjack Team to make Thorn Ridge a thing of the past. In addition, ir was preparing to form a tree-nting team to nt two types of thorns, Rapid Growth Poison Thorn and Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn, around the periphery of Thorn Ridge. The rapid-growth thorn species grew incredibly fast. With enough moisture and fertilizer, they could grow more than ten centimeters overnight. The Rapid Growth Poison Thorn, after cultivation, already covered several acres. Its roots could be dug up at any time for transntation elsewhere. The ¡°Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn¡± had been discovered not long ago as a reward from the Smoke Mission¡ªa spiny, fast-growing, mutant thorn variety whose branches were covered in dense clusters ofrge and small spikes, quite terrifying. These two types of thorns, used as hedging, posed little threat to humans, as a few shovelfuls could clear a path. But wild beasts and magical beasts would surely despair. ¡°Actually, now that the tall trees of the Thorn Forest have been chopped down, and magical beasts can no longer inhabit it, we don¡¯t need thorns for defense. However, to let others know that Thorn Ridge is Fresh Flower Town¡¯s territory, I¡¯ll still nt a circle of thorns.¡± During the fief distribution, the Earl dered Fresh Flower Town to be Li Si Te¡¯s territory. But the official boundaries of Fresh Flower Town were not clearly defined, and likewise, Thorn Ridge had previously been an independent hazardous area unimed by any other town. After Li Si Te took over Thorn Ridge, it became de facto territory of Fresh Flower Town, an exploitation of loopholes that was perfectly legitimate. ¡°The area of Thorn Ridge, added together, is at least the size of Fresh Flower Town. This means my territory will double in size and at least half of thatnd can be cultivated into farnd!¡± Concerning his somewhat bandit-like actions, Li Si Te felt not a hint of shame, but rather quite pleased with himself. If he did this after Levis inherited the earldom, he might face a bacsh¡ªnobles value theirnd highly, and not even brothers are allowed to take advantage of it. But currently, the Earl was his father. A son capitalizing on loopholes and going to great lengths to secure Thorn Ridge, taking a little advantage was hardly a matter for censure. All things considered, his father was unlikely to squabble with his son over what was originally ¡°useless¡±nd. Taking a sip of fresh coconut milk, Li Si Te counted the days on his fingers. ¡°Today is September 14th. The Earl¡¯s birthday is on September 19th. He has already led the Coral Ind Knights to charge into battle on the maind, so there won¡¯t be a birthday party¡ By the end of this month, the Tulip Fleet should be back, and the five hundred serfs I purchased will arrive¡¡± He nned to spend a week topletely turn over Thorn Ridge, exterminating all the magical beasts. The trees would all be cut down within a month, and once the serfs arrived, he would swiftly cultivate thend into farnd, managing to nt a crop of winter wheat before winter set in. ¡°Five hundred serfs are not enough. After selling the magical beast materials, I¡¯ll pull out some gold coins from the seafood business, amass six hundred gold coins, and buy an additional two thousand five hundred serfs!¡± Previously. Five hundred serfs, including a hundred craftsmen, cost one hundred and twenty gold coins. By that ratio, six hundred gold coins could buy exactly two thousand ordinary serfs and five hundred craftsmen. ¡°I wonder if I can get a discount on serfs with this Pioneer Mandate. Once Frank, Levis¡¯s confidant, returns, I need to have a good talk with him¡ Wars always bring countless refugees. Maybe I could even buy some knights who can¡¯t pay their ransoms and directly establish my own real Knight Squad.¡± Chapter 130 - 0130: A Strange Scream Chapter 130: A Strange Scream Two days flew by, and the Knight Squad set forth once again, heading towards Thorn Ridge up in the north. The sessful annihtion of the Southern Thorn Ridge sent the team¡¯s morale soaring, and a hint of ferocity now tinged the tender faces of the Retainer Knights. However, the main force of the extermination team was neither the Retainer Knights nor Marcus or Li Si Te (Liszt). It was Douson. It had be belligerent and full of vigor, almost tireless. From a tiny squirrel to the Low-Level Magical Beast, the Ice Tree Frog, none were spared from its ravages. Especially toward the Ice Tree Frog, a Low-Level Magical Beast with an affinity for ice, which perched on tree branches and cast the magic ¡°Ice de¡± at Douson in a wild bombardment. But Douson even taught itself to climb trees. Despite the Ice Tree Frog¡¯s frantic leaping, it was still pounced on by Douson, killed in just a few bites without even using Rock Spike. The King of Thorn Ridge¡¯s imposing manner was already taking shape. ¡°Douson, even if not an Intermediate Magical Beast, is not far from it. Sir, itsbat power is growing stronger, and I feel that it is still growing and getting stronger.¡± Marcus watched as Douson carried the Ice Tree Frog in its mouth, wagging its tail excitedly, and cheerfully ced its trophy next to the Li Dragon Horse. He couldn¡¯t help but express his sincere admiration. Keeping a fighting Magical Beast that was also loyal and brave proved immensely practical. Liszt, delighted, tossed out a fried meat strip as a reward for Douson¡ªDouson was quite picky with its mouth, not eating raw food; it preferred fried delicacies the most. ¡°At first, I thought the Bloodline Fruit had failed, unable to change its bloodline, and it was still a Fierce Earth Dog. But now, we can¡¯t jump to conclusions so easily. Teacher Marcus, have you noticed that after two days in Thorn Ridge, Douson¡¯s size has grown even bigger?¡± ¡°Indeed, it has grown quite a bit. Now Douson is as big as an adult tiger.¡± An adult Fierce Earth Dog could at most match the size of a leopard, but now Douson had reached the size of a tiger and was still growing. Liszt waved his hand, and Douson bounded out again, continuing its hunting endeavors. ¡°No matter what, Douson is only half a year old, not yet mature, but it¡¯s already this strong. Once it matures, I am afraid there won¡¯t be any opponents below the rank of Intermediate Magical Beast.¡± The growth rate of Magical Beasts was generally fast, but Douson¡¯s was clearly faster. Back in the Castle, Liszt had never skimped on providing well for it, serving up plenty of fish and meat. Compared to ordinary Magical Beasts that survived on raw food in the forest, Douson had always consumed cooked meals, making nutrient utilization much higher. In less than three months, it could cast magic, and within half a year, it could struggle against adult Magical Beasts. After consuming the Bloodline Fruit, its body and magical powers exploded, easily subduing Low-Level Magical Beasts. Once Douson matured, among the Magical Beasts of Coral Ind¡ªexcept for the Purple Sand Crocodile¡ªthere would likely be none that could rival Douson. While they were speaking, Douson encountered another Magical Beast. It was a massive Thunderfang Boar, with four smaller Thunderfang Boars trailing behind it. It was very possible that it was family to the one encountered in Southern Thorn Ridge. Confronted with Douson, the big boar was quite ferocious, but Douson was far craftier than imagined, skillfully circling around and biting the little boars to death. It did not confront the big boar head-on. Only when the big boar¡¯s magic, Lightning sh, was cast so much that its magic power was depleted did Douson begin to throw Rock Spike, teasing the big boar. Finally, seizing the opportunity, it knocked down the Thunderfang Boar, finished it off with a Rock Spike through the boar¡¯s neck, and sent the whole boar family packing. Marcus held his bow and arrows without much chance to use them: ¡°The timing of magic release was just right. Douson¡¯s wisdom is high, and Sir, your training has been very effective.¡± Liszt was equally idle: ¡°It really is smart. Magical Beasts rely on instinct, but it relies on its brain.¡± He was increasingly pleased with Douson. With Douson around, the extermination tasks were as easy as leisure activities. Marcus didn¡¯t let the Retainer Knights sit idle. When they encountered a lone Wind de Wolf, he summoned Douson back and then allowed Liszt to arrange for the Retainer Knights to surround and attack the Wind de Wolf: ¡°This is an old and weakening Wind de Wolf; it has started to shed, likely having been expelled from its pack. I¡¯ll leave this one to you.¡± Ultimately, with three Retainer Knights injured, ten Retainer Knights worked together to corner and kill the Wind de Wolf. The prey was hung up on the tree. The team continued to delve deeper. As the sea was soon in sight, it meant that the northern part of Thorn Ridge was about to be cleared, with not much to show for it. Just five Thunderfang Boars¡ªone big and four small¡ªa single Ice Tree Frog, and a single Wind de Wolf, barely six magical beasts in total. Plenty of wild beasts had been hunted, but Liszt had no interest in those. Having grown ustomed to the meat of magical beasts, he considered the meat of wild beasts to be of inferior quality. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, the Thorn Forest is about to disappear, leaving Fresh Flower Town with no environment for magical beasts to dwell in. If we want to eat magical beast meat in the future, we¡¯ll have to go out and buy it.¡± The clearing of Thorn Ridge would supply enough magical beast meat for about half a year¡¯s consumption. After that would be over, he¡¯d need to spend quite a sum to buy magical beast meat for consumption. Marcus saw the brighter side, ¡°Once Thorn Ridge is turned into farnds, the castle¡¯s tax revenue will increase substantially, and thendlord will naturally be able to buy magical beast meat with gold coins. Moreover, by that time, the sale of ck Tulip and me Mushroom magic potions will also bring in a considerable ie. Fresh Flower Town will be more and more prosperous.¡± ¡°Still, we need to open up more sources of ie. In the future, we¡¯ll need to do more than just feed ourselves; we¡¯ll also have to train a Knight Squad.¡± The sess in hunting magical beasts made Liszt¡¯s ambition grow, ¡°I hope that by the next Pioneer Mandate, my knights can bring me true glory. Andlord needs morend!¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes shone brightly, ¡°I am at your service, my lord!¡± ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson suddenly barked, interrupting thendlord and knight¡¯s pleasant anticipation. Liszt took advantage of the situation to utilize his Eye of Magic, scanning the surroundings. Then, he spotted signs of magic power; a magical beast was lurking not far away. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find a magical beast so close to the sea. Douson, attack.¡± Onmand, Douson dashed out like an arrow, charging straight at the magical beast. Clearly, he had sensed the presence of the magical beast even before Liszt had. Liszt and the others followed at a leisurely pace. They could hear Douson¡¯s intermittent barking and another dog¡¯s yelping. ¡°It seems there¡¯s still a Fierce Earth Dog,¡± Marcus deduced from the sound that the magical beast was a Fierce Earth Dog. ¡°That¡¯s normal. For Fierce Earth Dogs to reproduce on Thorn Ridge, there can¡¯t be just two or three of them. In fact, I think it¡¯s possible there are more that slipped through the¡ªThorn Ridge must have more than one Shadow Snake, more than one Ice Tree Frog, and there might even be Wind Falcons nearby.¡± After a pause, Liszt added, ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t be certain. Eighteen years ago, when Fresh Flower Town wasn¡¯t yet built, this ce was all forest, cleared once by the Coral Ind Knights. Shadow Snakes and Ice Tree Frogs might be from that time¡ after all, magical beasts can live for quite a few years.¡± Magical beasts live longer than ordinary wild animals. Theoretically, they could still be alive today. Fierce Earth Dogs, Wind de Wolves, and Thunderfang Boars had all found mates to continue their species; Shadow Snakes and Ice Tree Frogs were likely to be extinct, but their bloodlines might persist, as they could breed with wild animals. There¡¯s not necessarily reproductive istion between magical beasts and the wild animals of their kind. Magical beasts forcing themselves on wild animals and producing magical beast offspring is amon urrence¡ªLiszt¡¯s mount, the Fire Dragon Horse, is the offspring of a zing Steed and an ordinary horse. The proliferation of species always ebbs and flows. Sometimes they evolve, sometimes they regress; magical beasts won¡¯t always stay magical beasts. Suddenly. Liszt felt something was amiss; he couldn¡¯t hear Douson¡¯s barking anymore, only the painful howls of the other Fierce Earth Dog. But there was something strange about the howls¡ªwhile they were certainly piteous, the breath behind them remained strong and sustained, not like the cries that would be expected from a creature being hunted by Douson. Chapter 131 - 013: The Bound Birthing Machine Chapter 131: Chapter 013: The Bound Birthing Machine As Liszt approached on horseback, he witnessed a rather shocking scene. Douson was actually riding on the Fierce Earth Dog, which prompted Liszt to grimace disdainfully. He turned his head and asked, ¡°Teacher Marcus, Douson should only be about half a year old, right?¡± ¡°When we found Douson, it hadn¡¯t even opened its eyes yet, it was definitely newly born not long ago. Thus, Douson won¡¯t be thatrge; it definitely isn¡¯t a year old yet, at most seven months.¡± ¡°A seven-month-old dog can do this kind of thing?¡± Marcus rarely smiled and said, ¡°My lord, dogs are definitely different from humans; for Douson¡¯s age, it is indeed a bit early, but it¡¯s not umon. It can only be said that Douson has developed well, and with the stimtion of the Bloodline Fruit, it should have reached full maturity.¡± Liszt had raised dogs back in his hometown, but that was when he was a child. Besides, no one really cared about the rural mutts. Hearing Marcus¡¯s exnation, he also let go of his surprise. Standing not too far away, he enjoyed an action-packed show. ¡°My lord, should we take this opportunity to shoot this Female Tyrant Earth Hound dead?¡± Marcus picked up his bow and arrow, eager to try, at this moment the Female Tyrant Earth Hound was a living target. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Liszt immediately stopped him. ¡°Teacher Marcus, figure out a way to capture this Female Tyrant Earth Hound alive and keep it in the castle. Now it seems that Douson hase of age and can reproduce. Perhaps I can obtain a group of Fierce Earth Dogs.¡± ¡°But the Female Tyrant Earth Hound is already wild and dangerous.¡± ¡°Then tie it up, secure it with iron chains, dere the surrounding twenty meters as a forbidden zone and build a Rock wall around it. After it gives birth to a batch of puppies, then take the puppies away¡ In any case, Fierce Earth Dogs are not abundant on Coral Ind, and Douson ultimately needs a female dog.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way to do it.¡± Marcus nodded, then turned around and told the Retainer Knights, ¡°Bring out the. Jim, York, take the tree on the left, Philip, Sean, take the one on the right, Zavier, Tracy, take the one at the back¡ When the Fierce Earth Dog tries to escape, immediately it!¡± The knights immediately approached cautiously and climbed up the trees, each holding one end of the, ready to cast it. About twenty minutester. The two Fierce Earth Dogs naturally separated. The Female Tyrant Earth Hound turned to flee at once, but Marcus, who was prepared, immediately ordered, ¡°Ready the!¡± The knights immediately threw the ropes in their hands, and arge enveloped the Female Tyrant Earth Hound. It was fast, but not faster than the knights who were prepared. It was directly covered by therge. In a panic, it released Magic, with Rock Spikes piercing the ground one after another, but these Rock Spikes only pushed the up and couldn¡¯t pierce through it. It struggled to run but got increasingly tangled in the until it was tightly bound and unable to move. Rock Spikes protruded everywhere until, exhausted of its Magic Power, it couldn¡¯t break free. ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson simply watched from the side, neither pouncing to attack nor walking away. It only barked at the Female Tyrant Earth Hound from time to time, with unclear intent. ¡°It should have run out of Magic Power, go down and tie it up, first muzzle it,¡± Marcus tested a few times, concluding. Very soon, the Female Tyrant Earth Hound was tied up securely, especially its mouth. Even if it regained Magic Power, it couldn¡¯t easily use Magic. ¡°Woo woo¡¡± The Female Tyrant Earth Hound, with its mouth and limbs bound, kept growling angrily, but its fate was already sealed¡ªto be Douson¡¯s toy, a breeding machine for Fierce Earth Dogs. ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson wagged its tail, circling and barking around the Female Tyrant Earth Hound, seeminglyforting it. ¡°That must be thest Magical Beast, right?¡± Liszt silently summoned the Smoke Mission, using it to judge the situation, as it was the most direct manifestation. However, the Smoke Serpent Script showed no change. ¡°Mission: You haveunched an attack, determined to eradicate Thorn Ridge to create a peaceful new environment for Fresh Flower Town. So keep up the momentum and ughter all the Magical Beasts of Thorn Ridge. Reward: Li Dragon Horse Herd¡¯s tracks.¡± He frowned slightly, ¡°Are there more Magical Beasts?¡± Having thoroughlybed through Thorn Ridge, with the help of the Eye of Magic, he reasoned he should have found any Magical Beasts within his field of vision. It seemed that some Magical Beasts had managed to evade the purge while his Eye of Magic was recovering. ¡°My lord, we¡¯re nearing the seashore, should we go back?¡± Marcus asked. Liszt pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°No rush, keep going forward, let¡¯s take a look at the seashore. I heard from Kostor that there is a deepwater port nearby, which is perfect to check out. We can start nning sooner and get a dock built for Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The team continued its journey. Douson, enticed by beauty, lost interest in hunting, and circled the bound Fierce Earth Dog for the entire trip. Fortunately, the journey was smooth, with only a few wild beasts seen before they reached the seashore. After walking along a difficult rocky path by the sea, they arrived at the location Kostor had mentioned. It was a hundreds-of-meters-wide rocky beach, with rocky mountains on both the left and right. Only the middle part wasden with rocks of various sizes, which could be cleared out to create a t area with a little effort. Kostor had not lied. Arge port could not be built here, but there was no problem constructing a medium or small-sized dock. After walking around among the rocks, Liszt immediately had a n in mind: ¡°On our way back, we¡¯ll head straight towards the Cow Farm, find a t path first, instruct the Lumberjack Team to start clearing trees from this spot as soon as possible, and open up a road to this ce. The stones near the dock could be hauled back for road paving.¡± ¡°Here will be the starting point for Fresh Flower Town¡¯s future,¡± he gestured around the rocky beach. Chapter 132: A Great Step in Exploring the Universe Chapter 132: A Great Step in Exploring the Universe Because the task had not beenpleted yet, Liszt returned to the castle to regroup for a day before continuing his journey with Douson and the Retainer Knights toward Thorn Ridge. He was determined to hunt down thest of the escaped preypletely. The Female Tyrant Earth Hound was still tied up. To wear down its ferocity, Liszt, synthesizing everyone¡¯s opinions, decided to starve it for three to five days so it couldn¡¯t use magic to harm people. Meanwhile, the Thorn Caravan had been arranged to order cages from North Valley City. Its fate was destined to be spent in a cage for thetter half of its life. Perhaps one day, when it became ustomed to its new life and was content to follow Douson, it might regain its freedom. ¡°Douson should be able to handle it. After all, he was almost an Intermediate Magical Beast!¡± Liszt was very confident in this regard. The Fierce Earth Dog might not be a gregarious Magical Beast, but submission to a stronger being was a consistent trait in Magical Beasts, especially given that they were a pair, one male, and one female. ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson, who was chasing his tail in the distance, felt a bit dizzy. Still so young! ¡°Now that she has be your wife, it¡¯s time to give her a name¡ She is a Tyrant Earth Hound, and she is your wife, so let¡¯s call her ¡®Earth Matron¡¯!¡± Liszt took naming seriously, ¡°Douson, do you approve of this name? If you do, bark twice.¡± ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson, still chasing after his tail, indicated approval. Entering Thorn Ridge once again. Douson, without Earth Matron to draw attention, regained his majestic presence as the King of Thorn Ridge and continued on his way, constantly seeking out animals to hunt¡ª all were solitary beasts, the ones that had slipped through the during the previous hunt. What a pity. Another three days passed. Liszt had not found any Magical Beast and felt that his Eye of Magic had be proficient enough to cast it seamlessly, maintaining it for 24 hours a day. Yet, he still saw no signs of magic, as if the Magical Beasts had hidden underground to hibernate. But the time waste summer and early autumn; hibernation was not possible. ¡°So, where are the escaped fishes hiding?¡± Liszt, riding on a Li Dragon Horse, looked towards the bustling Lumberjack Team cutting down trees not far away and felt somewhat perplexed. Withoutpleting the task, the clues he wanted pertaining to the Li Dragon Horse Herd wouldn¡¯t surface¡ª probably the clues were hidden within the Thorn Forest, but even after sweeping the area twice there were no leads. There were only hopes pinned onpleting the mission. If they couldn¡¯t be found, they simply couldn¡¯t be found. Eventually, Liszt could only give the order, ¡°Teacher Marcus, you lead the Retainer Knights to continue training in Thorn Ridge, protect the Lumberjack Team well, and if you encounter any Magical Beasts that can be fought, fight; if not, flee.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± The Smoke Mission was a troublesome problem. It dampened the spirits. However, in these few days, there was some good news: the Crystal Craftsman sessfully polished the concave and convex lenses needed, a total of twenty pieces. Liszt experimented with randombinations and found that a convex lens paired with a concave lens could make a telescope, as could two convex lenses, though thetter resulted in an inverted image. He naturally chose tobine the convex and concave lenses and instructed the cksmith at the Smithy and the carpenter at the Carpenter¡¯s Shop to jointly craft the telescope tube. The tube was about one meter long, and after the lenses were fitted, the magnification was not very high, but Liszt was very satisfied and named it the ¡°Liszt Telescope.¡± At night, he aimed the telescope at the moon in the sky. After fine-tuning the distance between the lenses, the unevenly dark areas on the moon were instantly captured in his eyes. However, what struck Liszt as odd was that the moon he saw was surrounded by a faint halo¡ª Liszt, with superficial knowledge of astronomy, quickly recognized it. ¡°The atmosphere!¡± ¡°This moon actually has an atmosphere!¡± ¡°If it has an atmosphere, could it be inhabited by intelligent life?¡± he suddenly thought. This world had all sorts of wondrous myths about the moon. Some legends say that the royal family of the Neverfall Empire came from the moon. Some say the Elf King resides on the moon. Others im the moon is the homnd of dragons. Even more legends suggest that at the summit of Mount Mgao Ding, the central mountain range of the continent, there is a magic teleportation array that leads to the moon. Whoever could reach the top of Mount Mgao Ding and activate the magic teleportation array would master the endless wealth on the moon¡ªthis legend is somewhat like the myth of Chang¡¯e flying to the moon. Everyone knows it¡¯s not true, but they still yearn for it deep down. Magic Teleportation Array¡ªsaid to be a colossal magic researched by ancient magicians that could traverse time and space, it had long been lost to history, only remaining in legends. Mount Mgao Ding is the highest mountain range on the continent, unscble by mortals at tens of thousands of meters high. Even riding a dragon, one could not reach the highest peak; the endless storms at the mountainside, more frightening than the strongest wind system magic, could shred both man and dragon into pieces. As for the name ¡°Mgao Ding¡±, it is tranted from a foreignnguage, to be exact, from an ancientnguage called ¡°Moon Language.¡± Thenguage of the Moon Empire from long ago is no longer used by any nation. Still, many countries have incorporated or even directly adopted certain words from the Moon Language. The term Mgao Ding, when tranted, means ¡°Knight of the Moonlight.¡± Some interpret Mount Mgao Ding to signify the knight that guards the Moon Empire. Others contrive it to mean the knight guarding the magic teleportation array that connects to the moon. Regardless, ¡°Mount Mgao Ding can lead to the moon¡± is a legend known by everyone. ¡°So, are these legends true or false? To judge this Different World by Earth¡¯smon sense is no longer appropriate. Whether the moon really has ¡®people¡¯ is uncertain!¡± Liszt, who was once a steadfast atheist, had be an agnostic. This world had no worship of gods but was filled with all sorts of bizarre legends, which was very conducive to the development of agnosticism. Despite not fully understanding the moon¡¯s content. During that evening¡¯s banquet, Liszt still loudly announced, ¡°The invention of the Liszt Telescope is a significant step for mankind in exploring the universe. It will lift the veil of the cosmos and reveal it to the eyes of us all.¡± He was excited about his discovery and wanted to share the joy with the people. However, when his subordinates eagerly took turns to view the moon through the telescope, their feedback was somewhat disappointing. Goltai muttered while looking at the moon, ¡°Is this the moon? It does seem quite beautiful. Is it a round cake? Why are there no dragons or the Elf King?¡± ir said softly while observing the moon, ¡°The moon¡¯s light is too dim, much weaker than the sunlight. Some ces seem almost extinguished.¡± What he referred to as extinguished were the areas with heavier shadows on the moon, perhaps like the ins or the seas on Earth¡¯s moon. The Liszt Telescope¡¯s magnification was still not enough, managing only to erge by thirty-plus times, hence their observation of the moon was not clear, especially with the atmosphericyer in the way. Isaiah did not look at the moon; he wanted to see the stars, but under the moon¡¯s backdrop, barely any stars were shining. After viewing the moon, Marcus remained calm, ¡°My lord, why are we looking at the moon?¡± Ignorant natives! Liszt¡¯s originally excited mood hadpletely dissipated, leaving him with a sense of loneliness as though he was the only sober person among a crowd of drunkards. Fortunately, he was skilled at adjusting his attitude, and his noble demeanor quickly returned him to tranquility. With a polite smile, he said, ¡°It can not only observe the moon but also distant objects. With this telescope, distant scenes can be captured as if they are before your very eyes, and you can use it to observe magical beasts.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled, ¡°Indeed! My lord, you truly are the glorious Son of Glory favored by the knight¡¯s honor. The Liszt Telescope, indeed, is a great invention!¡± Chapter 133 - 0133 Good Afternoon Gao Ertai Chapter 133: Good Afternoon Gao Ertai The Liszt Telescopees in two types, long and short tube. The long tube is used for observing the moon, with magnification reaching over thirty times; the short tube is the portable telescope that he intended to create for the Knight Squad, which can be extended with a maximum magnification of around fifteen times. Twenty concave and convex lenses could only assemble one long tube and three short tubes, with the remaining lenses failing to meet the standard. He tossed the lenses to Carter, ¡°Mr. Carter, have a look and see which pair of lenses can magnify the image. You can use it to read books when the timees.¡± Carter was old and his eyesight was somewhat poor; giving him a magnifying ss, wouldn¡¯t that be delightful? One long tube was kept in the castle; three short tubes, of which Liszt carried one with him, Marcus¡¯s Knight Squad received one, and Karl¡¯s Patrol Team got one. With that, the distribution wasplete. Liszt had originally nned to retain the crystal craftsman Brad with a high sry, but thetter refused without hesitation¡ªFresh Flower Town was indeed booming, butpared to Coral City, the difference was still vast and could not attract these freemen artisans of good social standing. The same was true for Isaiah¡¯s family. Isaiah¡¯s family had visited Fresh Flower Town to see him, but when Isaiah urged them to stay, they refused without hesitation¡ªhis son even bluntly said, ¡°What a joke, there isn¡¯t even a brothel here!¡± Goltai¡¯s family also visited Fresh Flower Town, stayed for two days, and then left. Being nobles, their children and grandchildren were living a decent life and had no desire to reside in the countryside. His wife did n to settle in Fresh Flower Town, but Goltai refused, with a lofty reason that Fresh Flower Town was too barren and he did not want his wife to suffer. In reality, he was afraid she might discover the existence of Freya¡ªFreya¡¯s belly was already swelling. ¡°Lord Landlord, I heard that you¡¯ve invented a telescope that can see great distances?¡± Captain Kostor, upon hearing the news, hurriedly came to the castle. ¡°I wonder if the Fresh Flower Vessel could be equipped with a telescope? We need excellent visibility at sea, and a telescope would be of great help to us.¡± A very reasonable request. Liszt was somewhat torn. The telescope suitable for navigation was probably this one long-tube ¡°Liszt Telescope¡± in the castle, but this was his equipment for exploring the universe. After thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°Captain Kostor, you go back and train your sailor apprentices first. The lumberjack team will soon clear the path to the dock, and Fresh Flower Town¡¯s own dock is about to be established. You can familiarize yourself with the surroundings of the dock first. As for the telescope, there will be one.¡± Sending Kostor away, Liszt, with a bit of heartache, took out a crystal and handed it to Thomas, ¡°When the Fresh Flower Town transport team returns, give it to the person in charge. Tell him to ask Brad the crystal craftsman to carve two sets of 3 and 17 lenses.¡± Lenses number 3 and 17 were the types used to assemble the long tube. To Liszt, the matter of the telescope was more like a yful hobby. After figuring it out and ying with it for a while, he actually lost interest in telescopes¡ªhe could not discern any secrets of the universe¡¯s movement from constantly observing the moon and stars. So, He took Douson out to inspect the work of the lumberjack team, taking it as an opportunity to rx. North of the dairy farm, a vast area of thorn bushes, this was a region covered by Thorn Cordyceps. In addition to the regr thorns, the predominant type was the rapid growth variety¡ªincluding the Rapid Growth Poison Thorn and Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn¡ªwhether the Thorn Bug chain task would have a follow-up was uncertain. The thorny bush stretched northeast to where the lumberjack team was working. The site was bustling with activity. Smoke billowed. Countless serfs were sweating as they cut downrge trees. Some wielded axes to chop through trunks, others sawed off branches with saws, some hacked at leaves with machetes, and still, others piled up the trunks and branches, then carried away the leaves to burn on the spot. The burning of piles of debris served not only to intimidate wild beasts and magical beasts but also to umte ash for future use aspost when cultivating wastnd. Clerks and patrol members constantly weaved through the serfs, frequently scolding and cursing them in order to urge them to work diligently. Goltai, Isaiah, ir, and Karl eachmanded arge group of serfs, maintaining order at the site. Marcus, leading the Knight Squad, patrolled the perimeter seriously. Upon seeing Liszt¡¯s arrival, Goltai hurried over, ¡°Lord Landlord, good afternoon.¡± ¡°Good afternoon, Teacher Goltai,¡± Liszt greeted, ¡°A quarter of the town¡¯s poption must be here chopping trees. How long do you think it will take to clear all the trees in Thorn Ridge?¡± ¡°If we had enough tools, we would only need twenty days, no, perhaps only two weeks. But we¡¯re short on tools, Lord Landlord. Many people are sharing one axe, one saw, one machete. It¡¯s terribly inefficient. Even though the serfs are enthusiastic in responding to your call, they¡¯re still not able to work to their full potential.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already instructed the Fresh Flower Caravan to purchase tools from various cities. Ironware is too expensive, bone utensils too fragile¡ I hope my father can plunder a batch of iron ore; otherwise, Coral Ind¡¯sck of iron will remain unresolved.¡± Without metal, without gemstones, even the number of elves was sparse. One of the reasons nobles were keen on contending for the maind, rather than peacefully staying on their inds, was oftentimes out of necessity. If they had the foresight of a prophet, perhaps they would develop technology to make up for this shortfall, but they didn¡¯t, so plundering resources from the maind topensate was their only solution. Why had the Eagle Kingdom been repeatedly harassed by the Sapphire Kingdom? Because they had the White Maw Iron Dragon, capable of producing arge amount of iron ore. Iron is perhaps the most utilitarian metal of all. As such, as soon as the Steel Ridge Kingdom called for warfare, the Sapphire Duke instantly issued the Pioneer Mandate, and the nobles swarmed forth¡ªburn everything, kill everything, loot everything. asionally, Liszt would think, ¡°Why do I always feel that the Duchy of Sapphire is like the pirates of a Different World?¡± They took advantage of having established a nation overseas, with a developed fleet, to brazenly attack kingdoms on the maind, seizing and fleeing. They repeated this script yearly, quite contentedly. Although not very technical, it still seeded each year, and the Earl had been to the maind countless times. Bit by bit, they umted such a substantial heritage for Coral Ind. ¡°Lord Landlord, because of the lumbering job, the construction of the town and the roadworks have temporarily ceased. Autumn harvest is approaching, and we may be short on workers in Barley Hamlet and Little Wheat Vige.¡± ¡°Once we determine the harvesting date, we can assign workers to go back, there¡¯s no hurry,¡± Liszt suddenly thought of something and nced at Goltai, ¡°Teacher Goltai, how long have you been with me in Fresh Flower Town?¡± Goltai was startled, then replied, ¡°Lord Landlord, you were bestowed the Baron of Fresh Flower Town on March 9th, we set off the next day, and we arrived in Fresh Flower Town that same afternoon. Today is September 23rd, which means it has been six months and two weeks.¡± ¡°Six and a half months, time flies.¡± ¡°But today¡¯s Fresh Flower Town is absolutely not the same as it was six months ago; it radiates vigorous vitality everywhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I am very satisfied with the development of Fresh Flower Town,¡± Liszt, riding his Li Dragon Horse, walked slowly through the world unfolding before him, now a part of him, ¡°The change in thinking pleases me the most, Teacher Goltai. Six months ago, you used to mor for alcohol all day, now you know to finish work before drinking, even dying your drink for work.¡± Goltai gave an embarrassed smile, ¡°As one grows older, a person tends to ck off. Fortunately, I came to Fresh Flower Town, where I found the confidence and drive of my youth once again.¡± ¡°I am d to see these changes in you.¡± Liszt looked into the distance and said, ¡°In a few days, a group of five hundred serfs will arrive, and I need you to prepare a cement n. It¡¯s not just a matter of arranging for the serfs individually but requires an overall coordination, a blueprint for the future of Fresh Flower Town¡ªas an advisor.¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°advisor.¡± Goltai¡¯s pupils suddenly widened. Chapter 134: The New Consultant of Fresh Flower Town Chapter 134: The New Consultant of Fresh Flower Town The Duchy of Sapphire follows the system of the Steel Ridge Kingdom. Knights are led by the Knight Commander, while officials are headed by consultants. As Liszt¡¯s family tutor, Goltai, after the implementation of the Feudal system, was designated by the Earl to apany Liszt to Fresh Flower Town, what he sought was the position of consultant. After all, no matter how nicely one puts it, a family tutor can¡¯t change the fact that he is part of the servitude. Marcus was the same, also a family tutor, yet still a Retainer Knight in status, belonging to the servant hierarchy. Even Goltai himself was a noble, although the lowest-level Honored Knight, while he was not even a noble, just one of the better-off among themoners. ¡°Lord, are you going to appoint me as the consultant of Fresh Flower Town?¡± Goltai was still a bit incredulous. Having been there for half a year, Liszt had never mentioned the role of a consultant, and he had almost given up hope. Unexpectedly, fortune fell from the sky, and without warning, he was appointed as a consultant. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Teacher Goltai, do you not wish to take up the position?¡± ¡°Willing, of course, I¡¯m willing, how could I not be, haha.¡± Goltai was invigorated, his face abloom with joy, ¡°I am always ready to serve you, my Lord. I will take part hands-on in governing Fresh Flower Town and will definitely live up to the responsibilities of a consultant without any ck.¡± Liszt said, ¡°I have been observing your recent work attitude. You are my family tutor, and I trust you. Fresh Flower Town is my only fief, and it is also the foundation for my quest for honor. Its importance goes without saying, and I hope you will take it seriously.¡± Goltai put away his bright smile, ced his left hand over his chest, and performed a solemn Knight¡¯s salute, ¡°As you wish!¡± ¡°Fresh Flower Town is in your hands now, my consultant.¡± ¡°I am honored to serve you, my Lord!¡± There was no grand appointment ceremony; Fresh Flower Town was just a small rural town, and thus simply and inly, a consultant, akin to the head of the town, was chosen. Strictly speaking, a consultant was only slightly more prestigious than an Administrative Officer, and Goltai¡¯s actual power had not increased much¡ªconsultants could appoint town officials, which might sound powerful, but the Castle was just next door, and no official¡¯s appointment could possibly avoid Liszt¡¯s notice. However, his ie had greatly increased. His former sry of ten copper coins a day had risen to twenty. His ie increased, and he could buy lots more fine wine or some furniture for his little family with Freya. ¡°Congrattions, Consultant Goltai!¡± Isaiah and the others congratted Goltai one after another. Goltai was full of pride, hisughter incessant, ¡°For Baron Liszt, for the favor of Knight¡¯s honor, and for the future of us all, let us together build Fresh Flower Town into a more prosperous and wealthy ce!¡± A man revived by good news has a spirited glow. Goltai, now a consultant, threw himself into his work with boundless enthusiasm for the next two days. In addition to managing specific affairs, he did not forget Liszt¡¯s instructions and made aprehensive n for the future of Fresh Flower Town. For this, he made a request during the evening banquet. ¡°My Lord, I¡¯m nning to conduct another census of the town, no, it should be called a town¡¯s resources survey. First, we should calcte the acreage of farnd, properly n the agricultural structure of Fresh Flower Town, so that, when the five hundred serfs arrive, we can quickly arrange for them to farm. Secondly, we¡¯ll investigate the trade situation of the caravans and organize craftspeople to run their shops rationally.¡± Waving his little fork, he spoke passionately without concern for noble etiquette, ¡°The caravans passing through our town are growing in number. The Fresh Flower Caravan and the Thorn Caravan can sell our town¡¯s produce outwards. Our business district will soon flourish, bringing a great many Gold Coins to the Castle!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good line of thinking, Consultant Goltai. Make this n more detailed and then submit it to me for review.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± Outside the town office. Kostor was pacing back and forth, asionally greeted by passing civilians whom he responded to one by one. Now, Kostor was a town celebrity, not because he had been the first captain of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s first vessel, the Fresh Flower Vessel, but because of his tireless quest for knowledge. He had tried to recruit nearly every young son of the households: ¡°Young man, you¡¯ve got spirit,e learn to sail with me!¡± Even the young bachelors were approached: ¡°There are more men than women in Fresh Flower Town, you won¡¯t find a wife here. Better to learn to sail with me; there¡¯s a world full of women out there. One voyage, and you couldnd a hard-working, big-bottomed woman to bear you many sons.¡± Most people just sneered at Kostor¡¯s recruiting efforts. The ¡°continental mindset¡± brought by the nobles had given the narrow-minded civilians a natural fear and ignorance of the sea. So, after countless rejections, Kostor had managed to recruit only ten bachelors and twelve young men to learn sailing with him, bing Sailor Apprentices. And this was free education; if he charged tuition, probably no one woulde, and he¡¯d have to subsidize their lunches from time to time. If it hadn¡¯t been for the Lord Landlord¡¯s fixed payment for the Teaching Knight Squad¡¯s sries, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to recruit even one apprentice. His yearning for the sea stopped Kostor from feeling discouraged; he remained enthusiastic, training these Sailor Apprentices of various ages. But for the past couple of days, not a single Sailor Apprentice had turned up. Kostor was bing frustrated. Clip-clop-clip-clop. The sound of horseshoes on the gravel road rang clearly. He immediately went to meet him; the town¡¯s consultant was back: ¡°Consultant Gao Ertai!¡± ¡°Ah, Captain Kostor, what can I do for you?¡± Goltai looked travel-worn, his face turned somewhat purple from the sun¡¯s exposure. ¡°My apprentices have all gone to chop wood, Consultant Gao Ertai, they need to study sailing, not to be diverted to irrelevant tasks like chopping wood.¡± ¡°Sorry, Kostor, but chopping wood is not irrelevant. It¡¯s an order directly from the Lord Landlord, vital for the future development of Fresh Flower Town. Your sailing business, it can wait a few days, especially since you don¡¯t need to set out to sea. Consider it a vacation for yourself¡ªI wish I had time for one.¡± Goltai didn¡¯t take Kostor seriously, wanting only to send him away¡ªthe town has enough trouble farming, let alone having spare time for sailing. However, he underestimated Kostor¡¯s determination. Once Kostor mentioned that ¡°the Lord Landlord hopes to develop the sailing business,¡± he stuck to Goltai relentlessly, following him everywhere, even if Goltai went home. Pressured, Goltai finally agreed to apromise. ¡°I can let you take back the twelve young Sailor Apprentices to continue their training with you, but the adult apprentices must chop wood.¡± ¡°Agreed!¡± Kostor responded eagerly, satisfied to have secured the twelve young apprentices. ¡°One more thing, the youngsters will help at the chopping site, earning two copper coins every two days. You will have to cover this loss.¡± ¡°Oh my, I don¡¯t have the money!¡± ¡°Would you have the youngsters earn nothing then? Their parents will have a word with you about that, Kostor.¡± ¡°The sailing business is for the glory of the Lord Landlord; should the town stand by and watch? The town should pay for this!¡± After a fresh bout of stubborn haggling, Goltai finally promised that during the woodcutting campaign, the apprentices¡¯ lost wages would be subsidized by the town. Only then did Kostor board the Fresh Flower Vessel contentedly. Facing the twelve apprentices, he called out loudly, ¡°At high tide, the Fresh Flower Vessel will sail towards the docks of our future. For the next few days, we will spend our time around the docks!¡± Chapter 135 - 0135: Kostor’s Carrot and Stick Approach Chapter 135: Kostor¡¯s Carrot and Stick Approach ¡°Ready¡ all ready¡ tack with the wind!¡± ¡°Tighten the braces!¡± ¡°Keep downwind, heading downwind!¡± ¡°Prepare to lower the sails!¡± ¡°Oar room, row on the port side!¡± ¡°Raise the fore-and-aft sail!¡± The waves gently undted across the sea as the Fresh Flower Vessel slowly sailed with the current, intermittently stopping, circling, or turning. Captain Kostor¡¯s voice, with the effect of a loudspeaker, continuously rang out over the entire ship, issuing variousmands. Twelve sailors busied themselves in a frenzy, controlling therge ship. Considering the size and tonnage of the Fresh Flower Vessel, twelve sailors were simply not enough to operate it; the fullplement was thirty sailors. The tasks meant for thirty people were being carried out by merely twelve youths, all novices at that, so the pressure was imaginable. Consequently, the ship¡¯s voyage was intermittent, never able to smoothly head towards the target. But regardless. Under themand and instruction of Kostor, the Fresh Flower Vessel still managed to sail north, bumpily along the coastline, towards the dock area. Half a dayter, the instructional voyage sessfully reached its destination. This was a rocky beach. The Fresh Flower Vessel moored briefly in the bay for a lunch break, while also taking the opportunity to train the sailors in swimming lessons. ¡°The coast is not as people say, with sea monsters eating humans; this is not the habitat of sea monsters! Sea monsters live in the deep sea, and coastal voyages hardly ever encounter them¡ Of course, with bad luck, even sunbathing on the shore could end with a sea monster crawling over to devour you.¡± Kostor tried to dispel the Sailor Apprentices¡¯ fear of deep waters, but his rhetoric was clearly inadequate, making them even more afraid to enter the water. Swimming at the beach could cause them half a day¡¯s nervousness, let alone this Deepwater Bay. ¡°Captain, we already know how to swim,¡± a Sailor Apprentice said softly in defense. ¡°Is deep water the same as shallow water? Absolutely not, you need to ovee your fear of the azure seawater; it could save your lives at a critical moment!¡± ¡°How is that possible? We are on the ship; we would definitely not run into the water for no reason.¡± ¡°Idiots! While sailing on the ocean, sea waves often sweep sailors overboard into the sea. If you can¡¯t swim, you won¡¯t even have the time to wait for rescue!¡± ¡°But, captain, I am just here to be a Sailor Apprentice, I have no ns to go out to sea.¡± ¡°You have no such ns, then why are you learning to sail? Do you think I, Kostor, am easy to fool?!¡± Kostor suddenly became furious, pointing at the Sailor Apprentice¡¯s nose and bellowing, ¡°I am appointed by Lord Landlord as the captain of the Fresh Flower Vessel, and in the future, I will sail out to trade for the Lord Landlord. You are the first batch of sailors! You might fool me, but do you dare fool the Lord Landlord?¡± The Sailor Apprentices nodded timidly in agreement. They felt as though they had boarded a pirate ship. Kostor also gave up on trying to persuade them with kind words, and instead threatened them directly, ¡°I have been given full authority by the Lord Landlord to be responsible for all maritime affairs, and the Lord Advisor of Fresh Flower Town must cooperate with me. Remember, anyone who dares to evade or disobey mymands, I will hand you over to Lord Karl¡¯s Patrol Team!¡± Hearing the name of the Patrol Team, the youths became even more frightened. The Lord Landlord was indeed noble and untouchable, but it was said he was the embodiment of kindness, so they were not afraid, only awestruck. However, the Patrol Team had an illustrious reputation for fierceness¡ªLiszt always wanted to build the Patrol Team to be a police station with the motto ¡°police and citizens as one family,¡± but it was hopeless. The existence of physical punishments like flogging ensured that fear was inevitable. Karl was meticulous in enforcing the regtions, repaying the Lord Landlord¡¯s trust byshing at anymoner who made a mistake. No mercy was shown with the whip. Thus, mention of the Patrol Team made people change color with fear. Seeing the expressions on the boys¡¯ faces, Kostor was quite pleased. Having swung the big stick, he now began to dangle the carrot, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of the sea. The sea and thend are the same. We can farm onnd, so we can sail on the sea. Going out to sea is the best decision you¡¯ve ever made. Beyond the sea lies endless wealth, and women with huge chests and even bigger butts!¡± ¡°Really¡ are there really women with big butts?¡± a boy overcame his fear and swallowed hard. ¡°Of course. I once visited an ind that had just ended a war, where women stood in lines, and everyone could take their pick. I chose a woman with the biggest butt¡¡± Kostor said, reminiscing. ¡°And then what, Captain?¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Yeah, Captain, what happened next with that big-bottomed woman?¡± ¡°Later,¡± Kostor licked his lips, ¡°I gave her three copper coins when in fact, two would¡¯ve been enough for afortable night. But I gave her one extra copper coin. Those towering peaks provided an unparalleled experience. I swear they could bury your head inside and suffocate you!¡± Kostor gestured arge circle with his hands. A veryrge circle. Sorge that it left the boys speechless. Gulp. Gulp. The boys swallowed hard, one after another. ¡°Alright, break¡¯s over. Time for lessons,ds! If you want a woman with surging waves, then learn well following my instructions. Once you be qualified sailors, you too can spend two copper coins for a marvellous night! Now, jump into the water, swim!¡± The boys suddenly overcame their fear. They rushed into the sea, crying out excitedly. Kostor took a wooden sk out of his bosom, uncorked it, and savored a sip¡ªhe knew what these boys wanted, after all, he¡¯d been young once too. After a sip of liquor, he returned to the captain¡¯s quarters and carefully took out a one-meter-long cylinder from a chest¡ªthis was the telescope that Lord Landlord had sent via a servant yesterday, fitting out the Fresh Flower Vessel with his very own telescope. It was this telescope that informed him of Lord Landlord¡¯s view on sailing! ¡°He craves the sea more than any Noble!¡± Kostor felt his future was bright; a Noble who longed for the sea would undoubtedly support his voyage. It was also for this reason that he had the confidence to go to the administration office and nag Lord Advisor Goltai relentlessly to reap benefits. Cradling the telescope, he walked onto the deck. The swaying deck was, to him, steadier thannd. He lifted the telescope to his eyes and began to look into the distance, where everything afar seemed to suddenly appear before him. It was an amazing transformation, incredibly astonishing. ¡°Only such an exalted Noble as Lord Landlord could craft such a miraculous item!¡± He observed the distant sea surface for a while, the thick smoke from Thorn Ridge, a few sea birds walking on the rocky beach, and then the sheer cliffs of the rocky mountains on the shore. Suddenly. His brow furrowed slightly as he noticed what appeared to be a cave on a cliff face washed by the sea at the rocky mountains, ¡°A cave? The cliffs here aren¡¯t high, could they have caves? Is that a rock cave? I seemed to have seen a sea bird flying out just now; could there be Sea Swallows?¡± Sea Swallows are a type of gull that builds nests on seaside cliffs, and their eggs are highly sought after by Nobles. To the extent that some Nobles would specifically send Serfs to risk their lives to collect Sea Swallow Eggs. ¡°Sea Swallow Eggs are an indispensable delicacy on the Noble¡¯s table. If I discover a collective nesting ce for Sea Swallows and offer it to Lord Landlord, he will surely be delighted, then reward me handsomely!¡± he felt the excitement growing, ¡°With that, I¡¯ll have the money to attract more Sailor Apprentices!¡± Chapter 136 - 0136: Simultaneously Releasing Two Rock Spikes Chapter 136: Simultaneously Releasing Two Rock Spikes For the sake of the Sea Swallow Eggs. After Captain Kostor and the other young menpleted their swimming lessons, they immediately set sail, steering the Fresh Flower Vessel unsteadily towards the cave. As they approached the cave, which was not far away, they could clearly see its appearance¡ªit was not very big, as the mountain ridge was not high, and the t entrance of the cave resembled arge mouth. The inside wasn¡¯t deep either; they could see clearly into the cave with just a nce. Especially since Captain Kostor was using a telescope, his view was even clearer, ¡°Oh, my God! There are bones!¡± He saw several decaying human skeletons lying inside, as well as various tattered items, and even the wreckage of a small boat. ¡°Drop anchor!¡± ¡°Launch the canoe!¡± He shouted, preparing to disembark in the canoe to get a closer look at what exactly was inside the cave. The Castle. The nearby Dragon Kui Fields. Liszt was inspecting his Dragon Hollyhocks. ¡°It¡¯s about to be born, Mr. Carter, my ninth Elf Bug,¡± he said, caressing the soon-to-bloomrge flower bud, using the Eye of Magic to see clearly. A pale blue magic power was converging from all around the Dragon Hollyhock¡¯s branches and leaves towards the special flower bud, nurturing the Dragon Kui Elf Bug. ¡°It is indeed a knight¡¯s glory that watches over us! We all thought it wouldn¡¯t survive, but it has stubbornly held on. My lord, Mr. Goltai says you are the Son of Glory, and I firmly believe that. It¡¯s your glory that has shone upon the Dragon Kui Elf Bug!¡± ¡°Perhaps, I am indeed very lucky.¡± The title of Son of Glory, like ¡°Descend of the star of literature¡± from his hometown on Earth, was a descriptive honorific. Liszt didn¡¯t know if he was the Son of Glory or the son of something else, but the Smoke Mission had brought him luck far beyond the average person, which probably qualified as the ¡°knight¡¯s glory that watches over us.¡± He didn¡¯t dwell on this point. He simply ordered, ¡°Make sure to check on it often, and notify me immediately once the Dragon Kui Bug is born.¡± ¡°Rest assured, aside from nighttime, a manservant from the Castle wille check on the Dragon Kui every hour,¡± Carter replied. ¡°That reminds me, is it time to water the Earth Matron?¡± ¡°It was nearly one o¡¯clock in the afternoon when we set off, now it indeed is time for watering,¡± Carter responded. ¡°Then let¡¯s head back.¡± Returning to the Castle, Liszt led Douson along with the servants to begin the watering. The Fierce Earth Dog, named Earth Matron, now had a specially made iron cage located about 500 meters from the Castle. Centered on the cage, a foundation was being dug twenty meters around, with ns to build a three-meter-high wall. The top of the wall would have inclined shields installed to prevent Earth Matron from escaping. However, the Earth Matron hadn¡¯t eaten for three days. Liszt waited to be present to oversee the situation, instructing the servants to give it a little water to prevent it from dying of thirst. ¡°Woo!¡± Seeing someone approach, the Earth Matron lying on the ground weakly got up, ring fiercely at Liszt and his party. Its violent temper was clearly unmitigated. ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson sprinted over, circling the iron cage and wagging his tail enthusiastically, barking at the Earth Matron. Earth Matron, however, had no affection for Douson, turning its head to re at Douson and continuing to emit low, threatening growls. ¡°Hasn¡¯t the feeding device arrived yet?¡± Liszt nced at the cage and asked Thomas, who was following behind, ¡°The posts aren¡¯t even in ce yet, the work is too slow.¡± The feeding device was a special contraption designed for the Earth Matron¡¯s feedings. After all, the Earth Matron was not like Douson, it could be violent and injure someone at any moment. To prevent this, they kept it caged. But it still needed to be fed ¨C they couldn¡¯t really let it starve. Hence, they designed a set feeding device, which allowed them to feed the Earth Matron from outside the wall using a system of ropes that slid food into the cage. At the same time, the cage was movable. Once there was a significant umtion of feces, they would drag the cage, along with the Earth Matron away. After cleaning the ground, they would pull it back into ce. It soundsplicated. But in reality, it¡¯s quite simple; just a basic application of a few ropes. In order to design his future army of Fierce Earth Dogs, Liszt put in a lot of effort. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have any magic power left. The fact is, even Magical Beasts can¡¯t gather magic power when they are starving,¡± thought Liszt. A Magical Beast¡¯s magic power is half produced by its body and half absorbed from the outside. But when starving, not only can the body not produce magic power, it alsocks the strength to absorb it from the surroundings, rendering itpletely useless¡ªthus highlighting the importance of nutrition for training. ¡°Thomas, give it water.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± said Thomas carefully carrying the bucket of water to the side of the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s iron cage, his movements shaky even though he had done this a few times before. ¡°Woo-woo!¡± The Earth Matron roared at him with increased volume in its deep growl. Thomas¡¯s hands trembled violently, spilling half of the water he scooped up. When he tried to pour the water into the cage, the Earth Matron stuck its head out again, and all the water ended up spilling. He lowered his head and hurriedly apologized: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master.¡± ¡°Keep feeding it. The Earth Matron can no longer cast magic; it¡¯s now equivalent to a wild dog. Remember that,¡± said Liszt. ¡°Yes, Master.¡± The second time, with preparation, Thomas finally managed to pour the water into the basin. After the Earth Matron roared for a while and saw that it couldn¡¯t scare Thomas, it began to drink. After the Earth Matron finished drinking, Douson was already anxiously circling outside. It had acquired a taste for it. Liszt cleared his throat and said, ¡°Thomas, bring over that iron cage.¡± Two cages were prepared: one for the Earth Matron to live in, and one to hold Douson. In fear of the Earth Matron escaping, the cages would be connected together before opening their doors. Since the process had been done once the day before, Douson cooperated and crawled into the smaller cage, which Thomas and other servants pushed to the front of therger cage¡¯s door. The iron door of the cage was pulled out, and the two cages were connected. Douson quickly darted in and pounced on the Earth Matron, starting to violently thrust. The Earth Matron, having starved for three days, was truly unable to resist. Half an hourter, it was all over. The Earth Matrony in the cage, its dog eyes half-closed, dully looking at the sky divided into sections by the bars, clouds drifting freely in the distance. On the other hand, Douson was full of energy, carefree and frolicking in the horse field, getting it on every day, utterly blissful. Its body grew stronger, a strength that could be felt every day. The muscles were no longer as swollen as they were at first, slowly reverting to the normal physique of a Fierce Earth Dog, a slightly overweight streamline form. But its current body length and height had clearly surpassed that of a grown tiger. Its magic power was also on the rise, now able to cast Rock Spike forty-five times a day. Liszt became increasingly convinced that Douson might indeed have a chance to evolve into an Intermediate Magical Beast. Thus, he improved its diet, almost exclusively feeding it Magical Beast Meat¡ªthis was akin to feeding Douson gold coins, as its daily intake surpassed that of seven Lisztsbined. ¡°A diet costing at least one Gold Coin per day, Douson, you must not let me down,¡± Liszt murmured to himself, then gave an order, ¡°Douson, cast magic!¡± ¡°Woof!¡± As it ran, Douson let out an instinctive bark and simultaneously cast magic. Pfft! Pfft! Two Rock Spikes shot up from the ground in front of it. ¡°Hm? Two Rock Spikes released at the same time?¡± Surprised by the sight, Liszt noted that simultaneously casting two spells was equivalent to a brand-new type of magic. Only Intermediate Magical Beasts are capable of casting multiple spells! Before Liszt could snap out of his surprise, Butler Carter¡¯s voice came from behind him: ¡°Master, Captain Kostor requests to see you. He says he has found a treasure in a cave near the docks.¡± Chapter 137: The Galloper Island Discovered by the Rat Chapter 137: The Galloper Ind Discovered by the Rat ¡°A treasure?¡± Liszt got excited as soon as he heard it. He immediately called over Kostor, who was waiting in the castle, ¡°What kind of treasure is it?¡± ¡°Lord Landlord, it¡¯s a sailing route to an ind. During the trial voyage of the Fresh Flower Vessel, I discovered a cave not far from the dock, which contained human skeletons. Upon examination, it was found that they were horse traders who had be trapped in the cave and died. Before their deaths, they left the location of their horse trading¡ªit¡¯s on that ind!¡± Horse traders? Liszt quickly associated this with the Smoke Mission¡ªthe tracks of the Li Dragon Horse Herd. He abandoned his ns to continue researching the new magic cast by Douson and immediately said, ¡°Take me to the cave, I want to investigate personally!¡± As he prepared to depart, he took the opportunity to summon the Smoke Mission and discovered that it had undergone changes. ¡°Missionpleted, reward: tracks of the Li Dragon Horse Herd.¡± ¡°Mission: The Magical Beasts have beenpletely exterminated, Fresh Flower Town has never been safer. As thendlord, it is time to make a big move for Fresh Flower Town to achieve leapfrog development, what does it matter if the environment is destroyed, please level the Thorn Forest. Reward: Mutated Thorn variant.¡± The Magical Beasts werepletely exterminated. The Thorn Bug chain mission also resumed. Liszt felt that today was truly a day of celebration, onlycking magpies chattering on the branches. And soon enough, he understood how the mission waspleted¡ªRetainer Knight Sean, bringing a dead Shadow Snake to the castle. The Shadow Snake had killed three serfs. ¡°The lumberjack site was in chaos for a while, but under the suppression of Teacher Marcus, Consultant Gao Ertai and other nobles, the serfs were put back to work in lumbering,¡± Sean reported the scene at that time. The burning bonfires did not scare the Shadow Snake away. It attacked three serfs in session and was ultimately killed by Marcus with a bow and arrow. Afterwards, the serfs were thrown into panic, and although they were suppressed, their work efficiency inevitably wavered. ¡°Sean, tell Teacher Marcus to continue to strengthen the protection of the lumberjack team.¡± Although the Magical Beasts had been exterminated, Liszt could not clearly tell others, so he could only continue to reinforce protection, ¡°Also, tell Consultant Gao Ertai to give ten silver coins to each family of the deceased serfs.¡± At that moment, silver coins were the best way to console them and the best way to encourage the serfs to work hard¡ªthey were more persuasive than any threat or words of encouragement. ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Sean took the order and left. Liszt put on his Magical Beast Leather Helmet and armor, apanied by his personal servant Thomas and Rom Barrel, who had been notified toe as a retainer¡ªafter all, thendlord could not go out without retainers. ¡°Lord Landlord, actually you can also reach the cave bynd, but it requires crossing over mountains and climbing a steep cliff. Taking the Fresh Flower Vessel is the most convenient option,¡± Kostor said as he bowed to Liszt, starting tomand theunch of the Fresh Flower Vessel. Raising the anchor, rowing, hoisting the sails. Changing direction, they sailed slowly on the sea. With the experience of a previous voyage, the young sailors performed quite well. They greatly increased their previous travel speed, reaching the vicinity of the cave in about twenty minutes. They put down a canoe, and Kostor led Liszt and the others into the cave. The cave was very damp, almost level with the rising tide of the sea surface, so it was asionally pushed in by the seawater. But deeper inside, it was dry. It was now the afternoon, with the sun already behind the mountains, so the light no longer shone inside, making the cave seem somewhat dark. Thomas lit the prepared wax candlenterns early, adding brightness to the cave. ¡°Lord Landlord, here¡¯s the wreckage of a small boat. Looking at its design, it seems to be a tender carried by arge ship. Washed repeatedly by the seawater, only a little bit of the wood is left,¡± Kostor said, as he turned the boat wreck over, and the wreck fell apart, scattering the wood chips on the ground. Then, he walked to a few skeletons: ¡°Three sets of human skeletons in total. I¡¯ve checked them, and they are rtively intact, without losing too many bones. They had weapons with them, bone swords. The bones are very hard, but not in the shape of a Knight¡¯s Sword, so they should be a group of rats.¡± Knights, as the name implies, were mounted warriors. Knights were the main force in warfare, aponent of the army; wars betweenndlords were essentially charges between knights. However, not all who practiced Dou Qi chose to be a knight¡ªknighthood was a product of the nobility system, and there were still some who chose to remain outside this system. These people were smugglers, outcasts, members of a despicable ss. They did not obey the rule of thendlords, did not engage in production, were free and loose, and took part in professions that went against the nobility system¡ªthieving, robbery, smuggling, pimping, or epting employment for assassination, ve trading, and so on. These people were naturally referred to as¡ªrats. But they called themselves¡ªrangers. ¡°Rats, huh.¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t particrly moved; he was no stranger to rats, as he often had to work with them when he and Levis were involved in ve trading. The nobility reviled and belittled these people as rats, but that didn¡¯t stop them from cooperating with rats. After all, there were many dirty deeds that nobles couldn¡¯t undertake personally, so they needed the rats to do it for them. The pirates that roamed the Duchy of Sapphire were also considered rats¡ªessentially disguised nobles. Or one could say. Rats were just another skin of the nobles¡ªordinary people couldn¡¯t afford the nutrition needed to practice Dou Qi, only nobles could breed rats. Liszt believed that the Tulip Family also had their own rats. Being the second son of an earl, he simply wasn¡¯t privy to that information. ¡°Is there anything else preserved that shows their identity?¡± Liszt picked up a bone sword and asked. This bone sword should have been forged from the skeleton of a magical beast, with a more curved shape, vastly different from the long, straight knight¡¯s sword, and was more suitable for close-quarterbat. Due to long-term natural corrosion, the bone sword no longer had any traces of magic power. ¡°Their clothes and bundles have all rotted away. The moisture here is too great; nothing could be preserved. Only these serpent scripts etched into the cave walls have survived,¡± Kostor pointed to the walls of the cave and said. Thomas brought the candlentern up close. Illuminated the serpent script on the cave wall. The script was blurred, divided into two major segments, with only parts recognizable. ¡°I am heavily injured, close to death, Sweet¡ as a traitor¡ a mole, the Green Light¡ attempted to scuttle¡ they took away the galloper, but he underestimated me¡ I killed him. Can¡¯t make it out of here¡ cliffs are too steep, the horse¡ the message on its back, you might stille in time.¡± ¡°Galloper¡ Ind¡ nautical chart¡ my family, tell Morrie, I love her Casper of the Iron¡ .¡± The? represents the individual serpent characters that are unclear, while the ¡°¡¡± indicates entire segments of the script that are illegible. With some guessing and deduction, one could barely make out the content of these two passages. After pondering momentarily, Liszt understood the gist¡ªthere was a mole among the horse merchants, seemingly called Sweet, who scuttled arge ship intending to take the gallopers. Casper turned the tables and killed him, but Casper got severely injured, and before dying, he sent the horse away with a tied message on its back. Then he left a nautical chart. Considering the rewards from the Smoke Mission, Liszt realized, ¡°Clearly, these rats discovered the ind where the Li Dragon Horse Herd lived. They must have been rats working for the Tulip Family¡ My Li Dragon Horse is that galloper sent away by Casper!¡± With this realization, his gaze couldn¡¯t help but turn to the nautical chart next to the serpent script. The carvings on the nautical chart were very deep, obviously, Casper had applied a great deal of force while inscribing it. Even as the serpent script nearby was nearly eroded beyond recognition, the nautical chart remained clear. Chapter 138 - 0138: Black Horse Island Fiefdom Conquest Chapter 138: ck Horse Ind Fiefdom Conquest Understood the significance of the treasure. Liszt suppressed his excitement and asked calmly, ¡°Captain Kostor, can you understand this nautical chart?¡± ¡°Lord Landlord, this nautical chart is a standard one and there are no overlyplicated contents. It seems that the rat himself was not proficient in navigation, so I can fully understand the routes on the chart,¡± Kostor said confidently. The twisted, abstract, and bizarre symbols on the nautical chart posed no challenge to him. ¡°So, is the ind where the galloper horses live far from Coral Ind?¡± ¡°Judging from the nautical chart, the ind is about one hundred and thirty kilometers north of Coral Ind. With the Fresh Flower Vessel¡¯s speed of 5 knots, it would take approximately fourteen hours to reach Galloper Ind, barring currents and storms,¡± Kostor calcted, using his fingers before replying. Liszt¡¯s math was not bad. From Kostor¡¯s exnation, Liszt estimated roughly that one knot was less than two kilometers per hour, making the Fresh Flower Vessel¡¯s speed about nine kilometers per hour. That¡¯s even slower than the speed of riding a bicycle. He vaguely remembered that the narrowest point of the Taiwan Strait was only one hundred and thirty-five kilometers wide. This meant that the distance between Coral Ind and Galloper Ind was the width of the Taiwan Strait. ¡°Captain Kostor, when can the Fresh Flower Vessel set sail for Galloper Ind?¡± ¡°Lord Landlord, if it¡¯s just about setting sail, the sailor apprentices are alreadypetent enough, as Galloper Ind isn¡¯t that far and falls within the coastal navigation range. However, the sailorsck experience and would be helpless in the event of a storm, which makes the likelihood of an ident quite high.¡± ¡°How soon can we set sail if we train intensively?¡± ¡°If Lord Landlord allows me to recruit thirty sailor apprentices and we train every day without fail, within a month, I can make the Fresh Flower Vessel sail to Galloper Ind!¡± Liszt made a quick decision: ¡°I will have Consultant Goltai fully support you. In one month, we head for Galloper Ind¡ Give the ind a name; call it ck Horse Ind.¡± Kostor was excited, ¡°I am honored to serve you, Lord Landlord!¡± ¡°Make a copy of this nautical chart, then erase the drawings on the cave walls.¡± Afterpleting these tasks, the Fresh Flower Vessel returned home. Nighttime. The castle¡¯s evening banquet summarized the day¡¯s work; it had be routine. Liszt was not a stingyndlord and didn¡¯t mind his subordinates freeloading in the castle¡ªit was also a method of winning people over. ¡°My lord, if the clue left by the rat is real, we must take control of ck Horse Ind as soon as possible to prevent other powers from upying it. Then we must quickly earn military achievements, obtain a fief, and mark ck Horse Ind as your territory. Horse resources are more important than any resource!¡± Marcus spoke seriously. Considering the Duchy of Sapphire had many deserted inds, meritoriousndlords could choose their own deserted inds as fiefs. Without being granted a fief, all the deserted inds in the Sea of Azure Waves theoretically belonged to the Sapphire Duke¡ªthey could choose to operate them in secret, which was an unspoken rule. However, once the Duke designated a deserted ind as a fief for a certainndlord, they were obligated to vacate it immediately. But such secret operations of deserted inds were rare. Firstly, nobles didn¡¯tcknd for farming, what theycked were elves and metals; secondly, it was very difficult to ensure that the management of a deserted ind would remain a secret. Once operated to a certain extent, the Duke might forcibly grant the ind as a fief. In principle, all produce from the ind would be the property of anotherndlord. Therefore, the secret operation of a deserted ind was more trouble than it was worth. For example, ever since the Tulip Family obtained Coral Ind, they had been cultivating it for twenty years, and still, a third of thend remained uncultivated. In Fresh Flower Town, before Liszt¡¯s arrival, much of thend was wastnd, uncultivated¡ªup to the present, many ces were still wastnd, not to mention Thorn Ridge awaited development. ¡°The information must be kept secret, everyone who knows must be severely warned, else ck Horse Ind will surely be taken by other lords,¡± Goltai spoke just as seriously. He and Marcus were very clear about the importance of warhorses to nobles, especially the Li Dragon Horse breed with its exceptional bloodline, which yed a crucial role in enhancing a knight¡¯s power on the battlefield. It could be directly said. During a charge on the battlefield, an Elite Earth Knight on a nag might not necessarily defeat a Common Earth Knight mounted on a Li Dragon Horse. ¡°Then, the information is limited to those present, as well as Captain Kostor, Rom, and my servant Thomas,¡± Liszt said agreeably, ¡°When the sailor training isplete, they and their families will move directly to live on ck Horse Ind¡ of course, first we need to see what the conditions on ck Horse Ind are like.¡± Goltai spoke optimistically: ¡°ck Horse Ind, able to breed such godly steeds as the Li Dragon Horse, must be a t, green ind. I think its area is definitelyrge, maybe even enough to amodate an earl.¡± Liszt cut off a piece of Magical Beast Meat, swallowed it, and seemed to mention in passing: ¡°No matter its size, it is destined to be my ind¡ Consultant Goltai, you must actively cooperate with Kostor in training the sailors, meeting their needs as much as possible.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Preparations to secretly approach the Li Dragon Horse Herd of ck Horse Ind began. The work of the Lumberjack Team remained mboyant, with hundreds of people collectively felling trees, and despite the limitations of their tools, meaning individual efficiency might not be high, overall progress was swift. In just five short days, about a third of the trees at Thorn Ridge to the north were cut down. Arge area of Thorn Forest around the docks had beenpletely cleared, with only a few wild fruit trees remaining. Toplete the new Smoke Mission, it would take roughly half a month more, and there was no use in hurrying. Since Goltai became a consultant, his enthusiasm for work soared, taking initiative so much that Liszt often found himself with nothing to do. As a result, training Juan Fu became his current research topic. Juan Fu¡¯s feathers grew increasingly stiff, and its inner Magic Power more abundant. If it weren¡¯t for the chain tied to its legs, it might have already been learning to fly. ¡°Old Geronte, is there really not a single falconer to be found on the vast Coral Ind?¡± ¡°Lord Landlord, I have had the people of the Fresh Flower Caravan inquire in every city and even small towns, and indeed, no artisans skilled in falconry have been found,¡± replied Old Geronte, the captain of the Fresh Flower Caravan, who hade to the castle to report. ¡°Keep looking.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± After sending off Old Geronte, Liszt rubbed his forehead. Although Juan Fu¡¯s ¡°caw caw¡± was annoying, it was still a Magical Beast raised from a young age, and it would be a pity to just keep it around to ughter for meat. But he did not dwell on Juan Fu for long. The Dragon Kui Manservant, who took care of the Dragon Kui, reported good news upon returning: ¡°Master, the Dragon Kui Elf Bug has been born!¡± Rushing to the Dragon Kui Field, Liszt saw the pitch-ck, glossy Dragon Kui Bug, which resembled a ck gemstone¡ªvery interesting. With just a simple lure of Jade Powder, the Dragon Kui Bug bit onto Liszt¡¯s finger,pleting the contract. His ninth Elf Bug finally settled in the castle. Yet the good news did not stop there. As he returned to the castle, a knight who had rushed from Coral City brought him important news¡ªthe Coral Ind Caravan had returned, and Levis¡¯s family tutor, Frank, was asking him toe to Coral City to receive five hundred serfs. Chapter 139 - 0139: Five Hundred Serfs Arrive Chapter 139: Five Hundred Serfs Arrive The arrival of the serfs invigorated the small-town officials, as there was currently a shortage ofbor. Liszt had made preparations to head to Coral City to take charge of these five hundred serfs. Although the weather was still somewhat hot at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, the sun was no longer so scorching, and wearing the noble¡¯s ck¡¤Abbieye could still be tolerated. He no longer needed to ride a horse. The castle had just purchased a brand-new four-wheeled carriage. The servants carefully adorned it, attaching a g on top embroidered with a purple-ck tulip. The Tulip Family had their own g, a bright red tulip. It represented the kind of tulip that had birthed their first Tulip Bug, but sadly, despite evolving into a Little Minor Elf, it had died of old age. The current Tulip Great Elf was bred from a Magic Tulip. Now that Liszt had been enfeoffed, he was no longer a formal member of the Tulip Family, so the red tulip g was no longer suitable for use. So, he had chosen the ck Tulip as his own g. The gs of the caravans of the Fresh Flower and Thorn merchants bore the ck Tulip. On Coral Ind, this was probably already familiar to everyone. Seeing a ck Tulip g meant it was Liszt, the third son of the Earl¡¯s family, the Baron of Fresh Flower Town, who had recently garnered much attention. ck Tulip. That was the name of this brand-new carriage. The coachman driving the carriage was One-Eyed Barton. There weren¡¯t many horses, so his workload was light. He took the opportunity to drive the carriage, which also allowed him to visit Coral City and see the world. ¡°My lord, following your instructions, I¡¯ve selected the healthiest Dragon Hollyhock nt, dug it out with the soil, and ced it in a pot. Look, it has green fruits and ripe ck ones, and it continues to flower. Thedy will surely like it.¡± ¡°Very good, water it and put it in the carriage,¡± Liszt signaled. The Dragon Kui Bug originated from Lady Penelope¡¯s Dragon Hollyhocks, so to show some appreciation, Liszt prepared a new pot of Dragon Hollyhocks for the olddy. It was an act of reciprocity. It was also an opportunity to show off his abilities, given that the olddy always found fault with him¡ªfor being too handsome! ¡°My lord, are you taking Douson with you?¡± ¡°Take Douson around for a spin; it¡¯s now my loyal guard, and the Earth Knights are no match for it anymore,¡± Liszt said proudly. He was very satisfied with Douson. The Bloodline Fruits weren¡¯t wasted; it could now release several Rock Spikes at the same time. At its most, it had managed to release six Rock Spikes at once. After synthesizing the opinions of Marcus, Goltai, and others, everyone agreed that Douson was now an Intermediate Magical Beast! It might be weakerpared to those capable of crushing the Coral Ind Knights like the Purple Sand Crocodile, making Douson somewhat of a rookie. But an Intermediate Magical Beast was still an Intermediate Magical Beast. It had transcended the shackles of a Low-Level Magical Beast, able to cast two spells¡ªRock Spike and ¡°Multiple Stone Spikes.¡± Moreover, it had room to grow; after all, it was only seven months old. It mightprehend more magic as it continued to grow. With Douson, he could virtually do as he pleased on Coral Ind. Carter, observing the majestic and robust Douson, teased, ¡°Taking it away is good, so it doesn¡¯t keep hovering around the Earth Matron. Mr. Marcus said the Earth Matron is almost due to be pregnant, and they shouldn¡¯t mate anymore.¡± ¡°Indeed, Douson is presently growing, so it shouldn¡¯t exhaust itself,¡± Liszt said seriously. ¡°Additionally, concerning the Earth Matron, from now on, she must be provided with ample nutrition¡ If it¡¯s confirmed she isn¡¯t pregnant, we will cut off the supply and wear down her ferocity, as necessary.¡± Having starved for so many days, eating only asionally, and still being overpowered by Douson made for a rather difficult existence for the Earth Matron; her fierceness was gradually being eroded. When Liszt and others approached, it no longer chose to roar but was left only with fear. No matter how smart a Magical Beast is, it is still ultimately a kind of wild beast. The tactic of boiling a frog in warm water was entirely capable of instilling fear in the Earth Matron towards Liszt and others. Even if it regained its strength in the future, it would not dare to rebel against them ¡ª just like circus lions, whipped by their trainers from a young age. They don¡¯t dare to escape, nor to rebel,pletelycking the demeanor of a king of beasts. Given the Earth Matron¡¯s swiftpliance, Liszt was struck with many inspirations. Gradually, he started to form a vague n, which he intended to implement on Juan Fu. This Wind Falcon that kept getting fatter with each meal was about time to experience some hardships. He dressed himself and the carriage was prepared. Goltai also arrived with Isaiah, ir, and Rom Barrel, along with a few clerks. They came to join in the reception of the serfs. At the same time, Marcus arrived, ¡°My lord, don¡¯t you need the Knight Squad to follow?¡± ¡°No need, Teacher Marcus, the work of the Lumberjack Team is equally important.¡± A brief farewell. The caravan set off. Even with the robust physique of an Earth Knight, Liszt still found riding in a carriage far morefortable than on horseback. All the windows were open, and the breeze blew through as they swayed and jostled on the journey, nearly lulling him to sleep. During the trip, Douson also tried to get into the carriage for somefort, but Liszt kicked him out resolutely. ¡°A dog that doesn¡¯t run alongside the carriage wheels but wants a ride, where¡¯s the sense in that!¡± The main reason, however, was that Douson was simply too big. Once inside the carriage, Liszt would have no room to stretch his legs. Moreover, the dog¡¯s weight was close to eight hundred pounds, which left the two nags pulling the carriage panting heavily once he boarded. Leaving the road of Thorn Ridge, they entered the ubiquitous dirt roads of Coral Ind. The dust was immense. Douson, running behind the caravan for a while, turned into a dust shaker, prompting Liszt to hurriedly put on a mask and draw the curtains of the windows. At around ten in the morning, the caravan smoothly arrived at Coral City. ¡°Consultant Goltai, you go with ir and Isaiah to discuss the handover with Mr. Frank. I¡¯ll go visit my grandmother first.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡± They then parted ways, with the carriage continuing towards the independent small castle beside Coral City. When the servants of the castle saw the ck Tulip banner fluttering on the carriage, they knew who had arrived, and the butler quickly led the servants to greet them at the door. ¡°Master Liszt, I am so pleased to see you.¡± ¡°And my grandmother?¡± ¡°The olddy is inside the castle, chatting with Miss Li Vera. Earlier today, Miss Li Vera arrived at the castle to keep the olddypany.¡± ¡°My sister is here too?¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t surprised. Because he had already noticed a carriage parked at the entrance to the castle, bearing a g with a special design, that was Li Vera¡¯s carriage. The design on the g, which she had created herself ¡ª supposedly an abstractbination of a hot spring, birds, Tulips, and a Baroness ¡ª was lost on Liszt. As he entered the castle, he spoke to the manservant Tom, ¡°Take good care of Douson, and don¡¯t let it injure anyone indiscriminately.¡± ¡°Understood, my lord.¡± Tom, holding Douson¡¯s leash, seemed a bit tense. It was Thomas¡¯s job to look after Douson before. Today, Thomas had to stay close to Liszt, so the task fell to him. His strength was not enough to restrain Douson, he could only barely manage. Fortunately, Douson was well-trained and obedient. If Lisztmanded it not to wander, it would not. ¡°Look, look, who hase.¡± When they saw Lady Penelope, there was no need for Liszt to greet her first, as the olddy had already called out, ¡°Li Vera, I told you, this boy must have some private dealings with that boy Levis. The caravan has just returned, and he couldn¡¯t wait to get here.¡± Chapter 140: Sherry of Bull Horn Academy Chapter 140: Sherry of Bull Horn Academy ¡°Grandmother, you have a pair of eyes that can see through everything,¡± Liszt said with a smile. The dealings between him and Levis were not particrly secretive, and it wasn¡¯t difficult for those who wanted to know to find out about them. At least the Earl was definitely aware of their ve trade n, and as he wished, he could find out about anything happening on Coral Ind anytime. Li Vera, watching the increasingly extraordinary Liszt, was very dissatisfied, ¡°Liszt, the Fresh Flower Caravan¡¯s seafood business has reached my Falcon Town!¡± ¡°Then congrattions, Sister, the residents of Falcon Town can enjoy delicious seafood now,¡± he replied. ¡°I will organize the serfs to harvest seafood themselves. Although you and Levis have monopolized the seafood market, otherndlords will also organize their serfs to harvest seafood. Your good business won¡¯tst long!¡± Liszt, sitting in his chair, didn¡¯t mind Li Vera¡¯s childish provocation, ¡°Seaside towns, of course, can harvest their own seafood since they have the right to do so. But Coral Ind is sorge, and not every small town is beside the sea, nor does every stretch of beach have abundant seafood.¡± In fact, the Fresh Flower Caravan no longer had to work hard to catch seafood. They simply cooperated with thendlords of the coastal towns, allowing thesendlords to catch the seafood, and then the Fresh Flower Caravan would buy it and sell it to the cities. Each small town¡¯s specialty seafood was different, and the Fresh Flower Caravan held the mostplete variety of seafood, enabling them to buy at low prices and sell at high ones. As the nobles andmoners of Coral Ind gradually grew ustomed to having seafood on their tables, revenue had risen from the initial estimate of three gold coins a day to four coins a day. After paying Levis his share and covering the caravan¡¯s expenses, more than three gold coins a day were pure profit. With the seafood market, Liszt was able to join the ranks of Coral Ind¡¯s wealthy. This was a profit that made people envious. Li Vera was green with envy but understood that Liszt had confidence¡ªhe had already satisfied Levis. On Coral Ind, the two most influential people were the Earl and Levis. The Earl was Levis¡¯s father and obviously would notpete with his son¡¯s property, and Levis, having received shares, had issued seafood permits. Now, no one could take away Liszt¡¯s lucrative business. She had no choice but to awkwardly change the subject, ¡°You came over early in the morning, what for?¡± ¡°I came to bring Grandmother flowers,¡± Liszt said with a slight smile, then turned to his personal servant Thomas, ¡°Go bring the potted nt from the carriage.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Soon, a potted Dragon Hollyhock was brought in by Thomas. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Dragon Hollyhock,¡± Lady Penelope realized, ¡°This is the Dragon Hollyhock I gave you. Have you taken good care of it? That¡¯s not right, it¡¯s not the same nt I gave you¡ Did that Dragon Hollyhock die? What a pity, it still couldn¡¯t escape wilting.¡± ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t be sad. That Dragon Hollyhock is still alive and well, and moreover, very healthy, much healthier than the average Dragon Hollyhock,¡± he responded. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lady Penelope beckoned her servant to ce the Dragon Hollyhock on the balcony, ¡°Stop beating around the bush, Liszt, just speak inly. Talking in this convoluted way reminds me of Melissa. I have convinced myself that you have your father¡¯s shadow, despite having Melissa¡¯s face.¡± Lady Penelope, the depth of her grudge against Melissa, was still profound. Liszt had no memories of his mother nor knew the tone of her voice when she was alive, but he could guess that his way of speaking appeared somewhat ¡°mysterious¡± and maybe even a bit distant. This was unavoidable since, after all, he was not the original Liszt and couldn¡¯t invest too much emotion. So, he continued to smile, ¡°The Dragon Hollyhock you gave me wasn¡¯t sick, it was just nurturing an Elf Bug. Now, the Dragon Kui Bug has been born.¡± At the news of the Elf Bug, both Lady Penelope and Li Vera were taken aback. Lady Penelope was sincerely pleased, having forgotten her annoyance at Liszt¡¯s manner of speech, she heaped praise upon her grandson, ¡°The glory of the knights favors you, Liszt, you are the luckiest of the Tulip Family. Take good care of the Dragon Kui Elf Bug, receive it as a gift from me.¡± ¡°I am deeply moved by Grandmother¡¯s gift, and I will prepare a thoughtful present for you on your birthday this year,¡± Liszt expressed. Seeing that Li Vera was about to speak. Liszt, who had no interest in the adolescent girl, had already stood up, ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ve arranged to meet with Mr. Frank, so I won¡¯t stay here any longer. I hope to have lunch in the castle at noon.¡± ¡°Go on, lucky boy, I¡¯ll have the kitchen make your favorite pan-fried egg pancakes,¡± she said. ¡°Mr. Frank.¡± ¡°Baron Liszt, you look even more mature now, but still as handsome as before,¡± said Frank, whose hairline was already close to the center of his head and had an unsightly red nose, ¡°My Sherry, just back from Bull Horn Academy, has been talking nonstop about wanting to see Brother Liszt.¡± ¡°Sherry is back?¡± It took Liszt a moment to recall that Sherry was Frank¡¯s younger daughter. In his childhood memories, Sherry was his little follower, only a year younger than him, which meant they could y together. But then Liszt went to the Knight Academy, and Sherry was sent by Frank to Bull Horn Academy, and they had not met since. As for Bull Horn Academy, it is located on Iron Hoof Ind. Iron Hoof Ind is the fief of the Marquis of Bull, a member of the Sapphire Lineage. His ancestor was the Sapphire Duke¡¯s favorite youngest son, who, having juste of age, was made the Earl of Bull; after the establishment of the kingdom, the ind was directly granted as a fief, and he was promoted to Marquis. The Bull Marquis Family built the Bull Horn Academy, originally to train maids for The Court. Gradually, nobles big and small sent their daughters to Bull Horn Academy to learn ¡ª nobledies with a Bull Horn Academy education were highly sought after for noble marriages. Thesedies were deemed cultivated for studying etiquette, needlework, household management, music, and reading and writing at the academy. Of course, not all nobledies went to Bull Horn Academy, Li Vera being one of them. He couldn¡¯t be sure if it was just an illusion. Liszt always felt that Frank couldn¡¯t help but bring up Sherry every three sentences, as if he were trying to sell her to him. ¡°Perhaps, I have now be the most sought-after eligible young noble on the ind,¡± he thought to himself, but he had no thoughts about Sherry at all; in his memories, Sherry was a little chubby girl. After Frank had pushed the agenda for a while and saw that Liszt did not respond enthusiastically, he gradually returned to the main topic. ¡°Your officials and servants are taking inventory,¡± he said. Five hundred serfs were gathered in small groups on a plot ofnd not far from the harbor. Most of them looked sickly, it was unclear whether they were ill or simply seasick. Goltai and others, along with the clerks, were counting the number of serfs and calcting the ratio of men to women, as well as the number of craftsmen. After a rough tally, they quickly returned to Liszt¡¯s side. ¡°My lord, a total of four hundred and seventy-six serfs¡¡± Frank casually exined, ¡°Serfs are transported from far away, and it is inevitable that some get sick or fail to limate during the journey. The fleet initially purchased five hundred and ten serfs, and we lost a total of thirty-four people.¡± He sighed inwardly. Liszt nodded in acknowledgment¡ªhe was well aware that the trade of serfs inevitably involved death. ¡°Teacher Goltai, have the Fresh Flower Caravan cooperate to move these serfs to Fresh Flower Town for settlement as soon as possible,¡± he instructed. Chapter 141: The Magician of Coral City Chapter 141: The Magician of Coral City Four hundred and seventy-six serfs, about two-thirds of whom were females, along with quite a few infants and children. The elderly also made up a considerable portion, while there were very few able-bodied men¡ªon the serf trade market, able-bodied men were regarded as excellentborers, and their price was much higherpared to the elderly, children, and women. To anotherndlord, the quality of these serfs would be considered very poor. Aside from skilled artisans being valuable, women and children were a burden, and the artisans were all elderly, which was very uneconomical. But Liszt did not have anyints in his heart¡ªwomen could marry the bachelors of the territory and help mitigate the gender imbnce in Fresh Flower Town; with proper nurturing, children and infants could be future knight candidates; and old artisans possessed exquisite skills and couldpletely train arge number of apprentices. Of course. Able-bodied men were equally important to Fresh Flower Town, whether for farming or for constructing roads and docks, as they required strongbor. Therefore, on the surface, Liszt still had to voice aint, ¡°Mr. Frank, the quality of these serfs is not very good. Women were specifically requested by me, so having more is not a problem, but there are too many children, and the artisans are all older folks. Isn¡¯t this somewhat deceiving me?¡± ¡°Oh, Baron Liszt, I wouldn¡¯t dare deceive the blood of the Tulip Family,¡± Frank said with a smile. ¡°This batch of serfs was assembled by the fleet from various serf markets, the able-bodiedborers were bought up by others early on. You know, without war, there aren¡¯t high-quality serfs.¡± ¡°So, now, with the fleet setting sail once again, we should be able to purchase high-quality serfs, right? The Steel Ridge Kingdom has already gone to war with the Eagle Kingdom, and my father and the others have already entered the battlefield.¡± Frank¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°You want to continue the serf trade¡ Oh yes, the seafood market has brought you arge amount of gold coins.¡± ¡°You are very aware of the profits from the seafood market, aren¡¯t you, Mr. Frank,¡± Liszt did not y poor, especially since the other party had always been helping Levis to collect dividends, ¡°I will put together a sum of gold coins as soon as possible, hoping the fleet can bring me another batch of serfs.¡± ¡°There should not be a problem; the Tulip Fleet always conducts business when setting sail. Now that the war has started, the serf trade is an even better deal. So, how many serfs are you nning to buy?¡± ¡°One thousand, including two hundred skilled artisans.¡± ¡°One thousand serfs, ording to the price, would need two hundred and forty gold coins.¡± ¡°The serf trade was difficult before, and I could ept the higher prices, but now during the war, if serfs are still so expensive, I cannot ept that, Mr. Frank.¡± ¡°War or not, the serf trade is always filled with risks¡¡± After some haggling back and forth. They finally agreed on the price of two hundred and ten gold coins. After taking out the gold coins he had saved by cutting expenses, and also shifting funds from the trade convoys, and handing them to Frank, Liszt¡¯s smile was not so amiable anymore¡ªfacing another period of frugality, the feeling of an empty purse was ufortable, especially after getting used to spending moneyvishly. Liszt declined Frank¡¯s invitation to have lunch together under the pretense that ¡°Little Sherry really wants to see you.¡± Instead, he had his lunch at Lady Penelope¡¯s castle. Lady Marie from Tulip Castle had also sent servants to invite him, but he did not go as he was not well acquainted with Lady Marie. Li Vera stayed there too, and at the dining table, she kept asking Liszt, ¡°Your Fierce Earth Dog has grown so big, how many gold coins to part with it, just say the price!¡± What an international joke. Although Douson had not unleashed any magic, and others were unaware of its abilities, one could tell by its form that it was extraordinary. It could not be measured in gold coins! Liszt responded coolly, ¡°Dear sister, Douson opened its eyes to see me as the first person, it recognizes no one but me. Even if you used dragon coins, you can¡¯t win its affection, so give up on this foolish thought.¡± Hearing ¡°foolish,¡± Li Vera¡¯s face darkened, ¡°You¡¯re bing more and more arrogant now, daring to disregard even your sister¡¯s words.¡± Liszt, with a knife in his left hand and a fork in his right, leisurely sliced his steak, ¡°I¡¯m merely stating a fact. Please remain rational.¡± Lady Penelope seemed to appreciate the dominant change in Liszt and, against her usual stance, spoke in his favor, ¡°Li Vera, please eat like ady and stop trying to take what¡¯s in Liszt¡¯s hands. If you want something, you can certainly choose a suitable husband from among so many excellent nobles to fulfill all your desires.¡± ¡°Grandmother, you don¡¯t love me at all now.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve all grown up, my girl, and youds as well. Your grandmother is getting senile and only hopes that you three siblings will get along harmoniously, and by the way, take care of little Lidun, letting the Tulip Family¡¯s bloodline flourish and develop.¡± The lunch was far from harmonious. After the meal, Li Vera, fuming with anger, drew her sword and blocked Liszt¡¯s path, ¡°Like a warrior, fight me. I want to prove that you are still that cowardly Liszt!¡± Before Liszt could respond, Douson, who had been lyingzily to one side, suddenly broke free from Tom¡¯s grasp and charged towards Li Vera. It moved with the momentum of a tiger descending a mountain, roaring deeply and stirring up a whirlwind. In that moment, Li Vera¡¯s face was instantly drenched in cold sweat. She felt enveloped by a strong intent to kill. It was the kind of deadly threat one feels when facing an irresistible force, a threat to one¡¯s life¡ªlike when she was seven and whipped a fiery horse, which then charged at her, mouth open to bite¡ªexcept now she was a distinguished Earth Knight, but just as helpless to resist. ¡°Come back, Douson!¡± With a calmmand from Liszt, the charging Douson abruptly halted and no longer lunged forward. However, the fierce glint in the eyes of the beast still flickered menacingly, its gaze fixed on Li Vera with a viciousness that suggested it might pounce and devour at any moment. ¡°It is a Magical Beast from Thorn Ridge. Even though it acknowledges me as its master, its ferocity isn¡¯t so easily subdued. I apologize for frightening you. I have other matters to attend to; I¡¯ve made an appointment. Dear sister, we shall talk another time,¡± he said, with a faint smile. Then, leading Douson, he left the castle. Li Vera¡¯s face turned ashen, and she stood rooted to the spot, no longer attempting to verbally assert herself. The attack from Douson that she had just witnessed had truly frightened her¡ªafter all, she was but a flower raised in a greenhouse. On the balcony of the castle, Lady Penelope, watering her new Dragon Hollyhock, undoubtedly witnessed the whole scene unfold at the castle gates. She simply muttered, ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Girls should act like girls, boys like boys. Melissa and Marie, these two simpletons, certainly don¡¯tck the ability to bear children.¡± Liszt did not deceive Li Vera. He indeed had an appointment, or rather, needed to find someone. He went directly to a small town near Coral City, and as he saw the dpidated state of the town, his brow furrowed slightly, ¡°Rom, is this the ce?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord, this is the ce, Moss Town. I¡¯ve been to this small town before,¡± replied Rom Barrel. ¡°Whose fiefdom is this town?¡± ¡°It was once the fiefdom of a baron, whoter went bankrupt. It was reimed by the Earl and has not been assigned since.¡± ¡°It is indeed here. I have found the white-tipped, two-story building that Goltai mentioned.¡± Liszt gestured with his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to meet this magician, sir.¡± Chapter 142 - 0142: Eye of Truth and Exploring the World Chapter 142: Eye of Truth and Exploring the World ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± The wooden door of the small building opened, and a teenager dressed in ck with hair like a bird¡¯s nest and deep-set eyes poked his head out. He looked at the group of people in front of him, plus a huge dog, and asked cautiously. ¡°Does Mr. Grandini live here?¡± Thomas stepped forward, maintaining proper etiquette, and asked gently, ¡°Our master, the son of Coral Ind¡¯s Count and the Baron of Fresh Flower Town, Liszt Tulip, wishes to meet with him to inquire about some matters of magic.¡± ¡°Ah, wait a moment.¡± The youth was startled for a second, then shut the door abruptly. After a moment, the door swung open entirely, and the emaciated, shriveled figure of the youth appeared: ¡°The teacher invites the Baron inside; the others, please wait outside.¡± Liszt nodded, ¡°You all stay outside.¡± ¡°Sir¡¡± Rom wanted to say something. Liszt gestured to him, on Coral Ind, even the secretive magicians had to give face to the Tulip Family. Entering the small building, a strange smell drilled into his nostrils, not a stench of life, but more like the odor emitted from some chemical substances. This made him frown involuntarily. The room was quite gloomy, with various cluttered ¡°equipment¡± visible, some metallic vessels, others made of jade and crystal. There were numerous bottles and jars, and even a wax candle burning in an iron kettle, within which a green liquid was boiling¡ªthe strange smell was probably emanating from there. The room was incredibly messy, even the pathways were barely wide enough to walk. ¡°The teacher is upstairs, he is waiting for you.¡± The youth seemed somewhat dull, and while he looked at Liszt with the nervousness of meeting a stranger, hecked the fear and reverence for nobility. Perhaps following a magician for too long had caused him to lose his awe of nobility¡ªa significant reason magicians were unpopr: this group of individuals who believed in ¡°knowledge¡± dismissed the authority of nobility, convinced that knowledge was the only truth in the world, not the brute force revered by the nobles. The stairs creaked and groaned, but as they ascended, the light grew brighter. Then Liszt saw the magician, Grandini Truth¡ªa man with a hooked nose, blue eyes, and brown hair, around forty years old, his figure shrouded in arge cloak. He was sitting in a chair, engrossed in a book. Upon seeing Liszt, he closed the book and ced it amidst the clutter on his desk. Liszt had a keen eye and saw that the cover read ¡°Alchemical Spections on Iron¡ªDedicated to His Excellency Grand Magician Dembaba Truth,¡± with a drawing beneath it. It was a triangle with an eye inside. ¡°Baron Liszt,pared to your brother, Viscount Levis, you more closely resemble a graceful nobleman,¡± Grandini stood, taller than Liszt, his frame just as thin beneath his cloak. His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn¡¯t spoken in a long time. ¡°Mr. Grandini, you have met my brother?¡± ¡°Of course, I have had a few coborations with Viscount Levis. Please make yourselffortable; I don¡¯t stand on ceremony here with the pretentious niceties of nobility.¡± Liszt found a rtively clean stool: ¡°Noble etiquette isn¡¯t pretense; it¡¯s cultivation.¡± Grandini mocked, ¡°Cultivation¡ªis it about learning how to cannibalize others more elegantly?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s how you must understand it, it¡¯s not wrong.¡± Liszt felt some resentment towards Grandini¡¯s attitude, having grown ustomed to the reverence that came with nobility, but he had to admit there was some truth in the other¡¯s words¡ªthe world was indeed dog eat dog, ¡°Your surroundings here aren¡¯t very pleasant.¡± ¡°Of course, it can¡¯t bepared with a castle; I am but a humble magician, with all my energy and resources dedicated to exploring the truth of the world.¡± Exploring the truth of the world, that¡¯s the rallying cry of magicians. All magicians discard their worldly surnames and uniformly adopt the surname ¡°Truth.¡± As for that triangle and eye on the book, it¡¯s called the Eye of Truth. The magicians discovered that the triangle is the most stable form of deconstruction and that the world is alsoposed of triangles¡ªmatter, spirit, and magic power. And they are the eye within the triangle, endlessly exploring every truth. ¡°May I ask how to cast a spell?¡± ¡°There is no difference between magic and Dou Qi. As a knight, why care about magic or Dou Qi? They are both ways of harnessing magic power.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s change the subject. How many magicians are there on Coral Ind?¡± Liszt asked casually. He hade to visit the magician that day out of slight purpose but more out of curiosity. ¡°You¡¯d get a clearer answer from Levis than from me. I can only tell you that within Coral City, there are only three magicians that I¡¯ve been in contact with.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t magicians often gather for meetings and exchanges?¡± ¡°The path to exploring the world is one of solitude; magic power is the embodiment of Truth. Only by listening quietly can you understand the knowledge it wants to tell you!¡± Liszt continued to ask a few more questions. Until he annoyed Grandini, ¡°Baron Liszt, did you visit me just to ask these ignorant questions? If so, please leave immediately. Do not waste my time; my time is dedicated to the great Truth, not to chatting with you!¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s not just to ask questions¡ªI also want to find you for a coboration.¡± ¡°Speak quickly if you have something to say.¡± If it weren¡¯t for the prior insight into Grandini¡¯s temperament from Goltai, Liszt felt that this disrespectful fellow should be dragged out and fed to Douson¡ªalthough, of course, Douson might not eat him, as it preferred cooked food, or maybe needing a roast first with a sprinkle of cumin on top. ¡°You¡¯ve helped the Tulip Castle, or other nobles, craft magic equipment before, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You want me to help you craft magic equipment?¡± Grandini became slightly interested, calming down a bit in his tone, ¡°My skills are definitely impable. Even your father has asked me to repair a few pieces of magic equipment.¡± Liszt was straightforward. He took out a fist-sized ck pearl he had prepared and ced it on the table: ¡°Do you recognize this?¡± ¡°A ck pearl, you actually have one of these things?¡± ¡°Have you seen a ck pearl before?¡± ¡°Of course, Levis had also brought a ck pearl before. Crafting magic equipment, it must be a specialty product of your Tulip family. It is more abundant and gentle in magic power than the white pearls from Blue Dragon Ind, and it¡¯s a good path to wealth.¡± ¡°So the ck Pearl Magic Equipment in Levis¡¯s hand was also crafted by you. Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m not going to beat around the bush. This kind of ck pearl, ifrger in size and with more abundant magic power, could you craft it into magic equipment capable of suppressing storms at sea?¡± ¡°Howrge?¡± Liszt, ying it coy, gestured the size of a basketball: ¡°How about a ck pearl this big?¡± Grandini furrowed his brow in concentration, pondered for a moment, and said, ¡°I need to see the actual object to determine whether I can craft equipment powerful enough to suppress storms. But I believe that as long as the quality meets the standard, the crafting process isn¡¯t a problem. I am a magician, with twenty years of experience in practicing magic runes and formations!¡± Within the magic practice hierarchy. A Magic Apprentice is equivalent to an Apprentice Knight, a Magician to an Earth Knight, a Grand Magician to a Sky Knight, and an Archmage to a Dragon Knight. Grandini Truth is a Magician. Chapter 143 - 0143: Strong Desire for Knowledge Chapter 143: Strong Desire for Knowledge ¡°The item is in my castle; after all, it¡¯s a valuable item. If you ept the cooperation, you can go to Fresh Flower Town,¡± Liszt said, still not trusting the magician. He himself did not have enough strength, and merely relying on the prestige of the Tulip Family might not be enough to deter the other party. If the other party ran off with the ck pearl, there would be nowhere to find them. However, Grandini shook his head, ¡°Do you think that making a piece of magic equipment is an easy task? If your ck pearl is really big enough and of high quality, it will need more materials to be forged into suitable magic equipment¡ In a countryside ce like Fresh Flower Town, you can¡¯t even buy the raw materials!¡± ¡°I have two caravans, whatever materials are needed, they can be delivered promptly,¡± Liszt said, unperturbed by others looking down on Fresh Flower Town as the countryside. He had the heart of a fierce tiger and naturally maintained a calm demeanor, ¡°Moreover, Mr. Grandini, won¡¯t you listen to what kind ofpensation I can offer?¡± ¡°Oh, whatpensation are you willing to give?¡± ¡°Viscount Levis has you make ck pearl magic equipment¡ªhow much is he paying you¡ Give me a true figure, I can always go and ask Mr. Frank.¡± ¡°Fine then, nobles are really cunning. I can¡¯t fool you. Viscount Levis is paying three gold coins, that¡¯s just the artisanal fee; he provided all the raw materials himself. But his ck pearl is only this big. If you have a muchrger ck pearl, the price won¡¯t be so cheap.¡± ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t have gold coins.¡± ¡°No gold coins?¡± Grandini red, ¡°Baron Liszt, are you mocking me?¡± Liszt said evenly, ¡°But I have a ck pearl, don¡¯t I?¡± Grandini¡¯s eyes quickly lit up, ¡°Oh, so you are nning to use this ck pearl to pay for the services?¡± ¡°You think too highly. Do you know how much a ck pearl is worth? This ck pearl is worth at least two hundred gold coins. With that amount, I could hire a grand magician to make magic equipment for me,¡± Liszt said, spinning the ck pearl in his hand, ¡°Of course, if you want to earn it, it¡¯s not that hard.¡± Clearly, the ck pearl was attractive to Grandini; he licked his lips, ¡°State your terms.¡± ¡°First, help me make the ck pearl that suppresses storms, providing the raw materials yourself. Second, teach me magic, provide me with knowledge and books. Third, I have some crystals, you help me make them into crystalmps. The remaining value of this ck pearl can be considered my sponsorship for your pursuit of the Truth.¡± To Liszt, the ck pearl itself wasn¡¯t of high value¡ªin Coral Ind, aside from Levis, nobody would likely be a fool enough to buy it. ¡°You want to learn magic?¡± Grandini was surprised, ¡°That¡¯s not typical for your nobility. Moreover, magic and Dou Qi are mutually exclusive. Are you willing to give up your noble status to be a magician?¡± Dou Qi refines the magic power within oneself, while magic draws on the magic power around oneself. Despite both being magic power, in cultivation, they repel each other¡ªthere have been nobles who considered practicing magic, but it is difficult to seed. This is like how magic requires the mind to remain rational and clear at all times, yet Dou Qi demands a state of passionate fervor. Cultivating both magic and martial arts could lead to a split personality. Liszt spoke, ¡°I simply wish to understand the principles behind the casting of magic.¡± As a soul with the scientific literacy of the 21st century, it was only natural that he possessed a strong desire to learn about this Different World filled with magic power. He had already encountered and begun to practice Dou Qi; his understanding of Dou Qi was quite profound, yet he knew nothing about magic. Getting close to a magician, understanding magic, was something he had always wanted to do. With the territory development now on the right track and having a certain ability to protect himself, he could pursue understanding more information about the outside world at his own volition. ¡°It seems you are a noble with a strong curiosity. Well, I¡¯ll take this ck pearl,¡± Grandini said after a moment of thought, agreeing to the terms. ¡°I hope you have a pleasant time in Fresh Flower Town for the next while. Oh, by the way, in Fresh Flower Town, I have houses for you to stay in, and you can transport the necessary materials and equipment to Fresh Flower Town through the Fresh Flower Caravan.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t n to stay in the countryside for long. Once the magic equipment is made and you understand what magic is, I¡¯ll return. Moss Town is only a quarter-hour¡¯s journey from Coral City, and the city¡¯s prosperity makes it hard to leave.¡± He walked to the window and looked in the direction of Coral City. In his eyes, the city piled with waste was a symbol of prosperity. With a nce from the corner of his eye, he saw a line of people waiting outside the small building and the huge Douson, ¡°Is that your pet? A Fierce Earth Dog magical beast? Why is it so big? I don¡¯t remember Fierce Earth Dogs ever growing thatrge.¡± ¡°Because it eats well.¡± Magician Grandini Truth needed time to prepare before he could rush to Fresh Flower Town. Liszt led his people back in advance. Meanwhile. In Coral City, near Tulip Castle, within a two-story small building with a garden, Frank had just finished his nap. He came downstairs to the living room and sat down on a chair. A servant immediately brought him tea. He was a noble, an Honored Knight, with his own fief, a small vige. Compared to bankrupt and fallen nobles like Goltai, his fief was rtively prosperous, bringing him nearly ten gold coins in surplus each year, plus his sry as a tutor for the Levis family, life was quite delightful. ¡°Has thedy and the young miss not returned from walking in the flower fields?¡± ¡°They have returned. They are taking a cool break in the little garden.¡± After a short while, his wife and daughter returned to the house. ¡°Frank, have you woken up?¡± the middle-aged woman dressed in the currently fashionable hoop skirt asked, despite the heavy makeup she couldn¡¯t conceal the fact that she was aging, ¡°Do you still have to work for Tulip Castle this afternoon? Sherry wants you to apany her back to the manor; she left her clothes in the wardrobe.¡± Frank looked at his daughter, ¡°I remember you brought many outfits, and you bought some on Iron Hoof Ind as well, aren¡¯t they enough?¡± ¡°But I forgot to bring a ck long dress, I really like it, daddy,¡± Sherry swayed her slender waist. ¡°Let the servant go back and fetch it. I don¡¯t have time, my dear,¡± Frank spread his hands, addressing both his daughter and exining to his wife, ¡°Levis is still on the battlefield. I¡¯m responsible for all his properties, and the Earl has given him partial authority to govern Coral Ind, which also falls under my responsibility.¡± ¡°I understand, now is a great opportunity for you to make a name for yourself, but I hope you can make some time to pay more attention to Sherry. She is already fifteen.¡± Fifteen meant the age to start socializing. Noble girls were expected to marry around the age of sixteen or seventeen. Frank looked at his increasingly beautiful daughter and felt very satisfied, ¡°Of course, I know. Sherry is already a big girl. In fact, this morning, I was worrying about her future. There are not many suitable nobles for Sherry on Coral Ind, and I want her to have the best happiness.¡± His wife¡¯s interest piqued immediately, ¡°What did you worry about? Have you found someone for her?¡± Sherry also gazed expectantly at her father. As a noble youngdy, socializing was a skill she had to learn, discussion of marriage was never something to be shy about. At Bull Horn Academy, how to choose a suitable noble and get married had already be a public course. Chapter 144 - 0144: Ivan’s Numbing Journey Chapter 144: Ivan¡¯s Numbing Journey ¡°Liszt.¡± Frank pronounced the name, ¡°Baron of Fresh Flower Town, the third child of the Earl, Sherry, you must remember him, as a child you always used to y following him around.¡± ¡°Is it Brother Liszt? Of course, I remember.¡± Sherry blinked, and a somewhat childish but handsome face emerged hazily in her mind. Liszt had been very handsome since he was young. However, she had left Coral Ind to study at Bull Horn Academy for several years. Due to inconvenient shipping, she didn¡¯t even return home during festivals, and her memories of Liszt had gradually faded. At that time, she wasn¡¯t of the age to be infatuated with the opposite sex, so naturally, she didn¡¯t retain a clear memory of any particr ymate. ¡°What do you think of Liszt?¡± Frank inquired. Sherry shook her head, ¡°Father, I¡¯ve only met Liszt when he was twelve, a mere child. Now that he¡¯s an adult, I have no idea what he¡¯s turned into.¡± ¡°Indeed, we should find an opportunity for you two to meet.¡± At this moment, Frank¡¯s wife asked, ¡°It seems that Liszt isn¡¯t much valued by the Earl, his fief is even the most remote Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Indeed, Liszt isn¡¯t highly regarded by the Earl. The Earl, relying on his own determination, established Coral Ind and wishes for his children to be bold and forward-thinking,¡± Frank said. ¡°But regardless, he is of the Tulip Family¡¯s bloodline, and to receive his fief upon reaching adulthood is not a treatmentmonly enjoyed by the secondary sons of nobility.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the Earl¡¯s kindness, and he is a diligent father, even Li Vera has been granted a baronial fief,¡± his wife said enviously. Li Vera had significant influence among the nobledies of Coral Ind, a Hereditary Baroness, a rarity in the entire Duchy of Sapphire. ¡°The reason the Earl doesn¡¯t value Liszt much is that Liszt¡¯s talents aren¡¯t outstanding, and he has a soft nature. But from my recent interactions, Liszt has transformed, carrying an authority with his gentleness, and he is bing increasingly mature. The Earl even went to Fresh Flower Town to celebrate the Outing Festival, and that is a sign.¡± ¡°A sign of what?¡± ¡°What else could it be but a sign that a son has regained his father¡¯s trust? The Earl is still in his prime, and naturally, he hopes to attain more knightly glory with his sons.¡± ¡°Really? But he hasn¡¯t been on the battlefield while Levis has already been there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time, he carries the blood of both the Tulip and Long Taro Families.¡± Frank felt his wife was narrow-minded like a minor country noble, so he simply spoke directly to his daughter, ¡°Sherry, Liszt has been preparing his own Knight Squad and has purchased a batch of armed Knight Squad equipment from the Tulip Castle.¡± No praise has more convincing power than action itself. A country lord who owns a Knight Squad is, of course, extraordinary. Sherry¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Father, Mother, when can I meet Brother Liszt? I feel that I have my own discerning eyes.¡± ¡°Our Sherry is smart and beautiful, of course, you have your own discerning eyes. Father will soon find you an opportunity.¡± Footsteps faltered. Exhausted and hungry. Ivan wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked with a numb gaze at the equally numbpanions beside him. Their clothes were filthy and reeked, their hair tangled into knots, and the dust on their faces could not hide the pale and jaundiced skin. The group was indistinguishable by age or gender, even the cries of babies were feeble and weak. ¡°Hurry up, if you don¡¯t want to be whipped, keep your spirits up and keep up with the group!¡± the Clerk, holding a whip, shouted loudly. Every now and then, he snapped the whip in the air, producing a sharp crack. Ivan shuddered, his head, slightly dizzy, suddenly cleared, and his heavy steps quickened. Just a moment ago, one of hispanions had been whipped by the Clerk, tearing their clothes and leaving them crying out in pain. ¡°Crack!¡± Another crack of the whip. Ivan lowered his head, gritting his teeth, trying to hasten his pace. He was terrified of the whip. On the ship, apanion from the same small town who slept in a corner, had been beaten to death by the first mate with that very whip. The dying wails had caused him to have nightmares for several nights in a row. In dreams, it was a nightmare. In reality, it was also a nightmare. He missed the days of toiling in the fields on the ind, where although he might go hungry, and knights with whips wouldsh serfs who couldn¡¯t pay their taxes. But most of the time, he could move freely and chat with others. He could even go to the town, just to catch a glimpse of the beautiful baker¡¯s wife. However, one day, everything changed. He heard the cries of knights shouting and killing, followed by a group of bloodstained knights, who came to his vige and drove them out. Some people didn¡¯t want to go and were killed; those who didn¡¯t want to be killed had no choice but to follow them. It was this day that he left his homnd, starting his endless, bumpy nightmare. He was taken to a market where everyone sold was a serf just like him. Locked in cages, eating a bit of spoiled ck bread, dazed and confused. Serfs were taken away continuously, and new ones were constantly brought in. Then, he was taken away too. He followed a group of strangers onto a big ship, not understanding thenguage spoken there, and not daring to speak with others. To his surprise, there was someone on the ship who recognized him, from the same town. ¡°It¡¯s the Sapphire People!¡± hispanion told him. He instantly thought of the legend of the ¡°barbarians.¡± Every year, barbarians from the seas woulde to the Eagle Kingdom to raid and plunder; they all came from the Duchy of Sapphire across the sea. ¡°The people on the ship are Sapphire People, we¡¯ve been sold to barbarians! The ones who captured us are mercenaries, they¡¯re even worse than rats!¡± hispanion said bitterly, ¡°I swear! One day, I¡¯lle back, find these mercenaries, and kill them all!¡± Ivan didn¡¯t respond. Hispanion¡¯s words terrified him. He had been farming since he was young and had never killed even a chicken¡ªhe did not have chickens¡ªonly nobles killed serfs, serfs would never dare to kill anyone. Unfortunately, not long after hispanion had sworn his oath, he was beaten to death with a whip. With no one else to talk to, Ivan continued living the nightmare from which he could not awaken. He had never been on a ship before, and the seasickness was almost fatal. After several days like this, today, he finally set foot onnd, arriving at apletely foreign ce. He couldn¡¯t understand a word spoken here. He didn¡¯t even know where he was being driven to. He was confused about tomorrow, not knowing what he was holding on for, not even knowing what holding on meant. He just followed wherever the whip drove him, never thinking about death, nor understanding what joy in life was. His legs had gone numb for what felt like the umpteenth time. He heard the clerk waving his whip again, shouting something. He couldn¡¯t understand, but the line slowly came to a halt. When the others stopped, so did he, finally able to give his legs a moment of rest. He saw that others began to sit down. He followed suit and sat down. Nobody spoke; on the ship, all were forbidden frommunicating, and he had grown ustomed to silence. He lifted his head, his gaze falling on a female serf not far ahead who was preparing to nurse her child, lifting her tattered clothing to reveal her shriveled breast and cing it in the baby¡¯s mouth. The baby sucked vigorously, unsure if it could draw even a drop of milk. If this had been in the past, Ivan would certainly have salivated and greedily peeked at the woman¡¯s breasts, he was still young and had never touched a woman¡¯s hand, let alone those swollen breasts. But in this moment, there was no allure to be found in breasts, and he had not the slightest urge to think about such things¡ªhis stomach was so empty his intestines felt like they were knotting up. The sun moved overhead, it was noon. Chapter 145 - 0145: Teaching of Three Serpent Script Vocabulary Chapter 145: Teaching of Three Serpent Script Vocabry Ivan sat on the ground and soony down like others, trying to rest as much as possible to regain a little strength. He didn¡¯t know where he was going or how much longer the journey would be. tter, tter. The sound of carriage wheels turning came through. Ivan didn¡¯t get up, just slowly turned his head with the least amount of effort to look in the direction of the sound. He saw a line of carriages with gs fluttering on them. The gs were blue with embroidered purple-ck flowers. He recognized these banners as symbols of nobility. Of course, he didn¡¯t know to which noble the g belonged. As he watched the caravan without any particr thought, the familiar sound of whips cracked again. His body sprang up as if fitted with springs, and he instinctively rose from the ground and stood up¡ªnot just him, but everyone did the same, stumbling to their feet. The clerk was brandishing his whip and shouting something loudly. Ivan couldn¡¯t understand. But he quickly did, as someone shouted in the windnguage of the Eagle Kingdom, ¡°Line up everyone! Follow the clerk¡¯smands and form a line behind each carriage! No talking, no moving around, stand properly!¡± Ivan began to panic. He didn¡¯t know how to line up and had never done so; seeing others move, he moved too. Then he got a kick on his behind from one of the clerks, who was cursing iprehensibly at him. It seemed that the clerk had noticed the bewilderment on his face. The clerk dragged him over and shoved him behind a serf, all the while cursing. Then he went to pull over another serf. The disorganized group soon formed six awkward lines under the clerk¡¯s direction. The Sapphire person who spoke the windnguage walked to the front of the lines, had a brief conversation with a few who seemed to be nobles, then addressed the many serfs, ¡°You will be fed twice a day, traveling from afar to Coral Ind, soon heading to your future home, Fresh Flower Town!¡± Like the others, Ivan numbly watched the speaker, showing little reaction. The speaker continued, ¡°The Lord of Fresh Flower Town is the great bloodline of the Tulip Family, Baron Liszt, and he will be your master from now on! Remember your future home, Fresh Flower Town, remember your future master, Liszt Tulip, a great descendant of the Tulip Family!¡± Thest few sentences were shouted with vigor and authority. However, the serfs below remained calm. The speaker didn¡¯t care at all; he waved his arms and his grizzled hair tousled in the wind, ¡°Remember, from now on, you need to speak the Serpent Script of the Duchy of Sapphire. Of course, you are just a bunch of serfs, and no one cares if you can speak Serpent Script. But you need to remember these three terms: Fresh Flower Town, Tulip, and Lord Landlord!¡± ¡°Now, follow me and recite these three words!¡± he shouted, ¡°Pronounce these words correctly, and you will enjoy a wonderful lunch. Understand?¡± Lunch, in a sh, stirred the silent and numb line into action. The starved serfs could not resist the temptation of lunch¡ªthey had been fed only twice a day on the ship, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, the rest of the time spent lying still. A bold serf, trembling, responded, ¡°Understood, my Lord.¡± ¡°Good, now start following me¡ªFresh Flower Town¡¡± ¡°Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Louder, Fresh Flower Town!¡± ¡°Fresh Flower Town!¡± Ivan felt he was too hungry to speak, but for the approaching lunch, he still mustered the scant strength left in his body to shout along with the others, ¡°Fresh Flower Town.¡± The phrase wasn¡¯t hard to pronounce. It was easy to learn. After shouting it a few times, he even felt a bit excited, having learned a foreignnguage. ¡°Very good, it seems you have mastered the term Fresh Flower Town, now follow me¡ªTulip¡¡± ¡°Tulip.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Tulip, idiot. Don¡¯t curl your own tongue, say it again¡ªTulip¡¡± ¡°Tulip.¡± ¡°Louder, Tulip.¡± ¡°Tulip!¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s not standard, remember it. Here, everything on thisnd belongs to the Tulip Family! Your lord is the bloodline of the Tulip Family!¡± instructed the person who could speak the Wind Language. ¡°Next, you need to understand how to express your loyalty when you see your lord. You must first kneel.¡± A few serfs, upon hearing the instruction to kneel, immediately knelt down. The other serfs followed suit and knelt as well. In an instant, all six teams were kneeling. The speaker was taken aback; he was no Liszt and didn¡¯t dare to have the serfs kneel before him, so he quickly stepped aside, ¡°Idiots, I didn¡¯t tell you to kneel now. Never mind¡ Kneel to the ck Tulip banner on the carriage as if you were in the presence of Lord Landlord. Now, follow me and say¡ªLord Landlord¡¡± ¡°Lord Landlord.¡± Ivan knelt on the ground, joining the crowd and shouting, trying his best to straighten his tongue. After a few repeats. The person speaking Wind Language ran to a group that looked like nobles nearby and spoke in Serpent Script, ¡°Mr. Goltai, is this manner of teaching eptable?¡± Wearing ck¡¤Abbieye¡¯s attire, Goltai nodded, ¡°The teaching before today¡¯s lunch ends here. Let the serfs fill their stomachs first. Fresh Flower Town isn¡¯t so poor that they can¡¯t afford a meal. Old Geronte, you have worked hard. We¡¯ll still need your trantion for making arrangements for the serfs.¡± Old Geronte smiled, ¡°Serving Lord Landlord is Old Geronte¡¯s honor and pleasure. Then I¡¯ll tell them it¡¯s time to eat.¡± Then, addressing the serfs who were still kneeling on the ground, ¡°You may rise now. Continue to stand in your teams. We will now start distributing lunch, one by one, everyone gets a share. No snatching is allowed! Otherwise, the clerk¡¯s whip won¡¯t be merciful.¡± Upon hearing Old Geronte¡¯s words, The fluttering hearts of the serfs swiftly turned to surprise¡ªthey really had lunch! And then, as the carts opened, one by one, they received types of food they had never seen before, served on bread tes, handed to them. There were no cutlery like knives or forks, only food and bread tes. Ivan received his portion, he recognized the bread te; he often used bread tes and after some time, he would cook them so he could continue eating. On the bread te, there was a half piece of dark bread and then a lot ofrge, small, round, t things. He couldn¡¯t help reaching out to touch them; they were very hard. Yet he didn¡¯t know how to eat it. Fortunately, he always did what others did. He saw others eat the dark bread, and some had already opened those things and eaten the soft content inside. So, holding his bread te, he sat on the ground, first biting fiercely into the dark bread. Then following others¡¯ lead, he also opened that thing, which was quite easy to do because it already had cracks. A simple tug with his hands and it split apart. A strange, alluring scent quickly reached his nose. After swallowing the bread, Ivan, seeing several others eat, finally mustered the courage to take a bite. It was very soft, almost melting in his mouth. He didn¡¯t know what it was, but it tasted pretty good, so he stopped fussing and focused on eating his portion. Maybe it was because he had been hungry for so long that in just a short while, he had already eaten all the food. When thest shelled item went down, it was almost the first time in his life he felt what ¡°full¡± meant. Just at that moment, Old Geronte¡¯s shout reached Ivan¡¯s ears once more, ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve all eaten your fill. You¡¯re a bunch of lucky fellows, remember this feeling. From today on, in Fresh Flower Town, as long as you work hard for our great Lord Landlord, you will eat like this every day, eat until you¡¯re full!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ivan heard someone nearby gasp in astonishment. He, too, felt shocked¡ªTo eat like this every day, to eat until full! His mind buzzed nk, with only one thought left: ¡°Fresh Flower Town, food.¡± Chapter 146 - 0146: Offering Loyalty to the Landlord Chapter 146: Offering Loyalty to the Landlord The second day after returning to the castle, the four hundred and seventy-six serfs who had camped out in the wilderness overnight finally made their way to Fresh Flower Town. Having had a few full meals, the serfs¡¯plexions were still poor, but at least there was a significant improvement in their spirits. In the afternoon. As the sun began to set in the west, all the serfs lined up on the main thoroughfare of Fresh Flower Town, silently waiting. Liszt, riding on the back of a Li Dragon Horse and escorted by the Knight Squad, arrived in front of the lines. Thomas, leading Douson, followed suit, now making a point of taking Douson with him when going out¡ªa bit of a man depending on his dog for status. ¡°Lord, the quality of these serfs¡ is very poor,¡± Marcus remarked with a frown after scanning them. ¡°True, there are very few able-bodied serfs, but there are many children who can be well trained to be potential knights in the future,¡± Liszt replied simply. During this conversation, Goltai had alreadye forward: ¡°Lord, the serfs have finally made it to Fresh Flower Town, and not a single one is missing.¡± ¡°Well done. The losses at sea are unavoidable, but on Coral Ind, I do not wish to see any further loss.¡± ¡°So, Lord, shall we now start arranging for them to kneel before you and pledge their loyalty?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± When serfs meet theirndlord, they need to pledge loyalty, which is a form of servitude. Old Geronte, having received instructions from Goltai, turned towards the serfs and shouted in Wind Language: ¡°Lowly serfs, before you stands the great bloodline of the Tulip Family, the Landlord of Fresh Flower Town. Now, kneel before Lord Landlord, and pledge your loyalty!¡± In an instant. The serfs knelt to the ground, and in the newly learned, awkward Serpent Script, they called out: ¡°Lord Landlord!¡± It was not very orderly, but their voices were loud. The cries of nearly five hundred people, even if they were just a group of ragged, varying heights, malnourished, and weak serfs, still carried a kind of overwhelming momentum. Such scenes had be routine for Liszt. In Fresh Flower Town, kneeling and shouting to him happened every day. So, he merely looked over this group of serfs with a smile on his face, all of whom buried their heads deeply in the ground, not daring to look directly at their future master. A momentter. Liszt, having prepared his lines, spoke up: ¡°I ept your loyalty. From now on, you are part of Fresh Flower Town. Work hard for me, and you will receive my protection and a stable life.¡± He then nced at Old Geronte, the interpreter. Old Geronte got the message and tranted: ¡°Lord Landlord has epted your loyalty. Lord Landlord tells you that from now on you are part of Fresh Flower Town. Work hard for Lord Landlord, and you will receive his protection and can live a stable life in Fresh Flower Town. Do you all understand?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Landlord.¡± ¡°I will work hard.¡± The serfs responded sporadically. Many people still did not know what to say and were just kneeling. Seeing this, Liszt said, ¡°Old Geronte, let them stand up.¡± And so. The brief serf reception ceremony came to an end. Liszt did not linger and returned directly to the castle. Marcus continued to lead the Knight Squad back to Thorn Forest to guard the Lumberjack Team. Goltai and other officials began to get busy, as they had to arrange the living and working conditions of these four hundred and seventy-six serfs in a short time. Fortunately, the town and the various settlements already had many wooden houses built. Themercial district, workshop area, and residential area, not yetpleted, also have many wooden houses that can provide temporary shelter. There is certainly no shortage of food, with bread and vegetables perhaps in short supply, but seafood is abundant. If that¡¯s not enough, a few more trips out to sea by fishermen from Oyster Vige will be sufficient. ¡°We need toplete the distribution of serfs as quickly as possible; the autumn harvest is fast approaching,¡± Goltai said loudly. ¡°The resource survey is not yetplete. There are too many women, children, and elderly among the serfs. The original arrangement n is no longer appropriate; we need to make adjustments,¡± Isaiah replied. ir looked at the serfs squeezing into the wooden houses to prepare for the night and said with a chuckle, ¡°Let¡¯s set aside the small children and nursing women for now. The other able-bodied serfs could all be sent to Thorn Ridge. Let them transport timber or stones and be responsible for road repair.¡± Goltai interjected, ¡°That¡¯s an irresponsible distribution n.¡± ¡°I mean, let¡¯s not make arrangements for now until the resource survey isplete. Then we can makeprehensive ns,¡± ir rified. ¡°Hmm, that is a solution. It is indeed difficult to make arrangements in a short period, and we can¡¯t just feed them for nothing. It¡¯s better to send them to the lumberjack team,¡± Goltai conceded. During dinner, Goltai ryed ir¡¯s suggestion to Liszt. In response, Liszt agreed and added, ¡°Try to arrange easy tasks for the artisans. Among the serfs who are physically weak or sick, do not assign any work to them. Let them rest and recover.¡± He valued the artisans the most among this batch of serfs. The skills of artisans are the technology of this world and an indispensable part of a prosperous domain. Suddenly thinking of something, he said, ¡°Stay up a bitte tonight andpile a list of the artisans, especially what skills they possess. I will have the castle¡¯s servants assist with recording. I want to see it first thing tomorrow morning.¡± In today¡¯s Fresh Flower Town, Liszt¡¯s word wasw. By the next morning, after he had walked the dog and got up, a thick list on parchment paper was alreadyid out on the dining table. After a bath and changing intofortable clothes, he then sat down at the table to enjoy breakfast. It was time for Carter to instruct the male servant to bring breakfast. A cup of creamy fresh milk, a pineapple bun and a milk-vored bread, a fried egg, arge piece of fried Magical Beast meat, a vegetable sd, and several pieces of fruit. This was his standard breakfast. Worth at least a dozen or more silver coins, especially the Magical Beast meat, which was quite valuable. But after all, he had recentlye into money. As a hidden rich man on Coral Ind, he was not willing to skimp on himself. He had never been one for frugality; if he could enjoy life, he would make sure to do so. He took a big gulp from the ss of milk. ¡°The milk produced by the castle itself tastes better. I think the climate and environment in Fresh Flower Town are definitely suitable for raising dairy cows.¡± He licked the milk froth from the corner of his lips and made his judgment. ¡°Sherlock has already bought three calves. Currently, the pasture is upied by horses, and there is no room to raise more dairy cows, my lord,¡± a servant informed him. Liszt affirmed with conviction, ¡°Once Thorn Ridge is developed, the dairy cattle farm will definitely be expanded, at least doubled. I want to raise more dairy cows!¡± Because of the increasingly delicious milk tea, he had specifically looked into the dairy cattle farm and found no reason that could ount for the improved milk production quality of the cows¡ªit certainly wasn¡¯t the earlier spection that the cows had entered gestation. Compared to the milk from other cows outside, one could clearly taste the difference in quality. The milk from the dairy cattle farm in Fresh Flower Town was not only creamy but also more refreshing. Lisztter surmised that it could be due to the new variety of forage, Corn Grass. But after feeding them separately, it turned out to be unrted to Corn Grass. Therefore, he concluded that the climate of Fresh Flower Town was suitable for breeding dairy cows. He bit into a pineapple bun. Liszt then turned his attention to the thick parchment on the table, casually flipping it open to examine the information about the artisans. Chapter 147 - 0147: A Major Work in Sociology Chapter 147: A Major Work in Sociology Anyone engaged in technical civilian work other than farming was called a craftsman. Craftsmen, relying on their own skills, ran their own shops and could be called artisans. Therefore, most artisans were freemen while most craftsmen were serfs. In Liszt¡¯s understanding, these people, if given time to develop and manage their businesses independently, would be the bourgeoisie. However, based on his knowledge of Different World¡¯s society, craftsmen evolving into capitalists was temporarily impossible, as Nobles wouldn¡¯t allow it. If one were to refer to medieval Europe on Earth, With the progression of the industrial revolution, artisans who mastered the means of production either umted these means and evolved into capitalists or lost them and became workers. Here, craftsmen had existed for a very long time, and they were still craftsmen. No capitalists had emerged, nor had there been arge workforce. No matter how they developed, they were vassals of the Nobility¡ªthe absolute difference in individual strength provided by Dou Qi Cultivation allowed Noble Knights to firmly hold all the power without fear of being overthrown by a new ss. Of course, between different kingdoms and cities, the development of the ss of craftsmen varied to some extent. There was no fixed hierarchy. Liszt summarized it simply. Craftsmen could roughly be divided into four grades: ¡°Family,¡± ¡°Master,¡± ¡°Craftsman,¡± and ¡°Worker.¡± Master Technician, Master. The craftsmen at this level generally lived in big cities. They were high-status freemen and had reached the level of minor nobility. Examples include Architects, Shipbuilders, Carriage Makers, Goldsmiths, Jewelry Masters, Casting Masters, and Drillers, who were top craftsmen in their respective trades. Architects were responsible for building Castles,rge buildings, and Mage Towers; Shipbuilders specialized in designing and building ships; Carriage Makers produced carriages, mine carts, and chariots; Goldsmiths crafted Gold Coins, silver coins, copper coins, and even Dragon coins; Jewelry Masters designed precious jewelry and carved Crystals, Jade, and even gemstones. Casting Masters could manufacture various fine equipment, and Drillers were able to dig mines. In Coral Ind, only Architects, Shipbuilders, Carriage Makers, and Casting Masters existed¡ªthere were no Goldsmiths, Jewelry Masters, or Drillers. Craftsman Craftsman. This level of craftsman constituted the backbone of the craftspersonmunity. They were the most basicyer in big cities, permeating various industries, and formed the foundation of a city or territory¡¯s prosperity. Most of them were freemen, free to either run shops or sell their skills. Stonemasons, Carpenters, cksmiths, Tanners, and Tailors were the most basic five upations of craftsmen, as well as the most numerous. Stonemasons built structures, Carpenters made furniture, cksmiths forged tools, Tanners tanned hides, and Tailors made clothes. In addition, Bone Craftsmen, Paper Craftsmen (thick paper), Locksmiths, Shoemakers, Coopers, Crystal Craftsmen, Jewel Craftsmen, Gem Craftsmen, Jade Craftsmen, Soap Makers, Brewers, Bakers, Barbers, Chefs, Confectioners, Spice Makers, and Salt Makers were all at the craftsman level. Worker¡ªWorker. These craftsmen also formed the backbone of the craftspersonmunity but were predominantly found inrge numbers within a Landlord¡¯s estate. Most of them were serfs and virtually indistinguishable from farming peasants, only engaged in slightly technical work. Embroiderers, Weavers, Dyers, Salt Workers, Confectioners, Millers, Miners, Sailors, Ship Workers, and Laborers, among others, were all workers. Additionally, individuals like innkeepers, small merchants, grocery shop owners, Horse Merchants didn¡¯t possess craftsmanship skills, but they were in charge of the distribution of craftsmanship with a status generally equivalent to that of a craftsman, which is to say, ordinary freemen. Atst, Family, Grand Master. This level is basically not considered a craftsman, but should be called an artist. Novelists, Minstrels, Pianists, Painters, Court Musicians, Sculptors, Singers, and so on, most of them belong to the noble ss. Without inheritable titles, they develop their own artistic cells and move among the nobility, enjoying a high-quality lifestyle. If one has to further define it, magicians who make magic equipment and ¡°Iron Knights¡± who forge various weapons would also be considered craftsmen. But they are either outside the system or are nobles themselves. ¡°Not a single technician, few craftsmen, mostly just workers, I feel like the money spent is somewhatcking,¡± Looking at the list on thick parchment in his hand, Li Si Te couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of regret. He had wanted craftsmen, but among the serfs he bought, there were mostly workers. Clearly, these craftsmen were leftovers picked by others, or rather, Levis¡¯s subordinates were only willing to buy cheap craftsmen¡ªamong the serf trades, a craftsman¡¯s price was clearly a bit higher than that of a worker, not to mention a technician. No one would sell technicians, craftsmen, workers, and peasants for the same price. ¡°In any case, having a group of skilled workers can barely add a few industries to Fresh Flower Town¡ I can make my own sugar, soap, textiles, even sun-dry salt from seawater, or make paper using traditional methods, or develop other industries,¡± Li Si Teforted himself. It¡¯s not just constion; skilled workers are still valuable. He asked Thomas to bring a quill, ink, and nk thick parchment, and he began to write and draw. He nned to consider which industries these craftsmen could develop, how many workshops could be added to the town¡¯s workshop district. However, while writing, he moved from the development of handicraft industry to the study of social systems. ¡°If I wanted to, I could be a sociologist!¡± He categorized the entire social system of the Different World. Social upperyer¡ªNoble Landlords. Upper middleyer¡ªMagicians pursuing truth, officials and knights without titles, and indispensable artists. Middleyer¡ªTechnicians with irreceable skills, knights turned mercenaries in their downfall. Lower middleyer¡ªServants in castles, craftsmen with productive technologies, merchants handling the cirction of goods, workers serving asborers, rats scurrying in the shadows. Social loweryer Serfs who nt fields, beggars who can¡¯t even be serfs. ¡°Very clear, crystal clear.¡± He bit into a big chunk of Magical Beast Meat, chewed, and swallowed, ¡°If I could borate further, the responsibilities that each socialyer bears in society, and the mobility betweenyers, I could probably write a magnum opus on sociology, and get it published.¡± This was just an idea; he hadn¡¯t fallen so low as to need to write books for a living¡ªthat was something for destitute noble offspring. Moreover, works of sociology would not sell well. You have to write Knight¡¯s Novels. To y dragons, to make a pact with the Elf King. The best start would be a down-and-out Prince, apanied by a Little Minor Elf, casting adrift at sea for a romantic night with a Siren, followed by a few days of dalliances in a Marquis Manor with a noblewoman, before single-handedly defeating an evil Dragon, or riding a Dragon, with the Little Minor Elf breaking through to be the Elf King. Ultimately, the hero saves the beauty and marries the beautiful Princess recognized by the Unicorn. With these elements in ce, it would essentially be a best-selling Knight¡¯s Novel, which those fond of fantasies would be very willing to pay for. After finishing breakfast. Li Si Te collected the thick parchment he had written on, and nced out the window at the now high Sun, ¡°When Granney arrives, maybe I can discuss sociology with him.¡± Chapter 148 - 0148: Fresh Flower Town Resource Survey Chapter 148: Fresh Flower Town Resource Survey Granney Truth¡¯s letter was delivered to the castle by the Fresh Flower Caravan. He postponed his arrival time. There was a shortage of materials for making the ck Pearl Magic Equipment, which required some time to prepare. Approximately in mid-October, he would head to Fresh Flower Town. ¡°Wasting my time, I should have chosen another magician to visit!¡± Liszt wasn¡¯t very pleased when he saw the letter. He felt that the magician wasn¡¯t giving him due respect. Preparing the materials took over a week, which implied a low efficiency andck of dedication, bordering on perfunctory. However, the magicians he had ess to were few. Such creatures always lived reclusively, leading a semi-hermitic life, seldom making contact with ordinary people. If Liszt weren¡¯t a member of the Tulip Family, perhaps Granney wouldn¡¯t have agreed to meet him¡ªthe nobles probably wouldn¡¯t let a magician settle in their city anyway, for they were prone to causing explosions every now and then, which was frightening. He threw away the letter. Liszt no longer cared when Granney would arrive. Now in Fresh Flower Town, the resource survey and the logging campaign were underway simultaneously. Even though Goltai devoted himself as an advisor, there was still an overwhelming amount of work causing trouble for Liszt. He had his own troubles too. Standing in front of the castle window, he frowned at Juan Fu, who was shackled by the legs. ¡°Garrulous!¡± ¡°Garrulous!¡± Juan Fu kept making noise, continuously pping his fully-feathered wings. With eyes turning into vortexes, Liszt unleashed the Eye of Magic. To him, Juan Fu appeared as a fat bird made of green magic power. ¡°Juan Fu has reached the stage where it needs to release magic power. In a few days, it might not need my guidance to cast magic¡ Eating too well is also a burden. Should I reduce its food? This bird eats as much in one meal as a servant does in three.¡± Juan Fu wasn¡¯trge; curled up, it was about the size of a dog. But being a Magical Beast, its appetite far exceeded that of ordinary birds: ¡°To keep feeding it like this is just not cost-effective.¡± Without finding a falconer, Juan Fu will always be a wild Magical Beast, whose main use is to be killed for meat or selling materials for Gold Coins. Shaking his head, Liszt decided not to kill it for the time being. Having taken care of it for so long, they had grown familiar with each other. No matter how he teased it, Juan Fu wouldn¡¯t bite him, only dodge. It didn¡¯t like to be touched by anyone. ¡°There¡¯s still some friendship between us.¡± The life in Fresh Flower Town was busy and orderly. The resource survey presided over by Goltai was soonpleted. The data was summarized and sent to the castle, sparking spirited discussions at the dinner party. ¡°ording to the lord¡¯s instructions, a portion of the serfs in the town who work in agriculture will be transformed into specialized workers. The farming serfs will get interest-free loans from the castle. The loans will not pass through the serfs¡¯ hands but will be delivered to them in the form of farming tools, along with guidance for scientific farming,¡± Goltai read passionately from his lengthy dissertation. The resource survey was his performance project, naturally filled with enthusiasm. ¡°The current resource survey results for Fresh Flower Town are as follows, Peanut Hamlet¡¡± Peanut Hamlet? Peanut Fields covering 100 acres, including one Peanut Elf Bug; Corn Grass Fields covering 20 acres; about 500 acres of uncultivated wastnd, mostly overgrown with weeds; a residential area covering 20 acres. Mushroom Hamlet Mushroom sheds covering 80 acres; a mixture of Mushroom and me Mushroom sheds covering 30 acres; about 800 acres of uncultivated wastnd, mostly overgrown with shrubs; a residential area covering 30 acres. Barley Hamlet Barley Fields covering 50 acres; Oat Fields covering 50 acres; Rye Fields covering 150 acres; Corn Grass Fields covering 30 acres; Millet Fields covering 50 acres, including one Millet Elf Bug; about 500 acres of uncultivated wastnd, mostly overgrown with weeds; a seaside beach covering 1800 acres, with some Fragrant Coconut Trees; a residential area covering 50 acres. Little Wheat Vige Little Wheat Fields covering 500 acres, including one Little Wheat Elf Bug; a pig farm with 12rge fat pigs; about 300 acres of uncultivated wastnd, mostly overgrown with weeds; a residential area covering 50 acres. Tomato Hamlet? Tomato Fields covering 80 acres, including one Tomato Elf Bug; Vegetable Fields covering 20 acres; about 40 acres of uncultivated wastnd, mostly overgrown with weeds; a residential area covering 60 acres. Oyster Vige A seaside beach covering 4600 acres, with some Fragrant Coconut Trees and one Fragrant Coconut Tree Elf Bug; a Fruit Thief Monkey Training Ground, housing 7 Fruit Thief Monkeys, of which 3 females are pregnant; a residential area covering 30 acres. Dairy Farm Alfalfa Grasnd covering 150 acres, housing 11 dairy cows, of which 3 females are pregnant; Thorn Forest covering 180 acres, including one Thorn Elf Bug; about 300 acres of uncultivated wastnd, mostly overgrown with shrubs; a seaside beach covering 1700 acres, with some Fragrant Coconut Trees; a residential area covering 15 acres. Fresh Flower Farm Tulip Fields covering 200 acres, including 15 acres of St. Dence Tulips, 10 acres of William I Tulips, 20 acres of ck Tulips, the rest being wastnd; about 500 acres of uncultivated wastnd, mostly overgrown with shrubs and weeds; a residential area covering 20 acres. The town Amercial district covering 40 acres; a workshop district covering 80 acres; a serf residential area covering 150 acres; a freeman residential area covering 120 acres; a noble residential area covering 80 acres; a government building covering 10 acres. Most are nned areas, with the current housing footprint being very small. The Castle? Alfalfa Grasnd covering 120 acres, including one Alfalfa Elf Bug, housing 22 horses, of which 7 mares are pregnant; Dragon Kui Field covering 5 acres, including one Dragon Kui Elf Bug; the castle itself covering 20 acres; about 400 acres of uncultivated wastnd, mostly overgrown with shrubs and weeds. The entire town¡¯s cultivablend is roughly 5165 acres, with about 8100 acres of seaside beach, and approximately 775 acres upied by buildings, including small rivers, ponds, roads, totaling about 15,000 acres ofnd? as for the standard of this ¡°acre,¡± Liszt was also unclear,cking aparison. If his body had traveled through time, with himself as a reference, it would have been easy to understand the local system of measurements. Unfortunately, he traveled through souls, unclear whether now,pared to his past self, he was a giant or a dwarf? but it no longer mattered, as he had gotten used to the units of measurement here. ¡°Fresh Flower Town roughly covers 15,000 acres and Thorn Ridge about 13,000 acres, total that¡¯s 28,000 acres, which is the size of my territory¡ hmm, I also need to count the nearly 5000 acres of beach revealed at low tide. Then, I have 33,000 acres ofnd.¡± A small town of 33,000 acres was already one of therger towns on Coral Ind. He had even taken the time to draw a detailed topographical map of Fresh Flower Town, the map might not bepletely urate, but the basic framework should be correct. There were mountains, and water, with clear roads. His gaze traveled across the map, quickly moving to the north side of Thorn Ridge: ¡°From here on out, it¡¯s all low shrubs, and further out,rge tracts of uncultivatednd that nobody has developed. Should I include this piece ofnd as well?¡± After some thought, he decided against it. Swallowing Thorn Ridge was greedy enough; it was better to make a fortune quietly. Being too greedy and grabbing morend might backfire, possibly displeasing the Earl and Levis. ¡°Right now, the wastnd of Fresh Flower Town hasn¡¯t been fully cultivated. I should develop low-key and steadily. I have the Smoke Mission; there¡¯s no need to take risks. The old saying still applies: amass provisions, build high walls, and proim kingship at a slow pace. I¡¯m sixteen this year; I¡¯ll set a small goal for myself ¡ª by the age of twenty, I want to own an ind of my own!¡± In his mind surfaced the information about ck Horse Ind. This nurturing ground for the Li Dragon Horse Herd hadn¡¯t yet been uncovered, but its allure had already left Liszt enchanted. Chapter 149 - 0149: Silently Approaching the Dou Qi Bottleneck Chapter 149: Silently Approaching the Dou Qi Bottleneck ¡°Taskpleted, reward: Mutated Quick-Growing Thorn Species.¡± The slowly shifting smoke before Liszt¡¯s eyes brought him a sense of satisfaction. Starting with the extermination of Magical Beasts to the middle of October, after nearly a month of cutting, the Lumberjack Team had finally chopped down every tree on Thorn Ridge. The once lush but not overly dense woods had turned into bare, undting slopes of soil. If there were environmental organizations here, they would undoubtedly lodge a serious protest against Liszt¡ªusing him of destroying vegetation and causing soil erosion, crimes against humanity¡ªbut unfortunately, this was Liszt¡¯s territory, and he could do whatever he wanted. Besides, with Coral Ind lush and thriving, what did a few trees matter! In a world with Elves, there was no fear ofnd desertification. Moreover, there was no industrial development here; whether on the inds or the continent, no matter how poor the soil, at least 70% of thend was covered by forests. At least 95% was covered by vegetation, whether it be farnd or weeds, there was never a shortage of nts. Therefore, Liszt never paid attention to environmental protection. ¡°Mutated wood? What does that mean?¡± It was the reward for the Thorn Bug chain quest; previous rewards had been for thorn mutations with spikes or poison¡ªboth spikes and poison were easy to understand. But now the wood aspect was a bit baffling, ¡°Does wood¡ could it be about the quality of the timber?¡± His sharp mind quickly rotated: ¡°Trees differ from each other; some are suited for making furniture and are exorbitantly priced, while some are not even good enough for paper production¡ Does Mutated Quick-Growing Thorn Species mean that the wood properties of the thorns have changed?¡± Ordinary thorns were useful for nothing more than hedges. They could neither bloom nor bear fruit, and were not particrly hard, quite a useless feature. ¡°I can¡¯t figure it out by thinking alone, I need to see the actual item and research this ¡®Rapid Growth Wood Thorns¡¯ to determine its value,¡± Liszt named the new thorn variety in the blink of an eye. At that moment. The smoke before him also transformed into a new chapter. ¡°Task: Themercial district of Fresh Flower Town is gradually prospering, but the workshop area has been idle for a long time andcks enough workshops to support it. Craftsmen should not waste their talents on cutting trees and farming. Please build three new workshops to increase town prosperity. Reward: Bottleneck of Dou Qi.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes widened; he saw the odd reward of ¡°Bottleneck of Dou Qi.¡± But in his heart, there was no surprise, only excitement, ¡°My first task¡¯s reward was the sublimation of Dou Qi, which enabled me to break through from Apprentice Knight to Earth Knight smoothly. This time, it¡¯s the Bottleneck of Dou Qi, does this mean I am about to be an Elite Earth Knight? It must be!¡± Knights are categorized as Apprentice Knights, Earth Knights, Sky Knights, and Dragon Knights, ording to the levels of Dou Qi: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and Dragon Dou Qi. Within Earth Knights, one can roughly divide them into two stages¡ªCommon Earth Knights and Elite Earth Knights. Those who¡¯ve just broken through to Earth Knight are Common Earth Knights; during this time, if you continue to train, the total amount of Dou Qi in your body will slowly increase. Liszt was in this stage, feeling the growth of his Dou Qi every day. When the total amount of Dou Qi reaches its peak and stops increasing, it signifies reaching the level of an Elite Earth Knight. At this stage, it is very difficult to increase the total amount of Dou Qi through mere cultivation alone. Many knights are confined to this stage, unable to advance further, only continuously developing their technical use of Dou Qi. As they age, around their fifties, their physical functions will start to decline, the total amount of Dou Qi will gradually decrease, and they will regress from Elite Earth Knights back to Common Earth Knights. Now in his forties, Marcus was still at the peak of his physical abilities. In another decade or so, he would likely begin to decline, and his strength would greatly reduce. This was the urgent reason he yearned for distinction on the battlefield¡ªhonors needed to be gained early so that he could enjoy them when old. Half of the Elite Earth Knights shared Marcus¡¯ mindset. Honors. Yet, there were some Elite Earth Knights who were not in a rush to achieve distinction. Instead, they preferred to continue enhancing their own strength, such as Levis and Li Vera. However, relying solely on cultivation was no longer very effective. At this time, a copious amount of magic potions was needed to stimte the body¡¯s functions and continue to increase the amount of Dou Qi until the quantitative change led to a qualitative leap, breaking through to be a Sky Knight. One Sky Knight could easily handle a hundred Earth Knights. If they had good mounts to cooperate with them, they became killing machines on the battlefield, constantly collecting honors. ¡°Afterpleting this task, will I officially step into the phase of an Elite Earth Knight?¡± Liszt still found it hard to believe, ¡°Originally, I thought it would take at least three to five years of cultivation to enter the ranks of the Elite Earth Knights. Unexpectedly, in just over half a year, I¡¯vepleted this process.¡± The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. It was as if he could see himself radiating with the light of a genius from top to bottom. ¡°To construct three new workshops in the workshop district is too simple. Currently, there are six workshops in the district: a smithy, tanners¡¯ shop, mill, carpenter¡¯s shop, tailor shop, and locksmith store¡ ording to the current number of craftsman serfs, I can build a soap-making workshop, a brewing workshop, and a cooperage.¡± The soap-making workshop had a soap maker, Bunier, who had drifted from Little Papa Ind. He could not only make scented soaps but also undertook the task of making lye soap arranged by Liszt. Though he hadn¡¯t finalized the ultimate lye soap form, he had produced a barely usable lye soap. A soap-making workshop would be his reward, and after all, it would earn money for Liszt. The brewing workshop had among the artisans who had drifted from Little Papa Ind a brewer named Frank Dregs who could make fruit wines; there were also two purchased serfs who knew how to brew rice wine and beer, respectively. Now, Liszt had a good rtionship with the heir of the hops family, Aubrey Lycra, whom he contacted frequently through letters and could obtain hops at a rtively low price for his own beer brewing. Not aiming to make a profit, a brewing workshop could barely sustain itself if it produced for its own consumption. As for the cooperage, among the purchased artisan serfs, there were several coopers¡ªamon skillbining woodworking and cksmithing. Barrels were indispensable in daily life, so there would be no problem with sales once the cooperage was built. Even without the task, he had ns to construct a cooperage. ¡°The only question is, does a cooperage count as a workshop? It should be considered a handicraft workshop, right?¡± Liszt pondered in uncertainty, not clear on whether establishments like cooperages and tailor shops should be ssified as shops or workshops. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t count, I¡¯ll just build an additional workshop, which will need to be built sooner orter¡ maybe a peanut processing workshop. Boiled peanuts, five-spiced peanuts, fried peanuts, salt-and-pepper peanuts, sauce-vored peanuts, peanut butter¡ªI¡¯ll produce whatever can be produced. Fresh Flower Town shouldn¡¯t be directly selling raw agricultural products.¡± The value of raw agricultural products was too low. At the very least, they needed to undergo initial processing before being sold. Thinking of this, he immediately summoned Goltai, who was growing visibly busier day by day, ¡°Consultant Goltai, I need to see results in the development of the workshop district. Arrange to start construction on the soap-making workshop, brewing workshop, cooperage, and peanut processing workshop immediately, with direct investment from the castle.¡± Chapter 150 - 0150: The Thorn of Ironwood Quality Chapter 150: The Thorn of Ironwood Quality As for the current stage, the workshops and stores in Fresh Flower Town, aside from the few primitive ones opened by freemen, essentially all had to be established by Liszt himself¡ªhe didn¡¯t mind monopolizing all the industries in Fresh Flower Town since this was his own territory. When he said to build a workshop, a workshop could be built. However, Goltai had doubts, ¡°Lord, the soap making workshop can be handed over to Bunier, the brewing workshop has Frank, Bording, and Huntera, and there are many coopers for the cooperage¡ But what about the peanut processing workshop, what is it for, and who should it be handed to?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about taking the harvested peanuts and processing them simply. They can be sold cooked with the shells, roasted, or as shelled peanuts, can be made into peanut butter, and perhaps new and unique peanut recipes can be developed. The goal is to turn ordinary peanuts into delicious peanuts, just like turning ordinary bread into pineapple buns,¡± Liszt exined. ¡°Who will make these delicious peanuts?¡± ¡°Among the serfs we bought, aren¡¯t there some who have served as chefs in other castles? My castle doesn¡¯t need that many chefs for now, so let these people research how to make tasty peanuts¡ Remember this, Consultant Goltai.¡± ¡°Please go on,¡± Goltai said. ¡°The agricultural products from Fresh Flower Town are priced very low and don¡¯t have much trading value. But after our initial processing, they can be sold at a good price, and we can even purchase agricultural products from outside to process. I hope Fresh Flower Town can be a center for processing agricultural products,¡± Liszt said. There was no word in Serpent Script equivalent to ¡°initial processing.¡± Liszt could use Serpent Script to create a word with a simr meaning, then provide a brief exnation. Goltai understood, ¡°So, it¡¯s like Tulip Castle rarely sells whole Magic Tulips, but instead processes them into finished magic potions for sale, right?¡± ¡°You have understood correctly.¡± ¡°Then I will go and arrange this now.¡± After Goltai left, Liszt soon departed from the castle as well. He hurried to the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery to look for the Rapid Growth Wood Thorns. Standing amidst the shrubbery and looking around, apart from this patch of shrubs, only bare slopes could be seen in the distance. In the shrubbery, Rapid Growth Poison Thorns and Rapid Growth Spiky Thorns were artificially separated, each upying arge area. ¡°Lord Landlord!¡± The two Bug Guard Members guarding the Thorn Cordyceps hurriedly came forward to greet him; they were serfs from the dairy farm selected by Rom due to their robust physique to be Bug Guard Members and received a decent part-time sry. Liszt asked, ¡°Since you¡¯ve been stationed at this shrubbery, have you noticed any unusual thorns?¡± He had specifically instructed Rom to tell the Bug Guard Members here to pay close attention to the growth of the thorns and to immediately report any special ones they found. The members hesitated, ¡°Lord Landlord, I¡¯m not sure if they are unusual thorns or not.¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°There is a patch of thorns¡ they have be¡ very thick,¡± one member said. ¡°Very thick? Show me,¡± Liszt instructed. The Bug Guard Member quickly led Liszt to a patch of thick thorns. The thorns here, with their color and spikes, were just ordinary, but each one was about twice as thick as a regr thorn. This was a distinct difference, yet the Bug Guard Member didn¡¯t realize it was worth reporting¡ªsimply a pig-brained oversight. Of course. Liszt understood that the intelligence ofmon people was indeed limited. He said, ¡°Cut down this thorn.¡± The Bug Guards were not equipped with iron tools, only rtively cheap bone weapons. They hastily pulled out their bone knives and swung them ferociously at the thorns. These small shrubs weren¡¯t difficult to cut down, especially since they were still in their juvenile phase. The Bug Guard Members, full of confidence, believed they could sever the thorns with a single strike, showing their bravery in front of Lord Landlord. However, to their embarrassment, when the bone knives struck the trunk of the thorn shrub, they produced a crisp ¡°ng¡± and were repelled, leaving behind only a shallow mark. ¡°Uh.¡± The two Bug Guard Members grew a bit panicked, swinging their bone knives again with great force. But each chop only left shallow marks on the trunk of the thorn shrub, and after a dozen or so strikes, they hadn¡¯t managed to create a split as wide as a thumb. Instead, the edges of their bone knives were already chipping away. On the verge of breaking. ¡°Stop, Thomas, hand them my Knight¡¯s Sword to cut with,¡± Liszt¡¯s eyes shone with understanding. He had probably figured out the nature of the mutation that the Rapid Growth Wood Thorns had undergone. Receiving the Knight¡¯s Sword. The Bug Guard Members continued chopping, still unable to sever the thorns quickly, but thankfully the Knight¡¯s Sword was crafted from fine steel and was extremely sturdy. Relying on constant chopping and grinding, they finally managed to sever a thorn as thick as a wrist. They then chopped off its smaller branches, turning it into a bare thorn rod. Panting heavily, they handed it over to Liszt. Holding the thorn rod in his hands, Liszt could feel its weight. ¡°It¡¯s heavy, very solid, and the texture is extremely hard. If I¡¯m not mistaken, its wood has likely mutated in the direction of ¡®ironwood¡¯.¡± Ironwood, as the name implies, is wood as hard as steel. On Earth, many kinds of wood are called ironwood, such as ironbirch, mangrove, and phoebe, which are harder than steel, sink in water, aren¡¯t affected by insects, and can¡¯t even be pierced by nails. Many ships, vehicles, special buildings, and even aerospace parts are made from ironwood. The current Rapid Growth Wood Thorns hadn¡¯t reached the standard of ironwood yet. But their ¡°rapid growth¡± characteristic determined their value. Even if they didn¡¯t meet the ironwood standard, they were still far superior to regr wood and better than steel. ¡°Given this quality, Rapid Growth Wood Thorns are practically steel that grows on its own!¡± There were trees with ironwood qualities in Thorn Ridge, such as rockwood, stonewood, and others, but they were rare and grew slowly. It took hundreds of years for them to mature, and cutting one meant one less left. Rapid Growth Wood Thorns could mature in a short time, their value was so great that even Liszt found it hard to imagine. ¡°Compared to the previous poison and spiky mutations, these are nothing! This is the true treasure among thorns. My Thorn Bug, well done, you¡¯ll get an extra treat tonight. Feast on the Jade Powder!¡± The chained tasks reward from the Thorn Bug¡¯s influence had led to such a mutation. He felt increasingly certain that there was a chance for the Thorn Bug to evolve into a Thorn Minor Elf. ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡± Emotions stirred, he could no longer contain his thoughts: ¡°I¡¯ll nt all 180 acres of shrubbery directly affected by the Thorn Cordyceps with Rapid Growth Wood Thorns!¡± The ordinary Rapid Growth Thorns, Rapid Growth Poison Thorns, and Rapid Growth Spiky Thorns should either be relocated or cut down directly. They shouldn¡¯t take up the influence of the Thorn Cordyceps. The Li Dragon Horse raced. Returning to the castle like the wind. He nned to immediately call Isaiah, the newly appointed Administrative Officer, to ren the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery. However, as the wind cooled his mind, he immediately realized a key problem: ¡°The Thorn Bug is still umting power for its evolution, and the chain tasks aren¡¯t over yet. The Rapid Growth Thorns could still mutate.¡± Now, if he cut down the ordinary Rapid Growth Thorns, it would be hard to generate new mutations. ¡°No, I can¡¯t cut down all the ordinary Rapid Growth Thorns. Ironwood can wait. There¡¯s no rush. Right now, the most important thing is to let the Thorn Bug continue to develop, to let the Rapid Growth Thorns continue to mutate¡ However, the name ¡®Rapid Growth Wood Thorns¡¯ needs to be changed. Let¡¯s call them ¡®Rapid Growth Iron Thorns¡¯ instead!¡± Chapter 151 - 0151: The Thorn Bug’s Fat Pupa Stage Chapter 151: The Thorn Bug¡¯s Fat Pupa Stage The discovery of Rapid Growth Iron Thorns was as significant to Fresh Flower Town as a catalyst to a chemical reaction, or an athlete taking a stimnt. Although they would still have to wait for the Thorn Bug chain mission to be fullypleted before they could start nting on arge scale, it didn¡¯t hinder him from bringing the trunks of the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns back, and during the dinner, he gathered the officials of the town to study and discuss its uses. ¡°If it can grow to two meters high, it can be used to build houses, it¡¯s much harder than the fir wood we use, and I bet that houses built with it would be safe and sound in a storm.¡± ¡°ir, you¡¯re not considering everything, wood has to not only be firm but also waterproof, termite-resistant, and rot-resistant.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m missing anything, look howpact its wood is, it¡¯s nearly the same as the rockwood cut by the Lumberjack Team, and rockwood never gets bugs,¡± ir countered, speaking of rockwood, which is a tree known as rock tree that likes to grow in rock crevices. Rockwood is precious, a two-hundred-year-old rock tree can fetch a price of fifty silver coins. They only found fewer than ten rock trees when they cleared Thorn Ridge, of which only three were two hundred years old; the rest were younger. Another type of wood of the same nature as rockwood is stonewood, which is also extremely rare. Goltai came up with an idea, ¡°Let¡¯s sink it in water, if it sinks, it means it¡¯s almost like rockwood, if it doesn¡¯t, then it¡¯s not as good.¡± ¡°Right, let¡¯s try it.¡± So the servant brought over a basin of water. After some effort, they took a section of the trunk and threw it into the basin, and the trunk sank straight to the bottom. Seeing this, ir said proudly, ¡°Look, everyone, I never tell a lie, Rapid Growth Iron Thorns are as excellent as rockwood!¡± The usually quiet Marcus also spoke up, ¡°Its texture is sturdy and the trunk is straight, it¡¯s suitable for making Knight Spear shafts, and also for arrow shafts, it should be more suitable than birch wood.¡± Ordinary Knight Spears¡¯ shafts and arrows¡¯ shafts are all made of birch wood. Coral Ind¡¯s Birch City specializes in nting birch trees and producing birch wood for weaponry. The Tulip Family even has a Little Minor Elf of the birch tree. ¡°If it is really better than birch wood, we can supply Tulip Castle with it, I am sure the Earl would like better spear shafts and arrow shafts.¡± ¡°Especially since it can grow rapidly, this advantage is incredible. A rock tree only grows to the thickness of a palm in two hundred years, and this one is just a young sprout and it¡¯s already as thick as a wrist.¡± ¡°I seem to see a bush of gold coins.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s a tree that bears gold coins.¡± ¡°Who would have thought the most useless thorns would turn out to be the most useful wood.¡± The banquet was filled withughter and good spirits, all expressing anticipation for the morrow of the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns. After Liszt and others had finished their discussion, they raised their sses, full of high spirits, ¡°We can¡¯t be sure it¡¯s a money tree yet, but you can keep an eye on it and study it, to unearth its full valuepletely. If it really is a money tree, we¡¯ll have to nt it on arge scale, it would be best to nt Rapid Growth Iron Thorns everywhere on Thorn Ridge where thend can¡¯t be cultivated.¡± Everyone raised their sses and responded loudly, ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡± After dinner, Liszt, slightly inebriated, walked around the castle¡¯s estate and yed with Douson for a while before nning to return to the study to read. He was preparing to learn a new foreignnguage¡ªWind Language, thenguage of the Eagle Kingdom. Old Geronte, a well-traveled man who knows both Serpent Script and Wind Language, is the only one in Fresh Flower Town for now; therefore, he temporarily handed the management of the Fresh Flower Caravan to Abagon. He himself returned to Fresh Flower Town to serve as a trantor, coordinating the officials in managing the new 476 serfs, and also undertaking to teach Wind Language. Mastering a foreignnguage is indeed somewhat useful. However, Old Geronte was too busy with tasks to teach individually, so he contributed a notebook from his early years of learning Wind Language to Liszt. In this notebook, there were records of rather everyday Wind Language and how to pronounce them using Serpent Script. Learning is tedious, and although interesting at first nce, after two days, his patience wore thin. While passing by the Worm Room, he simply went in to tease his Elf Bugs. All nine Elf Bugs were kept in onerge box. It was like raising silkworms, except these ¡°worms¡± were colorful andpeted in beauty. He reached in and touched each one; Elf Bugs had smooth exteriors which felt nice to the touch. Some were lethargic, not moving at all, while others were energetic, roaming about, including the Thorn Bug. The gray-white Thorn Bug was not exactly eye-catching, originally the least conspicuous among the group of Elf Bugs. But now, he always felt that this Thorn Bug stood out from the rest. ¡°This is¡¡± The effect of alcohol made his brain react a bit slow. After pausing, he suddenly jerked awake, ¡°It¡¯s gotten fat, the Thorn Bug has gotten fat! It¡¯s obviouslyrger than the other Elf Bugs! This is a signal of evolution!¡± Tulip Castle bred over a hundred Elf Bugs. He often yed with Elf Bugs as a child, even witnessing firsthand two of them break through into Little Minor Elves. The biggest change in Elf Bugs before their breakthrough was ¡°getting fat,¡± a phenomenon usually referred to as the Fat Pupa Stage. Little Minor Elves, unlike butterflies, do not undergo metamorphosis by cocooning; they simply get fat directly. During the process of getting fat, Elf Bugs slowly decay and age. If unlucky, they simply die of old age and turn to dust. If lucky, one day, the Little Minor Elf will break through its exterior and emerge, spreading its wings to fly. ¡°It¡¯s the Fat Pupa Stage!¡± Liszt was now fully sober, his entire body overtaken by tense emotions that mingled with a hesitant excitement. The Fat Pupa Stage was indeed a signal of evolution but also a signal of death. Elf Bugs wouldn¡¯tst long at this stage; at most, one to two months. Failure meant death; there was no third option. ¡°Only one or two months left. This little time might not even be enough toplete the Thorn Bug¡¯s chain tasks. I must help it!¡± The plump Thorn Bug scuttled around the box non-stop. From time to time, it would lift its head and gaze at Liszt with eyes like ck sesame seeds, expressing affection. At the same time, Liszt could feel a restlessness in its emotions¡ªperhaps a longing and impulsion for evolution. Counting them up, it had already affected four types of mutated thorns. No detailed documentation exined the impact of Elf Bugs on nts, but Liszt was convinced it definitely had to do with the Elf Bugs¡¯ moods. The thorns had been extremely violenttely, continuously mutating. ¡°How am I to help it?¡± ¡°Provide it with nutrition, fertilize the Cordyceps every day?¡± ¡°Expand the area of the thorn bushes?¡± ¡°These seem likemon methods. They may be effective for evolution but not determinative¡ The chance of evolving mostlyes down to luck.¡± Adequate nutrition, to arge extent, is capable of breeding Elf Bugs, but it cannot ensure their breakthrough. After much thought, it seemed that only the Smoke Mission might truly help the Thorn Bug. ¡°I mustplete the Thorn Bug¡¯s chain tasks as soon as possible, starting with the ¡®Bottleneck of Dou Qi¡¯ task at hand. Starting tomorrow, I will personally supervise the construction of the workshop!¡± His mind was made up. Liszt let go of his tension and smiled as he watched his Elf Bugs, especially the Thorn Bug. The decisive moment that would determine fate had arrived: ¡°Little guy, you need to work hard.¡± As if sensing Liszt¡¯s encouragement, the Thorn Bug propped up half its body, locking eyes with Liszt with its sesame-seed eyes, full of emotion. It was brimming with confidence! Chapter 152 - 0152: The Conscience Represented by Mung Bean Soup Chapter 152: The Conscience Represented by Mung Bean Soup ¡°My lord, why are you in such a hurry to have the four workshops built?¡± ¡°I want to see results sooner.¡± On the empty lot of the workshop area, Liszt led Douson while inspecting the construction of the workshops. Consultant Goltai, who was in charge of the construction, was somewhat baffled. Just this morning, Liszt issued a new order demanding that the four workshops bepletely built within five days. Because of this, he had to gather even more serfs to participate in the construction. The whole construction site was bustling with activity. It was now autumn, and the temperature was gradually bing less hot than in the summer, but they were still sweating profusely while working. ¡°Tell the workers building the workshops that if they finish within five days, their sry will be doubled, and if they finish within four days, their sry will be tripled,¡± Liszt said, unconcerned by a few more copper coins. He cared only about whether he couldplete the task ahead of schedule. ¡°Oh lord, the serfs will go mad,¡± eximed Goltai, before spreading his hands, ¡°But it¡¯s impossible to build the workshops in four days. Workshops aren¡¯t wooden huts; they need skilled people to construct them.¡± Liszt indifferently said, ¡°Then make them more crudely, as long as they can produce, that¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t expect the workshops to bring me much ie, as long as they can assure the supply to the castle, that would be considered good.¡± One must not overestimate the skills of the serfs. But neither should one underestimate their pursuit of money. When they are driven, they can work night and day to cobble together the four workshops¡ªthe quality might not be guaranteed, but Liszt was not pursuing quality at the moment, only speed. Even if the workshops turned out to be defective, it didn¡¯t matter. The goal was just toplete the task. Compared to the evolution of the Thorn Bugs, these were secondary concerns. Goltai didn¡¯t understand Liszt¡¯s thinking, but he was just a consultant. All the power of thend was bestowed by Liszt, so he could only ept, ¡°I will properly motivate these serfs. I dare not guarantee four days, but within five days, there will definitely be four workshops appearing in the workshop area.¡± ¡°Complete this task, Consultant Goltai, and I will reward you with a few bottles of juniper wine, a cer-aged vintage purchased directly from Tulip Castle.¡± ¡°Oh lord, cer-aged juniper wine, that is utterly tantalizing. I haven¡¯t had juniper wine from Tulip Castle¡¯s cer in years! Ha-ha, I will supervise the construction of the workshops day and night for the next few days. Please rest assured, my lord!¡± He straightened out the attitudes of the officials and workers. Only then did Liszt lead Douson back the way they came. Halfway there, he directly mounted Douson¡¯s back, using it as a mount¡ªDouson had been rapidly growing recently, already weighing over a ton. Tigers, in front of Douson, could only be considered slightlyrger cats. The explosive power contained within its body could tear tigers and leopards apart. Even without using magic, it could stand at the top of Coral Ind¡¯s food chain. At first. Liszt riding it made it somewhat unwilling, but after a beating, it obediently served as a mount. Carrying a person hardly affected its movements Upon reaching Douson Avenue, Liszt gave themand: ¡°Douson, multiple stone spikes!¡± Douson opened its mouth wide, let out a roar, and then, on the sections of the road that had been nned but not yet constructed, seven thick stone spikes burst forth with a ¡®pfft, pfft¡¯ sound. ¡°Good boy!¡± Patting Douson¡¯srge head, Liszt was very satisfied and continued with themands: ¡°Keep it up, Douson, multiple stone spikes!¡± ¡®Pfft, pfft!¡¯ Another six stone spikes broke through the ground. ¡°Well done, little guy. Come on, stone spikes!¡± Pfft! With just a single Rock Spike thrusting out, Douson had already grasped the difference between a Rock Spike and Multiple Stone Spikes. A piece of jerky as a reward. Liszt rubbed Douson¡¯s chubby neck and continued the training, ¡°Douson, bigger, make it bigger, Rock Spike!¡± Pfft! A Rock Spike emerged. ¡°Bigger, Rock Spike!¡± Pfft! Another Rock Spike appeared. ¡°Not good enough, Douson, no jerky reward. Bigger, only thenes the jerky, understand?¡± Liszt teased Douson by waving the jerky in front of it, but didn¡¯t let it eat, making clear that its performance wasn¡¯t up to par. He trained it bit by bit like this. Only when the Rock Spike became thicker did Liszt stuff the jerky into its mouth, repeating themand, ¡°Bigger, Rock Spike,¡± to indicate that only arger Rock Spike would earn a reward. Douson was smart, but since they didn¡¯t speak the samenguage, he could only use conditioning to make it understand variousmands. Such training was repetitive and tedious. But when Douson mastered a newmand, Liszt felt a great sense of aplishment because his ultimate goal was to train Douson to cast a greater variety of magic. ¡°Douson is definitely an Intermediate Magical Beast, but it still falls short of a Purple Sand Crocodile. As a postnatal evolved Intermediate Magical Beast, its aptitude is certainly inferior to that of innate ones. How topensate depends on how I, as its master, train it and use techniques to offset itsck of natural talent.¡± He reveled in personally training a powerful Intermediate Magical Beast. However, the Roadwork Team following behind wasn¡¯t as thrilled. As Douson¡¯s Magic Power soared and it produced arge number of Rock Spikes, the team¡¯s workload greatly increased. Hammers pounded continuously, smashing the Rock Spikes to pieces and spreading them out on Douson Avenue¡ªan incredibly strenuous task, since Liszt demanded that each piece of rock shouldn¡¯t be bigger than a wine bottle cap. The serfs responsible for breaking the rock had to hammer constantly, even reducing the stones to dust. Only in this way could the road they built be smooth. Seeing the sweaty, dust-covered serfs of the Roadwork Team, Liszt felt somewhat sentimental¡ªhe had it far too easypared to them. Reincarnation was a skill, and evidently, he had done it quite well. ¡°Have Mrs. Abbie prepare some mung bean soup and send it to the serfs of the Roadwork Team, a bowl for each,¡± Liszt instructed as Butler Carter approached. ¡°Your mercy will astonish them.¡± ¡°As long as they work hard for me, I¡¯m never stingy with rewards and benefits. In Fresh Flower Town, I want everyone to be able to earn their living through work, have enough to eat, stay warm, and live healthily even when winteres,¡± Liszt proimed with high-sounding words, his vision ahead of the times. Merely exploiting serfs is a very low-level form of exploitation. Motivating the serfs¡¯ productivity is what truly maximizes the exploitation ofborers to gain more surplus value. He was a man who had read through Karl Marx¡¯s ¡°Das Kapital¡±. As for the conscience of a capitalist¡ªhadn¡¯t he already given them mung bean soup? What more could they want! So many people building one road, the wages paid on time, and only twelve hours of work a day, that was already quite kind. Any other Landlord might make the serfs learn from Xu Sanduo; not spending a copper coin, picking up rocks to build the road themselves. Riding on Douson. Liszt continued training, depleting all of Douson¡¯s Magic Power to create arge batch of Rock Spikes to be used as materials for the road. Only then did he leave the construction site, heading straight to where the Earth Matron was imprisoned¡ªas a reward for Douson. Chapter 153 - 0153: The Earth Matron Who Refused to Mate Chapter 153: The Earth Matron Who Refused to Mate After Liszt left. The serfs, busy with their work, began to whisper amongst themselves. ¡°Lord Landlord¡¯s pet is so formidable, I don¡¯t even dare to look at it. When it roars, my whole body trembles,¡± one serf said in amazement as they watched the Fierce Earth Dog¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°Of course, the Fierce Earth Dog is the King of Thorn Ridge, only the great Lord Landlord could tame it.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord is a noble graced with the glory of a knight, with a single sword he can subdue any Magical Beast. This winter, we no longer have to fear the Magical Beasts eating people.¡± ¡°Thorn Ridge, ah, who would¡¯ve thought we would chop down all the trees there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity my family isn¡¯trge enough, and I don¡¯t have enough tools, otherwise I would definitely reim ten more acres of wastnd¡ The officials in town said, the more you farm, the more grain you get to keep! My son is reaching the marrying age next year, I need to prepare enough food and a house for him, otherwise, he won¡¯t be able to get a wife.¡± ¡°Hey, Old Brown, has your son found a girl willing to be with him?¡± ¡°Of course, I asked Captain Grantaire of the Fresh Flower Caravan, and he promised he¡¯d find a girl who speaks Wind Language for my son, right, with a big butt!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the new serfs Lord Landlord recently purchased, I heard theye from the Eagle Kingdom, is that right?¡± ¡°Only the Eagle Kingdom speaks Wind Language, but here in Coral Ind, Lord Landlord will have them speak Serpent Script. By the way, Old Brown, why don¡¯t you find one? Among the newly purchased serfs, there are several older women who would be a perfect match for you, to help you with housework and farming.¡± Old Brown smiled bashfully, ¡°Heh heh, I¡¯m on the lookout.¡± ¡°Those women from the continent can¡¯t speak Serpent Script, if Old Brown marries one, the two would only be able to gesture.¡± ¡°As long as they can lie in bed, it doesn¡¯t matter if they can¡¯t talk, as long as they can perform the motions, haha.¡± ¡°Old Brown¡¯s good days areing.¡± ¡°Praise Lord Landlord!¡± ¡°Praise Lord Landlord, life in Fresh Flower Town is getting better and better.¡± The serfs had a simple way of thinking, life was better than before, all thanks to Lord Landlord, so they must praise Lord Landlord and farm more, work harder for him. Walls, iron cage. After losing her freedom, the life of the Earth Matron was confined to this small piece ofnd. From initial resistance to gradual eptance, now the times when Douson came to visit were her happiest and most exciting moments. Even faintly, she had started to like these peaceful days, her days filled with eating and sleeping, asionally getting up to mate, enjoying Douson¡¯s fierce thrusts. ¡°Woof woof!¡± The sound of Douson¡¯s bark, drawing nearer from afar. The Earth Matron lying on the ground sleeping immediately got up and went to the edge of the cage, responding with a bark: ¡°Woof woof!¡± Momentster, the gate to the enclosure opened, and the two Fierce Earth Dogs saw each other. Liszt was still riding on Douson¡¯s back, leisurely approaching the cage, now entering Earth Matron¡¯s magic release range. However, Earth Matron did not release any magic; she almost forgot about Rock Spike. Her conditioning was simple. Release magic¡ªfood is taken away. After a few days, the Earth Matron was left with the impression that each time she released her magic, she would go hungry. If she didn¡¯t release magic, food would appear. So, it no longer released its magic. The instincts of the beast told it that eating was far more important than magic. However, it was only because Liszt relied on the Dou Qi Secret Technique, Eye of Magic, that he dared to approach so casually. The castle servants who fed the Earth Matron did not dare toe in. They moved the cage, allowing Douson to enter the iron cage for a rendezvous with the Earth Matron. What should have been a smooth mating process encountered a problem: the Earth Matron could ept Douson¡¯s affection but firmly resisted, forbidding Douson¡¯s request to mate. ¡°What is this?¡± Liszt had a sh of insight, ¡°Could it be that the Earth Matron is pregnant?¡± A pregnant female would resist mating; of course, a female not in heat would do the same. However, the Earth Matron was supposed to be in heat, and it hadn¡¯t been resisting mating before. Anyway, since the Earth Matron was resisting, it meant that it either was no longer in heat or was already pregnant and no longer suitable for forced mating ¡ª previously, Douson mated with it every day but failed to impregnate it, because the Earth Matron wasn¡¯t in heat ¡ª heat involves the ovtion of animals. Without eggs, how could it be pregnant. ¡°Douson,e out,¡± Liszt knocked on the cage. Douson didn¡¯t want toe out and only after several urges did it reluctantly step out. ¡°It seems I need to go to Coral City to buy some femalerge wolves to bring back; otherwise, Douson¡¯s vigorous energy won¡¯t have any outlet, which is not a good thing.¡± Continuously holding back without proper diversion is not conducive to healthy development, ¡°I just don¡¯t know if Douson can produce offspring with therge wolves.¡± The thought was quite exciting. Perhaps they could breed a batch of magical beast bloodline wolf-dogs, simr to the quality of the Fire Dragon Horse. ¡°Douson is an intermediate magical beast, its bloodline is stronger, the mixed-breed magical beast pups will certainly be strong, and if selectively bred and reared over time, they might be an excellent breed of hunting dogs or work dogs¡ If it¡¯s really possible, then I¡¯ll build a dog farm to cultivate an army of wolf-dogs.¡± He was lost in wonderful spection. A servant rushed in to report, ¡°My lord, the magician from Coral City has arrived at the castle with the Fresh Flower Caravan.¡± ¡°Go back.¡± Liszt turned around, riding the Douson who looked back three steps at a time, returning to the castle. The people from the Fresh Flower Caravan were busy unloading goods and moving them into the castle¡¯s cer, while another carriage parked on Douson Avenue. A tall, thin man in a ck cloak stood in front of the carriage, gazing at the nearby town. Beside him was a thin little boy also d in a cloak. This was none other than the magician Grandini Truth and his magic apprentice. ¡°Mr. Grandini, wee to Fresh Flower Town.¡± Despite Liszt¡¯s dissatisfaction with the bted arrival of the magician, his face still wore the standardized noble smile. Grandini flipped back his cloak, revealing disheveled brown hair: ¡°The roads of Fresh Flower Town are quite good, actually paved with stones; I thought they would be muddy. Baron Liszt, constructing stone roads costs quite a few Gold Coins, even if a Noble needs to maintain appearances, why waste it on a road?¡± As he spoke, his gaze was fixed on Douson. Now Douson, wherever it went, became the focus of attention ¡ª its massive body and formidable presence had an astonishing effect. ¡°Tsk, tsk, such a fine Fierce Earth Dog, majestic and extraordinary, truly fitting of the title King of Thorn Ridge, it¡¯s far superior to low-level magical beasts. Possessing it is your good fortune.¡± ¡°No, following me is its good fortune,¡± Liszt extended his hand to gesture, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside the castle; Mr. Carter has already prepared teas and drinks.¡± Grandini did not move, his eyes still intently looking at Douson: ¡°Baron Liszt, I wonder if I might have the honor to study this Fierce Earth Dog? Perhaps I could pay to buy it from you. You should know, the value of a magical beast lies in the Magic Equipment it can produce.¡± Liszt¡¯s smile turned cold: ¡°Heh, you¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Chapter 154 - 0154: Correct Your Work Attitude Chapter 154: Correct Your Work Attitude I want to buy Douson. I want to turn Douson into magic equipment. Liszt felt he should release Douson¡¯s leash, then let it teach Granney how to be a decent person, for an Intermediate Magical Beast was not something a magician could simply touch. In the castle living room, host and guest sat down respectively. Perhaps it was the prestige brought by the ¡°hermit¡± title, or maybe because magic possessed a certain allure, but magicians held quite a high status in society, belonging to the upper-middle ss, with the privilege of entering the second floor of the castle. ¡°Is this the famous ice cream from Tulip Castle I¡¯ve heard so much about, invented by you?¡± Granney was instantly drawn to the ice cream with its varied colors as the servant brought it over. Ice cream is a luxury food¡ªmaking a small amount of ice cream requires a significant amount of ice, which ordinary people simply couldn¡¯t afford. Granney had only heard of it, never tasted it. ¡°Try it. Outside of Fresh Flower Town, only Tulip Castle, Falcon Town, Beer Castle, and Shattered Stone Castle offer this frozen delight,¡± Liszt said. He had sold the recipe to four people: Levis, Li Vera, Aubrey Lycra, and Brandon Brokenstone. Other nobles wanted to buy it but were too reluctant to spend the money. Taking a cup, Granney tasted it, ¡°Hmm, is this ice from nature, not made by magic? Interesting. How is it made?¡± ¡°The ice cream recipe is quite valuable.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need the recipe for the ice cream. What I want to know is where does the icee from? Baron Liszt, don¡¯t tell me your castle is so small that it has an ice cer underneath.¡± Creating ice with saltpeter was not a secret worth keeping. But the tone of Granney¡¯s inquiry made Liszt ufortable, so he responded indifferently, ¡°Mr. Granney, I invited you to Fresh Flower Town to craft equipment and teach me rted knowledge about magic, not for me to teach you. I hope you can adjust your attitude.¡± Granney scooped another mouthful of ice cream, oblivious, ¡°Seeking the truth is our magicians¡¯ nature. It is still hot weather; even Ice System Magic is hard to cast, let alone making ice by natural means. This is a significant discovery, and I hope you can teach me.¡± ¡°Teaching knowledge costs money.¡± ¡°How many gold coins?¡± Judging by Granney¡¯s demeanor, he was indeed willing to pay in gold coins for the information on the saltpeter ice-making process. Liszt¡¯s eyes gleamed with a new idea, ¡°I¡¯m not short of gold coins. If you want to know how I make ice, it¡¯s simple: work diligently for me during this period, and afterpleting the work, I will naturally teach you the principles of ice-making.¡± Granney frowned, ¡°I hate working with unresolved questions.¡± ¡°Therefore, under the premise of ensuring quality,plete the work as soon as possible, and you¡¯ll be rid of your doubts sooner,¡± said Liszt bluntly. He had already figured out how to deal with magicians; there was no need to be considerate, just scold them directly¡ªhere in Fresh Flower Town, magicians couldn¡¯t stir up trouble. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about the work. Which ck pearl do you need me to craft into magic equipment?¡± ¡°Thomas, go fetch my ck Pearl from the study, it¡¯s in the cab.¡± Just moments ago, he had entered the study, taken out the basketball-sized ck Pearl from the Gemstone Space, and ced it in the cab, to mislead any observers. Thomas quickly brought the ck Pearl over. He ced it on the table. This ck Pearl wasn¡¯t a regr spherical shape; it was rather lopsided and didn¡¯t look very appealing. But that was Liszt¡¯s aesthetic. To Granney, who had never seen arger ck Pearl, it was perfect: ¡°Incredible, incredible. A ck pearl itself is incredible, but to actually have one sorge!¡± He caressed the ck Pearl with his hand, ¡°Abundant water system magic power, as if cing me upon the great sea, it must have been born in the deep ocean, oh, it also has this historic heaviness to it, I feel like it has existed for hundreds of years!¡± ¡°Do you think it can be made into magic equipment for suppressing storms?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s even more outstanding than I imagined, a top-quality material for making magic equipment¡ However, the materials I brought are probably not enough, I need to purchase more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving now?¡± ¡°No, no, no, there¡¯s no need to leave, I¡¯ll write a letter and have Charley go buy it, it¡¯s just that some auxiliary materials arecking, the core materials are not in short supply.¡± Charley was that skinny magic apprentice. Granney was efficient at work, immediately asking for paper and pen to start writing a letter. He addressed it to a fellow magician, asking him to help purchase materials, and then handed the letter to Charley to be taken to Coral City by the Fresh Flower Caravan when they set off. The fellow magician lived near Coral City. ¡°Baron Liszt, I need a separate workspace to create a piece of magic equipment, especially with such a prime material, it will take a long time.¡± ¡°There are many newly built houses in town, you can pick one,¡± said Liszt as he rose to his feet, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the town now to choose your room.¡± Granney did not bring a horse, and astonishingly, he could not ride one. So a manservant had to take him by horse. Upon reaching the town. Granney¡¯s eyes never stopped scanning. He sawrge plots of nnednd, including drainage ditches, curbs, and green strips. Although not built yet, the areas were already parceled out. Some houses had been torn down, reced by neat rows of new ones. There weren¡¯t many pedestrians. At this time, most people not busy with farming were at the docks, moving rocks. Only in the workshop area were crowds of serfs bustling about. ¡°There¡¯s¡ no¡ manure?¡± He looked for a long time before expressing his surprise. ¡°Defecating in public is prohibited in Fresh Flower Town, there are toilets here, and all residents must use the facilities,¡± answered Goltai, who had just arrived, ¡°Mr. Granney, long time no see, I hope you like Fresh Flower Town, the environment here is even more beautiful than that of Coral City.¡± ¡°I must admit, the streets are clean, but in terms of prosperity, this ce is too remotepared to Coral City.¡± ¡°It depends on how you define it, brothels, gambling houses, and taverns¡ªnone exist in Fresh Flower Town, life is more peaceful. After all, Fresh Flower Town is just a small settlement,¡± shrugged Goltai, ¡°Once ustomed to its tranquility, you¡¯ll definitely fall in love with it, although admittedly, nights with nothing to do can indeed be hard to bear.¡± Freya was already over four months pregnant, and they couldn¡¯t do that, so Goltai¡¯s nightlife was limited to his hand. Liszt could not help but admonish, ¡°Take good care of Freya, Consultant Goltai.¡± If he didn¡¯t remind him, who knows, this guy might start flirting with some town girl again. Goltai chuckled, ¡°Of course.¡± After walking around the small town. Granney did not choose any of the houses here: ¡°My work requires quiet, Baron Liszt, the noise of construction in the town is too disturbing, not suitable, please provide me with a more secluded house.¡± He enjoyed bustling cities, but his work required silence, hence he lived hidden away in the dpidated Moss Town. ¡°In that case, Consultant Goltai, in one of the new houses in Little Wheat Vige, pick out a separate house for Granney to serve as his residence and studio,¡± said Liszt. ¡°As you wish,¡± replied Granney. Chapter 155 - 0155: The Incarnation of the Mundane Truth Chapter 155: The Incarnation of the Mundane Truth All the materials and items were moved into the new house, and thus Mr. Grandini settled down in Fresh Flower Town. The noon banquet was held in the castle by Liszt to entertain Grandini, where nobles and would-be noble sses gathered in numbers, yet the atmosphere of the banquet was somewhat mediocre. The magician wasn¡¯t as unsociable as imagined. Of course, he couldn¡¯t be described as witty and humorous either; often, it was Goltai and others entertaining themselves, with Grandini merely eating and drinking, more like a self-absorbed creature. The materials for crafting the ck Pearl were not yet sufficient. Therefore, after the banquet ended, starting from the afternoon, Grandini¡¯s work mainly focused on teaching¡ªalthough he also had the task of crafting Crystal Lamps, he needed the cooperation of a crystal craftsman, as the magician wasn¡¯t skilled in carving crystals. The Fresh Flower Caravan had already gone to invite the crystal craftsman Brad, who would probably arrive the day after tomorrow, if he wasn¡¯t too busy. ¡°Magic, just like Dou Qi, is a form of magic power,¡± Grandini started without any fuss, ¡°The world is triangr; matter is one corner, spirit another, and magic power the third. This is our magicians¡¯ understanding of the nature of the world, and the source of magic. Specifically, as it rtes to ourselves, the caster is matter, the power from meditation is spirit, and thebination of matter, spirit, and magic power creates magic.¡± ¡°What about knights, then?¡± ¡°As I said, magic and Dou Qi are alike¡ªmagic power, the releaser, and spiritual power create various Dou Qi manuscripts. The difference between magicians and knights is that knights regard themselves as the triangle, while magicians integrate themselves into therger triangle of the world.¡± As he spoke, he asked, ¡°Do you understand?¡± Liszt nodded as if he really got it, ¡°A triangle, huh? The most stable structure.¡± In fact, he didn¡¯t understand at all¡ªwhatrge triangle, small triangle. Then. Grandini continued to talk about his triangle theory, like how Taoism believes the universe is divided into the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, and Buddhism generalizes that matter isposed of earth, water, fire, and wind. Magicians believe the world is divided into spirit, matter, and magic power. A very broad cognition, its correctness unknown, and the content extremely dull. Grandini wasn¡¯t a good teacher either, and his speech was even more tedious. An afternoon of repeating the same triangle theory nearly put Liszt to sleep several times. Finally, he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and interrupted, ¡°Mr. Grandini, I¡¯ve already understood the triangle theory, you can skip it. What I want to know now is how magic is released and why magic power is divided into different properties like water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, light, ice and darkness. Also, I¡¯d like to witness real magic.¡± Grandini frowned. Being interrupted during a long lecture was very disappointing. Luckily he still knew that Liszt was his patron, so he raised his left hand, his fingers slightly spread, and quickly rubbed together a fireball. The fireball appeared out of thin air, from a tiny me to a fist-sized fireball. With a fierce push of his hand, the fireball shot out of the castle window and exploded in mid-air not too far away. ¡°Fireball Technique, the most basic of the Fire System magic.¡± ¡°Do it again,¡± said Liszt, narrowing his eyes, bringing forth the Eye of Magic Power. He wanted to observe closely¡ªhe had observed a Magical Beast releasing magic, where magic power condensed in its body and was expelled from its mouth, naturally forming magic. Grandini nodded. Raising his hand, he once again created a fireball. Liszt watched very clearly this time¡ªGrandini had only a small amount of magic power inside him, chaotic and colorless. The moment he cast the Fireball Technique, the magic power in his palm quickly turned red, bing Fire Attribute Magic Power. Then, speckles of red magic power in the air were attracted by the magic power in his palm, coalescing into a ball and forming the fireball. Pop! The fireball exploded outside the castle. In the vision of the Eye of Magic Power, that fiery attribute magic power dissipated with a roar as if it never existed. He had a rough idea of the process of casting magic. However, he still didn¡¯t understand why magic could gather into a fireball, as the Eye of Magic couldn¡¯t observe the force that caused the magic power to condense. Perhaps, as Grandini had said, it was the power of the spirit. Like him, a single thought could drive the Dou Qi within his body to circte ording to his will. Why it followed his thoughts was a mystery. At this moment, Grandini continued to manipte the magic. ¡°Meditate, to build a bridge between your spirit and the magic power,¡± his voice was somewhat ethereal, his gaze fixed on the palm of his hand, his whole being immersed in a certain state, ¡°Magic power is a third existence outside of the material and spiritual realms. It has emotions. Feel them, befriend them, and they will serve you.¡± Gradually, A gray-brown substance, which was magic power materialized as soil, began to appear in his palm. The soil sphere slowly grewrger, and his voice continued to drift: ¡°Meditation is an essential step in building the bridge. Only when your spirit is in a state of calm can you touch the existence of magic power. It is everywhere, jumping for joy. Once you find them and make friends with them, you can obtain magic, and then, understand the world!¡± Finally, the soil sphere expanded to the size of a fist and then gradually solidified, turning into a rock with distinct edges and corners. Grandini didn¡¯t stop, continuing to cast magic,pressing and solidifying the rock over and over again until it emitted a cracking sound, and only then did he stop. With a flick, the rockpletely shattered. But unlike the fireball from before, the shattered rock didn¡¯t disappear; it remained as debris: ¡°Flying Rock Technique, an Earth System Magic, as low-level as the Fireball Technique. However, I can¡¯t master it very well. I specialize in Water System and Fire System Magic, and I have a slight understanding of Wind and Earth Systems but am not proficient.¡± ¡°Lightning, Ice, Darkness then?¡± ¡°I have not delved into these four systems of magic and cannot cast them.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that magicians can master and cast magic of every type.¡± ¡°If I can get closer to Truth and be a Grand Magician, maybe I will have enough energy to study Lightning, Ice, and Darkness Magic. But right now, I am far from the Truth, and my spirit is not broad enough to be proficient in both Water and Fire Systems is already pushing it.¡± ¡°What is an Archmage like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Grandini lifted his head, his hooked nose tilting upward: ¡°Archmages are incarnations of Truth walking in the secr world, beings that magicians look up to. Baron Liszt, why do you think I would understand Archmages? Even you, do you understand what a Dragon Knight is?¡± Faced with such a question, Liszt couldn¡¯t argue¡ªhe had always thought that Dragon Knights were simply knights who rode on dragons. However, the Advanced Dou Qi of a Sky Knight was just one level below Dragon Dou Qi, the legendary Dou Qi shared with dragons. As for what Dragon Dou Qi was, not even his noble rtives and friends, like Marquis Merlin, a veteran Sky Knight, knew what it was. All the noble knights dreamed of bing Dragon Knights. But knights who possessed dragons were lofty beings, out of reach for themon man¡ªeven the King who had dragons, such as the Sapphire Duke, likely had no idea what being a Dragon Knight felt like. The first Sapphire Duke was a Dragon Knight, but the current Sapphire Duke was merely the dragon¡¯s partner and caretaker. No chance for dragon riding. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s change the subject. Why did the rock condensed from magic power continue to exist?¡± He asked a question that had puzzled him for a long time. Chapter 156 - 0156: Chronicles of the Dragon Lance Chapter 156: Chronicles of the Dragon Lance ¡°You mean these residues?¡± Granney poured the rock fragments in his hand onto the table, ¡°They¡¯re just ordinary stone residues, devoid of any magic power.¡± ¡°So, why is that?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t the rocks formed by the agglomeration of magic power disappear?¡± Granney stirred the fragments on the table with his hand, ¡°Your question is too broad, just like questioning how dragons can produce gemstones and metals, and why elves can cultivate nts, it concerns the essence of the world. I can only tell you my understanding.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± ¡°Spirit, material, magic power, they form a triangle.¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve told me many times.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not immutable, or rather, spirit and material can have a dual influence on magic power. Spirit can influence magic power into bing material, and material can also affect magic power to generate spirit¡ Casters, with their own spirit, create magic, forming material; materialbined with magic power, in turn, forms¡¡± He paused before continuing, ¡°Dragons, elves, that¡¯s how I believe they came to be.¡± Liszt nced at Granney, somewhat surprised by this fresh idea¡ªdragons and elves originating from thebination of magic power with material. Before Liszt could voice his doubts, Granney exined on his own: ¡°This is just spection, Baron Liszt, not based on a foundation of Truth, so it¡¯s best forgotten after hearing it. I will not admit that this set of ideas originated from me. Magicians pursue truth and despise lies.¡± He nodded. Liszt did not dwell on it and changed the subject: ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Elf Bug¡¯s reproductive process many times, yet I know nothing of a dragon¡¯s breeding. Do you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about dragon breeding, I¡¯m just a magician, I¡¯ve never even seen a dragon,¡± Granney¡¯s tone carried a hint of regret, ¡°However, I can rmend you a book, ¡®Dragonce Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight¡¯ by the great Archmage, Odom Truth. It has a detailed introduction to dragons.¡± ¡°Do you have the book with you?¡± ¡°No, in fact, I don¡¯t own the book. I only browsed through it when I was young, serving as a magic apprentice under my teacher. It was part of my teacher¡¯s collection, and in his quest for Truth and greater knowledge, he has travelled to the maind. I haven¡¯t seen him for many years.¡± Without the book, Liszt could only ask Granney to narrate its contents to him. Speaking a few words for money, Granney naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse and immediately recounted what he remembered. ¡°Young dragons before the age of one hundred are the easiest to capture. It is said that most Dragon Knights cultivate a bond during the dragon¡¯s youth, enabling dragon riding. From one hundred to eight hundred years old, adult dragons reach their peak period for producing gems and mineral deposits, with dragon blood, dung, saliva, breath, scales, and might, all capable of infecting the surroundings and forming mineral deposits.¡± After eight hundred yearse the elderly dragons. Most elderly dragons leave their dwellings during this time to head for the ¡°Valley of Dragons,¡± a mythical ce. ¡°Some say the Valley of Dragons is in the Devil¡¯s Sea, others say it¡¯s in the Whirlpool Sea, and there are those who say it¡¯s on Mount Mgao Ding, but no one has seen it; it¡¯s a legendary ce. Dragons bury themselves in the Valley of Dragons. They do not die but rather be one with the world, to be reborn as dragons after countless years.¡± Dragons are categorized into three types. Elemental Dragons, Gemstone Dragons, Metal Dragons. Metal Dragons can infect metal ores like gold, silver, copper, iron, aluminum. ¡®Dragonce History: Dragons of Autumn Twilight¡¯ records twenty-three types of Metal Dragons. ¡°Brass Dragons, Bronze Dragons, Purple Copper Dragons, White Copper Dragons, White Maw Iron Dragons, Malleable Cast Iron Dragons, Grey Iron Dragons, White Heart Iron Dragons, ck Heart Iron Dragons, Golden Dragons, tinum Dragons, Silver Dragons, Mercury Dragons¡ These are roughly the types of Metal Dragons I remember.¡± Gemstone Dragons can infect gemstone mines and are broadly categorized into blue, red, yellow, and green. Like the Sapphire Dragon, Ruby Dragon, and others such as the Azure Sapphire Dragon, Crimson Gem Dragon, Light Green Emerald Dragon, etc. The gemstones produced by the Gemstone Dragons possess extraordinary magical powers and are even more valuable than those of the Metal Dragons. However, their production is not as high as that of the Metal Dragons. Most of the Elemental Dragons are Evil Dragons, embodiments of the elements themselves. A Fire Dragon can infect a volcano, a Water Dragon can infect a swamp, a Wind Dragon can conjure storms, an Earth Dragon can raise mountains, and so on. ¡°Archmage Odom Truth once battled a Wind Dragon, his blood drenched the entire in. Now that ce is called Windhowl Valley, located in the Neverfall Empire, where fierce winds blow endlessly throughout the year. Countless magicians who specialize in the Wind System aspire to visit Windhowl Valley, to feel the magic power engraved by the Wind Dragon.¡± Liszt was brimming with interest, ¡°How many years ago did this happen?¡± ¡°Based on the era in which Archmage Odom Truth lived, it should have been about four thousand years ago, at that time, the Neverfall Empire didn¡¯t even exist.¡± The Neverfall Empire has a history of only three thousand years. ¡°For four thousand years, the magic power of the Wind Dragon in Windhowl Valley has not dissipated?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the power of Dragons. They possess the ability to change the world. Unfortunately, even Archmages find it difficult to peer into such mysteries.¡± Granney shook his head, his regret apparent. Liszt was equally astonished. He had read many Knight novels that described dragons, all of which seemed to be made up¡ªportraying dragons as nearly divine creators, yet with intelligenceparable to that of a small dog. The records left by Archmages are very credible, and the magic power of the Wind Dragon has indeed not dissipated in four thousand years. This revtion left him dazzled and eager to rush to Windhowl Valley immediately to observe with his own Eye of Magic, to discern what was different about the Wind Dragon¡¯s magical power. After a moment. His eyes flickered slightly as he casually asked, ¡°Mr. Granney, in the Knight novels I have read, some authors have mentioned a category of dragons beyond the Elemental, Metal, and Gemstone ones, known as Sacred Dragons?¡± ¡°I have heard of Sacred Dragons too, but ¡®Dragonce History: Dragons of Autumn Twilight¡¯ makes no mention of them; that¡¯s just nonsense spun by novelists. I don¡¯t like reading Knight novels; they¡¯re all made up, they defy Truth and are lies!¡± Granney said with disdain when it came to Knight novels. ¡°Can you tell me about Sacred Dragons? I¡¯ve only read about one kind in a book, the Formless Dragon.¡± ¡°Those authors invented five kinds of Sacred Dragons,¡± said Granney, his disdain didn¡¯t prevent him from being well-informed: ¡°The Immortal Dragon, which represents life, grants one eternal life¡ªvery fake; The Twilight Dragon, which represents time, can stop time, I don¡¯t see the use of that; The Jade Dragon, representing dreams, can enter into dreams. I¡¯ve seen jade, it¡¯s a kind of gemstone, what does that have to do with dragons?¡± He continued his disdainful remarks. Liszt, however, listened very earnestly. ¡°The Formless Dragon, representing space, can produce Space Rings, akin to a ring that can hold many things¡ªa concept as ridiculous as my cup holding an elephant; andstly, the Smoke Dragon, representing destiny. ording to the Knight novels I¡¯ve read, it¡¯s described as a wisp of smoke¡ªI find that imaginative.¡± After he finished talking about the five Sacred Dragons, Granney concluded with scorn: ¡°No one has ever seen a Sacred Dragon with their own eyes, and no country possesses such dragons. They are just figments of the imagination by those who have never seen a dragon¡ªdreamt up in their dreams at night¡ There¡¯s nothing more to discuss, let¡¯s continue talking about magic.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± responded Liszt absentmindedly. However, inside his head, a gigantic wave had already surged. The Smoke Dragon, representing destiny! A wisp of smoke! The Smoke Mission! Chapter 157 - 0157: The Fate Choice of the Smoke Dragon Chapter 157: The Fate Choice of the Smoke Dragon Seven months ago. Liszt awoke from the darkness,prehended his situation, and epted the memories of his predecessor, knowing thetter could see the smoke from a very young age. But back then, the smoke was too faint to see clearly. It wasn¡¯t until he had transmigrated and merged with this body that he could truly see what the smoke was made of; it turned out to be a text-formed task. When he first saw the content clearly, he was really startled. If you could call it a golden finger, the smoke formed Serpent Script, not Chinese characters. If you said it wasn¡¯t a golden finger, both thenguage style and the task content were familiar to Earth¡¯s style. He could only convince himself that before a transmigrator did anything, the golden finger acted first. Then he epted the existence of the Smoke Mission, guessing that behind the faint outline, there must be some schemer or conspiracy. However, this time, upon hearing Mr. Grandini describe the five Sacred Dragons, he found there was one representing fate¡ªthe Smoke Dragon. It brought him a tremendous shock. ¡°Perhaps, this golden finger of mine, this Smoke Mission, is not some kind of conspiracy?¡± There was no indication that the Smoke Mission had any ulterior motive or was driving him towards some sort ofyout. From beginning to end, the Smoke Mission simply issued some simple tasks. And then rewarded him with things that already existed but were extremely easy to miss. This manner of awarding. Upon reflection, it had a strong vor of destiny¡ªwhether it was a brush past or an embrace, both are different trajectories of fate. Ordinary people cannot change the trajectory of fate, or rather, their fate¡¯s trajectory is unknown, chaotic. But with the help of the Smoke Mission, Liszt¡¯s destiny¡¯s trajectory included an added element of choice. Granney continued to prattle beside him, expounding endlessly on matters of magic. Liszt was already lost in his thoughts, entering his own inner world. He lowered his head, looking at his own body: ¡°Representing fate¡ a puff of smoke¡ Could it be that residing in my body is a Smoke Dragon? Because of the Smoke Dragon¡¯s infection, I have been granted the right to choose my fate?¡± Unlike Granney¡¯s denial of the Sacred Dragons. He believed in the definite existence of Sacred Dragons¡ªthe Formless Dragon had eaten two cows in front of him and left behind a Space Gem, an undeniable fact. If the Formless Dragon existed, why couldn¡¯t the Smoke Dragon exist? The Immortal Dragon, Twilight Dragon, Jade Dragon, they definitely all existed; they might be transcendental beyond belief, but dragons and elves were already incredible creatures. No matter how inconceivable, what of it? This was a worldpletely different from Earth, a remarkable world filled with magic. His thoughts continued to soar. He tried to find traces of the existence of the Smoke Dragon. ¡°If it were to be said that the Smoke Dragon resides in my body, it¡¯s not impossible, since I often see the Smoke Mission. But the smoke could only form Serpent Script, it never formed the shape of a dragon, nor has it evermunicated with me¡ It¡¯s very likely I haven¡¯t actually obtained it, but rather am just influenced by it?¡± ¡°Ordinary animals can be infected by dragons to be dragon seed animals. Although there have never been any dragon seed humans, it¡¯s possible that my predecessor, as a child, was identally infected by the Smoke Dragon and became a Smoke Seed person.¡± Thinking this way. He didn¡¯t know whether to feel fortunate or regretful. Fortunate because others rarely encounter dragons, while he hade into contact with two, each leaving behind precious gifts¡ªthe Smoke of fate control and the unique Gemstone Space. Regretful because the close encounters with the two dragons didn¡¯t make him a Dragon Knight, nor did it earn him the friendship of the dragons. ¡°Baron Liszt.¡± ¡°Baron Liszt!¡± Granney¡¯s calling voice brought Liszt back from his reverie: ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was introducing magic, were you even listening attentively!¡± Mr. Grandini was quite displeased, ¡°Learning magic requires maintaining focus, and on the path to pursuing truth, despite the loneliness and dullness, only the joy of acquiring knowledge can fill your soul from emptiness to fulfillment!¡± ¡°Sorry, I just wanted to understand a bit about magic, not to learn it,¡± Liszt suppressed his cluttered thoughts and squeezed out a formic smile, ¡°Without a nap, I¡¯m a bit sluggish, how about we end today¡¯s lesson here and continue tomorrow. Thomas, please show Mr. Grandini around, let him have a look at Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°Certainly, my lord,¡± Thomas extended his hand with perfect gentlemanly grace, ¡°This way, please, Mr. Grandini.¡± Grandini nced at Liszt and showed a look of disdain: ¡°Truth is bing more and more distant from you.¡± Having said that, he strode out of the castle. After Grandini left. Liszt stayed alone in the study, looking out the window, lost in thought amid Juan Fu¡¯s ¡°caw,¡± ¡°caw¡± calls. Smoke Dragon. Smoke Mission. Destiny. Many thoughts flickered back and forth. The smoke in front of him twisted and changed forms, but the text remained constant: ¡°Mission: Themercial district of Fresh Flower Town is gradually prospering, but the workshop district has been unupied for a long time, stillcking sufficient workshops to support it, and craftsmen should not waste their talents on chopping wood and tilling the fields. Please build three new workshops to increase the town¡¯s prosperity. Reward: A breakthrough in Dou Qi.¡± No matter how hard he tried to focus his attention, attempting tomunicate with the ¡°Smoke Dragon¡± behind the smoke, the content of the Serpent Script remained unchanged. He could notmunicate with the Smoke Dragon that may or may not exist within him. He also could not change the Smoke Mission; the so-called choice of destiny was merely an additional option. It was like a scenic area building a road; you can choose to build a straight path from the front gate to the back gate. The Smoke Mission, on the other hand, would hint at where there are attractions, allowing you to take a detour to include them. But if you want to build a toilet or a parking lot, sorry, there¡¯s no function for that. ¡°So now, there are four possibilities for the things happening to me.¡± First, as a child, he had close contact with a Smoke Dragon, was influenced by it, and became a person of the Smoke Dragon seed, possessing some ability to choose his destiny. Second, the Smoke Dragon is snoozing somewhere in his body, and the scattered wisps of smoke form the Smoke Mission, allowing Liszt to steal a part of destiny. Third, the Smoke Dragon might just be a young dragon, weak in power, hiding away and biding its time to grow. Fourth, he might be overthinking, and the Smoke Mission has nothing to do with the Smoke Dragon¡ªit¡¯s just a transmigrator¡¯s golden finger privilege. The first, second, third, and fourth possibilities are all viable, but there is too little information to determine which one is more likely. He tried hard to recall the memories of his childhood, trying to find a node¡ªa moment of close contact with the Smoke Dragon. There was a high probability that he hade into contact with the Smoke Dragon. ¡°Since having memories, the ces my predecessor visited were not many. Red Crab Ind was one, where he only moved around the vicinity of Long Taro Castle, the rest was on Coral Ind. He visited every city on Coral Ind, every year going on vacation with the Earl, staying a few days in the castles¡¯ guesthouses in various cities.¡± There were no waves, just an ordinary noble second son¡¯s life, always in and insipid. Half an hourter, he gave up on recalling. He also gave up on contemtion: ¡°Well, whates wille, if I am fated with the Smoke Dragon, someday we shall meet face to face. Do what I must, and let destiny decide the rest¡ If it truly represents destiny¡¯s Smoke Dragon, I believe it is meant to be!¡± He stretched himself. The thoughts about the Smoke Dragon, he buried deep within his heart. Chapter 158 - 0158: Release of Meditation Model Rune Chapter 158: Release of Meditation Model Rune For the following two or three days, Liszt¡¯s schedule was packed. In the morning, he would cultivate his Dou Qi, train Douson, and supervise the workshop; in the afternoon, he focused on studying magic, particrly the spells mastered by the magician Granney. This magician was proficient in Fire and Water System Magic, had a slight understanding of Wind and Earth System Magic, and knew nothing of the magic of lightning, ice, darkness, and the like. ¡°The difficulty of cultivating magic is far greater than that of cultivating Dou Qi.¡± ¡°The steps of casting magic are meditation, model, runes, and release.¡± ¡°Meditation is to summon spiritual power to connect with magic power; the model is to mobilize the connected magic power and form a bridge between the internal and external magic power; runes are used to repair the model and strengthen the channels for magic power¡¯s ingress and egress; release ¨C when the bridge isplete and the channels are secure, with spiritual power as the guide, magic can be cast.¡± ¡°Each spell has a fixed model and runes, and it takes time to master them. For example, I can instantly cast the Fireball Technique and Water Arrow Spell because I have cast them thousands of times, imprinting the details of the magic in my body and brain, and can naturally release them.¡± ¡°But for the Earth System¡¯s Flying Rock Technique and the Wind System¡¯s Wind de Spell, I must spend time constantly adjusting the model and supplementing the runes to cast them smoothly.¡± ¡°There are many spells I have mastered that require secrecy; I can only show you the Fireball Technique, Water Arrow Spell, Flying Rock Technique, and Wind de Spell.¡± ¡°Every magician is also a Casting Master of Magic Equipment; actually, the principle is very simple. Making magic equipment is just carving a casting model. The core material can be seen as a rough casting model, while supplementary materials are the runes that fill in the model¡ Additionally, materials from Magical Beasts are a good source of runes.¡± ¡°That Fierce Earth Dog of yours is quite extraordinary, I bet that if you ughtered it and added it to a ck Pearl, I could even create a piece of Magic Equipment that rivals a Little Elf Weapon!¡± Granney said this with a gleam in his eyes. Little Elf Weapons, more precious than gemstone weapons. As the name implies, Little Elf Weapons are forged with the blood of Little Minor Elves ¨C their blood, imbued in the weapon, can endow it with miraculous magic power. Although all the kingdoms have enactedws to prohibit the ughter of Minor Elves, the use of Minor Elves in forging weapons is a persistent issue. After all, some Minor Elves are of little use in agricultural production. ¡°Don¡¯t bring up Little Elf Weapons anymore,¡± Lisztmented with deep loathing, finding Elves to be beautiful beings that shouldn¡¯t be treated this way. ¡°Furthermore, don¡¯t even think about Douson. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t mind letting Douson have some ¡®intimate contact¡¯ with you.¡± Granney sneered at Liszt, his eyes filled with contempt. He probably thought Liszt was a hypocrite, as many Nobles spoke against elf ughter but secretly used the ¡®useless¡¯ Minor Elves to forge Elf Weapons ¨C not just Little Elf Soldiers, but also Greater Elf Warriors and even Dragon Elf Weapons. He licked his lips: ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re willing to let me study that Fierce Earth Dog, Douson?¡± ¡°Granney, I advise you not to think like that. Douson is very dangerous.¡± ¡°Magical Beasts are all dangerous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s especially dangerous,¡± Liszt warned lightly, and after work was done, if the other party was still not dissuaded, he would not mind letting Douson loose for a while. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that ck Pearl. I want you to design a control device during the manufacturing process, allowing it to be switched on and off freely.¡± If the ck Pearl was always suppressing the storm, clearly, relying on paddles alone wouldn¡¯t be enough for long-distance voyaging. When there are no severe storms, the effects of the ck Pearl would be sealed. Then, when a storm came, it would be unsealed. Granney thought for a moment: ¡°No problem, that¡¯s easy. I already have aplete idea on how to make an exquisite piece of Magic Equipment, and in fact, I can hardly wait. Add another Douson to it, and the ck Pearl will be even more outstanding!¡± He circled back to the topic. Liszt picked up the cold drink on the table, ignoring him. Granney waited momentarily, then seeing the awkward silence, added, ¡°I saw a walled area near the Castle, there is a Fierce Earth Dog inside. Using it should suffice.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± ¡°Then, what about this Magical Beast that¡¯s chirping away, the Wind Falcon, right? It could be worth a try.¡± Juan Fu? Liszt was about to refuse when he suddenly paused. Juan Fu was a mystery when it came to training; he had even thought of using hunger as a means to train it. But after all, it was a bird, and if let loose, it would immediately fly away. The falconer was nowhere to be found, and if Juan Fu stayed in the Castle, it would only be good for disy, and perhaps for meat before it learned the Wind de Spell. ¡°Do you know any falconers?¡± ¡°You want to tame it?¡± ¡°This wind falcon was picked up from an egg, it recognizes people, butcks training. It can¡¯t even cast magic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best to ughter it, its materials as a wind system magical beast make for better rune-assisting agents in supporting the ck Pearl, suppressing storms.¡± ¡°I want to know if you recognize a falconer.¡± Granney was silent for a moment before slowly nodding: ¡°I do know one, but I still suggest that you ughter it to use as auxiliary material for the ck Pearl.¡± Under Liszt¡¯s persistent questioning, he finally revealed the name of the falconer¡ªElkerson True, another magician residing in Coral City. Knowing the existence of the falconer, Liszt was eager to invite him over, so he forced the reluctant Granney to write an invitation letter, since the two magicians knew each other. ¡°Juan Fu¡¯s fate has taken a turn.¡± He was in high spirits. What remained was to see when Elkerson True would arrive. When the letter was sent out, the crystal craftsman Brad happened toe to Fresh Flower Town to work with Granney on carving crystalmps. It was also that very night, the fourth night of the workshop¡¯s construction, that Goltai rode his horse at a gallop to the castle to report to Liszt: ¡°Sir, the workshop has beenpletely finished!¡± ¡°Very good, finished in four days, exceeding expectations! Consultant Goltai, as I said, triple the wages of the serfs who worked on it.¡± ¡°As you wish. Do you need to inspect the workshop personally?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Liszt didn¡¯t have time to inspect it; he had already started calling for the Smoke Mission. ¡°Complete the task, reward: the bottleneck of Dou Qi.¡± ¡°Task: No matter how many candles are lit, the flickering mes can hurt the eyes. Since you are already ustomed to staying upte, take care of yourself and find a new stable light source. Please install ten crystalmps in the castle. Reward: Mutated Thorn.¡± Taskplete, a new task appeared¡ªthe anticipated chain mission. ¡°Another mutated thorn, it seems I was very prescient not to cut down the Rapid Growth Thorn Bug,¡± Liszt¡¯s mouth curved into a smile. Every time hepleted a Thorn Bug chain mission, it increased the chances of the Thorn Bug¡¯s evolution into a little elf. ¡°Ten crystalmps, a task purely of benefits. I need to urge Granney and Bradter to hurry up and finish making the crystalmps.¡± Suddenly, his attention shifted, focusing on himself: ¡°The bottleneck of Dou Qi, when will ite? I don¡¯t seem to have reached the bottleneck; the Dou Qi inside me is still slowly growing.¡± After feeling it for a moment, he called for Butler Carter: ¡°Mr. Carter, for tonight¡¯ste-night snack, ask Mrs. Abbie to fry up an extra batch of magical beast meat steaks, I¡¯m feeling a bit hungry.¡± Have a big meal, get a good night¡¯s sleep, and quietly await the arrival of the bottleneck. Chapter 159 - 0159: Elite Earth Knight Liszt Chapter 159: Elite Earth Knight Liszt I don¡¯t know if it was because I ate too much Magical Beast Meat at once. I felt stuffed. Tossing and turning at night, I just couldn¡¯t fall asleep. In the separate room at the corner of the second floor, the asional ¡°gagging¡± sound from Juan Fu added to my irritability. Normally, I couldn¡¯t say that I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, but usually, I would fall asleep after turning over once. Tonight, however, I was unusually excited. ¡°It¡¯s only been a little over half a year, but I¡¯m about to reach a Dou Qi bottleneck. It somehow feels too fast.¡± I was pondering. Pondering why I could shorten the cultivation time. In terms of the total amount of Dou Qi in my body, I am now definitely no less than Marcus. I eat well and have a noble lineage; there¡¯s no reason I should be worse than Marcus, whoes frommoner stock¡ªDou Qi cultivation is rted to nutrition, but noble families, with their continuously optimized gics, are indeed stronger thanmoners in many aspects. As a child, Liszt was very much favored by the Earl because of his appearance, at least until the age of ten. Even with a stepmother, he nevercked for anything in his upbringing. After turning ten, the Earl grew gradually disappointed with him, and my treatment might have suffered a bit, but I was never mistreated. Therefore, Iid a very solid physical foundation from a young age. I justcked a bit of insight and, before adulthood, didn¡¯t manage to break through Primary Dou Qi. But when I had my transmigration, body and soul merged, and I achieved breakthrough in one fell swoop, bing an Earth Knight. Just over half a year more, and I was set to advance to an Elite Earth Knight. ¡°Putting it that way, it seems quite natural. Good foundation, high aptitude, good nutrition¡ªfaster cultivation speed is normal.¡± But I always had the feeling that my cultivation progress was too fast. There must be something I was overlooking. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind, ¡°Could it be because of the Smoke Dragon¡¯s influence that I¡¯m affected?¡± But I quickly dismissed that idea, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case. My predecessor had the Smoke Mission since he was young, and his cultivation wasn¡¯t notably fast. He didn¡¯t even manage to be an Earth Knight.¡± ¡°So, what other factors could be promoting it?¡± ¡°Magical Beast Meat?¡± I¡¯ve been eating a lot of Magical Beast Meat, especiallytely. Every meal seems to involve it. If I weren¡¯t young with a fast metabolism, I would probably be so over-nourished that I¡¯d have nosebleeds. ¡°Levis¡¯s diet is certainly no worse than mine, and he only joined the elite ranks at the age of twenty, two years ago.¡± ¡°Li Vera¡¯s diet is also good, always scrounging meals and drinks in the Castle, and yet she still hasn¡¯t be an elite.¡± ¡°On the other hand, Lidun, that little guy, is only twelve this year, and Lady Marie has been boasting everywhere that her son is about to break through as an Earth Knight¡ If that¡¯s true, his talent is stronger than Levis¡¯s and might just fall a bit short of mine. No wonder half of Tulip Castle¡¯s resources are nted towards him.¡± My train of thought became a little erratic, with all kinds of things about Tulip Castle floating through my mind. When I had first transmigrated, I wish I would never have to deal with Tulip Castle again to avoid awkward encounters. As time went on, and I became more integrated into the identity of Liszt, the position of Tulip Castle in my heart subtly changed¡ªI began to care about the matters of Tulip Castle, seeing myself as a member of the Tulip Family. Or perhaps. Deep down, I harbored the ambition of taking charge of Tulip Castle. Growing and developing my own farm was joyful, but it couldn¡¯tpare to inheriting family property. ¡°Perhaps Lidun is the one the Earl pins his hopes on the most now. For his sake, he doesn¡¯t hesitate to divide the resources intended for Levis¡¯s cultivation, giving half to Lidun. Otherwise, no matter how influential Lady Marie¡¯s pillow talk might be, it wouldn¡¯t sway him. This Earl, forged on battlefields, is not the type to be easily cowed.¡± The foundation of the Tulip Family¡¯s earldom was built by Li Weiliam with spear and sword. ¡°He is in his prime, his Dou Qi as a Sky Knight at its peak, and he certainly harbors ambitions of advancing even further. He never misses the Grand Duke¡¯s Pioneer Mandate every year.¡± Liszt recalled his interactions with Li Weiliam. Thetter¡¯s vast Dou Qi gave a sharp and unmatched impression. The Earl¡¯s Dou Qi is of the Water Attribute, and generally, Water-Attribute Dou Qi gives off a gentle and amodating feeling, but his was sharp. There¡¯s no doubt that personality ys a part. Liszt, with his Fire Attribute Dou Qi, should be impetuous and fervent, but hees off as mild and soothing as a spring breeze¡ªthis is the influence of his personality¡ªhe doesn¡¯t even want to go to the battlefield, only preferring to shrink back in Fresh Flower Town, farming, farming, farming, and still farming. How fierce can he get? He didn¡¯t like Marcus and Lidun, this mother and son pair, and neither did he, so he quickly stopped thinking about them. He thought of his sister, Li Vera, the somewhat chuunibyou neen-year-old spinster whose talent wasn¡¯t weak, and who had made a breakthrough to be an Earth Knight before adulthood. Yet, several years had passed, and she still hadn¡¯t be elite. This is rted to the physical constitution of women, as the cultivation of female knights is generally weaker than that of male knights. It is said that the world has yet to see a Female Dragon Knight. ¡°Li Vera and Lidun don¡¯t haveparative characteristics¡ Based on Levis¡¯s situation, my advancement to the elite sequence this time will certainly startle everyone. He prides himself on being a genius, an elite at twenty, but what is that before me¡ªa sixteen-year-old elite? In the Duchy of Sapphire, that¡¯s hardlymon!¡± He didn¡¯t think the bottleneck in Dou Qi was artificially elevated by the Smoke Mission¡ªthe rewards were merely a catalyst, and touching the bottleneck of Dou Qi was achieved through his own umtion. ¡°Aside from being a genius, there must be other influencing factors.¡± Lying in bed, he turned from side to side. He pondered deeply into the night. Then a spark of inspiration struck him: ¡°Could it be the milk? Three cups of milk in the morning, noon, and evening, and another cup for supper, four cups of milk a day, plus various dairy products¡ªsuch abundant nutrition!¡± He had previously thought it was the delightful climate of Fresh Flower Town that made the milk from the cows so delicious, but clearly, that was wishful thinking. Even if the climate were agreeable, the milk wouldn¡¯t undergo an ongoing improvement in taste¡ªafter all, these were not cows in their firstctation. The dairy farm had been raising cows for over a decade¡ªif the quality of milk were high, it should have been discovered long ago. Granney¡¯s mention of the Smoke Dragon earlier that day had given him much to think about. ¡°The Formless Dragon caused havoc at the dairy farm¡ªcould its Dragon Might have somehow affected the cows?¡± The more he thought about it, the more usible it seemed, ¡°The continuous improvement in the taste of the milk indicates something¡ªthat the lineage of these cows is changing, and they are quite possibly already Dragon Breed Cows!¡± Milk Flower, Milk Yellow, and Milk ck were all pregnant, and the improvement in the taste of their milk indicated an enhancement in their bloodlines. Perhaps as regr cows, they have limited aptitude and can¡¯t transform into Dragon Breed Cows, but it¡¯s very likely that their unborn calves will inherit the blood of the dragon and be true Dragon Breed Cows. He simply sat up. His heart was tumultuous. Dragon Breed Cows sounded incredibly rare and of immense value. ¡°Starting tomorrow, I must focus on the dairy farm and provide the cows with rich pastures, especially the three pregnant ones¡ªthey must be well taken care of, to ensure the smooth delivery of their calves!¡± There was no chance of sleep now. He forced himself to calm down and began to cultivate Dou Qi. Dou Qi was continuously generated in the cells of his limbs and torso, converging in his meridians. Maintaining this cultivation, he trained all the way until the next morning. When the Sun rose and the first ray of sunlight streamed in, Liszt suddenly opened his eyes, and at that moment, he felt the ¡°fullness¡± within his body and the surging Dou Qi in his meridians. He was both mentally exhausted and exhrated: ¡°I¡¯ve touched the bottleneck of Dou Qi, and now, I have indeed be an Elite Earth Knight.¡± Chapter 160 - 0160: Preparing to Become a Medicine Jar Chapter 160: Preparing to Be a Medicine Jar The sun rose in the east. Chained Doussan paced back and forth, tugging at its chain, waiting for Liszt to take it for a walk. At the castle¡¯s dining table, Liszt perused Grandini Truth¡¯s collection of books while enjoying breakfast. The meal was asvish as ever, but he was particrly savoring the milk. Whether it was psychological or if he could truly taste a difference, what was once simply delicious milk now revealed an extraordinary quality. It¡¯s no surprise it¡¯s from Dragon Breed Cows! ¡°Mr. Carter, have someone inform Consultant Goltai that I¡¯d like him toe to the castle after nine o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°Also, tell Mrs. Morson that from now on, every morning, I want two cups of milk and two cups of milk tea in the evening.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Having emptied his cup of milk in one gulp, Carter took the cup to find Mrs. Morson to brew another. Liszt closed the ¡°Sixteen Minor Skills of Enhancing Fireball¡± he was reading and leaned back in his chair, nning his next moves. He nned to join the elite ranks. Just by consuming meat and milk, it was unlikely that his Dou Qi would improve significantly. At this point, magic potions were needed to expand the body¡¯s cellr capacity for generating Dou Qi, steadily increasing his total amount of Dou Qi. When he reached the threshold of his body¡¯s capacity to store Dou Qi, an abrupt increase could trigger a qualitative change, allowing for a breakthrough. ¡°Starting today, I¡¯m going to be a potion guzzler.¡± Liszt did not know how Sky Knights became Dragon Knights, but he was clear about how Earth Knights became Sky Knights. His father was a Sky Knight and had shared his breakthrough experience with his sons and daughters without reservation. It boils down to consuming potions! ¡°The ck Tulips from the first three years all have to be handed over to Levis to take care of, which is a tricky matter. However, the me Mushroom¡ªI can keep it for my own use. me Mushrooms possess the fire attribute magic power, making them excellent ingredients for magic potions that enhance Fire Attribute Dou Qi,¡± he thought of Grandini, ¡°Grandini is proficient in fire system magic; I could ask him to make the magic potions.¡± Magic potions here refer to both nt magic potions. And the refined magic potions. Most nt magic potions have chaotic attributes and can aid in enhancing various attributes of Dou Qi. A few nts, like the me Mushroom, have clear attributes that can be used to create targeted magic potions, and their enhancement effects are much better than those of the chaotic magic potions. One is general-purpose, the other specializes; their value is not easy topare. But to Liszt, the me Mushroom-derived magic potion was the most suitable potion for him. Magicians certainly knew how to make magic potions¡ªmagic equipment and magic potions were the two crafts that allowed magicians to enter the upper echelons of society. Otherwise, magicians alone, not subjected to the power constraints of the nobles, would have long been suppressed by the knights In this world, whether in numbers or in strength, knights hold an absolute advantage. Archmages are said to stand at the pinnacle of power just like Dragon Knights and can go head-to-head with a dragon, but they stand no chance against a Dragon Knight. The synergy between a dragon and its knight isn¡¯t simply additive; it¡¯s a qualitative leap. Therefore, knights are mainstream, while magicians are fringe. Liszt¡¯s thoughts drifted, but he quickly refocused and continued his musings: ¡°Although Grandini has a stubborn personality and is a bit slow, he¡¯s still within the range of normal intelligence. Perhaps, I could persuade him to settle in Fresh Flower Town¡ He likes Coral City, probably because of the brothels there. I could find him a wife.¡± Magicians are typically single, giving up worldly constraints in their pursuit of truth. But magicians are also human, and solving problems on their own doesn¡¯t hold the same appeal as discussing them with others. ¡°No matter what, I need to make money. Only with money can I buy more magic potions.¡± He felt a tinge of regret for giving the entire ck Tulip share for the first three years to Levis. At that time, he thought it would be at least three years before he¡¯d reach the bottleneck of his Dou Qi. Otherwise, the self-production and self-sale of magic potions would save me a sum of money. There are too many expenses. Once we run out of magical beast meat, if we want to maintain the training speed, we¡¯ll have to buy more from outside, which is a huge expenditure. Whether it¡¯s the cost of magic potions or magical beast meat, it¡¯s difficult for a typical small-townndlord to sustain. Even with the seafood business, Liszt cannot guarantee that he can keep up. There¡¯s no way to tighten the belt any further; the only solution left is to think of ways to increase revenue. Workshops must be built inrge numbers, aiming to turn Fresh Flower Town into a center for agricultural product processing. ck Horse Ind also needs to be conquered as soon as possible. The trading business of Li Dragon Horses will definitely bring in arge amount of gold coins. At the same time, the construction of the knight squad must be elerated. A territory without the protection of knights is not in a healthy state. ¡°Luckily, I have dragon breed milk cows to provide me with rich nutrition and alleviate the food pressure.¡± A few cups of dragon breed cow milk a day are at least equivalent to the nutritional intake of magical beast meat. Of course. The premise is that they really are dragon breed cows. After walking the dog. Goltai had alreadye to the castle. Without a doubt, he had received another task from Liszt to improve the milk cow farm¡ªa task highlighting Liszt¡¯s asional unorthodox approach, something Goltai had grown ustomed to. ¡°As you wish, the cows on the dairy farm will definitely enjoy the same treatment as your Li Dragons!¡± Having sent Goltai on his way, Liszt rode his horse with his retainers straight to Little Wheat Vige to inspect the work progress of Granney and Brad and urge them toplete their tasks as soon as possible. Twelve retainer knights, roaring as they followed behind him, formidable as dragons. After the lumberjack team had leveled Thorn Ridge, the tasks of Marcus and the retainer knights ended, with the retainer knights returning to Liszt¡¯s side to guard thendlord. As for Marcus, he had been tasked with training the children brought by the serfs. Currently in Fresh Flower Town, among the local and purchased serfs, there are three hundred fifty-four children aged three to ten. Marcus needed to sort them into groups based on gender, age, physique, intelligence, and so on. Liszt would then arrange for suitable instructors to train these kids¡ªto ensure future loyalty to him, they must be Earth Knights, and training must start from childhood. ¡°Lord Landlord!¡± The patrol members guarding outside Granney and Brad¡¯s house immediately saluted upon seeing Liszt. Magic apprentice Charley opened the door and instinctively shrank back, ¡°Baron, do you, do you wish toe in?¡± The once ill-mannered Charley now held a heightened reverence for Liszt¡ªsimply because Liszt had scared him with Douson, making him wet his pants. Since then, Charley didn¡¯t dare show any disrespect in Liszt¡¯s presence. ¡°Is your teacher working?¡± ¡°Yes, the teacher is currently crafting the second crystalmp.¡± Once inside the house, Liszt quickly spotted the busy Granney and Brad. Brad was already carving the fifth crystal while Granney had just finished amp. He urged, ¡°Speed up the progress, Mr. Granney, Brad, I¡¯m fed up with the flickering candlelight and urgently need the crystalmps.¡± Chapter 161 - 0161 Apple Table Meeting Chapter 161: Apple Table Meeting He took the finished crystalmp with him. Once back in the castle, Liszt ordered his servants to install the crystalmp in his study. Themp, made of white crystal, emitted a soft white light, reminiscent of natural light, although not as intense as sunlight. Just one crystalmp was as bright as ten candles. ¡°It¡¯s about as bright as a 50-watt incandescentmp, which is still not strong enough. It would be better to install two more.¡± Three crystalmps in a room is the most suitable level of brightness¡ªany more is ring, any less too dim. These crystalmps could remain lit for several years on end. They could also be designed to be switched on and off at any time, but that would require high-level craftsmanship, which is not cost-effective. The value of crystal is indeed high, but the price is not uneptably so. With hundreds of crystalmps illuminating Tulip Castle from morning till night, it is a beacon of light that never falls into darkness. Many nobles like to use crystal for their tableware. After being enfeoffed, Liszt also received a set of exquisite crystal tableware. Although its magic power had been exhausted, it still highlighted his ss when entertaining honored guests. ¡°I need to also install a crystalmp in the bedroom, then put on ampshade. That way, I won¡¯t need to turn off themp¡ªjust closing thempshade will be like turning off the light.¡± He was ustomed to sleeping in the dark; he couldn¡¯t sleep with the light on. He directed the servants to adjust the position of the crystalmp. Making a quick calction in his head, he estimated that at Granney¡¯s pace, it would take another three to five days to make ten crystalmps. Tenmps could at most sustain five rooms, but he had no intention of adding more; taking out so much crystal at once would be a bit ostentatious. Better to keep a low profile. After all, threemps for the study, two for the living room, two for the dining room, two for the bedroom, and one for the bathroom should be sufficient for his use. ¡°Master, Mr. Marcus has arrived and is waiting for you in the living room,¡± Carter approached to inform him. ¡°Did Teacher Marcus mention what it is about?¡± ¡°He hase to report on the knight training of the serf children.¡± Liszt pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Have someone notify Karl Ironhammer and Rom Barrel toe here. Also, summon my twelve Retainer Knights; I want to hold a meeting.¡± He went downstairs. And met with Marcus. ¡°My lord, Marcus offers his greetings to you.¡± ¡°Good day,¡± Liszt, while letting Thomas adjust his necktie, replied, ¡°Teacher Marcus, let¡¯s talk under the apple tree. I have also invited others to join us in a meeting to discuss knight training.¡± The apple tree was a wild fruit tree not far from the front of the castle. There were stone benches and a wooden table beneath the tree where Liszt often read books or contemted. Regrettably, during this season, the apples had already ripened and fallen. Thus, he momentarily could not emte Newton, getting hit by a falling apple and then contemting and formting the epoch-makingw of universal gravitation. Next year, once apples grew on the tree again, he would definitely ponder astronomy, physics, magic and Dou Qi under it. ¡°Apples are wonderful, three apples can change the world.¡± Liszt sat down and smiled, gesturing towards the apple tree. Marcus was puzzled, ¡°Apples are indeed tasty, but how can they change the world?¡± ¡°Do you know how humanity came to be?¡± ¡°We are the rulers of nature, born alongside this continent, my lord.¡± Alright, watching Marcus answer seriously, Liszt suddenly found it boring; this Earth Knight was not one to exhibit humor. So, he cut to the chase, ¡°There is a legend that the first two people ate an apple and created the humans of today.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Then why is it that three apples changed the world?¡± Temptation in the Garden of Eden, gravity, the iPhone¡ Liszt regretted starting this topic and had to ther, ¡°Later, someone ate an apple and cultivated Dou Qi, someone else ate an apple and created magic. Of course, these are just legends I¡¯ve read in knight novels; those authors have quite the imagination.¡± ¡°Those magicians? They can¡¯t change the world; the world belongs to the knights!¡± A moment of thering followed. Karl and Rom had already arrived, and the Retainer Knights had formed a circle under the apple tree. Looking at Marcus, Karl, and Rom sitting upright and the Retainer Knights standing straight, Liszt suddenly thought of King Arthur and his round table meetings. This fictional ancient British king liked to have meetings with his knights around a round table, and Europeans wrote many stories about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The Japanese also produced many works about King Arthur. ¡°If one day in the future I were crowned king, would this table under the apple treee to be known by posterity as the Apple Table, the Apple Table Conference? Would Marcus, Karl, Rom, and this group of elders be called the Apple Table Knights? Or perhaps just the Apple Knights?¡± His thoughts were fleeting. He spoke earnestly, ¡°Teacher Marcus, has the sorting of the serf children finished?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord, out of three hundred and fifty-four children, twenty-six were excluded due to deformities or an inability to train, leaving three hundred and twenty-eight¡ª169 boys and 159 girls. Following your instruction, I have separated the girls into one group and divided the boys into passing and failing groups.¡± ¡°The girls¡¯ group will be trained by Rom,¡± Liszt decided on the spot, ¡°The purpose of the training is to keep them physically fit, making it easier to assign them jobs in the future. If there are any exceptionally talented individuals who can develop Dou Qi, we¡¯ll make special arrangements.¡± Rom immediately stood up to take the order, ¡°As you wish, I will rigorously train this group of girls!¡± Training women to develop Dou Qi was not the mainstream; at least mostndowners choosing knights would opt for boys. However, it wasn¡¯t fixed; there were also quite a fewndlords who trained female knights¡ Liszt¡¯s sister, Li Vera, trained a group of girls to form a women¡¯s knight squad, although she also trained many more boys. Liszt¡¯s training of girls wasn¡¯t about forming a knight squad. It was because he wished for women to also increase their strength to undertake hardbor in the future, or rather, to take on farming entirely, freeing up the malebor force. Men could work in workshops, or do more physically demanding jobs like building roads, bridges, and ships. An even more crucial point was that with a stronger female constitution, the difficulties of childbirth would lessen and the baby survival rate would greatly improve. Besides, there was another reason¡ªif a few outstanding female knights emerged, they could be taken on as Retainer Knights, and if they were fair and beautiful, they could be adjusted to serve as personal guards, which would be delightful. ¡°The failing group will be trained by Karl.¡± Liszt put aside his private thoughts and continued, ¡°The training of the failing group, like the girls¡¯ group, is about building physical strength, preferably to cultivate Dou Qi. In the future, among this group, those with Dou Qi can join the Patrol Team or the Bug Guard Team, while those without it can build roads and bridges.¡± Karl stood to ept themand, ¡°As you wish!¡± ¡°Lastly, I¡¯ll entrust the passing group to Teacher Marcus for training; they are the candidates for the future Land¡¯s Guard Knights. Philip, Zavier, you Retainer Knights will take turns assisting Teacher Marcus to train the passing group¡ I think the passing group should be further divided into smaller groups by age to train separately.¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°We can divide them into one group for those under six years old, mainly focusing on etiquette and basics; one group for those between six and eight years old, mainly cultivating Dou Qi and loyalty; and one group for those over eight, primarily training courage and mounted charges.¡± Chapter 162 - 0162: Falconer Elkerson Chapter 162: Falconer Elkerson As the meeting progressed, the number of participants gradually increased, with Goltai, Isaiah, ir, as well as Old Geronte and Kostor joining in. The content ranged from training serf children to future nning for Fresh Flower Town, all of which were included. By the time the sun was at its zenith at noon, the Apple Table Meeting concluded sessfully. The meeting resolved to establish the Knight Academy of Fresh Flower Town, because the territory was only a small town, so the academy kept a low profile. The academy was merely an informal appetion rather than a permanent institution. Everyone involved in training knights would also serve as an instructor and receive a sry of two copper coins per day. The first batch of eight instructors was as follows. Ettiquette Instructor ¨C Goltai Mast, responsible for training serf children in loyalty to theirndlord. Knight Squad Instructor ¨C Marcus Wheel, responsible for training the potential candidates of the Knight Squad, i.e., the serf children who passed. Patrol Team Instructor ¨C Karl Ironhammer, responsible for training the potential candidates of the Patrol Team, i.e., the serf children who did not pass. Bug Guard Team Instructor ¨C Rom Barrel, responsible for training the potential candidates of the Bug Guard Team, i.e., the girls¡¯ group of serf children. Administrative Instructor ¨C Isaiah Moss, responsible for teaching serf children administrative skills. Serpent Script Instructor ¨C ir Steel-Nail, responsible for teaching serf children how to read and write Serpent Script. Wind Language Instructor ¨C Grantaire Short Bench, responsible for teaching serf children how to read and write Wind Language. Marine Affairs Instructor ¨C Kostor Hoofprint, responsible for teaching serf children nautical knowledge. The meeting also readjusted the duties and sry regtions of Fresh Flower Town¡¯s provisional officials. Among them, consultants received twenty copper coins per day, affairs officers received ten copper coins per day, and assistant affairs officers received five copper coins per day. The list is as follows. Consultant and Diplomatic of Fresh Flower Town ¨C Goltai Mast, overseeing all affairs of Fresh Flower Town, including diplomatic affairs. Administrative Officer and Legal Officer ¨C Isaiah Moss, responsible for the administrative affairs and legal matters of Fresh Flower Town. Assistant to the Administrative Officer ¨C Auden Insole. Finance Officer ¨C ir Steel-Nail, responsible for the financial affairs of Fresh Flower Town. Assistant to the Finance Officer ¨C Gray Scythe. Defense Officer ¨C Karl Ironhammer, responsible for Patrol Team affairs. Worm Affairs Officer ¨C Rom Barrel, responsible for Bug Guard Team affairs. Marine Affairs Officer ¨C Kostor Hoofprint, responsible for nautical affairs. It was anticipated that separate Legal Officers, in charge of legal penalties, and Diplomats, in charge of external affairs, would be appointed, but there were no suitable officials for the positions at that time. Whether it was Old Geronte or Captain Kostor, they were acting in official capacities whilst still being serfs. They needed to umte enough merit for Liszt to release them from serfdom and convert them into formal officials. Therefore, their remuneration was granted ording to serf standards, much lower than that of formal officials. Even so, both were so excited that they prostrated themselves on the ground, kissing the tips of Liszt¡¯s leather shoes. For them, this was an opportunity given by Liszt to rewrite their destiny and a window bestowed upon them towards nobility¡ªas long as the futurendlord continuously achieved glory, they as following officials would naturally receive rewards. Even if they could not, their descendants would have a higher starting point to strive for noble glory. ¡°The glory of knighthood watches over Fresh Flower Town, over Lord Landlord, and over each and every one of us.¡± Goltai was very excited at the luncheon. The more prosperous Fresh Flower Town became, the more it highlighted his importance as a consultant and his power. He was not worried about facing challengers that would shake his status since only nobles could serve as consultants, and in Fresh Flower Town, there was no other noble besides Liszt. At least for a few years, this pattern was unlikely to change. The excited Goltai, almost getting drunk on beer, ttered effusively, ¡°Under the leadership of Baron Liszt, the prosperity of Fresh Flower Town is just around the corner. Let us raise a toast to the Baron!¡± ¡°A toast to the Lord!¡± As for Gao Ertai¡¯s bootlicking, Liszt was naturally immune and remained unaffected. Fresh Flower Town had already passed the difficult initial stage and was now in a phase of high-speed development. With the help of the Smoke Mission, his vision was beyond the likes of Gao Ertai. After the noon banquet, the officials returned to their posts. Liszt asked Captain Kostor to stay behind, ¡°Captain Kostor, how is the sailor training progressing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about to bepleted. I have already started trial sailing. Just waiting for a big storm at sea to test the sailors¡¯ adaptability, and then we¡¯ll be ready to set sail for ck Horse Ind!¡± Kostor replied excitedly. ¡°I need not repeat the importance of ck Horse Ind, make sure to keep the training confidential.¡± ¡°Lord Landlord, rest assured, I haven¡¯t spoken a word about ck Horse Ind in front of the sailors.¡± ¡°Well done, keep up the good work.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord!¡± The sun was setting in the west. Time flew by, and an afternoon passed just like that. Liszt had just returned from inspecting the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery, when he happened to meet his servant Tom, who was looking for him: ¡°Sir, the Fresh Flower Caravan transport team has brought back a magician named Mr. Elkeson Truth. He¡¯s waiting for you at the castle.¡± ¡°I know.¡± This magician was a falconer invited by Mr. Granney Truth. When Liszt arrived at the entrance to the castle, he just so happened to see the other party wearing the distinctive ck magic cloak,pletely enveloping his body¡ªtruth be told, Liszt had always been curious why magicians liked to wear ck cloaks. He had worn a ck cloak too, but he also had red, gray, and blue ones. ¡°Baron Liszt, Mr. Elkeson True pays his respects to you,¡± Elkerson, showing more courtesy than Granney, bowed slightly. Liszt returned the courtesy: ¡°Mr. Elkeson, wee to Fresh Flower Town.¡± ¡°The town is beautiful, quiet and peaceful. I am delighted to be here to work. By the way, where is Mr. Granney Truth? I received his invitation letter.¡± ¡°He is making crystalmps.¡± Once inside the castle, the servants brought tea, and Liszt went straight to the point, ¡°I heard you are a falconer, and I especially asked Mr. Granney to invite you to help me train a magical beast, the Wind Falcon. It¡¯s time for its trial flight, but it still doesn¡¯t know how to release the Magic Wind de.¡± Elkeson replied calmly, ¡°First of all, I must rify that I have never trained falcon-type magical beasts, only ordinary falcons. It¡¯s hard to guarantee whether I can train the Wind Falcon.¡± ¡°Just do what you can to train it. If it really doesn¡¯t work out, it¡¯s not a problem. Mr. Granney happens to want to use the materials of the magical beast to make a piece of magic equipment for me,¡± Lisztughed, ¡°If the training is sessful, I will provide you with two gold coins as payment. Even if it fails, there will still be a gold coin as payment.¡± ¡°You are very generous,¡± Elkeson was satisfied with the offer, ¡°I will do my utmost.¡± Compared to magicians like Granney who are stubborn, rigid-minded and fail to grasp the situation, Elkeson was an excellent conversationalist. Ample knowledge, an interesting demeanor, a tone tinged with respect, and a strong, iron-like cadence made Liszt feel favorable towards him. The refined iron cadence popr in high society was certainly more pleasing to the ear than the clumsy local speech of Coral Ind. It¡¯s not that one fears unfamiliar goods, but rather fearsparing goods and finding them wanting. As they talked, Liszt began to regret¡ªhe should have directly invited Elkeson earlier, instead of spending a fist-sized ck Pearl to invite Granney. Chapter 163 - 0163: The Cruel Eagle Torture Training Chapter 163: The Cruel Eagle Torture Training ¡°Such a beautiful creature¡ The eagle is a majestic flier, and the falcon is the same; even eagles and falcons raised from birth yearn for freedom, rather than being a loyal dog.¡± Mr. Elkeson admired the Wind Falcon perched on the windowsill, clucking his tongue in amazement. Outside the castle, Douson, tethered by a chain, suddenly sneezed for some reason. ¡°Do you mean to say that eagles and falcons can¡¯t bemanded?¡± Liszt furrowed his brow, his idea was to train the Wind Falcon to be as loyal and obedient as Douson. ¡°They can be close to the person who feeds them, but there¡¯s no way to force them to recognize a master except by subjugation. Taming an eagle or falcon essentially involves applying constant external force to force it to change its natural habits as a bird of prey.¡± ¡°How do you change it, and how do you train it?¡± ¡°Endurance!¡± ¡°Endurance?¡± ¡°Yes, enduring is the most important step in subduing the proud nature of eagles and falcons. By preventing them from sleeping and keeping them hungry, you canpletely shatter their spirit and change their habits. Only then will they hunt prey in the designed manner and not flee after being set free.¡± Mr. Elkeson, with many years of falconry experience, expounded on this in front of Liszt. He exined all details including the tools used for training, the steps involved, as well as different approaches for various eagles and falcons. Later, he nned to take forty days to summarize the training methods for the Wind Falcon, aiming to break its spiritpletely and turn it into a puppet on strings for the falconer, thereby achieving total subjugation. After hearing this, Liszt felt an inexplicable difort. Especially concerning the methods used for taming. Enduring¡ªto prevent the eagle or falcon from sleeping and thus break its spirit; Starving¡ªby wrapping twine around meat, causing the eagle or falcon to eat and then clean its stomach, followed by the removal of the twine to maintain a state of hunger; Restrain¡ªcing a hood over the bird¡¯s eyes so it wouldn¡¯t dare escape even when untethered; Hobble¡ªtying strings to its legs so it couldn¡¯t extend its legs to hunt. The entire training process was nothing but an endless torture for the bird of prey. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Elkeson, is an eagle or falcon trained this way still an eagle or falcon?¡± The ever-talkative Mr. Elkeson paused abruptly, thenughed and said, ¡°Baron Liszt, an eagle or falcon is just a wild beast. When humans tame wild beasts, they either eat them, ride them, or use them for farming, treating them all as tools. Falconry is merely a moreplex way of using a tool.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a rtively more humane method?¡± Liszt did not consider himself to be of the tender-hearted sort, as he had treated the Earth Matron quite cruelly. But Juan Fu was different from the Earth Matron, Juan Fu had been cared for bit by bit by him and was not just any magical beast. Besides, it was also a reward from the Smoke Mission, with a not-somon cachet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord,¡± said Mr. Elkeson calmly, ¡°I understand your thoughts. Indeed, the means of falconry can be cruel, butpared to the rewards, what is a little cruelty? The Wind Falcon is merely a magical beast. If you do not tame it, it will eventually rebel and escape, only causing you trouble.¡± Thinking about it, after a moment, Liszt tucked away that shred of kindness in his heart and replied, ¡°Fine, from tomorrow on, Juan Fu will be in your hands for training.¡± ¡°I will need your cooperation as well, ideally five hours a day, to train with me. Only by doing so can it truly submit to you.¡± Juan Fu was still chirping away on the windowsill. Completely unaware that its fate was about to plummet. Liszt took a deep breath, suddenly changing his mind, ¡°Mr. Elkeson, how about we wait another two days? Help me make the crystalmps first. Mr. Grandini alone will have a hard time finishing the crystalmps quickly.¡± He half wanted Juan Fu to enjoy two more days, and half wanted to elerate the progress on the Thorn Bug chain mission. ¡°If you truly need it, I¡¯d be happy to serve you.¡± In the evening. Mr. Elkeson met with Mr. Grandini. He greeted him warmly, ¡°Grandini, I¡¯m delighted to see you again. It¡¯s been half a year since ourst meeting. I¡¯ve wanted to visit Moss Town several times, but kept being dyed by other matters.¡± Mr. Grandini, however, was cold-faced, ¡°If Baron Liszt didn¡¯t need a falconer, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered writing to you.¡± ¡°It seems you have quite a prejudice against me, which is truly regrettable. Baron Liszt hopes that we can work together to finish making all the Crystal Lamps as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Work together with you? You must be joking!¡± Baron Liszt, who had been letting the two magicians introduce themselves, saw that things were about to be unpleasant, so he said, ¡°Mr. Grandini, rest assured that you will not be shorted on yourpensation. I simply hope to elerate the production of the Crystal Lamps, for the ck Pearl Magic Equipment needs to be made as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think working with him will speed up the progress. Not every magician knows how to make Magic Equipment.¡± Mr. Elkeson maintained his smile, ¡°Lord Grandini, I acknowledge your craftsmanship is excellent, but please do not belittle me. Even if my skill is not as good, we¡¯re only making Crystal Lamps after all, and it¡¯s verymon for two people to coborate on such a project. Besides, Baron Liszt has said that he will pay my sry separately, so it won¡¯t take away from your business.¡± Seeing that Mr. Grandini was about to speak again. Baron Liszt said impatiently, ¡°Enough, this matter is settled. Now, let¡¯s begin the banquet to wee Mr. Elkeson, with hopes that he¡¯ll enjoy his uing days in Fresh Flower Town.¡± Mr. Elkeson, still smiling, bowed in thanks, ¡°Thank you for your hospitality. I¡¯ve taken a stroll around Fresh Flower Town and have already fallen in love with its beautifulndscape and people, as well as its thriving atmosphere.¡± Look at that. The way he spoke made even Baron Liszt blush. He had assumed all magicians were like Mr. Grandini, but now he knew that there were indeed magicians with the elegance of nobles. When the banquet began, town officials joined in. The atmosphere became even livelier, with Mr. Elkeson¡¯s wit, humor, and erudition quickly winning everyone¡¯s favor. Mr. Grandini, however, kept a cold face throughout the entire event, focusing solely on his own eating and drinking, and not fitting in with the festivities. In the following two days. With Mr. Elkeson¡¯s involvement, the making of the Crystal Lamps indeed sped up, and by the morning of the third day, they sessfully finished making ten Crystal Lamps. All of the Crystal Lamps had been installed in the castle. ¡°Mr. Grandini, next, let¡¯s quickly forge the ck Pearl Magic Equipment,¡± said Baron Liszt, who was in fact already regretting choosing to have him make the Magic Equipment. Still, maintaining a basic level of integrity was necessary, so he did not show any significant emotional change towards Mr. Grandini. Mr. Grandini, with his usual indifferent expression and a hint of pride in his eyes, said, ¡°What do you n to name it? It¡¯s certainly going to be an exquisite piece of Magic Equipment. It deserves a name that reflects its character, so as not to waste my Magic Equipment crafting skill!¡± ¡°Calming Sea Pearl, I¡¯ve already thought of it.¡± ¡°Calming Sea Pearl?¡± Mr. Grandini, after pondering for a moment, replied without courtesy, ¡°It¡¯s a mediocre name. How about ¡®Eye of the Storm¡¯ instead? It has a stronger presence and fits its role better than Calming Sea Pearl.¡± Eye of the Storm? Calming Sea Pearl? Deep down, Baron Liszt had to admit that the name Mr. Grandini came up with was indeed more impressive than his own, but he was displeased with Mr. Grandini¡¯s attitude, ¡°It will be called Calming Sea Pearl, no, Calming Sea Divine Pearl!¡± Chapter 164 - 0164: The Key to the Evolution of the Thorn Bug Chapter 164: The Key to the Evolution of the Thorn Bug Having dispatched the clueless Granney, Liszt closed the door and, in the brightly lit study, he waved his hand, summoning forth the Smoke Mission. ¡°Complete the task, reward: Magic Potion variable rapid growth variety of Thorn.¡± ¡°Magic Potion!¡± Seeing these two Serpent Script characters, Liszt¡¯s pupils dted instantly. The long-desired mutation was now a reality, for indeed, a Magic Potion had been cultivated from the Thorns! Not cutting down the ordinary Rapid Growth Thorns in the beginning was truly a wise choice; no matter how practical the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns were, they couldn¡¯tpare to the importance of a Magic Potion. Especially now, as he had entered the Elite Earth Knight Sequence, it was precisely the time he needed a Magic Potion. It was like a timely rain, pouring refreshingly through his heart, utterly exhrating. The smoke slowly transformed in front of his eyes, forming new Serpent Script: ¡°Mission: A chain outbreak of five varieties of mutant Thorns is the Thorn Elf Bug expressing its desire for evolution,unching a firm attack against fate. As its contracted master, you should lend a hand, please provide new varieties of Thorns for the Thorn Bug. Reward: A Little Minor Elf.¡± At this point, Liszt¡¯s pupils dted once again. ¡°A Thorn Bug chain mission, finally at thest link. My first Little Minor Elf will be a Thorn Minor Elf! I originally thought it the least likely to evolve sessfully, but unexpectedly, it¡¯s the first to evolve¡ The new Thorn variety isn¡¯t avable in Fresh Flower Town; it seems I need to go outside to find it.¡± With that thought, he did not hesitate for a moment. He directly called over his Retainer Knights, Philip and Zavier¡ªthe two Apprentice Knights who had been the first to cultivate Dou Qi and the most likely to break through to be Earth Knights; Liszt was focusing on training them. ¡°Philip, Zavier, I have a task for you.¡± The young faces, now tanned dark, no longer held a wooden expression but rather a resolute one: ¡°We are at your service, my lord!¡± ¡°Philip, make a trip to Coral City. Tell Captain Abagon to mobilize all the routes of the caravan to look for Thorns, not ordinary Thorns, but unusual varieties within them.¡± Philip promptly replied, ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Zavier, apany the Thorn Caravan on a trip, the same mission, to find unusual Thorn varieties. Also, when leaving, stop by and call for Teacher Marcus.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Zavier quickly brought Marcus, who had been training the serf boys, over. ¡°My lord, you called for me?¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± Liszt led Marcus straight to the Worm Room on the second floor, pointing out the increasingly plump Thorn Bug, ¡°Teacher Marcus, you are the person I trust the most. Take a look at these Elf Bugs, do you notice anything?¡± Marcus seldom saw Elf Bugs. But that did not mean he was unfamiliar with Elf Bugs. As someone who aspired to be a Noble, he had made it a point to inquire about matters rted to Elf Bugs. Therefore, when he saw the Thorn Bug, he was stunned: ¡°My lord, this Thorn Bug¡ has it entered the Fat Pupa Stage?¡± ¡°The emergence of four consecutive varieties of mutant Thorns has made my Thorn Bug no ordinary bug. It has a strong desire to evolve. I can already feel its urgent craving to evolve. So, I want to help it. I need you to make a trip to Tulip Castle, as well as to the Beer Castle and Shattered Stone Castle.¡± ¡°My lord, what¡¯s the task you¡¯re entrusting me with?¡± ¡°Get in touch with them to inquire about Thorn Bugs. I suspect all three ces have Thorn Bugs; Tulip Castle alone has two more. If they also have control over unusual varieties of Thorns, negotiate for me. I want to bring my Thorn Bug to assimte these Thorn varieties.¡± Thomas nodded in agreement, then furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°My lord, do you think the Thorn Bug could possibly break through to be a Little Minor Elf?¡± ¡°Why not? Maybe the odds are low, but nothing is absolute. Even if there¡¯s only the slightest possibility, I will not give up. I need a Thorn Minor Elf to care for my Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, understand?¡± ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll set off at once.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll write three letters for you to take with you.¡± Marcus set off with the three letters. Liszt wasn¡¯t idle either. After greeting Douson and Elkerson, who was preparing to train Juan Fu, he set off toward the thorn shrubbery. He was searching for a new variant of magic potion rapid growth thorn, which he called Rapid Growth Magic Thorn. Rapid Growth Thorn, Rapid Growth Poison Thorn, Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn, Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, Rapid Growth Magic Thorn¡ªthe benefits brought by the Thorn Bug were already rich and were now on the verge of a breakthrough. The future profits that thorns could bring would be even richer. Riding on the back of a Li Dragon Horse, he suddenly thought of a very serious question, ¡°Now that I have a Little Minor Elf, I can probably choose to change my surname, right?¡± Some nobles would change their surname for their elves. Usually, they would change their surname after acquiring a Greater Elf, to dere their family¡¯s glory. But since Greater Elves were rare, many smaller nobles followed suit; upon acquiring a Little Minor Elf, they would change their surname¡ªafter all, Greater Elves lived two hundred years and Little Minor Elves lived one hundred years, both of which could prolong the glory of a family for several generations. The Tulip Family began in the era of the earl. The Tulip Lesser Spirit evolved into the Tulip Great Elf, and the surname changed from ¡°Tile¡± to ¡°Tulip.¡± The Lycra Family of Beer Castle had a Lycra Minor Elf and directly changed their surname to ¡°Lycra.¡± The Shattered Stone Family from Shattered Stone Castle also had a Little Minor Elf but did not change their surname. Perhaps they harbored ambitions to wait for a Greater Elf before changing the surname, or perhaps they were too modest to use a Little Minor Elf as their surname. ¡°In any case, I can now change my surname to Thorn¡ Liszt Thorn¡ It doesn¡¯t sound as noble as Liszt Tulip, never mind, I won¡¯t change it. I¡¯ll continue to bear the surname Tulip and maintain some distance from Tulip Castle so that I can still benefit from the Earl in the future.¡± He arrived at the Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery. Bug Guard Members came forward to salute. He simply used the Eye of Magic to observe the thorns. The Thorn Cordyceps were the most conspicuous with their abundant magic power. Momentster, Liszt discovered a new trace of magic power in a corner of the shrubbery and determined the location of the Rapid Growth Magic Thorn. The Rapid Growth Magic Thorn was not conspicuous. On the contrary,pared to the surrounding Rapid Growth Thorns, it was even smaller. This smallness was not because it was in the seedling phase but rather because the entire nt had a dwarfed appearance. Judging by its form, it had definitely grown for more than a month, with branches fully spread out, but the height only reached the lower leg. ¡°The chaotic, attribute-less magic power is like that of the ck Tulip, not bad at all. With this, I have a new magic potion avable to use¡ Most importantly, this is a rapid growth variant of the magic potion, practically a Gold Coin production line!¡± He touched the Rapid Growth Magic Thorn. Its thorns were very small and rather blunt, posing virtually no harm. Beside it was a Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn, whose thorns glinted coldly, as if ready to kill at any moment. ¡°I need to protect this Rapid Growth Magic Thorn. Clear out all the other varieties of thorns, from top to root, to make room for its growth.¡± Having confirmed the n for cultivating the Rapid Growth Magic Thorn, he faced another concern: ¡°The Rapid Growth Magic Thorn needs Thorn Bugs to increase production, as does the Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, how should I allocate them?¡± One can¡¯t have both the fish and the bear¡¯s paw. His only hope was for the Thorn Bug to break through into a Thorn Minor Elf soon and affect arger range of thorns. Standing up, he looked across over a hundred acres of Thorn Cordyceps Shrubbery, envisioning an endless supply of magic potions and high-quality wood. ¡°The Sea of Thorns is a bit exaggerated; The Land of Thorns is a bit mundane; The Forest of Thornscks creativity¡ I might as well call this shrubbery the Thorn Garden. I¡¯ll tend to it as I would a garden!¡± Chapter 165 - 0165: Flame Mushroom Magic Potion Collaboration Chapter 165: me Mushroom Magic Potion Coboration ¡°Oh, my God!¡± When Goltai received the notification and hurried to the Thorn Garden, he immediately opened his mouth wide and exaggeratedly described, ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is real, Magic Medicine Thorns? I thought Fresh Flower Town was the ce where the knight¡¯s glory shone, but now I realize that this ce is more like the birthce of the knight¡¯s glory!¡± ¡°The birthce of knight¡¯s glory? I like the sound of that, Consultant Goltai, and there might be even more surprises that you can¡¯t imagine,¡± Liszt said mysteriously. With the existence of the Smoke Mission as a golden finger, everything here was to be expected. Dragon! Smoke Dragon! A dragon that could found a nation, bringing such benefits, is nothing. ¡°Are there more surprises?¡± ¡°Of course, you will know soon,¡± Liszt referred to the evolution of the Thorn Bug, believing that soon, they would receive news of a new variety of thorns, and after that, the assimtion of the Thorn Bug. What would be gained then was a miraculous Thorn Minor Elf. He didn¡¯t tell Goltai; Goltai couldn¡¯t keep secrets. Regarding the evolution of the Thorn Bug, he wasn¡¯t nning to announce it until it was sessful, letting only Marcus in on it. Liszt had great trust in Marcus; his family had already settled in Fresh Flower Town. He swiftly changed the subject. Liszt said, ¡°Teacher Goltai, this Thorn Garden canmence with transntation and nning. My idea is to transnt the Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn and Rapid Growth Poison Thorn to the edge of Thorn Ridge, to enclose Fresh Flower Town and prevent invasions from magical beasts or thieves from outside.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a significant project,¡± Goltai said with a troubled look, ¡°It might not be feasible in a short period, as the autumn harvest is upon us, and I¡¯m organizing serfs to reap this year¡¯s crop.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s wait until after the autumn harvest to arrange for the Thorn Garden. But for now, around the Rapid Growth Magic Thorns, someone must immediately arrange for the removal of the ordinary thorns, allowing the Magic Medicine Thorns to grow and breed,¡± said Liszt. ¡°As you wish.¡± A momentter. Worm Affairs Officer Rom Barrel, who was inspecting the cordyceps, also hurried over. Liszt had to give another set of instructions: ¡°The protective measures for the Thorn Garden must be strengthened, with at least a squad of four Bug Guard Members on guard, divided into eight-hour shifts, with three squads rotating.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Also, I will purchase severalrge drums to be ced in the wooden hut where the Bug Guard Members keep watch. In case of any situations, they should beat the drums as a signal,¡± said Liszt. After making proper arrangements, he reluctantly left the Thorn Garden. Back at the castle. Mr. Elkeson True had already designed aplete set of tools for training Juan Fu, including an eagle hood, eagle tether, eagle water bottle, eagle gloves, eagle creance, falcon stand, bait, and other equipment. All these were made to precise measurements ording to Juan Fu¡¯s body shape. It wasn¡¯t too expensive, but neither was it cheap¡ªaltogether, it cost a gold coin. ¡°Baron Liszt, for the next period, we must enter the stage of training the bird through sleep deprivation. You must refrain from feeding Juan Fu. The rest, leave to me, preventing it from sleeping. Eventually, it will submit its proud head to youpletely,¡± advised Elkeson. ¡°I understand,¡± said Liszt. Liszt reached out and petted Juan Fu. Although Juan Fu didn¡¯t bite Liszt, it dodged his touch, as it didn¡¯t like anyone touching it. In the following time, the training of Juan Fu began. Having moved out of the castle and confined to a separate falcon room, Elkerson watched Juan Fu closely, recording all the detailed data about him. It must be said, this witty and humorous magician, instead of performing his duties as a magician, found it interesting to take on the role of a breeder. ¡°Mr. Elkerson, which systems of magic are you skilled in?¡± ¡°Earth System and Water System.¡± ¡°I have a curious question, how did you embark on the path of a magician?¡± Elkerson reflected, ¡°Baron Liszt, Ie from a family of serfs. As it happened, my teacher passed by Serpent Spear City on his way to the small town where I lived, to select some nts; he needed an assistant and chose me. Afterward, he asked if I wanted to join him to explore the truth, and I agreed.¡± ¡°So, you are from Serpent Spear City.¡± ¡°My family were originally serfs from Midway Ind, but when I was very young, because Viscount re angered Marquis Deep Throat, re was exiled to an uninhabited ind. Thus, my family and I came to Coral Ind and settled down in Serpent Spear City, but my parents have passed away, and I¡¯m on my own now.¡± The Marquis of Deep Throat Ind, full name Wace Pineapple Green, is one of the seven marquises of the Grand Duchy. The long-forgotten Viscount of Little Papa Ind, whose brother, the Viscount of Da Pa Pa Ind, is a noble vassal of Marquis Deep Throat. As for Midway Ind, Liszt had not heard of it before, and knew nothing about Viscount re. However, in earlier years, when the Tulip Family received their fief on Coral Ind, they bought arge number of serfs from various ces; Elkerson was likely bought as a serf to Coral Ind at that time. They made small talk for a bit. Suddenly, Liszt asked, ¡°Mr. Elkerson, do you know Fire Attribute magic?¡± ¡°I am not proficient in it, but I can definitely do it.¡± ¡°In that case, I have a batch of Fire Attribute magic potions; could you make them into magic power potions for me?¡± Liszt decided to entrust the creation of magic power potions to Elkerson. Elkerson¡¯s brows raised slightly, and he chuckled, ¡°I would not refuse a task that brings in money. On the path to seeking truth, I am always in need of gold coins; knowledge neveres for free.¡± Magicians like to mess around with vials and jars, studying various types of explosions and dangerous things. All of these materials must be purchased with gold coins. As a ss existing outside the feudal system, if they want to earn gold coins, they have to work on their own ¡ª making magic potions, crafting magic equipment; those specializing in the Ice System might even make and sell ice blocks. Of course, some magicians choose to join the feudal system. For example, they serve as court magicians or magic advisors for nobles, enjoying the patronage of a noble. But magicians like Elkerson and Granney, of their level, certainly cannot enjoy such patronage and must work on their own to earn money to purchase knowledge and explore the truth. At Tulip Castle, there is a magician specializing in the cooperative production of magic potions, living a reclusive life withoutcking money. These two could only take on odd jobs, living a semi-secluded life. ¡°Then, I entrust the magic me mushrooms I have to you for processing. I will build a me Mushroom Processing Workshop at Mushroom Hamlet and n to have a long-term cooperation with you, how does that sound?¡± He had intended to keep Granney around, but now, he felt that Elkerson was a better choice. Elkerson seemed hesitant, ¡°To stay in Fresh Flower Town for a long time?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay here all the time; the production of me mushrooms is limited. If you could take out a week every month, that would be enough to process all of the me Mushroom magic potions.¡± ¡°In that case, I am willing to cooperate,¡± Elkerson nodded, then voiced his confusion, ¡°Baron Liszt, why don¡¯t you cooperate with Tulip Castle?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same if the products are made first? There is no loss due to transportation costs and perhaps that could even earn a little more.¡± Liszt narrowed his eyes, choosing not to tell the truth. He had been very conspicuoustely, making quite an impression on Coral Ind. Too much rigidity can lead to copse, so moderation is key in everything. As for joining the Elite Earth Knight Sequence, it¡¯s best kept to himself. Chapter 166 - 0166: Juan Fu’s Miserable Bird Life Chapter 166: Juan Fu¡¯s Miserable Bird Life Elkerson oversaw the construction of the me Mushroom Processing Workshop and stewed falcon Juan Fu every day. Granney threw himself into the making of the Calming Sea Pearl wholeheartedly. Goltai and other officials presided over the autumn harvest work of Fresh Flower Town. Themoners of the town also joined the harvesting teams, reaping wheat, barley, rye, leveling wastnd, picking wild fruits, gathering vegetables, and collecting Tulip pod fruits. After autumn, the long Ice Snow winter will set in, and all the crops in Fresh Flower Town will cease to grow. ¡°Master, these are the freshly picked Dragon Kui from today,¡± Butler Carter brought over a te of dark little fruits. With the boost from the Dragon Kui Bugs, the yield of the Dragon Kui Field surged, harvesting a te of fruits every day. These things indeed tasted good, but eating too much was notfortable, Liszt only tasted them asionally, and the rest were given to his subordinates. Ever since the outbreak of the Thorn Bugs. The Dragon Kui Bug had be the most chicken-ribbed among the Elf Bugs. The output of Dragon Kui was low and couldn¡¯t be sold in bulk, only serving as a taste improver. However, taking the example of the Thorn Bug, Liszt would not underestimate the Dragon Kui Bug, who knew when it might have a big outbreak and trigger a set of chain tasks, evolving into a Dragon Kui Junior Elf. ¡°You should try some too.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± After eating a few Dragon Kui fruits, Liszt asked, ¡°We¡¯re approaching the end of October now, and in two more months, it will be winter. Has the warehouse started preparing for food storage?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already entrusted Captain Abagon and Captain Sherlock to be ready at any time to purchase the newly harvested wheat.¡± ¡°Relying on just wheat isn¡¯t enough, sorghum, beans, salt, sugar, etc., all need to be purchased, even in winter, I don¡¯t want the dietary conditions at the Castle to decline,¡± said Liszt, who did not want topromise, ¡°I will notify Consultant Goltai to build a warehouse near the Castle specifically for storing winter supplies.¡± Suddenly. He thought of something, ¡°Right, remember to remind me to hire people to build an ice cer in Fresh Flower Town when the timees.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Saltpeter ice-making was indeed convenient, readily avable, and recyble. Unfortunately, there was some loss in the process, and now, out of more than three hundred pounds of saltpeter powder, only over two hundred and sixty pounds were left, a loss of nearly forty-fifty pounds. In another year and a half, ice-making would no longer be possible. A new Saltpeter Mine was sought in vain. So, at the end of the day, it was essential to dig arge ice cer to preserve the ice from winter, for use in the following year. Warehouse, ice cer, falcon stand, dog kennel, dog prison (Earth Matron), apple desk, stables, Trida shell, Liszt discovered that the Castle, which was supposed to stand alone on a hillside surrounded by green grass, was quickly bing encircled by various illegal buildings. ¡°No, the warehouse and ice cer have to be built in a faraway ce; the dog kennel will be moved to the entrance of the Castle; the falcon stand can be relocated to the Castle¡¯s top tform, built into a third floor in the form of a loft. Apple desks, apple trees, and Trida shells can be considered as scenery, the stables need to be moved further away.¡± The reason for leaving open space around the Castle. Is to set up a ring of safety zones where one cannot hide their form, to prevent assassins from sneaking in. ¡°Not only the illegal buildings need to be moved, but a ring of hedges should be nted, and a moat should be dug as a part of the Castle¡¯s defense. If funds and materials permit, the Castle walls, especially the entrance, should be fortified, preferably into a bridge-style gatehouse.¡± With the terrain advantage, the gate of the Castle can be built at a high position, connected to the outside by a bridge, under which people can directly walk. This would make it difficult for attacking forces to charge inrge numbers of knights at the same time, ensuring the Castle could not be taken down in a short period. To win time for reinforcements from allies. Speaking of which, it was unlikely that Fresh Flower Town would be attacked, after all, Liszt was the son of an Earl, and the blood of the Tulip Family was a banner on this ind. But just in case of an encounter with Pirates, just in case the pirates insisted on attacking, a well-defended Castle could be a lifesaver. ¡°To thoroughlyplete the castle, a considerable sum of money is needed. I am indeed very wealthy, with countless fixed assets¡ but as for liquid funds, even though the seafood business lends support, it still falls short of the mark, which is a headache,¡± A castle that could bear one¡¯s own name. It should at least sustain an independent life within its walls, with ample food, solid defenses, and a water source. Perched atop a cliff, Tulip Castle had a spring; even if soldiers surrounded it, it could at least hold out for half a year to a year¡ªin this regard, the castle in Fresh Flower Town wascking. Without a water source, water had to be drawn from the town¡¯s well. ¡°Should I seize the opportunity to sell some mithril, crystals, and jade? Get a few thousand gold coins for them first!¡± The high-value items he could sell externally were a box of magic power mithril, a box of dragon¡¯s mine crystals, and a box of magic power stones jade. And the remaining dozen or so ck Pearls. ck Pearls were of immense value, especially therge ones the size of washbasins or basketballs, instrumental for navigation, while smaller ck Pearls could be made into personal defense ornaments. Selling them now would be very disadvantageous, as Trida were notmonly found. Especially suchrge Trida. The remaining mithril, crystals, and jade were also valuable but unseble items he equally couldn¡¯t bear to part with. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not think about these things anymore; it¡¯s not yet time for me to lie back and enjoy,¡± ¡°I still have to strive!¡± As these thoughts came to him, he felt his blood stir, unable to stay put in the castle. He simply took his retainer knights and the ever-growing Douson on a casual stroll¡ªvisiting the Dog Prison to see the seemingly pregnant Earth Matron, allowing Douson to cozy up to it; going to the cow farm to see the pregnant three cows, feeling the little calves inside their bellies that were likely to be Dragon Breed Cows. Heading to the Fruit Thief Monkey Training Grounds in Oyster Vige, watching the obediently trained Fruit Thief Monkeys climbing trees to pick Fragrant Coconut Fruits, and also the three female monkeys with swollen bellies. Visiting Little Wheat Vige to see the 12rge, fat pigs in the pig farm; by winter, these big fat pigs would be ready for ughter. And the growth of every piece of Elf Cordyceps. As such, the day came to an end. Then, in the blink of an eye, Three days had slipped past in a blur. With no news of a new Thorn Bug speciesing in, Liszt had been cooperating with Elkerson in training Juan Fu. Juan Fu, having not eaten or drunk for three days, had be hoarse from crying, unable to sleep, its eyes bloodshot red. Upon seeing Liszt, its cries were even more pitiful. ¡°Gah-jee!¡± ¡°Gah-jee!¡± Its regal appearance had disappeared, leaving only a disheveled, oversized fat bird. Seeing that Liszt did not feed it any food after calling for quite some time, Juan Fu seemed to have run out of energy and plummeted from the Falcon Stand. Liszt was just about to go help it up. But Elkerson stepped in to stop him: ¡°Baron Liszt, now is the perfect opportunity to break Juan Fu¡¯s spirit. Do not interrupt; otherwise, it will take even more time to wear it down.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t submitted yet in this state?¡± ¡°No, it has not bowed its head, so it does not count as being subdued.¡± ¡°Alright, you continue to tough it out with the bird,¡± Liszt shook his head, nced at Juan Fu rising from the ground, and turned to leave. Walking far away, he could still faintly hear the pitiful cries of Juan Fu. ¡°Gah-jee¡¡± Chapter 167 - 0167: Fly Free, Juan Fu Chapter 167: Fly Free, Juan Fu At the end of October, the weather turned cool. The atmosphere in the castle became more and more oppressive, mainly because its master, Liszt, was growing increasingly irritable. Fresh Flower Town was thriving, with more than four hundred new serfs quickly integrating and the autumn harvest yieldingrge amounts of food each day, stacking the storehouses full. In such an atmosphere, he should have been happy. However, the news ryed by the caravans left him quite restless, his tone slightly gloomy, ¡°Abagon, the Fresh Flower Caravan covers so many small towns¡¯ seafood businesses and has built such a vastwork of information, yet you haven¡¯t even found one different species of thorn?¡± Abagon knelt on the ground, trembling with fear. The words of an angry Elite Earth Knight, the extremely dissatisfied attitude of a Domain Overlord, put him under immense pressure. ¡°Lord Landlord, I¡¯m sorry, Abagon has disappointed you. I¡¯ve already had everyone in the caravan put out the word¡ªanyone who can provide a new species of thorn will receive a handsome reward, but all the thorns that have been delivered aremon varieties, none meeting your requirements.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve searched the entirety of the area covered by the Fresh Flower Caravan?¡± ¡°Birch City, Elm Forest City, Serpent Spear City, Shattered Stone City, and the surrounding small towns¡ªhave all been searched. To continue searching, we would need to go to the viges beneath the towns.¡± ¡°Then go to the viges, one by one, ask, one by one, search,¡± Liszt¡¯s temper was not really directed at Abagon, but regardless, he was irritable, ¡°You can directly retain one-tenth of the Fresh Flower Caravan¡¯s funds to use in the search for new species of thorn.¡± Abagon replied cautiously, ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord, I will search diligently!¡± Grantaire had been promoted, and he had only just been given the opportunity to be promoted to captain of the Fresh Flower Caravan. He certainly didn¡¯t want to be ipetent and then be sent back by Liszt to farm again. ¡°Go on, get to work.¡± Liszt waved his hand, signalling Abagon to leave. Then he sat down in his chair, rubbing his temples with his hands. Not only had the Fresh Flower Caravane up empty-handed, but Sherlock¡¯s Thorn Caravan had likewise turned up nothing, having just been scolded by him. He had thought that it would be a simple matter for the caravans spread across Coral Ind to casually inquire and find a new species of thorn, but it turned out to be not so easy. ¡°The caravans have offered a handsome reward for finding a new species of thorn, and themoners who hear about it will surely search frantically¡ theck of results for several days suggests a strong possibility that Coral Ind truly has no new species of thorn¡ now, I can only wait for Marcus¡¯s news.¡± He had instructed the caravans and Marcus to look in two different directions. It was all to discover more species of thorn, to enhance the chances of the Thorn Bug¡¯s breakthrough, the more pheromones gathered, the greater the possibility of evolution. ¡°If Marcus also brings no good news, where should I go to search?¡± With no leads on Coral Ind, he could only search other inds. As a minor noble, his social circle wasrgely limited to Coral Ind. Earls are nobles directly enfeoffed by the Grand Duke, and most of the surrounding inds are ruled by Marquises and their followers, with rtionships to Coral Ind that are not very cordial. It was frowned upon for followers of differentndlords to make casual contact with each other. However, there was one ind he could enter and exit freely¡ªRed Crab Ind. Liszt was a legitimate descendant of the Long Taro Family bloodline, and his mother was the daughter of the master of Long Taro Castle, one of the seven great Marquises of the Grand Duchy on Red Crab Ind, Marquis Merlin Taro. When he had visited Marquis Merlin, he had once been recruited by the sparsely popted Long Taro Family. ¡°If I were to ask Grandfather Merlin, no, if I just ask Cousin Meioubao for help, I should be able toplete the task.¡± The vast Red Crab Ind, when considered, is equivalent to a province in China, could it really not produce a few different species of thorn? Perhaps in the hedges of Long Taro Castle, there are several different species of thorn. At that thought. His irritation subsided slightly, ¡°If one day I can¡¯t make it on Coral Ind, I will go to seek refuge at Long Taro Castle. I believe Grandfather would at least arrange for me a Viscount¡¯s domain.¡± However, with Red Crab Ind¡¯s extensive family and businesses, it might not be as easy as Coral Ind. No matter how close a cousin is, they can never be as close as immediate family. Suddenly, his thoughts turned to Asina Salmon, and his mood inevitably warmed slightly, ¡°It¡¯s been months, I wonder if Asina has held hands with another noble¡ Ah, I remember the running under the sunset that afternoon, that was my fleeting youth.¡± He had quite a fondness for this noble youngdy who had brazenly confessed her love to him. But soon. The pleasant memory was shattered by a piercing howl. The sound came from the falcon room outside the castle, an expression of torment from Juan Fu. Just as his irritation began to subside, it surged back up. He rose to his feet, walked out of the castle, and approached the falcon stand. Mr. Elkerson was sitting opposite, his eyes red with bloodshot veins. Seeing Liszt arrive, he hurriedly said, ¡°Baron Liszt.¡± ¡°Mr. Elkerson, has Juan Fu not yet submitted?¡± ¡°The pride in this Wind Falcon¡¯s heart is beyond my imagination,¡± Mr. Elkerson exined with some embarrassment. He believed the harrowing falconry step he¡¯d thought all but assured hade to aplete standstill. The Wind Falcon, Juan Fu, would rather starve to death than bow his head. Liszt suddenly noticed traces of red blood at Juan Fu¡¯s beak. ¡°Has it vomited blood?¡± ¡°Yes, due to prolonged starvation, its body is now in danger. If it fails several more falconry sessions¡ I apologize, Baron Liszt, this is something I¡¯ve never encountered with regr hawks or falcons.¡± ¡°So, Juan Fu might starve to death?¡± ¡°There is that possibility, but also a possibility that after a few more days, it might bow its head. As you know, after all, magical beasts are just wild animals; they will sumb to the threat of death. At that time, after several training sessions, it will be your qualified pet.¡± ¡°Ca¡¡± the blood-vomiting Juan Fu on the falcon stand let out a pitiful and mournful cry. But its gaze didn¡¯t hold a shred of submission; it remained defiant. Looking into its eyes, Liszt felt as though he could see its disdain for fate. Fate. Perhaps it was an aftereffect from the Smoke Dragon, but he often found himself associating everything with fatetely, almost veering towards the prophetic; always contemting cause and effect, fate and destiny. Thankfully, the materialistic values rooted in him from childhood still stood guard. ¡°I think Juan Fu will not submit to anyone,¡± Liszt shook his head. The Wind Falcon was not a caged bird; from a young age, he could see Juan Fu¡¯s yearning and longing for the sky, ¡°Mr. Elkerson, let¡¯s stop the training here. I need you to devote more effort to the development of me Mushroom Magic Potion.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mr. Elkerson was stunned. ¡°Baron Liszt if we give up now, all the effort put in previously will be in vain, and there will likely be no second chance for falconry as it matures.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pay you as if you¡¯vepleted the job,¡± Liszt decided to be wilful just this once, the beautiful imagery of controlling the falcon in each hand was best left to the imagination. As he spoke, he untied the ropes binding Juan Fu on the falcon stand. He personally brought meat and water to feed Juan Fu. As a magical beast, Juan Fu had strong recovery abilities, regaining much of its vitality in just half a day. ¡°Fly, Juan Fu!¡± He opened the door of the falcon room and gave Juan Fu a push. Clearly unustomed to the situation, Juan Fu turned its head to look at Liszt, its eyes flickering with confusion. But after a moment¡¯s hesitation, it finally pped its wings and hopped off the falcon stand. Flying. Thud. It fell down. However, it quickly discovered its inborn instinct for flight amidst the failure. With one final leap from the ground, pping its wings, shedding two feathers, it sessfully soared into the sky. ¡°Caw!¡± Leaving behind a final call, without looking back, it vanished into the expanse of blue sky and white clouds. Chapter 168: The Evil Scientist Chapter 168: The Evil Scientist ¡°Master, Juan Fu has flown away.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You must be feeling quite upset right now.¡± ¡°Of course, these damn magical beasts. Next time I catch one, I should just make soup out of it!¡± Lisztined bitterly, ¡°I fed it, gave it freedom, raised it for so long, and still couldn¡¯t tame it. It just flew away like that. It just goes to show that magical beasts and wild beasts are really not much different.¡± ¡°Woof woof!¡± Douson in the doghouse lodged its protest. After venting his frustration on Juan Fu, Liszt turned around; there was no sign of anger on his face. ¡°Mr. Carter, has the Thorn Caravan not purchased the female mastiff yet?¡± ¡°ording to Sherlock, we need to contact the Fresh Flower Caravan; North Valley City does not have a suitable female mastiff for Douson¡¯s¡ size,¡± Carter said carefully, choosing his words. ¡°Hurry it up, otherwise Douson will go crazy sooner orter. I¡¯ve noticed it¡¯s been looking at those horses in the stables with a strange gleam in its eye.¡± ¡°Uh¡¡± To keep Douson from going mad, Liszt could only train it vigorously: ¡°Douson, Rock Spike!¡± Pfft! A thick rock spike pierced the earth¡¯s surface. ¡°Douson, Multiple Stone Spikes!¡± Pfft, pfft, pfft¡ pfft! A cluster of thick rock spikes pierced the earth¡¯s surface. ¡°Casting magic quite skillfully, Douson really is an outstanding magical beast. Baron Liszt, Douson must be at the intermediate magical beast level now,¡± said Mr. Elkeson, who had just woken up from a nap, as he walked over from a distance, eyes sparkling while looking at Douson, ¡°Such a magnificent creature, calling it the King of Thorn Ridge is no longer fitting.¡± He already knew that Douson had consumed a Bloodline Fruit. Liszt stroked Douson¡¯s big head: ¡°Among intermediate magical beasts, it¡¯s probably one of the weaker ones, especially since it can only cast Rock Spike. Multiple Stone Spikes barely counts as a new kind of magic, but after all, it¡¯s just a superposition of Rock Spike, the essence has not changed.¡± Douson turned its head and licked Liszt¡¯s hand with its tongue. Immediately, its hand was covered in saliva. The personal servant hurriedly took out a handkerchief and handed it to Liszt to wipe his hand. Mr. Elkesonughed, ¡°It¡¯s still not quite a mature magical beast, and itsprehension of magic isn¡¯t very extraordinary. Even for us magicians, mastering a single type of magic takes a long time to refine, let alone a magical beast. As it ages, it will self-learn the power granted by its bloodline and discover how to unleash new magic.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± said Liszt, not dwelling on it, ¡°At least for now, Douson has no natural predators on Coral Ind. In the future, I will train it to adapt to the battlefield and help me achieve glory.¡± ¡°You will, like the Earl, attain numerous dazzling glories.¡± Liszt smiled faintly, ¡°I think so too.¡± This was not boasting. This was confidence. A noble must have both a desire and confidence for glory; humility is only seen as timidity or ack of ambition. Regardless of what Liszt really thought, on the surface, he must always appear ready for battle, ready to earn des. Only this way would his subordinates follow him. Life is but a y, all dependent on acting. As a soul of an experienced adult, coupled with the noble education received from childhood, his acting skills were undoubtedly masterful. After performing for a bit, he asked, ¡°Mr. Elkeson, how is the progress on the production of the me Mushroom Magic Potion?¡± ¡°The agents are being mixed and tested, and I believe we will soon enter the production phase. me Mushrooms are a very excellent magic potion, extracting magic power to create the potion is not difficult.¡± ¡°Then proceed with production as soon as possible.¡± In the past few days, Liszt had firmly settled into the phase of an Elite Earth Knight. He had also tried to continue his training without the aid of Magic Potions. However, it proved that his talent was not exceptional, as he was still confined by the limitations of Dou Qi and unable to increase the total amount of Dou Qi inside his body. Usually, Elite Earth Knights who cannot afford the Magic Potions turn to honing their Dou Qi cirction skills instead. By continuously tempering these skills, one can also improve their strength, and meticulously refining their understanding of Dou Qi manuscripts can lead to more than a minor increase in power. A single Elite Earth Knight is capable of dueling seven or eight Common Earth Knights without a problem. As a wealthy upstart, Liszt wasn¡¯t in a hurry to refine his Dou Qi cirction skills. He had already mastered two Dou Qi Secret Techniques, ¡°ming Wave¡± and ¡°Fire Dragon Drill,¡± and had partial mastery over ¡°Multi-Arrow.¡± Moreover, another Dou Qi Secret Technique, ¡°The Eye of Magic,¡± had reached a high level of aplishment. Coupled with the Li Dragon Horse and the Crimson Blood Sword, his personal strength far surpassed Marcus¡¯s and was undoubtedly a top figure among Elite Earth Knights. If one were to include Douson, perhaps he could even give the Earl a run for his money. ¡°It should¡ be possible¡ I guess.¡± He had never seen a Sky Knight fight with all their might, nor had he witnessed their formidable charge on the battlefield, so he could only make an estimate. After all, it was said that the stronger Low-Level magical beasts could even spar with Sky Knights. Douson, now an Intermediate Magical Beast, could give the Earl a hard time with just its fierce Rock Spike magic. With Liszt shouting support from the sidelines¡ªno,manding the battle¡ªit should be possible to hold their own. The development of the territory was on the right track. There was no need for Liszt to do anything in particr. So most of the time, he found things to do for himself. At sixteen, his youthful body was bursting with energy, which he could either use to endure tedious training or find something else to upy himself. He decided to inspect the progress of the Calming Sea Pearl¡¯s creation. In the new house in Little Wheat Vige, Granney led the Magic Apprentices, living almost without showing his face, even eating meals in the studio. On this point, Liszt had to admit that Granney was more dedicated than Elkeson: ¡°Both are magicians, but the two seem to beplete opposites. One is arrogant and paranoid, the other is witty and humorous. Elkeson is better at socializing, while Granney is focused on work. Another thing, Granney seems to have a deeper well of knowledge?¡± If another young indigenousndlord had to choose, they probably would find Elkeson¡¯s wit and humor far superior to Granney¡¯s dullness, but Liszt appreciated Elkeson¡¯s mannerisms while understanding the need to analyze rationally¡ªaside from detailed falconry techniques, Elkeson¡¯s other areas of expertise seemed quite superficial. Especially in terms of professional knowledge, far from as solid as Granney¡¯s. ¡°Baron, the teacher is busy. He asked that you not disturb him,¡± the magic apprentice Charley said cautiously, afraid that his teacher¡¯s temper might irritate Liszt. Gathering his thoughts, Liszt replied, ¡°I¡¯m just here for a visit. I won¡¯t disturb your teacher. Take me inside.¡± ¡°Well¡ okay, but please speak softly. The teacher needs quiet for his work, and he hates being interrupted. I¡¯ve been scolded by him many times for that.¡± They entered the inner workshop of the room. The light from the Crystal Lamps illuminated the workbench¡ªGranney had his own Crystal Lamp fixtures, designed like a deskmp, a very clever idea. The desk was cluttered with arge number of materials and tools. Next to it were many stoves with pots and basins of various sizes boiling on them, containing liquids of different colors. The strange mix of odors was ufortable to smell. Granney was hunched over the table, carving runes into a basketball-sized ck Pearl with a fine engraving knife. His brown hair was a mess, stained with who knows what, speckled with multiple colors. His magic cloak was dyed like a camouge uniform, giving him an oddly viinous mad scientist vibe. Completely absorbed. Too busy to pay attention to Liszt. Chapter 169 - 0169: Fresh Flower Town Specialty Fresh Flower Soap Chapter 169: Fresh Flower Town Specialty Fresh Flower Soap Liszt watched silently for a moment. Without saying a word, he left Granney¡¯s workshop¡ªhe simply couldn¡¯t understand what Granney was doing. ¡°Take good care of your master, especially be careful with those bottles and jars boiling on the stove, and make sure they don¡¯t explode. Personal safety is far more important than work,¡± he specifically cautioned Charley before leaving. He really feared that Granney would suddenly cause an explosion. In magicians¡¯ research idents, nine out of ten times involved explosions¡ªthe forms of explosion included, but were not limited to various out-of-control violent magic. Why are there so few magicians in this world? One reason is that the inheritance of magic is secretive and doesn¡¯t involve taking on many apprentices. Another reason is dying from various magical experiments and explorations. No matter how much a knight struggles with Dou Qi, at most they harm or disable themselves, but a magical explosion could kill both the master and the apprentice. It¡¯s no pity if a magician is killed by an explosion. But if his Calming Sea Pearl is destroyed, that¡¯s a severe loss. This Calming Sea Pearl was to be equipped on the Fresh Flower Vessel, which was about to undertake its first long-distance voyage to explore ck Horse Ind. He also had another Calming Sea Pearl the size of a basketball and one the size of a washbasin; these two were reserved for future new ships. Especially the one the size of a washbasin. In the future, when he went to sea, this massive ck pearl would be his standard equipment. A normal small-sized ck pearl could dispel the wind within a five-meter radius; the Calming Sea Pearl, ording to Granney¡¯s estimation, could disperse the wind within a hundred and fifty-meter radius. But even if the wind is dispersed, the sea waves will continue to churn, and the ship will still be in danger, albeit to a much lesser extent. The ck pearl the size of a washbasin, if made into a Calming Sea Pearl, might be able to disperse the wind within a three hundred-meter radius. Thus, even if the waves are enormous, without the wind¡¯s boost, the force would be greatly reduced, and the threat to ships would significantly diminish. Leaving Granney¡¯s workshop. Liszt rode his horse to the town¡¯s workshop area to inspect the three newly built workshops. Inside the Soap Making Workshop. Soap Maker Bunier was producing soap while training several apprentices¡ªthe apprentice system was something Liszt had enforced, prohibiting serfs from hoarding their skills and rewarding those from the castle who produced apetent apprentice. With the introduction of this system, craftsmen and workers became much more serious about training apprentices. He had previously bought the old cksmith¡¯s smithy in town. He gave the old cksmith several Gold Coins, an amount he could never have earned in his lifetime, hoping that he would train a group ofpetent cksmith apprentices. Still, after several thousand pounds of iron had been cast, not a single apprentice had learned the cksmith¡¯s skills. This infuriated Liszt. The cksmith was a freeman, essentially only needing to pay taxes, not subject to thendlord¡¯s personal constraints. But still, Liszt found an opportunity to give him a thorough punishment. The delightful taste of being whipped left a deep impression, and now the old cksmith earnestly trained his apprentices, as if he was desperate to impart all his knowledge. So. There had to be carrots, but there also had to be sticks. A carrot and a stick were required to implement the will of thendlord effectively. ¡°The production of Fresh Flower Soap is stable, while the output of regr soap is limited by the supply of pig pancreas and the waste from experimenting with forms,¡± Bunier reported to Liszt, who was visiting his progress. ¡°Hmm, continue your research. The current soap is nearly asfortable to use as Fresh Flower Soap.¡± Soap was made from the pods of the Soap Pod Tree, mixed with flowers, and its cleansing effect was average, but it was very expensive to produce, especially on Coral Ind where the Soap Pod Tree was scarce. Only the nobles could afford soap. Soap (also known as lye soap) was made by mixing wood ash with pig pancreases, though other animal pancreases might also work. Its production cost was rtively low, and it cleaned very effectively. However, as it stood, the quality of the soap that Bunier was developing still needed improvement. Therefore, the current soap workshops were operating at a loss, with production capacity only able to supply the castle and a portion of officials and their families. At this moment, Bunier suddenly said, ¡°Lord Landlord, while I was researching the soap form, I had an idea. What if I mixed scented soap with lye soap? Could it create a better soap? So I tried it, and found that the kneaded soap took shape quickly, and the usage was very smooth, but I don¡¯t know if this is the soap you wanted.¡± Mixing scented soap with lye soap? Liszt felt the idea was brilliant, ¡°Is that so? Show me the kneaded mixed soap and fetch a basin of water.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Landlord.¡± Bunier quickly dispatched an apprentice, who brought out a te of light pink mixed soap. The soap was pressed into t oval shapes, three pieces in total, which looked rather rough. Another apprentice came over with a basin of water. Liszt dipped his hand in the water, thenthered up with the mixed soap and rubbed it, immediately creating lots of suds. The soap in his hand was very slippery, and it seemed to clean quite effectively. Especially after washing, his hands felt very clean and there was a faint fragrance. Although this was not the soap he had seen before, the effect was already close to the Safeguard he remembered. ¡°What is the production cost of it, and what is the ratio of scented soap to lye soap?¡± Liszt asked. ¡°About one piece of scented soap can be mixed with three pieces of lye soap to make four pieces of mixed soap. However, I think it might save more to directly grind the pods of the Soap Pod Tree into powder; about one piece of mixed soap could be produced at the cost of forty copper coins.¡± ¡°The cost of scented soap is one silver coin, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more than one silver coin. The bought soap powder is too expensive.¡± The cheapest scented soap costs two silver coins each, which is two hundred copper coins, with the soap powder costing one silver coin, giving a total cost of at least one hundred and ten copper coins. If the cost of the mixed soap could bepressed to forty copper coins, it could be sold at the price of two silver coins, undermining the existing scented soap market. Even without using soap powder. Directly buying scented soap and making it into mixed soap, increasing the cost to one silver coin, would still yield a profit. ¡°Bunier, you¡¯ve done well. The mixed soap is better than I imagined. You can continue researching the lye soap slowly, but the workshop will start making mixed soap immediately¡ It needs a catchy name. Do you have any suggestions?¡± Liszt was confident in the mixed soap¡ªthe feel of it while washing and its cleaning effect were both better than that of scented soap. Even someone as picky as he was thought it was good, and other nobles would surely be impressed. Nobles were always willing to spend money on items that improved their quality of life. ¡°Lord Landlord, it¡¯s under your guidance that I was able to develop the mixed soap. It should be you who names it,¡± Bunier said respectfully. People get more artistic in their speech as they age. Liszt was very pleased with Bunier¡¯s response: ¡°Then let¡¯s call it Fresh Flower Soap. I will make it a specialty of Fresh Flower Town. Bunier, and your apprentices, you must keep the form for Fresh Flower Soap a strict secret.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Lord Landlord!¡± ¡°Do your work well. I have rewards for any invention that brings in profit. Although the lye soap hasn¡¯t been perfected, the Fresh Flower Soap is passable. Bunier, your reward is ten silver coins, and twenty copper coins for each of your apprentices.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Landlord!¡± Bunier and his apprentices expressed their thanks, brimming with happiness. Liszt was also very pleased. Although he couldn¡¯t say the Fresh Flower Soap would bring in profitsparable to the seafood business, he was confident of crushing the current scented soap market, and perhaps even exporting it to distant inds. The most important thing was that the transition of Fresh Flower Town from agriculture to manufacturing was beginning to show results. Chapter 170 - 0170: The Leader is in Need of a Secretary Chapter 170: The Leader is in Need of a Secretary The Soap Making Workshop is soon to bring in good profits. The peanut processing workshop is also about to yield decent profits. Among the newly purchased serfs, several chefs were assigned to study tasty peanut recipes. They have already developed peanut butter, peanut brittle, salt and pepper peanuts, and deep-fried peanuts, which are sold in small batches by the Thorn Caravan. The response has been very good, and many nobles who have tasted these delicious peanuts have expressed their desire to purchase inrge quantities next time. The peanut yield of Fresh Flower Town is insufficient, as are the workers. The head of the peanut processing workshop, Chef Lucas, has entrusted the Thorn Caravan to purchase shelled peanuts from North Valley City. ¡°Well done,¡± Liszt gave only verbal praise before leaving. The entire peanut processing workshop was his idea; these people were mere executors, devoid of creativity. He preferred to use gold coins, silver coins, and copper coins to encourage creativity and discovery, to establish models, rather than to encourage hard work¡ªbecause the serfs were supposed to work hard in the first ce. Thest stop was the Brewing Workshop. Frank Dregs could brew fruit wine, Bording could brew rice wine, Huntera could brew beer, and now all were busy brewing, striving to produce as soon as possible to earn ie for the workshop. Unfortunately, there was no one in the workshop who knew how to brew spirits or make grape wine. Ordinary grape wine is no different from fruit wine. But craft grape wine requires high levels of expertise and careful selection of grapes. The technology for dry, semi-dry, sweet and semi-sweet varieties of grape wine is all different. Only the Tulip Castle on Coral Ind possessed the technique for sweet grape wine brewing; their Crescent Moon Wine was sweet and sharp, famous throughout the Grand Duchy. The Raz Manor cer red wine that Liszt had tasted at Long Taro Castle was an exquisite example of dry grape wine. These techniques were closely guarded secrets held exclusively by the big nobles. It was the same with spirits. As distites, the production process for spirits is even moreplex, monopolized by the big nobles. Spirits like juniper wine were not always avable for purchase. Therefore, the Fresh Flower Town¡¯s Brewing Workshop could only brew some simple fermented wines. After inspecting the workshop, Liszt began to ponder, ¡°If I remember correctly, distilled spirits are made only by adding the step of distition to fermented wines¡ It seems to involve using the difference in vaporization temperature between alcohol and water to purify the alcohol, and repeated distition yields high-proof spirits.¡± Because he did not enjoy drinking, his research in this field was limited. He had read about distition in many novels before; it seemed straightforward, so he had some vague recollection of it. ¡°Perhaps, I could get the Brewing Workshop to research distition techniques. It¡¯s possible they could produce spirits and add another specialty to Fresh Flower Town,¡± he thought. Rice wine is a type of alcohol fermented from grains. Spirits are also essentially brewed from grains. Liszt wondered if distilling rice wine could result in spirits. So he called over three brewers, ¡°I have a task for you. Remember, this task is highly confidential, and if anyone should leak it, their entire family will be whipped to death!¡± The three brewers¡¯ buttocks tensed, and they all responded, ¡°We swear to keep the secret of the task!¡± ¡°Good. I have obtained a form, which ims that spirits are derived by distilling rice wine. By heating rice wine, turning it into steam, then directing that steam elsewhere to cool it into water, the water in the rice wine is removed, and what remains is the spirit¡ Try to figure it out several times and strive to brew Fresh Flower Town¡¯s spirits as soon as possible!¡± The three brewers were somewhat confused by the exnation. However, they promptly responded, ¡°Please rest assured, Lord Landlord, we will brew spirits as soon as possible.¡± The task was assigned. Liszt felt another special product from Fresh Flower Town beckoning him, and he even thought of a name for it at this moment: ¡°Let¡¯s call it Fresh Flower Brew. Yes, it shoulde in different sses. The low-alcohol Fresh Flower Brew could be known as a five-year vintage, while the higher-alcohol ones could be referred to as ten-year, even twenty-year vintages, or we could have a hundred-year cer aged variety, or why not five hundred years¡¡± Suddenly, he remembered that the Duchy of Sapphire had only a history of a little over one hundred and fifty years since its establishment, and before that, the ind was probably only inhabited by monkeys. ¡°Forget the five-hundred-year vintage. Why not just make a vintage as old as the country itself? Just say that in the year the nation was founded, a brewer came to Coral Ind and personally made a barrel of wine¡ There¡¯s only one barrel, but we can produce a barrel every year, just like the ¡¯82 Lafite that¡¯s been drunk for so many years and never seems to run out.¡± Thinking of wine sales, many ssic examples immediately sprang to his mind. But he also saw the risks: ¡°In such a lucrative industry as liquor, it¡¯s hard to ensure security without strong backing. We must cooperate with Tulip Castle.¡± Business would be easy with the Tulip Castle¡¯s banner flying overhead. As an Earl granted his title by the Grand Duke, Li Weiliam Tulip was most certainly one of the high-ranking figures in the Duchy of Sapphire. Moreover, he also served as the Grand Duke¡¯s horseman, having close contact with him every year. Liszt didn¡¯t mind having to share profits with Tulip Castle to fly its g¡ªit was indeed bing clearer to him the more he integrated into this world, the importance of noble connections. Levis, Li Vera, and even Lidun¡ªall of them, no matter how much they might scheme against each other, were family. In times of crisis, they could provide help. The Viscount of Little Papa Ind was wiped out, and the separated Viscount of Da Pa Pa Ind was still actively inquiring, urging the Grand Duke to find the murderer. Liszt certainly hoped that the Tulip Family could grow strong, bing a formidable tree that shielded against wind and rain. The Li Dragon Horse moved so smoothly that there was hardly any feeling of motion. Astride his horse, Liszt could think things through very well. His mind raced from one idea about profit sharing to another: ¡°Speaking of monkeys, perhaps I could hype up some ¡®Monkey Liquor¡¯? It doesn¡¯t matter if Monkey Liquor actually exists, what matters is the gimmick.¡± Nobles love extravagance. Extravagance not only epasses wearing gold and silver or owning gemstones and prestigious horses but also includes art and the pursuit of rare novelties. Monkey Liquor would certainly be considered a rare novelty. ¡°However, there are few nobles with deep roots¡ªmost are simply nouveau riche, not rich beyond three or four generations, including the Tulip Family, which has only risen to prominence in recent generations. They might not necessarily fancy something like Monkey Liquor; they are probably more interested in gemstones and Gold Coins.¡± In any case, he could start by generating some buzz when selling the fruit wine. Afterward, Liszt inspected a few other shops and workshops. For the moment, Fresh Flower Town¡¯smercial districtprised only a bakery, a grocery store, and a barber. The workshop district had just a Smithy, Tanners¡¯ Shop, Locksmith Store, Tailor Shop, Cooperage, the newly built Brewing Workshop, Soap Making Workshop, and Peanut Processing Workshop. Manypleted wooden houses stood vacant. If not for the numerous Serfs paving roads, constructing buildings, and nting grass, Fresh Flower Town would look like a ghost vige. The addition of four hundred and seventy-six Serfs, distributed to the various settlements to farm thend, didn¡¯t make much of an impact. The hundred or so skilledborers who had been eagerly anticipated were mostly workers unable to independently support a shop or workshop; they could only go to work in the fields temporarily, wasting their artisanal skills. ¡°For the time being, themercial district can only serve as a marketce to amodate the asional caravans that pass by,¡± he said, looking at the empty houses with a sense of contemtion. ¡°We need to focus on developing the workshop district first. After establishing it as a center for production and processing, we could then drive the growth of themercial district.¡± He gestured towards themercial district. He very much wanted to discuss how to build this or that here, but when he turned around, he saw that only Servant Thomas and a few Retainer Knights followed behind him. They were all men of simple tastes. His ambitions to borate grand ns were promptly stifled. ¡°A leader¡¯s inspection usually entails local officials and people gathering around, or at the very least a couple of secretaries should follow me with little notebooks, ready to jot down whatever I say¡¡± Chapter 171 - 0171: The Continuous Growth of Ambition Chapter 171: The Continuous Growth of Ambition ¡°Secretary¡¡± Liszt felt a sense of loss, as he did not have a secretary. He was unable to realize the privileged ss¡¯s ideal of a leisurely life ¡°the secretary handles the affairs, and if there is nothing to do, one does the secretary¡± without either shame or agitation. In fact, he didn¡¯t even have a personal maidservant¡ªunder the societal system of enforced monogamy, regardless of nobles having mistresses everywhere and illegitimate children being born in bunches, this system was still observed. It was not an official system. It was a social convention that had be customary. To ensure the continuity of monogamy, female nobles could only have female personal maids, and male nobles could only have male personal servants, to prevent the disruption of monogamy under the guise of personal servants. He had explored the origin of this social trend, eventually surmising that it probably stemmed from the queenly system of the Moon Empire. This long-vanished empire, much like ancient Rome in Europe, had cultural and institutional influences that deeply affected the entire European continent, even though the Roman Empire was destroyed by barbarians. The Moon Empire, being the strongest empire of its time, had cultural influences that persisted as well. Most countries now incorporate the Moon Language into their ownnguages, to a greater or lesser extent. Including the ssification of knights and the rtionship betweenndlords and vassals, all were derived from the Moon Empire. The queendom was also preserved. Many countries have had women serve as kings. The Duchy of Sapphire had yet to see a queen, but the monogamous system was inherited nheless. ¡°The Moon Empire¡ I wonder what it was like,¡± Liszt mused. As a small townndlord with quite some free time, Liszt enjoyed reading knights¡¯ novels. Countless times he hade across references to the Moon Empire¡ªknights would always encounter relics of the empire in some ces, then acquire treasures, and immediately be overwhelmingly powerful, challenging the heavens, the earth, and the air. Due to theck of a tradition of recording history, most of the information about the Moon Empire was passed down orally. This method of information transmission had a high distortion rate of 99%, making the Moon Empire a legendary kingdom in tales, infinitely beautiful and amazingly prosperous. It became much like how Europeans regarded ancient Greece or how Confucius spoke of the ancient sage kings¡ªadorned in all manner of praises, these legends reced truth to be what people recognize as authentic history. ¡°It¡¯s troublesome not to have historical records¡ I really fear that after reading too many knight novels, I might start believing their nonsense,¡± said Liszt, shaking his head. He stopped pondering these confusing matters. His study of history was meant not only to satisfy his curiosity but more so to learn from the past about power y and to deliberate on the great trends of the world¡ However, he figured it was best to steer clear of nonsensical histories. He returned to his regret about theck of a secretary. He felt he needed to expedite the training of a group of female Retainer Knights as his personal guards; otherwise, his future speeches and guidance wouldck atmosphere and passion. After inspecting the buildings in town, he returned to the castle. He entered the study directly, took out thick parchment and a quill, and prepared to reorganize his nning thoughts for Fresh Flower Town. ¡°If Fresh Flower Town is to be developed into an economy primarily based on the initial processing of agricultural products, then the currentyout of the town must be re-nned, and trade routes also need to be adjusted. Land transportation is nowhere near as efficient as sea transportation, and sailing directly to Coral City by sea saves much more in terms of transport capacity,¡± he noted. He first drew a rough map of Coral Ind. In the study of the Earl at Tulip Castle, there hung a map of Coral Ind, which overall looked like a twisted figure ¡°8.¡± In the northeastern corner was Fresh Flower Town, and in the narrow part in the middle of the ¡°8¡±y the deepwater port, beside which Coral City was built. From Fresh Flower Town to Coral City, due to the terrain, it was impossible to take a straight line. The route had to pass through North Valley City and Elm Forest City, forming a ¡°z¡± shape and wasting a lot of time. ¡°Fresh Flower Town is in a remote location, so the dock must be built quickly to open up sea transportation;nd transportation should be supplementary, and a checkpoint could be set up at the entrance to Thorn Ridge. In this way, Fresh Flower Town¡¯s main areas would be divided into the dock, the small town, and Thorn Ridge, each responsible for trade, processing tasks.¡± He wrote several pieces of Serpent Script in the workshop district of the small town. They were ns for workshops to be constructed¡ªsugar refinery, spice workshop, textile workshop, leather workshop, paper mill, tofu workshop, and dried Tulip flowers workshop, as well as a shoemaking shop, bone craftsman shop, and so on. At the dock, he also wrote about workshops nned to be built¡ªbrick factory, cement factory, pottery kiln factory, salt drying field, ss workshop, and others. Near the Thorn Ridge checkpoint, there were also ns for workshops¡ªwoodworking workshop, abattoir, horse market, and so on. Some of these workshopscked enough craftsmen to support them, while others were waiting for technology development, but in Liszt¡¯s ns, these were all things that could be achieved through hard work. However, soon. He lost interest in writing again. ¡°Kostor has already reported that the Fresh Flower Vessel is ready to sail at any time. Now we are just waiting for Granney to finish making the Calming Sea Pearl, and then we can explore ck Horse Ind.¡± Once ck Horse Ind is seized, future efforts would focus on it. The importance of Fresh Flower Town would undoubtedly decline a lot. Especially when he earned military des and turned ck Horse Ind into his fief, he would surely need to hand over Fresh Flower Town, much like the Tulip Family gave up their originalnds to settle in Coral Ind. ¡°Once I have enough financial and material resources to solve the issues of paper, cement, tofu, ss, and other technologies, by that time, I fear I will already be Viscount ck Horse Ind.¡± The birth of the Thorn Minor Elf was imminent, and once there was a Minor Elf, a steady stream of financial power would ensue, making it effortless to arm a Knight Squad. Charging into battle and establishing achievements wouldn¡¯t be difficult at that time. Instead ofboriously researching technology, it may indeed be better to focus solely on umting Minor Elves. The Lycra Family and the Shattered Stone Family both obtained the title of Viscount by relying on their respective Minor Elves. As the son of an Earl, as long as he made achievements in battle, the Earl had no reason not to grant his son the title of Viscount. At that time, ck Horse Ind could be marked as his own territory¡ªnobles can exchange their merits for barren inds. If he managed to perform outstandingly in battle and caught the eye of the Grand Duke, it was not impossible that the Grand Duke himself would grant him his fief. Bing a direct vassal of the Grand Duke would be more impressive than being a vassal of a Marquis or Earl. His rise in rank would be much faster¡ªthe rulers always prefer to promote new nobles to counterbnce the old ones. ¡°But if I be a vassal of the Grand Duke, I¡¯ll have to be independent of the Tulip Family, won¡¯t I? Then perhaps I will be Viscount Liszt Thorn of ck Horse Ind?¡± Of course, this possibility was small¡ªjust a Baron, and it would take a significant aplishment to be noticed by the Grand Duke. Besides, with his background as a vassal of an Earl, the Grand Duke generally would not overstep boundaries to win over another¡¯s vassal. Especially since the Earl and the Grand Duke had a good rtionship, he would not be recruited lightly. ¡°No matter what, ck Horse Ind is going to be mine, and the Li Dragon Horse Herd must not be touched by anyone!¡± To get ck Horse Ind, one must achieve merits and receive a title. Liszt set down his quill and looked out of the window. In the distance, on the horse field, a few horses grazed leisurely on the grass: ¡°The battlefield is a ce where people die¡ When the timees, I¡¯ll see if I can find a position like Levis, acting as a liaison, working in logistics, and picking up some military honors.¡± He paused. With a determined tone, he spoke to himself, ¡°But, the Knight Squad must be trained as quickly as possible, I must also elerate my Dou Qi cultivation, and Douson¡¯s training must be intensified!¡± Once a person has ambition, many thoughts begin to change unconsciously. Chapter 172 - 0172: The Final Link of the Thorn Bug Chapter 172: The Final Link of the Thorn Bug Having just transmigrated to this world, Liszt felt he needed to keep a low profile, content to be a rural baron and solve the basic problems of food, clothing, and shelter. As the quality of his life improved, his ss stance underwent a betrayal, and he began to flock to the noble knight system, but he didn¡¯t want to go to battle; he only wanted to focus on development. Now, Fresh Flower Town was fast developing, and the Thorn Minor Elf was about to be born. His thoughts changed again, the impulse for glory, the longing for an ind of his own, steadily deepened. The idea of not wanting to go to battle was reced by the desire to engage inbat, manage logistics, and mix in the pursuit of military achievements. He was bing like a true noble. Being swallowed by this world, or rather, actively integrating into this world, into the knight system. ¡°Some people are proletarian warriors,mitted to the liberation of all mankind for their entire lives. I admire such people, but I will never imitate them,¡± Liszt¡¯s mind was still clear. Integrating into the world was not passive; it was the result of his active choice, ¡°My life goal is to ride dragons, to be my own master.¡± He wanted to be a king, not a vassal. With the existence of the Smoke Mission and the modern knowledge in his head, coupled with the societal system¡¯s ascending channels, he had enough confidence to achieve his grand life goals. He walked to the window. Juan Fu, who used to like ¡°cawing¡± messily on the window sill, was no longer there. A feeling of nostalgia shed in his eyes, then passed. He then set his sights on the distance. Just as Juan Fu didn¡¯t want to be a pet, he also didn¡¯t want to be a servant, not even for the king. He could ept being corrupted and decayed by the noble life, but he would not allow his knees to kneel to anyone other than heaven, earth, or his parents. The road is tortuous, the future is bright: ¡°First set a small goal for myself, find a secretary, cough, no, be a viscount!¡± The knight system of this world has a medieval style, with its core revolving aroundndlords, vassals, andnd. Although the social customs and cultural production have a huge gappared to medieval Europe on Earth. The production forces are centered around dragons and elves, also different from Earth¡¯s production forces. But essentially, it¡¯s a deformed European medieval serfdom. An economic system established by feudalndlords on theirnds, exploiting serfs in a very cruel manner ¡ª serfs and freemen possess virtually no means of production, because the real means of production, dragons and elves, are firmly monopolized by the nobility. This system, the exploitation is very strong. Butpared to the Dark Ages established by the barbarians on the corpse of the Roman Empire, and the serfdom of western Tibet with the legend of ¡°The Drum of A-Jia¡±, this world¡¯s feudal serfdom is much milder. At least serfs andmoners have a slim chance of climbing upward. Dou Qi is like the ancient Chinese imperial examinations ¡ª most people can¡¯t afford to take the exams, but there are always a few civilians who can change their fate by relying on the exams. In this world, most people can¡¯t get enough to eat and have no spare nutrition to cultivate Dou Qi, but there will always bendlords who select civilians with good physical quality to train. With Dou Qi, after a few generations of umtion, it¡¯s not difficult to cultivate an Earth Knight. Fight for a few more generations, with a bit more opportunity, and one couldpete for a noble title ¡ª the Tulip Family followed such a path to sess. Judging from the surname ¡°Tile¡± of the ancestors, it can be inferred that they were probably freemen or serfs, in any case, they had nothing to do with nobility. The great-great-grandfather had superhuman strength and was chosen by the nobility to be trained as a Retainer Knight, serving the newly established Sapphire Family. umting merits in several wars, he was ennobled as an Honored Knight, thus stepping into the noble ss. From there, it was a few generations of hard work, by the great-grandfather¡¯s generation bing a baron, the great-grandfather¡¯s generation bing a viscount, and ultimately, in Li Weiliam¡¯s generation, bing an earl under the Sapphire Duke. The surname was also changed to the noble ¡°Tulip¡±. ¡°However, when ites down to it, it¡¯s all about mutations!¡± As the saying goes, the rich rely on technology, and the poor rely on mutation ¡ª Dou Qi, a mysterious existence, requires nutritional umtion. Without nutrition and still wanting to be stronger, one would need to resort to physical mutation. For example, the superhuman strength of the Tulip Family¡¯s great-great-grandfather is a kind of mutation ¡ª it was probably just more physical strength, whichter generations contrived as superhuman strength. ¡°Now, I no longer need to rely on mutation; I can rely directly on technology.¡± Technology is nutrition; technology is a magic potion. Arriving at the me Mushroom Processing Workshop, Liszt saw the magician who was smoking: ¡°Mr. Elkeson, has my me Mushroom Magic Potion already been made?¡± ¡°Sorry, not yet, but I¡¯ll be able to finish them soon, you won¡¯t have to wait too long,¡± Elkeson replied. Having the leisure to smoke instead of working annoyed Liszt slightly, but he didn¡¯t show it: ¡°Do you have any finished magic potions? Give me those first.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He quickly carried out arge box, inside which were magic potions wrapped in cloth strips. Liszt unwrapped the cloth from a magic potion to reveal a crystal tube as long as a thumb and as thin as a little finger, containing a light red viscous liquid. Such a small tube would sell for at least one gold coin. ¡°Baron Liszt, you can try its effects. Although I am not the designated magician for creating magic potions for Tulip Castle, I am still confident in my potion-making skills,¡± Elkeson said with a flick of his cigarette ash, proudly. Liszt nodded. He opened the stopper of the crystal tube, observed it for a moment with the Eye of Magic, and then tilted his head back to drink the entire magic potion in one gulp. Like jelly, it poured straight into his mouth without a single drop left. It dissolved upon entering his mouth. He immediately felt a me-like magic power rise in his belly and surge toward his limbs and bones. The entire surgested a full three minutes before gradually subsiding. Liszt¡¯s eyes gleamed; he felt the total amount of his long-stagnant Dou Qi jump up by arge margin. He couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°That was exhrating!¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re satisfied.¡± ¡°Mr. Elkeson, I won¡¯t disturb your work then. If you have any needs, just let me know, and I will try my best to fulfill them,¡± Liszt said, then, leading Douson and carrying a box of magic potions, returned to the castle. Starting today, the path of potion jars officially begins. A dayter. After being away on business for several days, Marcus finally returned to Fresh Flower Town. And he brought the news Liszt cared about most: ¡°My lord, I have aplished the task without dishonor!¡± ¡°How did it go, did you find new species of Thorns?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve contacted both Tulip Castle and Shattered Stone Castle without finding any new Thorn species. Only Beer Castle on Beer Ind has them. Viscount Trik said he is always ready to wee you to Beer Castle for a visit, and Sir Aubrey has sent a letter for you as well.¡± Aubrey was Trik¡¯s son and the heir to Beer Castle. He had established a good rtionship with Liszt through the seafood business. Upon hearing there were new Thorn species on Beer Ind, Liszt let out a long sigh of relief: ¡°In that case, it looks like I need to take the Thorn Bug to Beer Ind.¡± However, Marcus replied, ¡°You certainly can go, but it¡¯s also not necessary. I have already brought the new Thorn species back, and we can nt them directly in Fresh Flower Town.¡± Liszt was greatly touched by such considerate actions; this was what a qualified subordinate looked like, knowing how to relieve their leader¡¯s worries: ¡°Is that so? Then let¡¯s nt them quickly. The Thorn Bug¡¯s Fat Pupa Stage is more than half over; it urgently needs assimtion!¡± A short whileter. Not far behind the castle, the new Thorn species was already nted. After watering and fertilizing, Liszt ced the Thorn Bug on it. Chapter 173 - 0173: Waa Waa Little Minor Elf (First Update, Please Subscribe) Chapter 173: Waa Waa Little Minor Elf (First Update, Please Subscribe) The Thorn Bug in its Fat Pupa Stage had already grown to three times the size of the other Elf Bugs, and its once glossy skin gradually dimmed as if it had aged. And indeed, that was the case, because the Fat Pupa Stage meant evolution, as well as death. Within just a month or two, if it could not break through its own constraints and evolve into a Little Minor Elf, it would use up its remaining vitality and turn to dust. ¡°It has already sensed the pheromones of the new variety of thorn!¡± Liszt picked up the Thorn Bug from the Jade Box, deeply connected by the Mind Connection, and could profoundly feel the Thorn Bug¡¯s emotions at that moment. Those wereplex emotions filled with excitement, anxiety, fear, and courage¡ªemotions that ordinary Elf Bugs definitely would not possess. It was only during evolution that it could grow. The new variety of Thorn was just a Thorn that exhibited a variation in the color of its branches and leaves, and wasn¡¯t much different from themon Thorns. Regardless, When the Thorn Bugnded on a branch of Thorn, its originally sluggish movements suddenly quickened, as it swiftly climbed along the trunk of the Thorn. It had no legs, only small fleshy protrusions, but however it climbed on the trunk, it would never fall off. This magical creature was capable of defying physicalws, moving through the air. Especially when it wanted to climb from one Thorn to another, it did not need to touch the ground at all but instead wriggled through the air effortlessly, bridging the gap between two Thorns to collect the pheromones from the next Thorn. After arranging for the Retainer Knights to stand guard and patrol, Marcus had already hurried over. He looked anxiously at the Thorn Bug, ¡°My lord, can the Thorn Bug¡ seed?¡± ¡°Of course, it can!¡± Liszt¡¯s lips suddenly curved into a handsome arc, smiling as brightly as the March sun, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Teacher Marcus, the Thorn Bug has already seeded¡ I can feel the restlessness inside it, that¡¯s a brand new power brewing, it¡¯s evolving!¡± In fact, this was imperceptible. The reason he was so certain was that the Smoke Mission was emerging right before his eyes. ¡°Complete the mission, reward one Thorn Minor Elf.¡± Due to Marcus¡¯s interruption, the Smoke Serpent Script quickly dissipated, as if nothing had appeared before him. Sometimes, Liszt felt that there was no smoke at all; the reason others couldn¡¯t see it was simply a projection of ¡°fate¡± in his mind¡ªotherwise, the Smoke Dragon must have visited Earth, or else why would they disy it in the form of missions, in a style familiar to Liszt. Just like the Formless Dragon couldn¡¯t be seen, and only those with ¡°integrity and courage¡± could see it. The smoky form of the Smoke Dragon was likely simr to the Formless Dragon, both being a special existence beyond Magic Power. The other Immortal Dragons, Jade Dragons, Twilight Dragons, probably exist in some special forms as well. This also made it easy to exin why the Sacred Dragon was just a legend¡ªpeople couldn¡¯t see their true form. Even themon Tri-Element Dragons, and the Elves. Were also special existences in themselves. At this moment, the skin of the Thorn Bug turned grey at a visible rate, its shinepletely faded, and its once firm skin was now covered with wrinkles, as if it had arrived at the end of its life in an instant. But its emotions were intensely exhrated, filled with indescribable joy and happiness. Using the Eye of Magic, Liszt could see the Chaotic Magic Power inside it bubbling like boiling water, then the bubbles burst, and some unseen changes urred. As if blown up by the boiling bubbles of Magic Power, the Thorn Bug¡¯s body continued to grow. The bigger its body became, the more its appearance decayed and aged. The more tumultuous its excitement surged. The surge was so stimting that Liszt felt a wave of excitement himself, almost wishing to burst into song. Marcus, beside him, couldn¡¯t experience this excitement, but seeing the Thorn Bug inte like a balloon, his eyes shone keenly, clenching his fists tight, sweating for the Thorn Bug¡¯s evolution. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly. But the wind only needed to brush through Liszt¡¯s forehead a few times, stirring his pale golden, slightly curled hair, before the Thorn Bug had already inted into a thick, gray, andrge insect as wide as a calf. The setting sun dyed the clouds at the edge of the sky red. In the distance, the barking of Douson could be heard, followed by the Earth Matron in the Dog Prison, responding with barks of her own. The castle bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, as if it had been coated with ayer of golden brilliance, making it hard to distinguish the windows from the rock walls; only the silhouette of a spire¡¯s rooftop was clear. The tranquility of twilight, at this moment, was especially distinct. Liszt continued to use the Eye of Magic, staring intently at the Thorn Bug; he had witnessed the birth of Little Minor Elves in Tulip Castle before. But those memories had grown distant, and since he was just a boy then, they weren¡¯t deeply imprinted. Now, the clear process of the transformation of the Elf Bug into a Little Minor Elf unfolded before his eyes. Suddenly, as if understanding each other telepathically, Liszt whispered two words, ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± That moment. There was the sound of paper being torn¡ªs. The gray, withering outer shell of the Thorn Bug split open, and then a delicate, fair little hand emerged from beneath the skin of the Thorn Bug, followed shortly by a palm-sized white Little Minor Elf who burst through the Thorn Bug¡¯s skin and jumped out. In the blink of an eye, the white Little Minor Elf opened its translucent wings at its back and flew up into the mid-air. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± The crisp shouts, like those of a three-year-old child, echoed in the air, circling around Liszt. The flight wasn¡¯t fast, but the movements were graceful and agile, tumbling countless times. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± One could feel that cheerful mood, even without any Mind Connection, just by listening to its shouts. Liszt¡¯s gaze was firmly locked on the figure of the Thorn Minor Elf, and a warm smile spread across his lips. He finally had a Little Minor Elf that was bound to him by contract, blood, and a shared heart. He did not disturb the Thorn Minor Elf¡¯s emotional release. He could feel the little creature¡¯s joy after sessfully evolving. Turning his attention to the ground, he knelt down and touched the shed skin of the Thorn Bug gently with his hands. The molt swiftly turned to dust and dissipated with the breeze, leaving not a trace behind. He didn¡¯t see clearly how the Elf Bug had evolved into a Little Minor Elf beneath that skin. It was just a surge of magic power, followed by a transformation into a Little Minor Elf; so brutally simple and operating beyond logic. When he came to his senses again. The Thorn Minor Elf had finished expressing its emotions andnded on his shoulder, holding onto his hair with one hand to stabilize its body, and gazing at the world withrge, curious eyes as it looked back at Liszt, who had turned his head to see it. Its eyes were veryrge, unlike human eyes¡ªck and shiny, as if it wore cosmetic lenses. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Come here.¡± Liszt reached out his hand, and the Thorn Minor Elf immediately climbed onto it, hugging one of his fingers. Upon closer inspection, one could see on top of its round little head a tiny sprout of a thorn; a normal thorn, signifying that it had been born from an ordinary Thorn Bug. Its little hands and feet were chubby. Very exquisite. As if they could pinch out water. Underneath was bare, with no distinction of gender. ¡°Teacher Marcus, how is my Thorn Minor Elf?¡± Liszt said with a proud smile. Marcus expressed sincere admiration, ¡°Beautiful!¡± Chapter 174 - 0174: Opportunity in the Eyes of the Earth Knight (Second Update, Please Subscribe) Chapter 174: Opportunity in the Eyes of the Earth Knight (Second Update, Please Subscribe) The importance of Little Minor Elves goes without saying; even in Tulip Castle, acquiring a Little Minor Elf is a festival worthy of grand celebration. Therefore, after the birth of the Thorn Minor Elf, Liszt quickly gathered officials like Goltai. To have a meeting in the castle. ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°Waaah!¡± The Thorn Minor Elf, flying chaotically around the living room, undoubtedly attracted everyone¡¯s attention. It was bold and not at all afraid of people. With Liszt¡¯s indulgence, it seemed determined to turn the entire castle inside out to inspect its new home. And the little thing was quite fierce. Thomas, who had been serving tea, blocked its path, and the little one immediately bared its teeth at him and waved its palm, apparently ready to p him right there. To give Thomas a big smacking. Although the anticipated smack didn¡¯t happen because Thomas dodged just in time, it still held its head high and strutted about in front of Thomas, blustering for a while. As if to say, ¡°I rule my domain, wretched ve, open your dog eyes wide!¡± In fact, it was nearly so. Liszt could sense its thoughts; the Thorn Minor Elf was indeed expressing its discontent toward Thomas. Because of its contract with Liszt, it had taken the castle as its own home. Apart from Liszt, everyone else was an unwee presence. These unwee people, however, had no self-awareness and werevishly praising the Thorn Minor Elf in the living room. ¡°Its beauty is like the stars in the sky; I can think of no better words to describe it!¡± Goltai eximed with animated gestures. ¡°Its arrival just proves what I¡¯d said before, that Fresh Flower Town is not only a ce blessed with the glory of knights, but also the birthce of knightly glory!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not only a Little Minor Elf, but also one that brings endless wealth. Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, Rapid Growth Magic Thorn, under its care, will be treesden with Gold Coins.¡± Marcus spoke sinctly: ¡°The Thorn Minor Elf will carry the journey of your glorious path, Lord!¡± Praise was unceasing. The Thorn Minor Elf indeed deserved such praise¡ªit could cultivate a type of Magic Potion, a type of lumber, its strategic value was almost as significant as the Little Minor Elves associated with food crops. Liszt beckoned with his hand. The Thorn Minor Elf that had been flying all over the ce obedientlynded on Liszt¡¯s shoulder, yawning: ¡°Waaah.¡± It was probably tired from ying. Liszt swept a nce over his sycophantic followers and slowly began to speak, ¡°There will be plenty of time for praise in the future. Now, I want to know how we are to hold the celebration.¡± ¡°Lord, please entrust the hosting of the festivities to me, I am best at this,¡± Goltai said without reluctance. ¡°Then tell me, how do you n to celebrate?¡± ¡°Every time Tulip Castle obtains a Little Minor Elf, it invites the nobles to a banquet. As the Baron of Fresh Flower Town, a blood of the Tulip Family, you can invite the nobles from North Valley City to the banquet. Also, family members within Tulip Castle and the Baron of Falcon Town should be invited,¡± Goltai began by determining who should be invited. Then he continued, ¡°To celebrate the Thorn Minor Elf, all themoners in the territory should participate. I think we should give them a day off¡ um, never mind, we should not give a day off. It¡¯s the busy harvest season now, and all the projects are short of workers, givingzy serfs a holiday is simply unforgivable.¡± And so, a holiday for themoners vanished in a sh. Work while celebrating, that will do. Upon hearing this, ir added, ¡°Perhaps, we should give each serf a copper coin, as a token of Lord Landlord¡¯s care.¡± ¡°Is it really necessary to treat serfs like that?¡± Goltai, who always held themon ss in contempt, didn¡¯t think highly of the idea. Liszt settled the matter firmly, ¡°That¡¯s decided then, each serf will receive a copper coin, freemen will enjoy a day off, and as for you all, on the day of celebration, wages will be doubled.¡± ¡°Double the wages, hmm, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Goltai quickly nodded and praised. ¡°Thank you, my lord, for your generosity!¡± Karl, Rom, and others quickly expressed their gratitude; they liked following a lord who was generous. With a slight smile, Liszt was pleased with his subordinates¡¯ reactions. Throwing money around wasn¡¯t merely an act of pretense at generosity; in a deeper sense, he was using the distribution of money to stimte the cirction of goods in Fresh Flower Town. As a modern soul from the 21st century, he had, more or less, be acquainted with many theories about economics. After all, he could feel the effects of intion every day, with rising prices, currency devaluation, ever-increasing sries, yet finding oneself further from affording a house. It was through these direct experiences that he slowly began to understand and pay attention to the country¡¯s economic policies, learning about concepts like stimting consumption. The purpose of stimting consumption wasn¡¯t merely for the sake of consumption itself, but to stimte demand, which in turn could drive the development of various industries. As the saying goes, money only produces actual value when it is in cirction. If Liszt were to hoard all the Gold Coins like other lords, storing them in his own warehouse, then his territory would never move beyond the primitive agricultural stage. The tenants would never go hungry, but they also wouldn¡¯t be well-fed; let alone think about purchasing goods or wanting to start small businesses or side jobs. With money in hand, therees the desire to consume, and only then can the territory begin to thrive. Ultimately, the territory would transition from a primitive agricultural stage to one of handicraft and processing industries, thus ushering in a continuous stream of wealth¡ªnot without negative impacts, of course. Once the tenants had money, their hearts would itch with desire. They would not be as blindly loyal anymore. But Liszt believed, as long as he firmly controlled the military machine of the Knight Order and periodically culled a few of the pigs that got rich first, there would be no ripples in his territory¡ªafter all, it was a world ruled by personal strength, where wealth only had meaning under the protection of power. ¡°Consultant Goltai, please continue,¡± Liszt said. ¡°As you wish, my lord,¡± Goltai tempered his excitement to appear less money-loving, ¡°Thest, and most important point of the celebration, is that you should announce the recruitment of followers during the festivities!¡± Liszt¡¯s brow raised, mulling over the suggestion, ¡°Recruit followers?¡± ¡°Yes, everyone is aware of the importance of elves to nobles. Having a Little Minor Elf signifies that you, my lord, will undoubtedly advance further and achieve more glory. Now is the perfect opportunity to gather followers¡ªthere will always be people like myself, like Marcus, like ir, like Isaiah, who wish to follow in your footsteps!¡± Why celebrate the acquisition of a Little Minor Elf? Partly, of course, it is joy, but on the other hand, it¡¯s to boast, to show off the Lord¡¯s formidable strength, and to attract knight vassals. In this world, though the noble and freeman sses have nurtured many Earth Knights, only a minority can secure fiefs and noble titles. The rest tirelessly seek opportunities to be nobles. ¡°With the Thorn Minor Elf, I am the opportunity for these Earth Knights,¡± Liszt realized in an instant. With the birth of the Thorn Minor Elf, his influence was bound to soar. He would leap from being a country Baron to the future Viscount of The Guardian City! A Viscount, who either owns his own ind or city, has already be a high-ranker among nobles. Chapter 176: 0176: Gao Ertai’s Art (Fourth Update, Additional for 400 Subscriptions) ¡°Old madam, you look even younger than when Ist saw you,¡± Goltai eximed with exaggerated praise. Lady Penelope replied happily, ¡°No, I¡¯m old, I¡¯ve already heard Greg calling me from another world, to roam Tahiti City with him once again.¡± Greg Wafers, the father of the Earl, grandfather to Liszt, and Viscount of Tahiti City. In his hands, the family acquired their first Tulip Lesser Spirit, and began to collect various kinds of tulips, thus breeding more Tulip Spirits. Greater Elf Xiangxiang waster cultivated, thereby founding the Tulip Family lineage on Coral Ind. Yet, in the end, Greg died on the battlefield. The very Tulip Lesser Spirit he had contracted with also perished. Fortunately, he had contracted only that one Tulip Lesser Spirit as a memento. The other spirits were transferred to Li Weiliam uponing of age, thus ensuring the Tulip Family lineage did not end. Just as now, Li Weiliam had already transferred the spirits to Levis¡ªpreparing himself for the possibility of sacrifice on the battlefield. As the future Earl, Levis¡¯s participation in battle was more of a formality. The heirs of nobility need to prove to the world they are worthy of inheriting the title. Otherwise, followers yearning for noble glory might be disillusioned with a leader who offers no prospect of such honor. Being the contract holder of all the spirits of the Tulip Family, his safety was of course a top priority. For if he were to die, those spirits and the cordyceps would also perish; even if by some miracle any survived, they would be greatly weakened¡ªlikewise, spirits couldn¡¯t be repeatedly released from contracts and transferred to others without causing significant harm to their vitality.