The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

The knights who had survived, along with their Retainer Knights, began to clean up the battlefield, gathering the armor, longswords, spears, and horses left scattered on the ground, and categorizing the bodies of the fallen.

The corpses of enemy knights would be returned to Marquis Nuta.

As for their own fallen knights, their bodies would be cremated on the spot, and their ashes were to be taken back.

However, most of the wounded on the battlefield were knights—robust knights were not easily killed, even pierced by a Knight's Spear, many had survived. Provided their wounds were not crippling, after a period of rest and healing, they could return to their vigorous selves.

These knights could also be exchanged for a large ransom or be conscripted into their own ranks.

After the Sapphire Duke allowed the conscription of captive knights, such a fierce battle, if won, no longer entailed great losses—the captives and materials gained were enough to offset the casualties.

Liszt carried the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword back to Little Riverheart Castle, intending to find Earl William Lee directly to discuss the overwhelming offensive strength of Marquis Nuta. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire

But the Earl had just landed when he was carried back, surrounded by a group of knights.

While Liszt was being overpowered by Marquis Nuta, Earl Lee faced four Sky Knights alone. If Liszt hadn't adjusted tactics at a critical moment and wielded his Dragon Dou Qi to support with archery, the Earl might have already gone to visit Liszt's mother, Melissa Taro, to complain about his son causing him trouble.

The Earl needed to rest quietly, so Liszt didn't disturb him.

Actually, he himself had suffered some internal injuries—the kind caused by being smashed forcibly to the ground from mid-air by Marquis Nuta, which had displaced his internal organs.

Healing them with Dou Qi was not a problem.

"Have the chef prepare the meal," he ordered succinctly, then headed to the bath to wash up and change. Afterwards, in the bedroom, he drank some Banpo Cattle milk, ate some Boot Beak Giant Stork meat, and popped a few Magic Potions.

First, he needed to replenish his Dragon Dou Qi.

Having strength gave him confidence, immune to being unsettled by unforeseen events. Thus, after half an hour in the bath, his body was mostly recovered, his Dou Qi halfway restored, feeling the abundant power once again. Especially his high-level Fire Attribute Dragon Dou Qi seemed to have improved in this battle.

The Advanced Dou Qi of a Sky Knight is divided into ordinary and Completion Level stages.

Although Liszt's Advanced Dou Qi was transforming into Dragon Dou Qi, it had not yet fully matured. This was a new cultivation experience, one that likely only he, uncompleted Dou Qi and all, could cultivate alongside a dragon.

In the dining room, a delicious spread was already prepared.

The chef was someone Liszt had brought from Fresh Flower Town. While not as skilled as Mrs. Abbie, this chef was very knowledgeable about cooking.

Liszt had just seated himself and tucked a napkin into his collar.

Alvin Eagle Sword promptly arrived to pay his respects, already informed that Liszt had seized the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword from Marquis Nuta.

"My lord!"

"I know why you're here," Liszt said as he tossed the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword lying beside him to the man, "Take a good look at it, and in the meantime, tell me about the properties of this Greater Elf Warrior weapon."

"Thank you, my lord!"

Alvin took the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword with trembling hands, panting with excitement, "I thought I would never see our family heirloom again. With Marquis Nuta's status and power, he would never return the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword... The Eagle Sword Clan has possessed this sword for hundreds of years."

Liszt ate his meal while listening to Alvin's explanation.

Though Alvin's talents were somewhat wanting and the Eagle Sword Clan had long been in decline, the information about the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword had been passed down from generation to generation: "At the very beginning of the Eagle Kingdom, they had slain an Ice Dragon, and a section of a forelimb bone was preserved by the royal family's magicians, which was later awarded to my family."

"At that time, an ancestor from my family who was an Iron Knight, after much exploration, forged it into a Dragon Bone Weapon... and later, upon obtaining a Greater Elf whose life was nearing its end, soaked and reforged it with the Greater Elf's blood, completing the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword as a symbol of our family's legacy."

"Its basic attribute is to amplify Ice Attribute Dou Qi, which can reach an effect four times stronger; the more powerful the knight, the more they can bring out its power. At the same time, it can boost Water-Attribute Dou Qi, Thunder Attribute Dou Qi, and Wind Attribute Dou Qi between two to three times, and even Fire Attribute Dou Qi can be amplified to double effectiveness."

"It also enhances the solidity of Dou Qi and slows down the dissipation of Dou Qi. But its real power lies in the special ability bestowed by the Greater Elf's blood—this is a secret that even Marquis Nuta doesn't know. I have always claimed to be ignorant to Deborah, but in truth, I know."

Liszt was well aware that elf blood had a special effect on weapons.

As the Swift Shadow Bow, a weapon of the Little Minor Elves, had a special effect that increased the speed of arrows, he asked with shining eyes, "What is the special ability of the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword?"

"Ice Seal Domain."

"Ice Seal Domain? What does that mean?"

Alvin answered, "My lord, I watched your battle with Marquis Nuta from within the castle. If my family's inheritance is correct, Marquis Nuta is a powerful Domain Knight."

"Domain Knight? What does that mean? An ancient warrior's inheritance?"

"Quite the opposite, Domain Knights have severed many ancient warrior inheritances. I am merely an Elite Earth Knight and not very knowledgeable about Sky Knights. It has been recorded in the knowledge passed down in my family that a Sky Knight at the Completion Level can resonate with the Knight Order's Dou Qi, thus forming a powerful Dou Qi Domain."

"Tell me more."

"I heard it from my father in the past, just like a story, not very clear. My father told me that a Domain Knight's Dou Qi Domain is not indestructible, and the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword can seal the Dou Qi Domain's resonance, thereby cutting off the Domain Knight's source of power."

This was a new cultivation system.

Or rather, it was a missing link between Sky Knights and Dragon Knights.

Liszt asked Alvin in detail, but Alvin's knowledge was vague; he only knew that a Sky Knight at the Completion Level had a Dou Qi Domain. As for how to cultivate the Dou Qi Domain and such, he knew nothing. Even about how to activate the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword's ability to seal the Dou Qi Domain, Alvin did not know.

"You will have to explore this yourself, my lord. What information I can provide is that the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword seems to be able to transform the nature of the user's Dou Qi. I remember my father saying that if he could use the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, then just by selling ice, he could make a fortune... Unfortunately, it requires Advanced Dou Qi to activate," Alvin said.

Having said this,

Alvin handed the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword back to Liszt with both hands and knelt on one knee, performing the Knight's loyalty ritual: "Thank you, my lord, for rescuing me from the cage, and for retrieving our generations-old Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword. Alvin Eagle Sword will follow you loyally, and by the glory of the knight, I swear to charge forward at your command!"

"I accept your loyalty, Alvin Eagle Sword," Liszt said, holding the Ice Soul Dragon-Slaying Sword, accepting the loyalty pledge.