Glancing at the Phantom Beast Knight, at the Fantasy Beasts, and once again admiring his four Spirit Insects, Russell concluded his secret rendezvous with the Little Dream Dragon.
There were no pearl-bearing clams by the riverbank, nor any incubating Spirit Insects in the surrounding flower beds.
Unless he set up camp outside the manor's annex, it would be difficult for Russell to gain any more benefits through his "golden finger".
"Good morning, Mr. Russell."
"Good morning, Sir Chris."
The sunlight streamed through the window as Russell and Chris leisurely enjoyed this morning's breakfast, when Butler Morris approached.
"Sir, the water levels of the Glowing River have risen, the warm season has truly arrived!"
"That's excellent, the arrival of the warm season signifies the revival of all things. I hope the manor will have a good harvest this year."
In the morning, Russell continued to practice the "Radiant Swordsmanship Technique" in the courtyard to channel his Battle Qi, to carve out his meridians and to comprehend the Fighting Qi Penetrating Power.
Charles then joined him as his opponent in a swordsmanship battle.
Chris, clad in casual wear, occasionally offered pointers to Russell from the sidelines to help him improve his combat skills.
Before they knew it, noon had arrived.
Before lunch even began, Knight Attendant Jack galloped back swiftly on his warhorse: "Sir, the Snow Ghosts are invading! Mr. Eric is holding them off!"
Russell said resolutely, "Sir Chris!"
"Always ready, Mr. Russell." Chris had already summoned his contract Fantasy Beast—the Nightmare Specter Horse.
The personal servant William struggled to carry a silver Armor, helping Chris don it.
Personal Servant Ram similarly hoisted a suit of dark gold Armor, assisting Russell with his—the dark gold ceramic Armor was a gift from the Baron, made of metal and ceramic inlay that wasn't too heavy and could withstand attacks from a Phantom Beast Knight.
"Sir, your sword." Another servant, Fox, held a silver-gray longsword with a handle embedded with a glittering green gem.
This was Russell's sidearm, the Green Ceramic Sword.
As the son of a Baron, even as the second son, Russell had a complete set of exceptional gear, giving him a head start on the competition.
Donning the dark gold ceramic Armor, equipped with the Green Ceramic Sword, and mounting his black warhorse, Russell swiftly transformed from a refined and elegant noble gentleman into a gallant and fully-armed Knight.
"Jack, lead the way!"
"Yes, Sir!"
With the Knight Attendant clearing the path, Russell and Chris followed shoulder to shoulder, with Charles, the middle-aged Knight, following behind—Charles was also an Armed Knight, yet having never completed his meridians over the years, he had no hope of becoming a Great Knight.
The clattering sound of the horses' hooves faded into the distance.
In no time, they reached the southeastern boundary of the Wuyao Snake Manor, where there was a distinct geographical division.
To the north, the soil was moist with sprouting new green grass.
To the south, the snow was difficult to dissipate, with the snow getting thicker the further south one went, presenting a vast expanse of undulating snowfield.
On the snowfield, there was the occasional cluster or a patch of trees covered in snow and ice; beyond that, there was no other scenery.
"Over there!" Chris pointed casually.
Not far ahead, where the mud mixed with the accumulated snow, Eric was leading three Knight Attendants in a battle against a group of sinister creatures.
These creatures were humanoid, wielding weapons that looked like ice sculptures, their bodies even adorned with tattered clothing.
But their skin exhibited a dark bluish-green tint, their heads were bald, with vampire-like fangs protruding from their mouths and their ears were exceptionally long and thin.
One of the Snow Ghosts stood at a towering three meters tall.
The other Snow Ghosts were generally taller than Eric and the Knights, moving with agility and speed during battle, their icicle-like weapons wielded with skill. The Snow Ghosts, however, lacked coordination amongst themselves and were blocked by the formation laid out by Eric and his men.
"There are only twelve Snow Ghosts, not even a single Ghost Beast. And there's only one leading Snow Ghost that has reached the level of a Great Snow Ghost."
Chris, riding on a Nightmare Specter Horse, saw the number of invading Snow Ghosts and immediately laughed, "Mr. Russel, how about warming up with some practice?"
"Sure!" Russel didn't waste any words and joined the fray directly.
Charles looked around, especially sneaking a few glances at the ever-unflappable Chris, and with his teeth clenched, he also charged into the battlefield.
"Eric!" Russel yelled.
The Green Ceramic Sword didn't execute any flashy attacks, just a practiced and precise chop and thrust, aimed at the back of a cyan Snow Ghost.
Just as it was about to hit the Snow Ghost's neck, the creature as if it had eyes on its back, abruptly raised its ice-sculpted spear.
Clang!
The ice-sculpted spear completely withstood the heavy and powerful chop, not shattering, but shedding only a bit of ice debris.
Following up, Eric shouted, "Form up, Sir!"
He and three Knight Attendants pushed back the attacking Snow Ghosts, opened a gap in the formation, and let Russel, Jack, and Charles into it.
Then, seven knights and seven war horses surrounded Eric, the Great Knight, forming a common assault squadron formation used by knights. They kept charging amidst the encirclement of twelve Snow Ghosts, trying to spread them out to defeat them one by one.
But these Snow Ghosts always clustered around the leader, the Great Snow Ghost, making it difficult to truly separate them.
"Sir, catch the leader and the followers will scatter. We must kill the Great Snow Ghost first!" Eric swiftly changed the attack tactic, "Everyone, target the Great Snow Ghost!"
"Yes!"
Under Eric's lead in a charge, the seven-man Knight squad quickly turned around and charged at the tallest Great Snow Ghost, with Knight lances and Knight swords attacking the Great Snow Ghost in rotation.
The Great Snow Ghost was fearlessly brave.
Or more accurately, it was a non-living being, wielding an enormous ice-sculpted mace that was even taller than itself, swinging it again and again, viciously clashing against the Knight squad's weaponry.
Thwack!
The Battle Qi sword aura unleashed by Eric cut through the Great Snow Ghost, only shattering its tattered, icy cloths that served as armor and leaving a snowy white slash on its cyan skin. There was no bleeding, the wound resembling withered wood.
The strength of a single Snow Ghost might not surpass that of a Knight, but the effect of their undying nature was indeed terrifying.
"Again, gather strength for a concentrated strike to kill the Great Snow Ghost!" After a round of charging, Eric quickly turned his horse around and swung his longsword for another charge.
Charge after charge, continued targeted attacks.
After leaving more than a dozen deep cuts that revealed bone but let no blood flow on the Great Snow Ghost, they merely slowed the creature's movements slightly.
Hiss! The Great Snow Ghost opened its fanged mouth, roaring at the charging Knight squad.
The eleven Snow Ghosts behind it mimicked the action, baring their fanged mouths and issuing low and hoarse roars like venomous snakes.
"Charge!" Eric yelled.
Within the Knight squad, Russel could feel that the Knights' Battle Qi was entering a state of resonance.
The Battle Qi of everyone pulsed at the same frequency, then synchronized, their Battle Qi seemingly surging invisibly several times over, giving Russel an incredible sense of power in an instant. With one swing of his sword, he felt he could cut through anything.
"Charge!" he shouted following Eric.
"Charge!"
"Charge!"
Charles and the Knight Attendants, one by one, continued shouting to vent the resonating Battle Qi, focusing all their power into their Knight swords and Knight lances.
Charging towards the Great Snow Ghost!