In the Dragon Sleep Continent, Snow Demons bring extreme cold, while dragons bring warmth.
Once the Glowing River flows past Wuyao Snake Manor, it exits the territory of the Glowing Valley. Ros the Clay Dragon's power drastically diminishes, unable to further shelter the territory with warmth.
Thus, beyond the territory lies a world of ice and snow.
Only at the boundary between the territory and the snowfield, sustained by a trickle of power from Ros the Clay Dragon, can a portion of the underground habitat's ecosystem continue to function beneath the ice and in the darkness of subterranean rivers. Hence, some criminals and Freemen find refuge there.
Surviving on the subsistence provided by the underground creatures like serpents, rats, ants, mosses, and fungi.
They've constructed underground dwellings.
The noble lords allow the Freemen of the caverns to roam the edges of their territory, primarily to serve as a buffer zone with the snowfields.
When Snow Ghosts cross the border, the first to be threatened are naturally the Cavern Free People.
This is the natural barrier.
"The Echo Water River Cavern is indeed one of our lines of defense, but," Mr. Charles and Mr. Eric, "if this defense is not fully under our control, it is a double-edged sword. It can fend off Snow Ghosts, but it can also wound us."
Mr. Russel saw clearly.
Perhaps to his father, Mr. Luo Man, the Echo Water River Cavern was an excellent defensive line, and possibly even Wuyao Snake Manor could be considered a defense. Thus, the slight damage from the Echo Water River Cavern does not shake the territory and is not regarded as a double-edged sword.
Unfortunately.
Now that Wuyao Snake Manor was his territory, the double-edged nature of the Echo Water River Cavern made it difficult for him to rest easy.
Mr. Charles was momentarily at a loss for words.
Mr. Eric nodded vehemently, "Sir, you are right. We can no longer neglect the Echo Water River Cavern, we must flatten it as soon as possible!"
Mr. Russel smiled and said, "That's exactly the point."
After thinking for a moment, Mr. Charles said, "Actually, we could still negotiate with Lone Wolf Lisbon to establish a cooperative relationship. Think of it as keeping a fierce dog; toss it a bone now and then to keep it guarding our borders. How does that sound?"
"Even if we were to adopt this fierce dog, we'd first have to tame it; otherwise, it might still injure its master."
"Alright, I have to admit, you see further than I do, Russel," Mr. Charles spread his hands, "You were born to be a lord."
Knock knock knock, Butler Morris entered, carrying a tray in his hand.
"I woke Mrs. Moore to make a pot of milk tea for the master and the two sirs," said Morris as he set down the three cups of milk tea.
"Oh my, to have such fragrant milk tea on a cold night like this is sheer happiness," said Mr. Charles indulgently.
Mr. Eric said nothing, but a fleeting smile crossed his face.
Mr. Russel smiled as well, "Morris, please thank Mrs. Moore for me, and tell her that tomorrow she, and you as well, will each get an extra serving of pudding. My treat."
Morris laughed, "Serving the master is our natural duty. You are too generous, sir."
After sipping the milk tea, Mr. Charles jested, "If only this milk tea could be replaced with Black Pearl wine, it would be perfect."
"No alcohol for now, Charles," said Mr. Eric.
"Of course, of course, do you think I don't understand that?" Mr. Charles raised his voice slightly.
...
Dawn broke, and the rain stopped.
Territory Patrol Knight Captain Kendall did not return with Tom and John. Instead, it was Castle Guard Captain Chris who came.
"Lord Baron attaches great importance to this matter and has specially commanded me to support Mr. Russel," said Chris, who had come alone, riding a Nightmare Specter Horse, without bringing additional knights—for a mere Snow Ghost invasion, one Mythical Beast Knight was sufficient to suppress them.
"I thought it would have been Mr. Kendall," Mr. Charles said as he followed Mr. Russel to welcome the visitor. Charles was more practiced in these welcoming procedures than Russel.
"If Kendall had come, perhaps Lone Wolf Lisbon wouldn't dare to lure the Snow Ghosts into invading," explained Chris. "The tunnels are all interconnected; Lisbon would surely need to ascertain Kendall's position first before luring the Snow Ghosts."
The caverns surrounding Glowing Valley were not just the Echo Water River Cavern.
Around this warm valley were distributed numerous other caves of varying sizes, such as Red Bat Grotto, Wild Man Cave, Blind Man's Cave, and Notch Cavern.
"I see." Russell suddenly understood.
As the Territory Patrol Knight Captain, Kendall was naturally feared by the wanderers around these caverns.
If one could not pinpoint Kendall's location, Lone Wolf Lisbon would certainly not dare to make any rash moves.
On the other hand, Chris, the Castle Guard Captain, did not appear in the territory often and therefore did not attract much attention.
"Then for the next few days, I'll be in your care, Mr. Russel."
"With you staying in the manor's guest house, I can rest easy. These days are the perfect opportunity to ask Mr. Chris some questions about cultivation."
"Sure!"
Nothing happened on the first day Chris stayed in the manor's guest house, and Russell took it as a chance to have one more Knight teacher, asking him many questions about Battle Qi.
The training of an Armed Knight involves carving out meridians, enhancing Battle Qi as the foundation, and at the same time, practicing various techniques for maneuvering Battle Qi.
It is roughly divided into four aspects: Fighting Qi Penetrating Power, Fighting Qi Rotating Power, Fighting Qi Instantaneous Power, and Battle Qi Sword Radiance.
"There are no shortcuts to Fighting Qi Penetrating Power, Mr. Russel. The methods taught to you by Mr. Eric, using Battle Qi martial skills to carve out meridians, are actually the best way to cultivate Fighting Qi Penetrating Power. You just need to keep at it, and it will naturally come to fruition," Chris explained.
"I understand."
"As for Rotating Power and Instantaneous Power, there's no need to try them for now. These require you to carve out several meridians first in order to chain the Battle Qi before executing them... Once you combine the three Powers, you will be able to break through to Battle Qi Sword Radiance, and emanate your Battle Qi externally."
"Thank you for clarifying my doubts, Sir."
"These are all common knowledge. Even if I didn't mention it, you would know, Mr. Russel," Chris said with a smile, maintaining sufficient respect in his attitude.
Of course, Russell was well aware that this respect was not for him personally but for his father, Baron Roman.
As night fell, Chris's arrival wasn't publicized, so the evening was simply celebrated with a modest dinner in the second-floor dining room.
The guests dispersed when the wine was half gone.
After bathing and going to bed, Russell was unsure of how much time had passed before he found himself in Gloomy Dreamland again, with the Little Dream Dragon cawing as it flew towards him.
"Come on, Ice Cream, let's patrol diligently today and see if any assassins dare to come over."
"Caw!"
A man and a dragon flew around the guest house of the manor, and two spots of Magic Light were particularly bright, undoubtedly emanating from Chris and his Nightmare Specter Horse.
"So this is a Phantom Beast Knight, truly bright!"
Russell watched closely as the light emitted by Chris solidified his silhouette completely, even the facial features were faintly discernible. Of course, compared to Baron Roman's appearance in the Gloomy Dreamland, it was still somewhat vague.
In the Glowing Valley territory, Mr. Ross was undoubtedly the king of battle prowess, closely followed by Baron Roman.
Because Baron Roman was a High-ranking Mythical Beast Knight.
"Let's go and have a look at the Nightmare Specter Horse," said Russell after admiring Chris's light, then went on to appreciate the light of the Fantasy Beast Nightmare Specter Horse.
Fantasy Beasts originate from wild beasts.
It could be that a wild beast has absorbed enough of the earth's energy, transforming its own power to evolve into a remarkable Fantasy Beast.
Or perhaps after a wild beast accumulates energy, it gives birth to Fantasy Beast offspring.
Naturally, when two Fantasy Beasts mate, they can also give birth to Fantasy Beast progeny, and such second-generation Fantasy Beasts generally have better talents.
"My father has a female Nightmare Specter Horse; Chris's is a male. I wonder if they could mate and then give birth to a little specter horse... Maybe if mother breathes a word in his ear, perhaps the little specter horse..." Russell mused.
Mid-thought, he suddenly chuckled and shook his head, "That's unlikely. Even if a little specter horse is born, my brother Roland would be ahead of me. I shouldn't get my hopes up."