Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 351 Extensive Influence and the Knights' Conversion

Knights are ultimately a transcendent order that fights with swords. No matter how much foul talk the legendary foul-mouthed king has, he can't beat the warhammer that Su Li is swinging around.

When Su Li fiercely and violently blasted Logan away, the entire arena erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

In fact, Logan has high combat power and great endurance. As an elite knight, he can use his Bloodlust and Divine Magic abilities repeatedly, up to three times each.

The problem is that Su Li controlled the rhythm of the battle throughout. He was meticulous, calm and composed, and would not be blinded by anger even in the most intense battle.

When Logan wasn't using his Blazing Blood ability, he unleashed his full power. With the powerful [Red Dragon King's Flame] buff, his attacks were no less fierce than those of a champion. If the warhammer hit Logan, it would be a heavy blow, making his entire chest feel like it had been struck by a battering ram.

Before Logan could even activate his bloodline abilities, he was already knocked down. A champion-level burst of power against an elite mid-level fighter was a complete annihilation. Logan couldn't withstand the onslaught and quickly collapsed.

However, if he also activated his bloodline ability immediately, Su Li would not fight him.

Su Li didn't care about such minor setbacks. The followers of the Goddess of the Sun were equally unconcerned; their goal was clear: victory in the final battle.

The battle lasted less than an hour before Logan's mentality collapsed. In the past, he was the one who used his super foul language to disrupt others and throw off their composure. But now, he finally felt the frustration of having his rhythm disrupted by his opponent and having no way to use his strength.

Activating his bloodline abilities time and time again had left him breathless. He didn't have a powerful item like Stardew Orange, and he couldn't get rid of the aftereffects of activating his bloodline and gaining champion-level combat power. At this moment, he felt that his body was on the verge of twisting and collapsing.

If he were to forcibly use the Amber Bloodline again, he would truly never be able to recover his condition, and it would leave permanent damage to his body, retaining some of the physical characteristics of a wild beast.

So he gritted his teeth, panting, and stared intently at Su Li, asking, "You bastard hiding in your ass, do you dare to fight me for real? Let's have a good, real duel, let the fight feel real!"

Su Li's heart didn't even quicken. He calmly asked, "You are my opponent. Why should I let you have your way? The point of battle is to force the opponent to use their skills against their will, while I can do as I please. This is what is meant by 'the battle is in my hands, not in the enemy', leaving them powerless.'"

In layman's terms, it means preventing the opponent from getting what they want, forcing them to have the ability but not be able to use it, and ultimately suffer a frustrating defeat.

Subduing the enemy without fighting is the best strategy in warfare.

Upon hearing Su Li's reply, Logan roared indignantly, "What's the difference between your methods of winning through wealth and those of a despicable nobleman?"

“But I am a nobleman.” Su Li calmly spread his hands. “Besides, the true art of war is to win with numbers, to defeat the weak with the many, and to use strength to overcome weakness. Isn’t your foul mouth also a way of using your advantage to disrupt your opponent and create a situation that is favorable to you?”

Logan's will completely crumbled, but a sharp glint appeared in his eyes. He then raised his training sword and said, "I surrender. I suddenly realized that I could never win this battle from the start. There's no point in continuing. Without making mistakes, it's impossible for the weak to defeat the strong."

Yes, turning the tide in a desperate situation is an extremely difficult thing.

That's why such battles are recorded in history, sung by countless bards, and fervently revered by countless knights.

As Logan had his epiphany, Su Li's eyes widened. He felt a scorching aura bursting forth from his heart, and golden blood was cleansing his entire body.

Is this... divine grace descending?
He looked at Logan incredulously and asked, "You..."

“That’s right!” Logan sheathed his training sword and stroked his already sparse hair. “From today onwards, I’ve converted to the faith of the Sun Goddess. No other deity has ever made me understand this world and myself so clearly. Even my foul mouth is in line with military strategy. Let’s see which bastard dares to mock me now!”

Goodness, the goal has really been achieved.

Before the Glorious Arena was held, Su Li had hoped that this grand celebration of the goddess would inspire more knights to convert, thereby expanding the church's faith.

Unexpectedly, this goal was achieved even more dramatically than anticipated.

He could directly and intensely feel the divine grace, which shows just how delighted the Goddess of the Sun was.

As Edwin announced the results of the match, Su Li waved to the cheering crowd and then walked off the arena.

However, he did not leave immediately, but went to the highest room in the Lion Ring to continue watching the battle.

Hilde brought him a cup of fruit tea, then said with a pleasant smile, "My lord, your tactics are perfect. I think the upcoming battle will be no problem for you."

Next up is the quarterfinals, where he will face several other strong opponents.

Su Li asked, "Who is my next opponent? Based on the group and points, your next opponent is Dawn Knight Edwin."

"The same name as Griffin Knight Edwin?" Su Li raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, after all, there are thousands of knights in the territory, so it's normal for them to have the same name. That's why titles are needed to distinguish them."

It's a good thing they're not in China, otherwise a guy named Zhang Wei could pull together a company or even a regiment.

"How strong is he?" Su Li didn't pay much attention to his name and quickly focused her attention on the most important thing.

“Very strong, extremely strong, even strong without any weaknesses.” Hilde gave a very high evaluation: “From my personal point of view, he is the most capable opponent to compete with you for the championship. Unlike others who have obvious strengths or weaknesses, he is truly very well-rounded and always defeats his opponents with overwhelming force. He has never even lost a small-scale match, and after winning a match, he goes to watch the championship-level matches.”

"He truly deserves to be called a fierce general who single-handedly cuts through the undead army and pierces the necromancer in the midst of the battle."

Su Li couldn't help but smile. No matter how strong his opponent was, in Hilder's eyes, he was always the one most likely to win, and everyone else was just a challenger. This support and encouragement was truly overwhelming for him. Given his opponent's strength, Su Li felt he was more suited to challenging him.

Su Li had no choice but to ask, "What tactics are there against him?"

Hilde shook her head: "I can't give you any advice. You'll have to rely on your own performance. As of now, no one has figured out his trump card. He's already at the level of a high-ranking elite knight. His bloodline and divine magic are top-notch. He defeats his opponents in every round with a dignified and righteous style."

That makes this battle very difficult!

As Su Li was pondering, a burst of enthusiastic cheers suddenly erupted outside, and the entire arena erupted in cheers.

Hilde immediately went to the window, looked at the arena, and turned to Su Li, saying, "My lord, the champion of the apprentice knight level has been decided."

This is also the most crucial reason why Su Li specifically returned here: he wanted to present awards to the trainee knights!

These apprentice knights' abilities are not as complex as those of the elite knights. Still in the physical training phase, they haven't awakened their bloodline abilities, nor do they possess divine magic, making battles easier to decide. Sometimes, a single blow can completely incapacitate an apprentice knight, leaving them hunched over and unable to stand.

So after four days of competition, the trainee knights have finished all their games.

At this moment, the champion knight is standing on the ring with his arms outstretched, cheering with excitement and receiving applause from the entire arena.

A powerful champion knight stood beside him and announced the result: "Our shining star is none other than the apprentice knight, Steel Spear Ryan, from Jiejia Manor!"

Su Li also took off his competition armor and put on rare-grade armor. He walked into the arena with great vigor, surrounded by a large number of Black Forest Guard knights.

At this moment, hundreds of elite knights, clad in bright armor, stood around the arena for the apprentices, with the banner bearing the sun emblem of the Goddess of the Sun fluttering in the wind.

Ryan stood excitedly in the arena, watching the powerful lord walk towards him in the radiance.

He vowed that he would never forget this day, with hundreds of elite knights guarding him, tens of thousands of people cheering for him, and the noble lord himself coming to him with rewards and a friendly smile.

“I’ve seen you before. You seem to have fought alongside me on the battlefield before?” Su Li walked up to him, holding a superb weapon called the Dawn Spear, and patted the young knight with a full beard on the shoulder in appreciation.

His nickname was Steel Spear, not only because he wielded a powerful spear, but also because his black beard was as hard as a short spear.

Ryan immediately stood up straight, his heels together, and gave Su Li a solemn military salute: "Reporting to the lord, I once fought alongside you in the Battle of the Brienne River Highlands against the Broken Toe Tribe, smashing a bandit chariot, killing three goblins, and even managing to kill a giant forest wolf. I was honored with merit and was granted the freedom from slavery by you, becoming a member of the Armor-Free Manor."

"After that, I gloriously became a follower of the Goddess of the Sun, joined the militia of Blackforest Town, and participated in the Battle of Blackforest. In three battles, I killed a total of 1 tree spirit, 2 kobolds, 1 gnoll, and 4 inferior horned beasts. Finally, I successfully awakened as a trainee knight." "Not bad, truly outstanding achievements." Su Li smiled, patted his shoulder, and said with satisfaction, "As expected of a soldier I once led, your merits and achievements have added glory to the Goddess of the Sun."

Although this knight is still young, he is undoubtedly a seasoned veteran with outstanding military achievements.

This is not because such people are common, but because during the founding of the Black Forest Territory, all the unfortunate and weak perished in the arduous pioneering process.

Those who survived had all gone through countless battles and were seasoned veterans.

The saying goes, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand," and the same applies to the expansion of territory. Countless young knights like Ryan have sacrificed their lives for the growth of their lands and the rise of their reputation.

Su Li personally presented him with a superb weapon and 10 golden crowns, and said with a smile, "May the goddess bless you and may you always return in triumph."

"Praise be to the goddess!" Ryan excitedly accepted the reward, his whole body trembling with excitement.

These are 10 gold crowns, the income he could only save up by not eating or drinking for the previous 10 years.

No wonder everyone in the empire is scrambling to get into the knight class. These are true members of the empire, and any opportunity they receive is something they never dared to dream of before.

If it weren't for the opportunity given to him by the lord, he would have starved to death in the fields and ditches long ago, just like the other slaves.

He immediately and excitedly promised, "My lord, I will definitely cultivate with all my might and strive to pass the selection of the territory's army as soon as possible so that I can continue to fight and serve you."

"Haha, good, that's ambitious." Su Li patted his muscular arm and said, "I'll be waiting for you in the army. Which army do you want to join?"

“I want to join the Crimson Night Knights!” He immediately raised his chin and replied, “My lord, your will is my highest mission.”

“Very good.” Su Li smiled broadly. “I will write a letter of recommendation to Sir Connor, the vice-commander of the Crimson Night Knights, so that you can go with them to Mount Oka for some training. But whether you can join this knight order depends on your own true abilities.”

Ryan was overjoyed and immediately promised excitedly, "I will not disappoint you, my lord. I will bring back a trophy from Mount Oka. I will give it to you as a thank-you gift after I successfully join the Knights."

As expected of a soldier who came from slave background, he really knows how to navigate social situations.

Clearly, this moment of honor is likely the pinnacle of his life. Even if he successfully passes the selection and becomes a reserve member of the Crimson Night Knights, he will not be qualified to see Su Li again. Only when he becomes an elite knight will he be qualified to visit the Purple Thorn Palace again and present gifts.

Su Li encouraged him and then walked towards the second knight.

This knight was much more arrogant than Ryan. Although he was only the runner-up, he wore a helmet with feathers and held his chin high like a haughty rooster.

Upon seeing Su Li, he promptly bowed and said, "Austin Henderson, Apprentice Knight of the Henderson Knight Family, greets Your Lordship."

Su Li had some impression of the Henderson Knights, but not much. After all, many knight families had joined the Black Forest Territory and served Su Li during the expansion of their territories.

Although Su Li's intelligence has significantly improved after becoming the Knight of the Goddess of the Sun, he is still unable to call out the names of all his tens of thousands of subordinates and their family relationships like some lords.

Su Li's current limit is to know everyone in the Black Forest Guard Knights, as well as their relatives, including spouses, parents, and children.

Even if their wives or husbands met on the street, Su Li could recognize them at a glance and call out their names.

This was no small feat, and it deeply moved and inspired the Hessian Guards.

The reason why the Henderson family was able to stand out and leave a slight impression on Su Li was because Su Li remembered that their family was very large, with as many as 3 elite knights serving in the high-ranking squires, provincial legions and the Sun Crown Knights respectively. In addition, there were more than 20 formal knights and apprentice knights.

Their family even owns an estate more than 100 miles south of Hessen City. This location is undoubtedly very remote. Choosing to settle and develop here shows their family's confidence and ambition.

It is said that their family purchased more than 60 serfs, cultivated more than 1000 acres of fertile land, and spent a lot of money to purchase jade and gemstones. They also built the Jade Pool and complete water conservancy facilities next to the clear stream that passed through the manor.

Their water infrastructure was even more complete than that of Bjorn Bay, and thanks to ample funds, they were able to hire a whole team of dwarven engineers to equip their family estate with the most comprehensive facilities.

Their estate included forests, ponds, hunting grounds, and more, covering an area of ​​over 30 miles, and there were no other families or villages nearby that had disputes with them.

Moreover, their development was quite impressive; in addition to farmland, they also had wooden waterwheels for irrigation. Their irrigation systems were even more sophisticated than those of the Bjorn Bay because the bottom of their canals was lined with gravel to prevent siltation.

In addition, a reservoir that also serves as a fishpond was built to raise crucian carp and loach, among other things.

A pasture was also established on the north side of the estate with a thorn fence. More than 40 shorthorn cattle grazed in the north area, hundreds of sheep grazed in the south area, and pigs were free-range in the woods, fattened directly with acorns from the oak forest.

In addition, they built serf settlements using stone and wood longhouses equipped with communal kitchens and storage cabinets. The main storage facilities included three giant granaries for storing wheat, buckwheat, and other grains, and underground cold cellars for storing meat and cheese.

In terms of handicrafts, they had their own semi-open-air workshops, two clay furnaces for producing rough iron tools such as horseshoes, sickles, and door catches. They also had their own flax workshops, where they used soaking pools to soften flax stems, six wooden spinning wheels to weave flax, and matching dyeing vats to make red and blue coarse cloth from madder roots and indigo for the family servants to wear.

They are currently planning an ambitious pottery kiln and carpentry workshop. The kiln will fire pottery jars, tiles, and drainage pipes. The carpenters will make carts, barrels, and simple furniture, and use scraps to repair farm tools.

As for the foundation and roots of the knightly family, they did not neglect it. They built a Gothic main tower using pure white limestone, on which hung their family's brown flag. They were just waiting to establish military merit and be granted the title of nobleman before imprinting their family's proud coat of arms on it.

To achieve this goal, they set up facilities such as a rifle shooting range, a knight training ground, and a straw target range.

All of this ensures that they can handle hordes of roaring beasts numbering in the hundreds, as well as attacks by goblin and goblin tribes on their own. It is said that they have repelled two monster attacks and even proactively wiped out a monster lair in a forest.

Without a doubt, these knight families were the mainstay of Su Li's efforts to expand and establish himself in the Black Forest Territory. Without Su Li having to worry about anything, they were able to take root and manage on a fertile land, continuously expanding human strongholds and influence, and eventually purifying the area and driving out the monsters.

South of Blacksem City, there are at least twenty or thirty such manors and villages, quietly expanding the territory's power and enhancing the overall strength of the land.

As a core member of such a family, Austin naturally had reason to be proud. As long as he steadily improved his strength without resorting to any crooked methods, he could enter the army of the Black Forest Territory, receive the care of his family elders, and continuously rise in military rank.

It can be said that as long as he becomes a formal knight, he will inevitably become the captain of a knight squad, and if he becomes an elite knight, he will easily become the captain of a squadron.

He was a member of the ruling class of the territory, and his interests were naturally tied to Su Li's.

Of course, all of this is predicated on his own ability. If he can't even reach the level of an elite knight, no matter how much the family paves the way for him, he won't be able to shoulder the responsibility.

This honor is his chance to prove himself to everyone.

After awarding him the armor and gold coins, Su Li patted him on the shoulder with a smile and said, "Look at our fine young man, he's full of energy. Our army has good prospects!"

Although Su Li was only 18 years old, and Austin was older than him, Austin didn't find the statement strange at all.

After all, the lord is an elite knight and a legendary general.

He was proud and honored to be praised by the lord himself, and immediately shouted, "Lord, I will do my best to join the Black Forest Guard Knights and become your most loyal guard."

"Haha, ambitious indeed." Su Li raised an eyebrow and said, "I remember your Henderson family has never produced a Black Forest Guard Knight. Let's see if you can bring this honor to your family!"

Su Li then approached the third apprentice knight, a man dressed in a black robe with yellow stripes and protective leather underneath. Theoretically, his chest armor should have been a holy breastplate adorned with griffins, comets, and crosses, but it was replaced with cheap chainmail. His head was shaved, and his demeanor and attire perfectly reflected the characteristics of the Church of Redma.

Upon seeing Su Li, he excitedly shouted, "Apprentice Knight Otto Gray greets Your Majesty, may the goddess bless you. Please allow me to apply to join your territory and become a glorious follower of the Goddess of the Sun."

"Hahaha! Great!" Su Li laughed heartily, his spirits lifted. This was exactly what he had been waiting for!
Even Otto Gray, a steadfast knight of Ridmar, was moved to become a follower of the Sun Goddess. Wouldn't his fans be called upon in large numbers to join the Black Forest Territory and the Sun Goddess's church?
Therefore, Su Li specifically asked, "Why did you make this choice?"

Otto Gray answered without hesitation, "I have always heard that Her Majesty Violet has gained an increasingly wide influence within the Empire in recent years. This trip south was to witness the splendor of the Goddess Knights firsthand. The Goddess's teachings, her wealth, and her power have all deeply impressed me. I am willing to join the Church and contribute to the glory of the Goddess's cause!"

(End of this chapter)