Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 407 The Rise of Territory Power and the Ambition of Legendary Armor
Jeff and Suna's group arrived in Black Forest Territory, and Su Li naturally had to do his best to entertain these family members and knights who had come from afar.

The banquet was held in the castle's spacious banquet hall, where long tables were covered with pristine white linen, and silver candlesticks flickered with warm candlelight. Considering that most of the family knights who came this time possessed fire-attribute bloodlines, Su Li specially instructed the kitchen to prepare delicacies that best suited their bloodlines and best showcased the characteristics of the Black Forest Territory—Lightscale Fish and Firefly Rabbit.

When the steaming dishes were brought to the long table by the waiters, even the well-traveled old Jeff and the composed family knights couldn't help but show a hint of surprise and anticipation in their eyes. The scaly fish was carefully cooked into a delicious fish soup; the fish meat was snow-white and delicate, and the soup had a faint golden sheen, with subtle shimmering light flowing on the surface, exuding a pure and invigorating aroma. The roasted fire rabbit had a crispy, golden-brown skin, while the meat inside was tender and juicy. The rich aroma of the meat was mixed with a unique, warm fragrance, as if it contained the essence of fire, which filled the entire hall.

"This...this is a Lightscale Fish?" An older knight looked at the fish soup in front of him and asked in a low voice, somewhat incredulously. This rare fish, which can gently enhance the potential of one's bloodline, is a rarity even in Purplethorn Fortress. It usually only appears in small quantities during important celebrations or when entertaining distinguished guests.

"And Firefly Rabbits!" Another knight stared at the sizzling, oily rabbit meat, his Adam's apple bobbing. Lightscale Fish were far too unattainable for ordinary knights. Many had never even tasted them in their lives. But Firefly Rabbits were all too familiar to the knights of Purplethorn Fortress! The benefits of this magical creature to fire-attribute bloodline knights were self-evident; it could directly stimulate bloodline activity and enhance cultivation aptitude. In Purplethorn Fortress, Firefly Rabbits were the most valuable magical beasts, and practically impossible to find.

Su Li sat in the main seat and smiled, gesturing for everyone to eat: "Dear uncles, brothers, and cousin Su Na, you must be tired from your journey. Black Forest Territory is remote and doesn't have many good things, but these two local specialties are decent enough to offer. I hope they will suit your tastes and help replenish your travel supplies. Please make yourselves at home and don't stand on ceremony."

Old Jeff was the first to scoop a spoonful of fish soup into his mouth, close his eyes to savor it for a moment, and then a look of extreme enjoyment appeared on his face. He sighed, "Excellent! Pure and gentle life force... truly lives up to its reputation! Young Master Su Li, your standard of 'nothing good' is truly something that makes Zijing Fortress ashamed!"

His tone was filled with undisguised emotion and satisfaction, clearly showing his pride in Su Li's ability to establish such a stronghold and possess these resources in the border region.

Upon hearing this, the knights no longer held back and began to taste the soup. As soon as the fish soup entered their mouths, a warm current instantly flowed through their limbs and bones, as if washing away the fatigue of their long journey and invigorating their spirits.

Taking a bite of the tumbler rabbit meat, the intensely hot essence seemed to ignite the blood within, a warm sensation spreading from the stomach, sending a comfortable throbbing through even the most hard-working body, as if the heat had gently opened up any blockages in the meridians. A chorus of satisfied sighs and hushed praises filled the room.

"This rabbit meat...it has such a strong fire source!"

"I feel my blood pumping!"

"It's much more effective than the small piece the family received last time!"

Suna sipped the fish soup, her fair and round cheeks appearing even more rosy in the candlelight and the hot soup, like a ripe apple.

She savored the soup carefully, her bright eyes sparkling as if analyzing the energy composition of the ingredients. She whispered to Uncle Karl beside her, "Uncle Karl, the preparation of this fish soup is exquisite, preserving the gentle and nourishing properties of the scaly fish to the greatest extent, and... it seems that a bit of the blessing herbs unique to the Church of Dawn have been added? Making the effect even purer."

Su Li looked at the satisfied and amazed expressions on the faces of everyone at the table and nodded in satisfaction. This was exactly the effect he wanted. He didn't want his family's bloodline to feel that once they entered the Black Forest Territory, they were meant to be Su Li's blood slaves, having their blood and marrow drained every day.

Instead, we need to make them feel that being able to serve the Black Forest Territory is a rare opportunity.

Putting everything else aside, these knights, following the original trajectory, would be considered exceptionally talented if two out of 20 could be promoted to elite knights.

However, in Black Forest Territory, thanks to the powerful characteristics of the Fire Rabbit, all 20 people can be forcibly pushed to the elite level or above.

This is an ideal that many people dream of but can never achieve in their entire lives, but in the Hessian Territory, all it takes is donating blood. They're only worried that they haven't donated fast enough or enough!

If this kind of thing could be passed down, they'd be eager to make it a secure job, so their children would also donate blood. What's the biggest fear for the ruling or middle class like knights? Isn't it the fear of falling out of the social class? They push their children relentlessly, training them to the bone, precisely to prevent them from slipping down from the knightly class. Now there's a position that guarantees all their descendants will possess at least elite-level strength.

Everyone was desperately trying to squeeze in!
So much so that the knights devoured the delicacies on the table in a whirlwind, their faces flushed with lingering satisfaction and a touch of embarrassment. Old Jeff wiped his mouth and said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Young Master Su Li, your hospitality is just too... too generous! Radiant fish, firefly rabbit—this isn't a welcome feast, it's practically a magic potion for us! It's making us old folks feel quite embarrassed. If you have any dirty or strenuous work to do, just let us know! We're not spineless cowards who only know how to eat sea cucumbers and not do any work!"

Upon hearing this, Su Li simply smiled gently and waved his hand: "Uncle Jeff, my uncles and brothers, and my cousin Su Na, you have traveled a long way and just arrived in Black Forest Territory. You should rest and recuperate today. There's no rush to help out right now."

He stood up, clapped his hands, and the servants immediately came forward to clear away the cups and plates.

"However," Su Li changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over everyone, "now that you've all arrived in my territory, as family, I should express my gratitude. Those who wish to rest immediately can go to my Minister of the Imperial Seals; he will arrange comfortable accommodations for you. If you feel you still have energy, you may come with me to the treasury area. I'll give you all a set of weapons and armor as a gift from an elder brother or junior, hoping it will lend you a hand on your future journeys."

Before she finished speaking, Su Na's eyes lit up instantly, like two dazzling stars. She immediately stood up, her voice filled with excitement: "I'm not tired, cousin Su Li! I want to go with you! When we were at Purple Thorn Fortress, I heard Knight Commander Connor and the others raving about the weapons and armor produced in Black Forest Territory, saying that their quality was unparalleled in the border princely territories. I've been wanting to see them for myself for a long time!"

The other knights, including old Jeff and Carl, also stood up, their faces no longer showing any signs of fatigue from the long journey. They responded with renewed vigor and full of energy:

"After eating this incredibly nourishing spiritual food, I feel full of energy, strong enough to punch a bull to death!"

"Exactly! Young Master Su Li, please take us to see this!"

"Yes! Don't rush to rest, let's take a look at your good stuff first, young master!"

Their eyes were filled with eagerness and anticipation. In the world of knights, a set of fine weapons and armor held a significance and allure no less than, and perhaps even surpassed, the exquisite meal they had just enjoyed. After all, these were companions who would accompany them through life and death, protect their lives, and help them achieve great deeds.

Seeing the crowd's high enthusiasm, Su Li nodded: "Alright, everyone, follow me."

The high-walled fortress of the vault area lay beneath the Bauhinia Castle. He led the group through the castle's sturdy corridors, descending into a drier, cooler atmosphere. The heavy, adamantine doors slowly opened under the guards' control, revealing a passageway to the underground vault area. Fluorite, emitting a steady glow, was embedded in the walls along the passage, illuminating the path ahead.

When the second, even thicker door opened, a scent mixed with metal, grease, and a faint magical aroma wafted out. Suddenly, a bright and clear view opened up before them.

This was a vast and well-organized warehouse. Rows of sturdy metal racks stood in neat rows, like silent phalanxes of soldiers. The racks held bundles of standard-issue spears, gleaming swords, heavy shields, and meticulously maintained, gleaming suits of armor—from light chainmail to full-body plate armor, everything was there. The sheer quantity and sophistication of the equipment made even old Jeff, a seasoned veteran of the Fortress Armory, gasp in astonishment.

Even more striking is the subtle runic glow that emanates from the surfaces of many pieces of equipment. The enchanted runes shimmer and glow with a golden light on the metal. Clearly, this is not ordinary weaponry, but truly high-quality enchanted equipment!

Su Li walked to a row of areas specifically for storing knight equipment and gestured to the guards to retrieve the goods. "One set for each person, including full plate armor, main weapon, spare short sword, lance, and kite shield. These are all the latest batch of enchanted standard equipment produced by our Black Forest Territory workshops. Although they cannot compare to custom-made perfect or rare equipment, their defense, sturdiness, and resistance to dark and chaotic energy far surpass the fine equipment of other territories."

The guards quickly began distributing the armor, the heavy armor plates clashing against the weapons with a crisp, pleasant metallic sound.

When the heavy armor, shimmering with an understated magical aura, and the cold, sharp weapons were truly handed to each family knight, feeling their substantial weight and the power they contained, all the previous expectations turned into immense surprise and awe.

Old Jeff stroked the gilded plate armor in his hands, its lines sleek and its joints exquisitely crafted. He felt the slight warmth emanating from the protective runes engraved on the inner layers of the plates, his voice trembling slightly: "This...this level of enchantment...this forging craftsmanship...Young Master Su Li, this 'greeting gift' of yours...is far too precious!" He had seen many fine things, but this was the first time he had ever witnessed such a large-scale, high-quality stockpile of enchanted standard equipment. The productivity and technological accumulation it represented astonished him.

Karl tried swinging his issued longsword; the blade hummed softly as it cut through the air, a faint light shimmering across its surface. "A fine sword! Perfect balance, restrained sharpness, and even possesses anti-evil properties! This…this is comparable to many of the swords wielded by knights in our Purplethorn Fortress!" His eyes were filled with amazement and admiration. Su Li smiled. Of course, these weapons were the result of the dwarves of Blackforest Territory's post-war repair and production efforts; many materials were derived from the melting and reforging of spoils of war.

Moreover, it utilizes various resources such as Mooncrown Tree Flowers, Embers, and Fire Spikes, so it can be said that the latest batch of weapons and equipment here represents the highest production level in Black Forest Territory!
The surge in the number of Mooncrown Trees, in particular, has led to an unprecedented increase in the scale of Mooncrown Flowers and Emberfire.

After defeating Blue Mirror Territory, Black Forest Territory expanded in both territory and population, and the Moon Crown Tree naturally flourished even more, soaring from 40-50 meters before the war to over 70 meters.

This growth rate also shows how much this round of territorial expansion has enhanced the territory's strength.

It's clear that Blue Mirror Territory's defeat was not unjustified; their strength was indeed inferior to Black Forest Territory's, otherwise the Moon Crown Tree would have been twice as tall.

This 70-meter span is also the result of the Black Forest Territory's continuous consolidation and conquest of territories over these past few cycles, leading to an increase in its strength, and then this Moon Crown Tree has grown little by little.

Even now, this tree is still growing at a rate that is almost visible to the naked eye every day, possibly by ten or twenty centimeters.

The few Mooncrown Tree flowers that the nuns picked each morning were a drop in the ocean compared to the enormous trunk.

With this scale of support, all the newly produced equipment is tempered by the Mooncrown Tree and sublimated by the embers.

Hela is always busy, her perfumer's burner constantly producing rings of flame and embers.

The dwarves were overjoyed. Finally, the war was over, and all the dwarves laid down their armor and returned to their forges, where they began their delightful life of iron-working.

With the blessing of these embers, no newly produced equipment is lower than the exquisite level!

That's right! They are all at the Elite level or above, numbering in the hundreds and nearly a thousand!
Before the war, Su Li couldn't have imagined that his territory could produce thousands of pieces of top-grade equipment.

This is a powerful and extraordinary piece of equipment that can easily surpass 100 gold crowns, and some may even reach 200 or 300 gold crowns.

Su Li never expected that the greatest wealth gained from Black Forest Territory's victory over Blue Mirror Territory would come from the extraordinary spiritual plants within its territory.

However, upon further reflection, he found it reasonable. He painstakingly farmed and cultivated so many extraordinary plants precisely so that, as the territory expanded, her strength could rapidly increase. Otherwise, where would the extraordinary and fantastical effects of these plants be manifested?
The effect of this "Ember's Fuel" is quite clear: when added to the forge, it increases the flame temperature, allowing the blazing Akashic Flames to permeate the weapon. This imbues even ordinary weapons with a layer of magic, transforming them into powerful magical weapons.

This is the reason why the territory can forge nearly a thousand pieces of exquisite equipment, but the territory's production capacity is far more than that.

Thanks to the efforts of the Imperial engineers, these forged equipment also have a small chance of gaining +1 quality, so Su Li still has dozens of perfect-grade equipment in his possession.

Perfect grade, that's all Vibranium Rune Armor Level 1. Su Li just calculated that having 300 sets of Vibranium Rune Armor by the end of the year would be quite good.

But now it seems that this progress will be significantly ahead of schedule. By the end of the year, he may even have 500 sets of vibranium rune armor or weapons.

But don't think that's the end of it.

In fact, during these cycles, the dwarves were producing vibranium rune equipment with great enthusiasm. The armor and ores they seized from Blue Mirror Territory, as well as the broken armor that had been reforged on the battlefield, gave them plenty of opportunities to recreate perfect armor.

This resulted in over 60 new sets of perfect-grade armor being added to the Black Forest Territory, all of which was within Su Li's expectations. After Hilde reported the spoils of war, Su Li knew there would be this scale of armor additions.

However, to his surprise, three new sets of rare-grade armor were added to the territory!
Currently, since there is no war, these three sets of armor are hanging in the vault area! They are quietly placed on the display shelf.

As Jeff, Suna, and their group of over twenty people began selecting equipment in the vault area, exclamations of surprise quickly followed, and everyone gathered beneath the rare-grade armor.

“This…this is…” Old Jeff’s voice trembled violently, almost suffocating. His calloused hands gripped Karl’s arm tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. His cloudy old eyes were fixed on the three suits of armor, his pupils contracting sharply, filled with disbelief, horror, and a kind of reverent awe.

As the commander of the Purple Thorn Fortress Armed Attendant Battalion, he had seen countless treasures, and even had the privilege of witnessing the rare, incomplete armor revered as a priceless artifact deep within the family treasury. But this scene before him still left him feeling dizzy, as if an invisible hand were gripping his heart, almost causing it to stop beating. The Black Forest Territory… actually possessed the ability to forge divine artifacts of this caliber? And three sets at once?!

Karl froze on the spot, his mouth slightly open, but no sound came out. The newly issued, exquisite-grade longsword in his hand seemed to lose all its luster instantly, becoming dull and lifeless. He stared intently at the lava-like heavy armor, feeling the scorching pressure and violent power emanating from it. As a power-type fire-attribute knight, the armor held a fatal attraction for him, but it also instilled in him a sense of insignificance and an instinctive fear deep within his soul. This…is this power that a mere mortal can wield?

The other family knights fell into a deathly silence. The joy and excitement of acquiring new equipment had vanished, leaving only boundless shock and stunned silence. They were like mortals who had strayed into a dragon's lair, completely captivated by the miraculous creation before them, even their breathing became cautious, for fear of disturbing the power slumbering within the armor. Only the hum of the magical lamps and the heavy breathing of the knights filled the vault.

Belos Dragonhammer, the dwarven master blacksmith standing beside Su Li, proudly straightened his chest and pointed to the lava-patterned plate armor: "This peerless armor is called 'Molten Heart Barrier'! Its core material is a fragment of the broken breastplate of the legendary knight of Blue Mirror Territory, mixed with blazing copper and meteorite iron, and tempered for nine whole days and nights in the extreme Akashic flames fueled by 'Ember Fuel'! It can not only absorb and deflect powerful physical impacts, but also convert some of the flame and dark energy it absorbs into its own power, feeding back to the wearer, while simultaneously burning any enemy who dares to get close!"

Then, he pointed to a set of light chainmail beside him, interwoven with silver and emerald green, resembling living vines: "'Guardian of the Forest'! The main body is elven mithril and branches of the blessed wisteria tree (a generous gift from Ingrid), tempered with holy water blessed by the Church of Dawn. It has an extremely strong affinity and resistance to nature, life, and order spells, can slowly restore the wearer's stamina, and grants stealth and speed bonuses in forests or places rich in natural energy. It is most suitable for our Green Knights and spellcaster companions!"

Finally, he pointed to the heavy full-body armor, with its ancient design, dark gold color, and ornate dwarven runes: "Please allow me to introduce the most powerful Chosen-class armor, the 'Griffin Armor'! It is forged from the purest aether, vibranium, and mountain heartstone. The runes are the result of a collaboration between a few old guys, referencing the latest runes discovered by the dwarves in the Frostfang Mountains! It is the pinnacle of pure physical defense! It has a super strong amplification and resistance to knightly bloodlines. Wearing it is like gaining the [Soul of Burning Steel]! It can greatly enhance the wearer's strength and stamina, making them unstoppable in a charge! It also possesses many abilities such as [Lightning Reaction] and [Blazing Blood Counterattack]."

Chosen-class armor, this is the third set in the territory!
The war with Blue Mirror Territory lasted a long time, from early summer until autumn. During these more than 100 days of war, production in the rear of Blackforest Territory never stopped. Aether gold was continuously produced from the Gem Pool, so when the war ended and the dwarves of the territory devoted all their efforts to forging, they finally succeeded in producing a piece of Chosen Armor.

However, whether it is a rare-grade armor or a divinely chosen armor, each set is unique and has its own name.

This is simply the ultimate equipment that knights dream of, and it's the best that these family bloodlines can imagine right now.

Even Suna, a female knight, couldn't help but reach out and touch the smooth lines of the armor, murmuring, "Cousin Su Li, is it possible for us to obtain such a coveted set of armor in the future?"

Su Li smiled and said, "Of course, as long as you give it your all, all of this will be achieved sooner or later. I'm waiting for you to make more badges for me to wear on this powerful armor!"

Su Li even harbored a grand ambition: at the current pace of his territory, producing God-chosen armor year after year, sooner or later, with the added benefit of the Imperial Engineering Academy, he would successfully produce a set of legendary armor!
(End of this chapter)