Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 408 Suna's Cultivation and the Blessing of the Wisteria Tree's Harvest
As it turns out, there are only bosses who aren't generous enough, not employees who aren't hardworking enough.

When a lord is generous enough, his subordinates will have extremely strong motivation, and may even be able to elevate him to the status of emperor!
For Su Li, who had a production capacity of nearly a thousand pieces of exquisite equipment, over 20 sets of top-tier gear was nothing more than a drop in the ocean. He could replenish them at any time. But for the inspired knights, this was a reward that would drive them wild with excitement.

That very day, these knights went to Sharya's holy site and hospital, where they donated large amounts of blood.

Then, after the dwarves relentlessly hammered and forged the emblems from the Bauhinia family, they appeared on a large scale for the first time.

What pleased Su Li even more was that the equipment system of the Black Forest Territory was taking shape in full, including not only weapons, armor, and badges, but also rings, amulets, and mounts.

The mounts, of course, need no further introduction. The eagles from the Dwarven Kingdom have arrived, adding another monstrous mount to the Blackwood Territory: winged raptors. These powerful beasts inhabit the peaks of the Grey Mountains, occasionally roaming the green lands in search of cattle and sheep, though they also hunt humans, greenskins, or any creature that cannot quickly hide.

Wild horse vultures are extremely aggressive. When awakened, they become enraged, their fury only subsiding when they tear apart their enemies. This is why they can slaughter an entire herd, killing every single animal they see. Their hunger for fresh flesh is so intense that even the surrounding creatures can sense their terrifying hunger. Survivors of horse vulture attacks often keep a close watch on the sky for years afterward.

The horse vulture hunts based on ferocious instinct, not terrifying intelligence. In the act of hunting, its simple mind naturally assumes that an unseen prey is one that has already escaped forever. Therefore, the horse vulture inevitably closes the distance between itself and its prey before the prey has a chance to escape. The victim who fails to evade is quickly forgotten by the hunter, and the monster moves on to find easier prey elsewhere.

They possess a ruthless territorial instinct, willing to fight to the death any creature that strays into their chosen territory, be it a lost farmer or a wandering dragon—therefore, it's not surprising that they tend to keep their distance from one another. They compete with Pegasus for nesting space, but they wisely avoid the territories of giant eagles. When two horse eagles meet, they are likely to fight, usually in a violent and bloody battle until one or both animals are dead. Certainly, neither horse eagle will willingly back down or flee.

Eagles are a favorite subject for mages to test their taming spells. After all, what does it matter if the taming spell fails once it's already in the middle of the enemy ranks?
Horse vultures were also among the favorite mounts of knights in border princely territories, as they desired a creature more ferocious than the gentle Pegasus, though only a few powerful knights actually managed to use them as mounts. Only the most resolute humans could ride such beasts, for horse vultures were strong-willed and temperamental, and would throw their riders off their saddles if they loosened their reins even slightly.

Taming a harpy was a challenge many nobles couldn't refuse, making them highly sought-after mounts. To successfully train a harpy, it had to be captured and tamed at a very young age, but given the fierce territoriality of adult harpies, obtaining a chick or egg was extremely dangerous. Occasionally, a chivalrous knight would be tasked with capturing such a beast to prove himself. More commonly, lords would find suitable "volunteers" among the peasants, promising huge rewards to the survivors who brought back healthy, young harpies—though few honored these promises, and they were largely ignored.

The dwarves sent over four young horse vultures at once, which made Su Li even consider whether to establish an aerial cavalry regiment. You see, while his griffins were distributed among the generals, the horse vultures and pegasus were intended to be used as a shock cavalry regiment.

Moreover, unlike griffins and horse vultures, which are difficult to breed, Pegasus, a docile creature, has been successfully bred in the Broken Valley Peak area of ​​the Grey Mountains in Black Forest Territory.

This is a precipitous gray mountain peak located about 160 miles northeast of the Gray Lady Pass, home to the Black Forest Territory's current total of 5 Pegasus and 3 foals.

The number is indeed small, but its significance is extraordinary, making it a sacred site for the Church of Dawn. This place has evolved into a perfect habitat for Pegasus, a supernatural species whose population will continuously expand given time. In the future, it can provide a steady stream of mounts to the Black Forest Territory—24, 240, or even, when Su Li is powerful enough to possess the entire border princely territory or the entire empire, 2400 Pegasus is not unimaginable. (Of course, by then, there will certainly be more than just this one habitat.)
Expanding his territory is the best way to improve his farming and management results.

The production of these items also benefited from the expansion of the territory, allowing Ingrid to finally produce amulets and rings without having to rely on herself.

In Flashspear City, the Blackwood Territory welcomed its second key wizard, the sixth-circle wizard Thrall.

This Sal, Ron had once introduced him to Su Li with great admiration, and he was an important candidate for the Arbitration Committee of Flashspear City.

After decisively defeating Flashspear City in Blackforest and legendaryly defeating the mirror image of the Holy Knight, the sixth-circle wizard accepted Flashspear City's invitation.

He was a truly idealistic and ambitious wizard, a noble person who transcended vulgar interests and had grand aspirations.

He voluntarily left behind his comfortable, prosperous, and bustling life in the north and came to the border princely territory to seek refuge for more commoners and knights.

The key to his ability to achieve all this lies in his powerful knowledge as a 6th-ring wizard and his elemental shaping skills, which greatly reduced the cost of runes and even led to the formation of a famous organization and production line called the [Weaving Workshop].

After he joined, the territory's rings and runes were produced rapidly.

His equipment, combined with Ingrid's, perfectly complemented each other, greatly improving the knights' gear levels.

As evening fell, the initial shock and excitement of the equipment distribution in the vault area gradually subsided. Old Jeff and the other knights, carrying heavy joy and new gear, followed their squires to their assigned lodgings to rest.

Although Suna received her armor and weapons, she did not leave immediately.

“Cousin Su Li,” she followed Su Li out of the somewhat solemn vault area and back to the relatively warm corridor on the upper level of the castle. The excitement of witnessing the rare equipment still lingered on her round cheeks. She said shyly, “According to the family’s requirements, I need to help you improve the activity of your bloodline and increase… increase the probability of getting pregnant.”

Clearly, saying these words was a great test of her composure and girlish shyness. After she finished speaking, her entire lovely face turned bright red, making her look absolutely gorgeous.

Su Li smiled and said, "No problem. There's no need to shy away from medical advice. You're a doctor, so there's nothing to hide. Let's walk and talk. I'll take you to the Bauhinia Manor. Their fantasy garden has the most complete collection of extraordinary plants and spiritual herbs in the Black Forest Territory. See if there's anything you need or can use."

"Can I...? The knights say it was designed by you yourself, and it's one of the most beautiful places in Blackwood Territory." Her voice carried a hint of anticipation, and her bright, round eyes shimmered in the light of the castle wall lamps.

"Of course, it's not some top-secret area. I'd also like to clear my head, so I'll take you there."

The Bauhinia Manor and Bauhinia Castle are quite a distance apart, and it was already dark when they arrived. In autumn, it gets dark very early.

Fortunately, the night was enchanting, and the moonlight was as gentle as water. Under the moonlight, the meticulously maintained fantasy garden presented a beautiful and magical scene.

A gentle evening breeze carried a refreshing fragrance as the two strolled side-by-side along the flower-lined path. Suna temporarily set aside her dashing knightly persona. The moonlight outlined her voluptuous and graceful figure; her broad shoulders and narrow waist, the knightly silhouette partially concealed by her dress, exuded a unique, powerful yet feminine charm. She tilted her head slightly, gazing at the wisteria blossoms under the moonlight; her profile was round and full, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows beneath her eyes.

"So beautiful..." she murmured, her voice soft and dreamlike, "Even more beautiful than the gardens of Bauhinia Castle. Cousin, you are truly remarkable to have created such a paradise in such a short time."

Su Li turned his head to look at her silhouette in the moonlight. The rounded lines of her face, her fair skin, and the delicate skin revealed beneath her slightly open collar shimmered like pearls in the moonlight. A long-lost, pure tranquility and the fluttering of attraction between opposite sexes quietly arose within him. He reached out and gently brushed aside a stray strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead, his fingertips inadvertently tracing her warm cheek.

Suna's body stiffened visibly, her breathing instantly becoming rapid. She abruptly turned her head, her bright eyes meeting Su Li's deep gaze. The clear heat and desire within them made her heart pound like a drum. Her knightly instincts allowed her to clearly perceive the powerful, composed, yet slightly aggressive aura emanating from Su Li. This aura, far from making her flinch, drew her in like a magnet. Her fair cheeks flushed crimson at a visible speed, spreading to her ears and neck.

“Cousin…” Her voice was barely audible, trembling slightly, but her eyes did not flinch. Instead, she bravely met Su Li’s gaze, her eyes filled with a mixture of shyness and nervousness.

The knight's straightforwardness and instinct to never back down in the face of challenges seemed to overpower the girl's reserve at this moment.

Su Li's fingers did not leave, but instead slid gently down her burning cheeks to her rounded chin, lifting it slightly.

Under the moonlight, her full lips, like flower petals glistening with dew, were slightly parted, instantly igniting a flame in Su Li's heart.

He lowered his head and accurately captured those two slightly cool cherry lips.

Suna's eyes widened instantly, somewhat at a loss.

But the expected rejection did not occur; instead, after the initial stiffness, her body quickly softened.

Her indulgence emboldened Su Li, making him even more unrestrained. The quiet garden grew increasingly intimate. Su Li's kisses traveled down her long, burning neck, lingering on her fair collarbone. Suna tilted her head back, letting out suppressed, kitten-like whimpers, her body trembling slightly. Her fingers, accustomed to wielding a sword, gripped the fabric of Su Li's back tightly, knuckles white. The knight's willpower seemed to crumble before some more primal instinct.

"Cousin... not here..." she gasped, her voice thick with nasal congestion and a hint of pleading.

Su Li chuckled softly and swept her up in his arms. Su Na gasped, instinctively clinging to his neck. She wasn't light, but Su Li lifted her with ease. He carried her, striding towards his main building deep within the manor.

The bedroom door was pushed open and closed again, and moonlight streamed into the room through the huge French windows, illuminating the large, carved wooden bed.

Su Li gently placed Su Na on the soft bedding. She sank into the fabric, her round face flushed almost crimson, her bright eyes misty with a mixture of nervousness, shyness, and undisguised anticipation as she gazed intently at Su Li. A knight's courage prevented her from looking away.

Everything that followed happened naturally.

In her hurried and slightly clumsy movements, her clothes slipped off one by one, revealing Suna's visually striking body—her skin was as white and delicate as fine mutton fat jade, her body curves were full and voluptuous, her waist, though not slender, was firm and strong, with smooth muscle lines formed by years of training, full of healthy and vigorous vitality.

As a female knight, her rounded body, full of elasticity and strength, is like a flower blooming in a storm, brimming with vitality.

When the passion subsided, Su Na, like a satisfied cat, curled up on Su Li's broad chest, her fair and plump body flushed with a faint blush.

Su Li held her round, voluptuous body and asked with a smile, "How is it, little doctor? Have you personally experienced my physical condition? Do you have any suggestions?"

Suna's voluptuous, fair body was flushed with a captivating blush, her chest heaving violently. She also practiced the Candle Breathing Technique, and her breath was exceptionally long. This was Su Li's first time practicing knightly skills with a knight and bloodline who also practiced this breathing technique, and he felt exceptionally immersed and enjoying it.

Su Na forcibly regulated her breathing using breathing techniques, feeling it become slightly smoother. Her mind calmed down from that feeling of floating on clouds, and she said to Su Li, "Cousin..."

Su Li immediately interrupted her: "Don't call me cousin anymore. We're both beyond the fifth degree of kinship. Although according to the imperial secular law and church law, marriage is allowed beyond the third degree of kinship, it still feels strange when you call me cousin."

Suna insisted, even stubbornly: "But I like this nickname. It's unique to me, and it makes me feel even closer to you. It's something no other woman can compare to."

So women, once they've had sex, can't help but get jealous?

Although this was only their third time together, she was already starting to think about how to compare herself to other women.

Su Li had no choice but to let her have her way. The method of whispering in someone's ear was truly effective. As long as their cultivation was harmonious and they were content, they would be in a very good mood and would generally not refuse the other person's requests at that time.

Su Li could only let her have her way, and said, "Then it's up to you. Go on."

A satisfied smile appeared on Su Na's round face. She hugged Su Li's cheek and kissed him, then continued, "I just personally examined him, cousin. Did you take some kind of elixir to increase your vitality?"

"A elixir to increase vitality? You mean the Blessed Wisteria Tree?" Su Li paused slightly, then pointed through the French windows of the room to the breathtaking scenery outside. Outside, the enormous Blessed Wisteria Tree was at its most magnificent, mature season. Countless wisteria blossoms cascaded down like a dreamlike waterfall, almost obscuring half the sky; the rich purple hue flowed with a sacred glow, a breathtakingly beautiful sight. And beneath the profusion of blossoms, clusters of plump, lustrous pods hung heavily from the branches, like solidified purple gems.

Su Li's tone carried a hint of pride as a territory lord: "The fruit pods of the Blessed Wisteria Tree can be said to be one of the most important financial pillars of the Black Forest Territory this year. Ever since it became an instant hit at the Sun Goddess's Radiant Festival as a magical prize for extending the lifespan of mortals, orders have been pouring in like snowflakes. Whether it's the knight families and wealthy merchants within the Black Forest Territory, or the lords and various knightly orders in the outer territories, or even those dwarven elders who regard money as dirt, everyone is vying to order these extraordinary fruits."

Suna's gaze also fell on the giant tree outside the window, which exuded a powerful life force and sacred radiance. Her bright eyes sparkled with a fascination for the top-grade materials, but then her brows furrowed slightly, and a complex expression of "I knew it" mixed with worry appeared on her face.

"Sure enough... that's where the problem lies!" Suna withdrew her gaze, turned to Su Li, and her expression became unusually serious. "Cousin, the life force contained in the fruit pods of the Blessed Wisteria Tree is not essentially 'nourishment' or 'vitality,' but rather tends towards 'extension' and 'solidification'!"

She organized her thoughts, trying to explain in a way that Su Li could understand: "Simply put, ordinary treasures that increase vitality, such as Dragon Bloodstone, enhance the vitality and output of your 'life source,' making you more energetic, recovering faster, and even indirectly improving certain abilities. But the effect of the Blessed Wisteria Tree pods is to use your life essence for the dimension of 'lifespan'—it forcibly lengthens the length and resilience of your life 'threads'!"

She paused, then emphasized, "A large part of the essence of your own life now tends to solidify into 'life extension'! It's like... like turning the 'living water' that was originally meant to flow, nourish, and create new life into a solid, enduring 'rock'! Although the total amount of your life essence is as vast as the sea and indestructible, this power seems too 'inert' and 'heavy' in the process of 'creating new life,' which requires a high degree of 'activity,' 'plasticity,' and 'integration'!"

Suna concluded, "This is the fundamental reason why, even if your partners are in good condition, and even with the assistance of top-tier spiritual plants like the Fiery Rose and the Love Elixir, the probability of conception is still far lower than expected. But don't worry, all of this can be reversed. I believe that you will soon be able to add another child to your family."

Although Suna's explanation was rather complicated, Su Li understood the underlying principle. While the Blessed Wisteria Tree's fruit pods were extraordinary plants, they weren't immune to the rules of this desperate and dark world. That is, every advantage gained comes with a price.

The idea that the fruit pods of the Wisteria tree can prolong life is clearly not because it possesses divine power. Energy is conserved; it's that the essence of life is transformed from reproduction into threads that extend one's own lifespan.

This is quite common in fantasy worlds; the younger the individual, the easier it is for them to get pregnant.

When one's lifespan becomes exceptionally long, pregnancy becomes very difficult. For example, Morath, the most beautiful woman among the Dark Elves, has extended her lifespan by over a thousand years using dark magic, but given the nature of Dark Elves, she has never had another child.

This wasn't a big problem for Su Li, since he wasn't in a rush to have children. If he really wanted one, he could always prepare later. He preferred to spend that time experiencing the joys of cultivation!

Suna's gasp was barely out of her mouth when Su Li passionately silenced her. The waves that hadn't completely subsided last night surged back in the dim light of dawn.

"Cousin..." Her broken calls became intermittent in the hurried response, "It's...it's dawn..."

“Morning exercise is also a form of self-cultivation.” Su Li, with the unique hoarseness and undeniable heat of early morning, left a strawberry mark on her fair and rounded shoulder. “A knight’s physique requires diligent training.”

"The reason why Hilde's cultivation progresses by leaps and bounds is because she cultivates most diligently."

His words seemed to ignite a dormant switch within Suna. A certain chivalrous will seemed to rekindle in the dawn light, but this willpower was not used for resistance; rather, it was for more cooperative obedience.

Sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, casting increasingly bright patches of light on the floor.

After a long while, Suna seemed to slowly descend from the clouds back to the ground.

She shifted lazily, pressing her burning cheek against Su Li's sweaty chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, and a satisfied smile appeared on her lips.

“Cousin…” Her voice was hoarse with happiness and a hint of coquetry, “Your ‘morning exercise’ is more tiring than swinging a sword a thousand times.”

Su Li chuckled softly, his large hand gently caressing her smooth, firm back. "How's it going, Knight Suna? Can you feel my condition being further refined?"

Suna looked up, her bright eyes glaring at him with a hint of reproach, but deep within them lay an undeniable satisfaction and sweetness. She stretched out her finger and playfully drew circles on his muscular chest: "Hmph, the 'inertia' of life essence is a bit stubborn, but cousin, the intensity of your 'training'... um... is indeed quite 'active'." She paused, her blush deepening, and her voice lowered, "However... it seems that to reach the goal of 'creating new life,' I still need... persistent 'cultivation'."

(End of this chapter)