Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 509 The Gift of the Ancient Titans: The Tree of Life and the Elixir of Divine Descent
Ashfield's awe-inspiring description involuntarily conjured up an incredibly magnificent, almost divine image in Su Li's mind: an ancient giant hundreds of meters tall, sitting majestically like a mountain range, with the passage of time having etched soil, forests, and waterfalls upon him, his breath turning into mist, silently resisting the erosion of chaos. What a majestic and ancient being this! Just imagining its entirety made one feel one's own insignificance and the vastness of the world.

'Sky Titans…' Su Li murmured to himself, an indescribable shock rippling through his heart. Such powerful prehistoric creatures were almost equivalent to walking natural disasters, their power far surpassing that of ordinary legends. He simply couldn't imagine how those seemingly dull and barbaric ogres could have so thoroughly exterminated such a powerful race through the so-called "Battle of Sky Mountain."

'That must have been a bloody racial war that lasted for countless centuries and spanned several generations, even dozens of generations,' Su Li thought to himself. 'The brutality of it probably surpasses any existing historical record.' In this cruel world, the survival of a race is paramount. For the sake of living space and resources, any intelligent race may unleash unimaginable fanaticism and destructiveness.

At this moment, he understood more deeply the power of "time." A force that has steadily built its foundation and accumulated strength over hundreds or even thousands of years would possess an incredibly formidable foundation. This solidified his current strategy—not to rush into expansion, but to cultivate the Black Forest Territory deeply and build it into a truly indestructible base.

After a brief moment of shock and emotion, Su Li quickly brought his thoughts back to reality. The expedition team had paid a heavy price, losing seven lives, to achieve this contact; he needed to know the results.

“An awe-inspiring ancient being…” Su Li’s voice refocused the attention of everyone in the hall. His gaze became sharp and pragmatic. “So, having paid such a huge price, has our ancient neighbor, ‘Skyshatter,’ shown any goodwill? And what have you received from Him?”

This is the most crucial issue. While establishing contact with an ancient Tyrant is certainly symbolic, for a lord, tangible gains that strengthen their territory are far more important, especially…

His gaze swept over Edmund, who was barely able to contain his excitement.

…especially the hope concerning the Tree of Life.

Shuanglin stepped forward, taking over from the still excited Ashfield to give a more composed report. He took out an object from his pocket, wrapped in layers of some kind of huge and tough leaves, which remained green and emitted a faint natural glow.

“My lord,” Frostforeign’s voice remained low, “Although Lord Aiolos is taciturn and his long slumber over several eras has made his mind work extremely slowly, he is not without perception. He knows our purpose and senses the aura on us that belongs to the Black Forest Territory and the Order faction—perhaps it is this aura that prevented us from being turned to ashes by the lightning power he unconsciously emitted when we approached.”

He carefully peeled back the layers of leaves, revealing what was inside.

There were three fruits.

Each one is the size of a baby's fist, shaped like a perfect teardrop, with an indescribable emerald hue that seems to contain starlight. Its surface is covered with naturally formed, feather-like fine lines. They exude a pure and vibrant aura, invigorating everyone in the hall and making even breathing easier. Simply looking at them seems to dispel the gloom in one's heart.

“These are ‘Tears of the Sky,’ my lord,” Frostwood explained. “They are the most precious fruits from the ancient trees on Lord Aiolos’ body that grew by relying on His overflowing energy. He allowed us to collect these three.”

Edmund nearly lunged forward, his voice trembling with intense longing: "My lord! This fruit... the pure life energy and celestial power it contains... it is one of the most ideal catalysts for cultivating the Tree of Life! It is far more powerful than any other natural essence we know! With it, the survival rate and growth speed of the Tree of Life seeds will be unimaginably enhanced!"

Shuanglin nodded and continued, "Furthermore, Lord Aiolos seems to acknowledge our courage, or perhaps he has developed some interest in the changes in the outside world." He then took a longer bundle of leaves from the team members behind him.

Inside, there were several pieces of dead branches, each about a foot long and of varying thickness. These branches had a dark golden color, were extremely dense, and felt unusually heavy in the hand. Their surfaces were covered with mysterious and indescribable natural wood grain, with an occasional extremely faint arc of electricity flashing between the grain.

“This is ‘Holy Lightning-Struck Wood,’ my lord,” Frostwood explained. “It is the remains of branches that naturally fell from Lord Aiolos’s body during His long slumber, and have been tempered by countless natural lightning strikes. As a mythical material, it contains unimaginable power of lightning and the rhythm of the sky. It is a top-grade material for making staves, arrows, and even certain special weapons, and its value… is immeasurable.”

Finally, Frostwood and Ashfield exchanged a glance, and Ashfield solemnly took out a small container carefully wrapped in soft moss and silk from his personal bag.

He held his breath and opened it extremely slowly.

A soft, pure golden light, like the rising sun, flowed out.

In the center of that container, a seed lay quietly.

It was only the size of a fingernail, shaped like a perfect heart, and its entire body was a warm gold, smooth as jade, yet it seemed as if countless tiny specks of life were flowing and breathing within it. The aura it emitted instantly brought tears to the eyes of Fandral and Edmund, the two nature travelers; it was an aura of the most primal and purest life and hope.

“The Tree of Life…” Edmund’s voice choked, barely able to form a complete sentence, “…the seed! It really is…the seed of the Tree of Life!”

Ashfield nodded vigorously, his crooked smile transforming into an expression of utmost solemnity and honor: "Lord Aiolos said... this is a keepsake given to Him by an ancient wood elf friend who passed by a long, long time ago... He nourished it with his own power for countless years... Now, it belongs to us!"

Su Li looked at the three items: the Tear of the Sky, which could catalyze the Tree of Life; the legendary material Thunderstruck Wood, which contained the power of thunder; and the seed of the Tree of Life, which represented the future of the elven civilization.

All the sacrifices and adventures had found their answers at this moment. The future of Black Forest Territory would be added to a magnificent chapter. His eyes shone with an incomparably bright light.

But it wasn't over yet. Ashfield took a deep breath, trying to calm his excitement at seeing the Tree of Life seed, but his crooked smile remained bright, clearly indicating there was more good news to come. He rubbed his hands together, his voice still trembling with excitement:
“My lord, these sacred gifts are just the beginning!” he said rapidly. “Although Lord Aiolos is ancient and noble, he has also shown considerable interest in the creations of the mortal realm! Especially… uh… the spirits that are a specialty of Blackforest that we brought, as well as the steel billets that the dwarven craftsmen have carefully crafted, and even the spices that I carry with me! He seems to have tasted the flavor of the changing eras in these ‘little things’.”

The halfling gestured wildly: "So, we made a... well... a deal that transcends time! We traded some of our 'novel' gadgets for a few ancient treasures that truly came from the Titan era!"

He first carefully took out a roll of "paper" of a peculiar material from his baggage—it was more like some kind of thinned and processed golden bark, with intricate patterns and ancient, unrecognizable characters drawn on it using some kind of luminous crystal powder.

“First of all, this!” Ashfield carefully unfurled the bark scroll. “This is an ancient potion recipe—the ‘Avatar’ potion! According to Lord Aiolos’s vague thoughts, this seems to be a blessed recipe bestowed by a long-forgotten, benevolent ancient god to enhance the power of His Titan followers in the face of… uh… some kind of ‘great enemy’!”

He pointed to several symbols flashing with lightning on the blueprint, excitedly saying, "One of the core ingredients of this potion requires the tempering of pure celestial lightning! Its effect is simple and brutal—it can greatly enhance the drinker's physical strength, resilience, and affinity and control over lightning energy in a short period of time! My lord, just think about it, this is practically made for your knights who can transform into divine generals! Imagine a thirty-meter-tall divine general drinking this potion, his body enveloped in Titan-like lightning power, and with one punch..." Fandral almost lunged forward, his trembling hands carefully taking the bark recipe scroll that exuded an ancient aura. His eyes were fixed on the faintly glowing lightning symbols and the unrecognizable ancient characters, his breathing became rapid and hot, and a feverish blush, like a researcher discovering ultimate truth, spread across his face.

"My lord!" His voice was hoarse with extreme excitement, completely losing its usual composure. "This...this is not just an enhancement! This is...the reappearance of divine grace! It is the echo of power that transcends countless ages!"

He abruptly raised his head, his eyes burning with an almost manic research desire and a sense of mission: "You must give it to me! I will dedicate all my knowledge and mobilize every available resource within the territory—the natural extraction of druids, the precise blending of alchemists, and perhaps even the thunder furnace of dwarven rune blacksmiths! I must reproduce it!" Fandral's fingers gently caressed the scroll, as if touching a lover's skin, his tone becoming dreamlike: "Can you imagine, my lord? This is a potion long lost, existing only in the mythical era! In today's world, neither the arrogant alchemists of the Aldorf Empire, nor the mages of the High Elves of Hothbata, nor even those Skaven ratmen tinkering with forbidden potions in the shadows… no one possesses it! This is a great legacy from ten thousand years ago, unique to our Blackwood Territory!"

His voice grew louder and louder, filled with a prophetic foresight: "Once we succeed... once our god is able to drink this 'Divine Descent' potion... it will not be a simple increase in power! It will be a fundamental transformation!"

Fandral waved his arms, excitedly outlining the blueprint: "Just imagine! Thirty-meter-tall divine generals are already like mobile fortresses. If they could be further empowered by the thunderous might of an ancient Titan... their fists would be imbued with the might of divine punishment, their roars would be like the howling of a storm, and their skin would be tough enough to withstand siege crossbows! This is no longer a war of the mortals, my lord! This is a reenactment of mythology!"

He suddenly turned to Su Li, his eyes burning: "At that time, quantitative change will lead to qualitative change! A god general who has been strengthened like this may still find it difficult to fight against an experienced legendary knight alone, but what about five? What about ten? What if twenty or thirty such thunder god generals form a battle formation and launch a group charge?"

Fandral took a deep breath and said decisively, "That will be devastating! They will be like an unstoppable torrent of thunder, enough to tear apart any defenses built by legendary powerhouses, or even completely engulf them! This will completely change the landscape of high-end combat! We will have a Mythical Legion that will make any enemy, whether it be the Chaos Champion of the North or the Undead Supreme of the South, tremble!"

Fandral's excited voice echoed through the hall, everyone captivated by the wild and alluring vision of the future. Recreating the ancient potion, forging a mythical legion—the risks and difficulties were self-evident, but if successful, the Black Forest Territory would truly possess the power to shake the very foundations of the world.

Su Li looked at Fandral, who was almost driven to madness, his eyes flashing with a sharp and profound light. He knew this would be a huge gamble with an uncertain future. But risk and reward always go hand in hand.

“Very good, Fandral.” Su Li’s voice was calm but carried an undeniable power. “This task is entrusted to you. All resources of the territory will be prioritized for you. I need to see results as soon as possible—even if it’s just the initial, unstable, half-finished product.”

"As you wish, my lord!" Fandral clutched the recipe scroll tightly, as if embracing the entire world. "I will not let you down! I will surely restore the power of the Titans to this era!"

Then, Shuanglin silently took out an item from another securely stored metal cylinder.

It was an object about the length of an arm, shaped like a horn, but its material was neither gold nor stone. Instead, it was a peculiar substance, warm and smooth like jade, yet shimmering with a metallic luster, its entire surface displaying a blend of azure and platinum. The surface of the horn was carved with continuous mountain ranges that seemed to float in the clouds, as well as tiny reliefs in the form of Titans. It exuded an ancient and vast aura, carrying an indescribable majesty.

“This is the ‘Sky Mountain Horn’,” Frostwood’s voice was solemn like never before. “Lord Aiolos mentioned that in their time, every Titan ruled over a towering mountain as their dwelling and fortress. This horn is not a weapon, but a symbol of status and power, used to transmit information, coordinate actions, and even… to some extent command the air currents and storms between the mountains, across the vast sky and mountains.”

He held the horn in both hands: "Although the Sky Mountains are now legends, and most of the horn's power has been lost, Lord Aiolos said that a trace of the Sky Mountains' 'original imprint' still remains within it. Blowing it may not summon the mountains, but it is very likely to cause small-scale changes in celestial phenomena in specific areas, dispel fog and miasma, or calm storms, or even... cause great interference to enemies that rely on specific celestial phenomena (such as certain evil beings that rely on dense fog for concealment). This is a strategic ancient relic."

Upon hearing this, Su Li, Orstein, and a large number of knights simultaneously lit up, leaned forward, and stared intently at the horn.

"My lord!" Orstein's voice was loud and urgent. His piercing eyes were fixed on the "Sky Mountain Horn" in Frostwood's hand, which was woven with azure and white gold. His face was flushed with excitement. "Did you hear that? Dispel the mist and miasma! Calm the storm! Disrupt the enemy that relies on the celestial phenomena!"

He abruptly turned to Su Li, slamming his right fist heavily onto his left palm with a sharp "crack": "This is simply a gift from Her Majesty Violet! It couldn't have come at the perfect time!"

Erstein spoke rapidly, with the excitement of discovering the key to defeating the enemy: "The reason why our war with the Swamp Territory has progressed slowly and suffered considerable losses is not because of the swamp militia hidden in the mud, but because of that damned, perpetually thick, and impenetrable swamp fog!"

He waved his arms as if commanding a virtual battle: "That thing not only has extremely low visibility, making our army like blind men and more prone to getting lost, but more importantly—it can greatly weaken or even distort the flow of the Jilun winds! This makes it difficult for our mages and druids to effectively cast wide-area spells for reconnaissance or purification, and it also makes the air cavalry hesitant to venture deep into our territory! Those bastards in the swamp fortress are using this natural fog barrier to play hide-and-seek with us, launching sneak attacks and ambushes time and time again!"

“But now!” Erstein’s voice suddenly rose, filled with confidence to break the deadlock, “With this horn! Even if its power is greatly reduced and it can only dispel the fog in a small area… that’s enough!”

The marshal's eyes gleamed sharply: "We don't need to dispel the fog of the entire swamp all at once! We can do this: concentrate our elite forces, select a main direction of attack, and sound this horn before launching a full-scale assault! Even if we can only clear a 'purification corridor' a few hundred meters wide with a clear line of sight along our attack route, it will be enough for our heavy legions to deploy smoothly and for ranged units and mages to have a clear field of fire and a clear line of sight for casting spells!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he could already see the dawn of victory: "We can advance steadily and step by step! Every time we advance a certain distance, we will sound the horn to consolidate our position and clear a safe zone! This will not only greatly reduce the risk of being ambushed, but also deprive the defenders of the swamp fortress of their greatest advantage! They will no longer be able to use the fog to conceal their movements and will be forced to engage us in a head-on battle on our advantageous terrain!"

Orstein took a deep breath, bowed deeply to Su Li, and said in a resolute voice, "My lord! The strategic value of this item, at present, may even far exceed that unknown potion! It provides us with the key to tear through the swamp territory's defense system! Please allocate this item to the front-line legions immediately! I dare to pledge that with it, within three months, we will definitely be able to clear the area around the swamp fortress and force that coward out of its misty lair!"

Upon hearing this, the generals and knights in the hall were all greatly encouraged, their eyes burning with fervor as they looked at the horn. The mystery of the fog that had troubled them for so long had unexpectedly shown a glimmer of hope for a solution! Erstein's analysis was clear, logical, and highly persuasive, perfectly illustrating the immediate tactical value of this ancient relic.

Su Li's gaze sharpened. Indeed, compared to potions that required lengthy research and experimentation, the horn's effects were immediate. It might not directly destroy the enemy, but it could strip them of their most powerful weapon—the advantage of their environment.

"Granted!" Su Li gave the order without any hesitation. "Marshal Orstein, this 'Sky Mountain Horn' is now under your full command! I look forward to hearing good news from you in the swamp!"

"Yes, my lord!" Erstein said, head held high, full of confidence.

Finally, Ashfield practically begged to produce the third item in the deal. It was a thick stack of leather paper tanned from some unknown animal hide, covered with countless lifelike images of colossal beasts painted in durable mineral pigments, accompanied by numerous distorted ancient texts and diagrams detailing various methods of taming, feeding, communicating with, and even fighting alongside these beasts.

"And this too! My lord! The most amazing one!" The halfling's face flushed with excitement. "The Titan Taming Manual! Not just a fragment, but an almost complete set of techniques!"

He frantically flipped through the tough parchment, pointing to a picture depicting a Titan easily pinning down and feeding a giant mammoth: "Lord Aiolos said that in their time, taming giant beasts was as common as raising pigs and cattle for us humans! Mammoths were just appetizers; there were also Thunder Beasts, and even more terrifying behemoths, who were once the Titans' companions or...livestock!"

Ashfield raised his head, his eyes gleaming with the light of discovery: "My lord, do you know? Lord Aiolos even said with a hint of... uh... regret that the elves, now renowned for their beast taming and communication with nature, are considered by the Titans to have skills as rudimentary as a baby learning to speak, perhaps not even having grasped one percent of their essence! The true ancient art of taming is to communicate and imprint directly on the soul essence of the behemoth, an absolute conquest of power and wisdom, not a simple emotional resonance!"

He waved the thick stack of secret manuals: "With this, as long as we find suitable behemoth eggs or cubs and invest enough time and resources, theoretically... our Black Forest Territory could even build a real... behemoth legion in the future! Just imagine, my lord! On the battlefield, our knights will charge alongside armored monsters or even more terrifying behemoths! What a sight that would be!"

(End of this chapter)