I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 237 Seeds of Nature
……

……

[Nature's Great Lord (Gold): You are not only the ruler of humanity, but also the controller of all things in this territory]

The creatures of your territory naturally hold you in awe; your fame is etched in their minds.

You can slowly draw energy from all creatures in your territory (without taking damage). Creatures that admire and are powerful towards you will provide you with more energy, thereby increasing your cultivation speed.

As a lord, your own energy will indirectly affect all life levels within your territory. As long as you are alive, all creatures will feel the vibrant life force. Furthermore, the effects of the "Farming Lord" and "Crop Lord" affixes will also apply to wild plants and animals.

You can also directly influence territory creatures in five ways:

—Sowing: By consuming a certain amount of one's own energy, one can plant a seed of nature within any creature or mineral vein in the territory, thereby enhancing the target's talent potential (the higher the base talent, the more obvious the improvement; the enhancement effect continues to increase as the seed of nature is nurtured).
—Feedback: During the nurturing process of the Seed of Nature, a very small portion (less than 5%) of the results will be fed back to you, thereby improving your physical and mental strength;
—Control: You can make the Seed of Nature wither at any time, consuming more than 95% of the carrier's life force (except for mineral veins);

—Radiation: Creatures that plant the Seed of Nature will establish a connection with you. You will be able to sense their approximate location and communicate directly with them telepathically (for those with more than 50 points of mental strength in the same plane or more than 200 points of mental strength in another plane).
—Sacrifice: Using one's own life force (30%-60%) as guiding energy, one draws on the life of wild plants and animals in the territory to temporarily increase one's strength several times (the amount of increase is determined by the number of biological lives sacrificed, and cannot exceed the maximum limit of the plane).

(The power gained through sacrifice will gradually dissipate, and you must replenish your life force after each use; otherwise, it cannot be used again.)

"...This gold-level attribute is just too extraordinary!"

Rod couldn't help but gasp.

Sowing seeds directly enhances the potential of creatures within the territory, using its own strength to help its inhabitants improve, unlike before when the effect was time-limited.

This kind of seeding also improves himself, although it doesn't exceed five percent, but Rhodes doesn't need to do it himself at all.

Planting more than twenty seeds is equivalent to having another person cultivating for you.

Control means that you don't have to worry about the people you've nurtured eventually rebelling and becoming your enemies.

Sacrifice is also a powerful ability; although it comes at a great cost, the lost life force can be replenished with extraordinary gems.

It seems I need to accumulate more Life Gems.

The only thing of little value is the so-called radiation.

My current mental strength is far from fifty points.

The problem lies in my own lack of mental strength, not in the ineffectiveness of this golden attribute.

However, if the gold-level attributes are so powerful, will there be more?

Rhodes glanced down.

It really does.

[Next entry: Accumulate ten gold entries to unlock: Imperial Crown (Orange)]

"Imperial Crown? Orange-colored entry?"

Rhodes thought to himself, "Unlocking requires ten gold-level attributes?"

Are there that many entries?

As soon as the thought crossed Rhodes' mind, his gaze shifted downwards, and he immediately noticed a row of golden entries below the [Imperial Crown] that could be unlocked:

[Reach a territory with 100,000 inhabitants (intelligent beings), build three cities, sow 300 seeds of nature, and train five powerful spellcasters (advanced wizard apprentices) or warriors (legendary knights) to unlock the entry: Path to Kingship (Gold)]

[Reach 50,000 tamed animals in your territory, sow 500 seeds of nature, raise five level 3 or higher magical beasts, and establish a magical beast legion (number greater than 500) to unlock the attribute: Magical Beast Grand Lord (Gold)]

……

These entries cover a wide range of topics, including farming, war, the extraordinary, knowledge, soul, magic, and the ocean.

Both the True Dragon Slayer and the Extraordinary Lord are included.

Rhodes counted them; there were a total of twenty gold entries.

In comparison, ten is really not many.

The entry system for Extraordinary Lords is relatively simple, and warfare is not difficult either; you can develop gradually.

What's outrageous is the series of entries related to the Soul Realm; Rhodes even wants to build an undead army in his territory.

These are all legendary stories, and Rhodes hasn't encountered any of them yet.

Fortunately, not all of them had to be completed. Rhodes selected the gold-level affixes that he could complete one by one.

"Hmm, we need to hurry up with the potion entries next."

"The Path of Kingship is acceptable, as is the Lord of the Tides..."

……

Rhodes snapped out of his reverie after marking out the relatively easy-to-unlock terms one by one.

Suddenly remembering that he hadn't checked the "Mineral Lord" entry, he immediately jumped back to look at it.
【Mineral Vein Lord (Purple): Your senses are becoming increasingly acute, and you can sense mineral veins around you even when you are not in your own territory;
Your blacksmithing enchantment abilities can be passed on to blacksmiths within your territory who admire you;
The overall physical condition of the inhabitants within the territory will be improved by 15%, and the forging talent of miners with more than three years of experience will be greatly improved, with a 1% chance of awakening earth-related extraordinary power.

The probability of mining accidents within the territory is reduced by 100%, and the physical exertion of miners while mining is reduced by 50%.

The chance of producing magic ore in the mines within the territory is increased by 20%, and the chance of producing extraordinary gems is increased by 10%.

Armor made from metal produced within the territory comes with the enchantment effect: Mine Protection (increases protection against sharp and blunt weapons by 100%).

[Additionally, since the Breeding Lord (Purple), Crop Lord (Purple), and Hunting Lord (Purple) attributes have been unlocked, the chance of creatures around the mine mutating and becoming demonic is increased by 10%, and the chance of extraordinary gems appearing around the long-term residence of monsters is increased by 5% (multiple monsters cannot stack)]

"Great, very practical."

After reading the information about the mineral vein lord, Rhodes nodded in satisfaction.

Despite having witnessed the power of the [Nature Lord] gold attribute, the effects of the Mineral Lord are extremely valuable for territory development, especially for the overall physical condition of the inhabitants.

Rod dares to say that the physical condition of the people of Black Pine Ridge is now no worse than that of the alien races.

Furthermore, the enchantment effect of protecting mineral veins can further enhance soldiers' survivability on the battlefield.

In addition to these bonuses, [Mine Lord] also contains various forging and smelting techniques, including knowledge of many magical ores.

This way, Rhodes wouldn't have to worry about the drawback of having a magic mine but being unable to use it.

In addition, considering the interaction of the other three lord attributes, Rhodes felt that he could build joint breeding farms around the mine, which would directly increase the chance of finding extraordinary gems in the mine to 15%.

"call……"

After reading all the entries, Rod took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement and not letting his joy show.

The guards had already summoned the knight squad, and Vivian was distributing frost resistance potions to them.

Rhodes turned around and stood on the rock, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

In whose body should these seeds of nature be planted...?

Durant? Gunner? Ryan?
Or Vivian?
Rhodes frowned as he pondered, weighing the pros and cons, when a sudden flash of inspiration struck him.

"Should I plant a seed of nature within myself first?"

With that in mind, Rod decided to give it a try immediately.

"Vivian."

Rhodes beckoned Vivian to come closer.
"I need to rest. You stay here and guard the place. No one is allowed to disturb me."

"it is good."

Vivian nodded solemnly immediately.

She then summoned a guard and gave him a few instructions, after which Vivian stood in front of Rhodes' tent.

Rod turned and went back to the tent, where he sat cross-legged.

He closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and guided the burning energy within his body according to the instructions in the entry.

The scorching energy hidden around his body began to flow and converge towards Rhodes' chest.

As mentioned in the entry, the Seed of Nature can gather any amount of energy, but the less energy there is, the worse the effect and the slower the gestation speed.

To give the first Seed of Nature to himself, Rhodes was bound to give his all, squeezing every last drop of energy from his limbs and bones.

When all the scorching energy gathered in his chest, Rhode himself felt a burning sensation.

Immediately afterward, with a thought, a crimson halo slowly flew out from his chest, spinning around.

"Gather!"

Rhodes silently gave the order in his mind.
The crimson halo began to compress, its edges gradually becoming clearer, as if being kneaded by an invisible hand, quickly transforming into the shape of a seed the size of a walnut.

The surface of this seed is covered with fine textures, which look like ancient runes.

At the same time, the surface halo changed from crimson to emerald green, as if the earth, after being swept by flames, was once again radiating vitality after a spring rain.

"This is the Seed of Nature..."

Rod's voice was tinged with weariness as he gently moved his fingers, and the emerald green seed slowly flew back into his chest.

When his skin touched the green light, a cool sensation rushed in instantly, causing Rhode's body to tremble involuntarily.

The next instant, Rhodes felt the coolness spread throughout his body, like countless tiny roots extending and taking root in every part of his body.

It stings a little, it itches a little, and there are waves of tingling numbness.

Feelings come quickly and disappear even faster.

Rhodes closed his eyes and could feel the presence of the Seed of Nature in his chest, continuously radiating a gentle aura.

"Success?"

Rhodes stood up and tried to move around a bit.

The depletion of the scorching energy left Rhode feeling empty and somewhat exhausted.

Aside from that, there didn't seem to be any other feelings.

"The Seed of Nature shouldn't have no effect on me, right?"

Rhodes was puzzled and pondered for a moment.
"Can one only feel the improvement in talent through cultivation?"

Rhodes bent down and stepped out of the tent, posed in the open space behind it, adjusted his breathing rhythm, and began practicing his breathing technique.

This time, Rhodes sensed something different.

The energy in my body is noticeably more active than before, generating in various parts of my body and converging towards my chest.

Most of the gas was transformed into scorching energy, while a small portion flowed into the seeds of nature.

Soon, the Seed of Nature released a warm current that flowed back into all parts of the body and gradually disappeared.

Along with that, Rhodes' fatigue also subsided.

"The breath cultivated through breathing techniques nourishes the Seed of Nature. The Seed of Nature absorbs a portion of this energy and uses another portion to nourish the body, and the cycle repeats..."

Rhodes couldn't help but admire it inwardly.
"The seeds of nature are truly amazing."

After understanding everything, Rhodes adjusted his emotions and focused on his cultivation.

The burning energy is too depleted and needs to be replenished quickly.

It is worth mentioning that during the continuous cultivation process, Rhodes felt a trace of energy constantly seeping into his body from the outside.

Like a light drizzle, but it continues unabated.

Rhodes estimated that this was likely a direct effect of the [Nature Overlord] modifier.

……

…… evening.

The blood-red sunset dyed half the sky crimson.

The campfire crackled in front of the tent, its light reflecting off Durant's face.

"Isn't it over yet, Baron?"

Durant looked at Vivian and asked with some concern, "It's been all afternoon, and the Baron still hasn't finished his cultivation?"

Vivian shook her head.

"Is there going to be any problem?"

Durant stood on tiptoe and looked back.

Based on past experience, it's impossible for the Baron to last this long.

"I'm fine, don't worry."

Rod walked out with a smile.

He looked relaxed, walked with light steps, and there was no sweat on his face.

He didn't look like someone who had spent an afternoon practicing breathing techniques at all.

"You just finished your cultivation?"

Durant's eyes were filled with shock.

You didn't sleep in the back all afternoon, did you?
This was Durant's next sentence, but he didn't dare say it aloud.

As the lead rider, Durant was very mindful of etiquette, and even though he knew Rod wouldn't blame him for saying it, he was still careful.

"Hahaha!"

Rhodes was in a good mood and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Looking at the puzzled Durant, he said with a hint of mystery, "Don't worry, you'll soon experience this feeling."

The Seed of Nature exhibited an extraordinary ability during cultivation.

Four words to summarize—

He has been cultivating himself continuously.

That afternoon, nearly a quarter of the burning energy in Rhodes' body was restored.

If Rhodes hadn't been hungry, he wouldn't have needed to stop cultivating.

This is why Rod couldn't help but be happy.

"what?"

Hearing Rod's words, Durant's doubts deepened.

Rod waved his hand, skipping the topic, and asked, "What brings you here?"

"Your Excellency, the frost resistance potions have all been distributed and the soldiers have taken them."

Durant dismissed his doubts. "One hundred and fifty infantrymen, one hundred hunting party members, and one hundred spearmen."

"The remaining wolf riders and the entire patrol team will take the medicine."

"Did those eagles responsible for reconnaissance take it?" Rhodes asked.

"I took it."

Durant reported with a smile, "They are the main force, and they were the first to take it."

"Ah, very good."

Rhodes nodded slightly and ordered, "All soldiers who have taken the frost resistance potion should get some rest tonight. The rest of you, keep watch."

"After breakfast tomorrow, we will head towards the Icefield Mountains."

"Yes, Lord Baron!"

Durant responded solemnly, having hesitated for a moment before going to relay the order.
"Your Excellency, there is one more thing..."

Durant looked at the calm-faced Rhodes and reported:
"The soldiers reported that after taking the frost resistance potion, they felt unusually energetic and full of power."

"I felt it too. I initially thought it was the effect of the frost resistance potion."

"But the other soldiers who didn't take the medicine also felt it."

Durant paused, then said cautiously, "Their appetites have also suddenly increased a lot. Gunle ate three servings of barbecue today."

"It's not the effect of the medicine."

Seeing Durant's probing gaze, Rod knew this change couldn't be hidden from him, and spoke frankly.
"This is a spell, a blessing of physical strength."

"It is a gift I gave them."

His voice was calm yet powerful, like a low hum coming from deep within his chest.

Durant's face lit up with joy, as if he had anticipated the outcome.
“Thank you for your gift!”

"Their bravery deserves a reward, and this is just the beginning."

Rhodes remained calm and slowly said:
“Tell everyone that I will see through everything and give extra rewards to the bravest.”

……

……

Icefield Mountains.

A gathering place for lizard people.

A wounded lizardman soldier staggered into the camp, ignoring the guards' attempts to stop him, and rushed straight towards the cave at the top of the mountain.

"Great Shaman!"

The lizardman soldier's voice trembled as he knelt at the cave entrance.

The exclamation caused the great shaman's withered hand, which was fiddling with the wooden bowl, to tremble violently and fall to the ground.

Normally, this would be a serious crime, and the lizardman soldiers would definitely be kneeling on the ground begging for mercy.

But at this moment, he had no scruples and continued to shout loudly: "The army led by Chief Gaka has been completely destroyed!"

The high shaman swept the wooden bowl on the ground aside with his cane and walked step by step to the lizardman soldier.

"what happened?"

The great shaman's voice was deep and thunderous.

"It's the lord of Black Pine Ridge! They ambushed us!"

The lizardman soldiers hissed and growled, "We didn't even have time to react before they scattered us!"

"Gaka?"

"Chief Gaka went berserk, and then... he was shot dead by the human lord..."

The lizardman soldier couldn't help but shudder.
"They are terrifying, Great Shaman, what should we do..."

"I see."

The high shaman's voice was hoarse, "Go and gather those who escaped like you, and bring them all back."

"You...you're not going to punish us?" The lizardman soldier was taken aback.

"That's not your fault."

The high shaman shook his head.
"Go."

"Yes, Great Shaman!"

The lizardman soldiers responded respectfully, scrambled to their feet, and ran down the mountain.

The high shaman looked at the lizardman soldiers with a solemn expression, his eyes blazing with fury!

"This bunch of trash!"

The high shaman slammed his cane against the wall to vent his anger.

It's not that he wasn't angry, or that he didn't want to punish these good-for-nothings.

There are simply no one left in the clan who can be used!

Now he has no other choice but to helplessly smash the wall.

After a burst of venting, one end of the cane broke off, and the great shaman's anger finally subsided somewhat.

"Lord of Black Pine Ridge..."

The high shaman turned around with a murmur, took down the torch from the wall, and, leaning on his cane, strode heavily into the depths of the cave.

He walked slowly, descending into the cave.

As they went deeper, ancient runes appeared on the walls, shimmering with a faint white light in the darkness.

The temperature gradually dropped, and layers of frost appeared on the walls and the ground. The breath exhaled by the high shaman turned into white mist.

After an unknown amount of time, the cave was completely encased in ice, and a blue and white ice wall appeared in front of the Great Shaman.

The high shaman put his cane aside, pulled out a dagger and slid it across his palm, blood gushing out instantly.

Then the high shaman pressed his bloodied palm against the ice wall, muttering unfamiliar incantations.

"Click——"

A crisp sound rang out, and two straight, intersecting cracks appeared on the ice wall.

Immediately afterwards, with a loud "boom", the ice wall slowly retreated to all four sides, and four openings appeared in front of the Great Shaman.

The great shaman took a deep breath, picked up his cane, and slowly stepped over the ice wall into the cave.

In an instant, the entire cave was illuminated, and a huge dark blue altar appeared before the high shaman.

The altar is nearly fifty meters in diameter, and its surface is engraved with complex runes that shimmer with a ghostly blue light, illuminating the entire altar.

Above the altar was a huge, hemispherical block of ice, like a transparent glass bowl placed on top of it.

Inside the ice block, a huge white dragon lay curled up, its eyes closed as if in deep sleep.

The area around the altar was littered with all sorts of corpses.

There were human corpses, deer-headed corpses, and some bear-man corpses.

There were even reptilians.

The high shaman leaned against the wall, staring at the white dragon inside the ice, his eyes filled with greed.

"It's a pity that those hateful humans prevented me from having you in your wholeness."

The high shaman's voice was filled with sighs, and he murmured softly.

"Then let me become the incomplete you."

(End of this chapter)