Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 229 - 229 228 Phantom Beast Knight

Chapter 229: Chapter 228 Phantom Beast Knight Chapter 229: Chapter 228 Phantom Beast Knight Once the war mobilization order is issued, all knights with titles must unconditionally obey the dispatch from Red Castle and go to the battlefield.

To gain something is to lose something, a truth unchanged through the ages.

A title is a knight’s highest pursuit; with it comes wealth, status, power, and everything else. But at the same time, a title is also a knight’s greatest bind, for one must exert all efforts to maintain one’s wealth, status, and power and uphold the system.

When the Shadowflame Grand Duchy is in distress, it is the unshirkable duty of all nobles.

Russell did not complain about anyone. He would not complain about Grand Duke Kunstan, who issued the war mobilization order, nor would he complain about Baron Roman, who conscripted him to the battlefield, because he had received too many benefits from the Shadowflame Grand Duchy, from Glowing Valley.

Of course.

The more important reason was that he had already prepared a way out for himself.

“Polly, my Battle Qi Chains are about to be successful, no, to be precise, they have already been successful several times. After I practice hard for a few more days to master the Battle Qi Chains, we will begin the contract!” Russell was feeding Unicorn Polly in the small courtyard.

“A contract, Russell, are we going to merge? Such progress seems a bit fast, but… I’m very willing,”

A quirky whisper sounded in Russell’s ears.

Without a doubt, it was the private language of Fantasy Beasts from Unicorn Polly.

A drop of sweat slid from his forehead, Russell wanted to admonish Unicorn Polly to be careful with her words, to not cause misunderstandings.

But then he thought better of it and laughed, “As long as you’re willing, that’s great. Wait for me!”

So, Russell practiced hard until the start of the banquet, and after the banquet was over, he went to find Baron Roman to borrow a batch of Magic Elixirs.

“There’s no need to pay it back, this is my compensation to you,” Baron Roman straightforwardly gave Russell all the Magic Elixirs stored in the courtyard, “Don’t rush to refuse, as a father, I have only one request for you.”

“Please command me, Father.”

“Become a Phantom Beast Knight as soon as you can, and then do not risk your life; I will arrange for you to continue in the support troops… The only requirement is to survive,” Baron Roman said, seeming to feel a bit too sentimental.

So he shrugged his shoulders and switched to a more light-hearted tone: “If you come back missing arms or legs, your mother will have my head.”

Russell thought for a moment and replied, “Mother is always worried about us in Fluorescent Castle.”

“I know,” Baron Roman seemed to understand what Russell wanted to say, “Don’t worry, after we three men take care of everything outside, we will return to the family, and then we can all continue to live together happily.”

“I don’t need to deal with anything,” Russell said with a smile.

“Don’t speak too confidently, only a man can understand another man; when you become a man one day, you will understand your father and brothers,” Baron Roman snorted, finding his younger son’s pretense of innocence somewhat displeasing.

There are no cats that don’t steal fish in the world.

…

After completing rest and resupply, the Knight Regiment of Glowing Valley, led by Baron Roman and protected by Ros the Clay Dragon, continued their journey northward.

Passing through Torrent Province, they entered Thousand Lakes Province.

Riding along the roads built by the Grand Duchy, they could see beautiful lakes dotting both sides of the path.

Moreover, the road had dedicated stations at intervals for knights to rest, so the journey was not too arduous. They would occasionally encounter a snowfall, but soon after, the scenery changed to shady green trees; the landscapes were truly a feast for the eyes.

After two days, they crossed the Thousand Lakes Province and entered the Mountainous Province.

Unlike the neighboring Thousand Lakes Province with its numerous lakes, this area had mountains stretching one after another, and vast expanses were wastelands — no knights liked to reclaim these lands.

“The Volcanic Oasis is vast, with many areas left undeveloped; mainly because the conditions here cannot compare to the other provinces in terms of richness,” Baron Roman explained to Russell while riding a Fantasy Beast—Nightmare Specter Horse.

The Nightmare Specter Horse was cool, pitch-black with flame patterns.

But next to Unicorn Polly, it seemed to have more brute force than grace, even giving off the impression of being a notch lower.

“Father, I heard that our family, the generation before our great-grandfather, lived in the Mountainous Province?” Russell asked.

“Correct,” Baron Roman pointed to the west, “Near the edge of the Volcanic Oasis, our ancestors’ manor is there… Over three hundred Lords and Barons of the entire Grand Duchy are largely located on the edge of the Volcanic Oasis.”

It’s not that the Grand Duke was reluctant to distribute good lands, but that Lords had to guard the border.

Otherwise, the territories of Earls and Barons could also be granted within the Volcanic Oasis; there would be no need to run to the harsh conditions of the Warm Enclave.

“Has it been granted to someone else now?”

“No, it’s a manor under the jurisdiction of the governor of the province.”

The marching speed of the Knight Regiment was considerably slower compared to when they were in the Thousand Lakes Province, with the same distance taking them a full four days here.

Soon after, they entered a new province, the Cloud Marsh Province.

According to the “Prehistoric Geography of the Grand Duchy of Shadowflame” that Russell had read previously, the author Franken had deduced that in prehistoric times, the Cloud Marsh Province, along with the Fire Ant Swamp in the northwest, both formed part of the ancient grand marshlands.

The marshlands were fraught with dangers, but the land was extremely fertile.

As a result, the population here was much greater than in the Mountainous Province, with villages and farms often visible on both sides of the Rush.

Curling smoke from cooking fires seemed touchable, so tangible in essence.

That night, the Knight Regiment stopped at a station for rest, but Russell rode Unicorn Polly into a nearby small grove.

Mr. Eric, followed by Kevin the Gold and Silver Wolfhound, escorted him.

“Sir!” Eric’s gaze was resolute, “Kevin and I will stand guard here, no one will come to disturb you!”

“Hmm.”

Russell nodded his head.

Gently stroking the smooth mane of Unicorn Polly, he said, “These days I haven’t dared to relax for a moment, rigorously training the Battle Qi chain. Finally, before entering the Fire Ant Swamp, I can proficiently master it… Polly, let’s begin!”

“Hnghh!” Polly snorted sharply, nodding slightly.

“Then it is time to advance to a Phantom Beast Knight!” Russell murmured softly, then reached out to caress Polly’s back.

In an instant, Battle Qi burst forth, flowing through his palm and into Polly’s body. This Battle Qi, concentrated and unyielding like a chain, came into contact with the elemental energy within Polly in a flash, and then underwent an arcane and profound transformation.

Battle Qi and elemental energy became firmly intertwined.

But this union was only the beginning.

While maintaining the Battle Qi chain, Russell spoke soothingly, “Polly, combine your will with your elemental energy, then feel my will, and, open your mouth to bite my arm, let the blood serve as a conduit, carrying the thoughts of you and me!”

Polly, sensing the changes within its body and having been prepared, gently turned its head and bit into Russell’s outstretched arm.

Her teeth, lacking the sharpness of carnivores or canines and almost all molars, didn’t stop her from gently gnashing, enough to break the skin on Russell’s arm, and blood immediately flowed into her mouth.

Blood dripped down.

As if adding new strength to the interconnected Battle Qi chain, Polly’s cognitive thoughts carried by the elemental energy, and Russell’s thoughts carried by the Battle Qi began to fuse and harmonize with the intervention of blood as the medium.

Vibration filled the air.

An extraordinary consciousness seemed to ring in his ears, then imprinted itself in Russell’s mind.

“Russell!” This unique consciousness began to call out.

At the same time, Russell’s own thoughts seemed to travel along the Battle Qi chain, through the power of elemental energy, and with the support of the blood medium, entered a sea of pristine thoughts where he saw the shape of Unicorn Polly forming.

Thus he softly called out, “Polly!”

Boom!

While intricate to describe, it all transpired in a mere moment.

Their thoughts synchronized perfectly in that instant, and with both elemental energy and Battle Qi flowing through the Battle Qi chain, a rapid and ferocious transformation took place.

Like a bridge connecting two powers, the force within both human and beast transformed through this bridge’s union, evolving into a new, undivided, surging power.

Prime Breath!

“Ah!” Russell shouted, as all his limbs and meridians, no longer circulating Battle Qi, now carried Prime Breath.

“Rush, rush!” Unicorn Polly also raised her head in a long cry, feeling the same new power coursing through her.

The roar faded.

Russell, who had just ascended to Phantom Beast Knight, already sat upon the back of Unicorn Polly. He gave Mr. Eric, who was there to protect his safety, a gentle nod, “I’ll be right back.”