Chapter 2
Now, everything was ready. All that was left was the breathing technique.
Learning the breathing technique as early as possible did not mean that it would be better. If one’s physical fitness was not up to standard, forcefully learning it would damage the body, and in serious cases, one would go berserk.
This was also the reason why before becoming a knight’s attendant, they required the knight’s page to learn basic swordsmanship and basic combat to train their bodies.
Levi picked up the snow rabbit on the ground and turned around to go home in a good mood.
At the foot of the hill, a silver-haired middle-aged knight looked at Levi with a smile and said in a gratified tone.
“If the old master was still here, he would be very happy to see your archery skills.”
This was Sir Fred, known as the “Serpent Vulture Knight” by his enemies and squires. He was a man that could be trusted, which the baron had told Levi before he died.
In fact, that was indeed the case. For Levi, the time he spent with the baron was far less than the time he spent with Sir Fred.
Therefore, to a certain extent, the relationship between a teacher and a student or a master and a servant was stronger than the relationship between him and the baron.
“You flatter me, Sir Fred. I haven’t done enough. I want to learn the breathing technique and become a real knight as soon as possible. Winter has come, and the long night is coming. Wandering knights or bandits in the wilderness may invade our territory at any time and threaten our safety. I can’t live under your protection forever.”
“After my father’s death, we have lost the Tulip Hill in the south, which is as warm as spring all year round, and the Stormy Hill in the east, which is rich in minerals. The barren and remote Black Water Valley is our last home.”
“I am the only descendant of the family. For the sake of the Schneider family, I must become stronger!”
“Glory belongs to Black Snake! And I’m ready!”
Levi looked unwilling. He clenched his fists and tried his best to act.
“Black Snake with a Candle” was the emblem of the Schneider family, so the Schneider family was also known as the “Black Snake family”.
His father, Baron Sodor Schneider, was not only the Black Snake Knight, one of the “Northern Seven Flying Cavalry”, a real grand knight, but also the Earl of the Tulip Hill and the Lord of the Storm Hill!
Compared to the Black Water Valley, where it was difficult to develop farming in the winter for half a year, Tulip Hill and Stormy Hill were much more prosperous.
When Levi was young, he was born in Flower City in Tulip Hill. The climate there was humid, the plains were wide, and the soil was fertile. It was extremely suitable for settling down and developing production.
Although Stormy Hill often encountered stormy weather, it was extremely rich in minerals and was also a treasure land.
When Levi was ten years old, he was at the peak of his Black Snake Knight career. He had 5,000 soldiers under his command, and relying on the treasure land of Stormy Hill, he had 500 fully armed and valiant cavalrymen. In this world where productivity was lagging behind, some weak dukes might only have this kind of configuration.
However, all of this was built on the personal power of the grand knight, the baron.
If a knight was a slightly famous master in the world of martial heroes, then a grand knight’s status was comparable to the Five Uniques of the Central Plains, which shocked the entire martial arts era.
Only the rare legendary knights, such as Lionheart Knight Rhine, Golden Knight Gregor, Blood Knight Brad, and Snow Knight Flair, could be above grand knights.
On the other hand, existences like legendary knights had a status similar to Bodhidharma, Zhang Sanfeng, the founder of Carefree Sect, Dugu Qiubai, and other founding masters or martial arts legends in this world. In most cases, they could only be reduced to the ceiling tools in stories.
Therefore, Black Snake Knights at their peak were at the top of the pyramid in this world.
And such an existence had never returned after accepting the recruitment of the Emerald Kingdom and the Church of Holy Light for the Millennium Holy War against the Tuva Empire by the sea three years ago.
In the end, Levi only received the unbelievable news that the baron and all his soldiers had died on the battlefield.
According to the laws of the kingdom, the title of nobility was hereditary. The three territories of the baron should be inherited by his only son, Levi. However, before the inheritance, it needed to be certified by a special envoy sent by the king.
Under the witness of the special envoy appointed by the King of Emerald Kingdom, Levi became the new owner of the three territories under the baron’s command, at least in name.
In fact, considering the situation at that time, Levi took the initiative to return to the remote and barren Black Water Valley, where Baron Sodor had made his fortune. This territory had been managed by Sir Fred.
The Earl of Blood and the Earl of Silversilk, who had been coveting his father’s territory for a long time, had actually taken over Tulip Hill and Stormy Hill with the tacit approval of their master, the Duke of Montenegro. The kingdom had turned a blind eye to this.
Although the lords’ territories were sacred and inviolable by law, the feudal system of the Emerald Kingdom had completely changed.
It was common for lords to fight openly and covertly. Levi did not like the feeling of being remembered, so he gave up Tulip Hill and Stormy Hill, the two hot potatoes, to the Duke of Montenegro.
As the largest territory in the North, the Duke of Montenegro Province was also the most experienced and mysterious grand knight among the Seven Northern Flying Cavalry. The Duke of Montenegro had long wanted to enter the South and develop his own forces. Levi’s “prodigal” behavior made the Duke of Montenegro very satisfied.
In Levi’s opinion, without a grand knight and a sufficient number of fully armed elite cavalry to deter the foreign enemies, occupying Tulip Hill and Stormy Hill was tantamount to seeking death.
With the proficiency panel, he might as well retreat safely and return to the small mountain nest in Black Water Valley to be a small trash lord.
Levi did not have any thoughts of becoming a king himself. He just wanted to quietly cultivate the breathing technique and rely on the proficiency panel to become a knight, a grand knight, or even a legendary knight. Then, he would follow the footsteps of the wizards.
After all, based on his current understanding, only a wizard could realize his goal of immortality, and only a wizard could truly be fearless of those supernatural creatures.
However, although he thought so in his heart, in front of Sir Fred, his father’s most trusted retainer, Levi still had to put on an act.
Moreover, the cultivation of knights required a large number of resources and wealth. It was the same in this world.
Therefore, Levi’s plan was very clear. He wanted to learn the breathing technique and become an official knight as soon as possible. Then, he would set up a territory and earn some money for his own cultivation. After he had enough self-protection power, he would travel to the seven countries and embark on a journey to find wizards.
The middle-aged Sir Fred quietly listened to Levi’s young ambition, and a gratified smile appeared on his weathered face. “Baron Levi, my master, you are indeed ready now. Please follow me.”