The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

```

The cultivation of Lithops in pots required delicate care to avoid miscarriage of the incubating Elf Bugs, but Liszt did not pay too much attention to this. The reason was simple, Lithops did not produce Magic Potions or any other yield.

They were simply ornamental plants, at most, complemented by Cordyceps, which could enhance the quality of ordinary Lithops and fetch a slightly higher price when sold as potted plants. Just like the Venus flytraps he raised around the castle to catch flies, they were nice to look at but not practical.

What he now valued more were the two Tulip Bugs awaiting fertilization—the cultivation of the Black Tulip was inseparable from the Tulip Bug.

The Fresh Flower Farm was not large, hosting a little over a hundred acres of Black Tulips, as well as twenty acres of the red St. Dence Tulip, and more than ten acres of the yellow William I Tulip. Both varieties were discovered after he came to Coral Island, one commemorated his ancestor Saint Dance Tile, and the other commemorated Li Weiliam being made an Earl.

As ordinary tulips, their main use was to be made into dried Tulip flowers, relying on their rich fragrance to counteract the stench of urine and feces in the city.

However, under his rule, there were no issues with urine and feces, and therefore there was no need for dried Tulip flowers.

Furthermore, the serfs from Fresh Flower Town had all been reassigned to Black Horse Island, resulting in the serfs of the Fresh Flower Farm being too busy in the fields of Black Tulips to tend to the St. Dence and William I Tulips. By the time Liszt came for an inspection, parts of the red and yellow tulips had withered.

"Lord Landlord, Rayman did not notice the withering of the St. Dence and William I Tulips, please punish me," said the steward of the Fresh Flower Farm, his face filled with regret and fear.

According to the rules of the estate, any anomaly in crops must be reported to the administration at once.

Punishment was definitely in order, but such matters were no longer Liszt's concern; the town officials would punish the stewards' negligence accordingly.

Liszt was only interested in the Elf Bugs. Using the Eye of Magic, he searched around and, after some effort, found two Cordyceps plants with dimly glowing Magic feedback.

These two Cordyceps plants were clearly malnourished, with some yellowing and curling leaves.

"Immediately fertilize and water, provide these two Cordyceps plants with sufficient nutrients!" Liszt ordered on the spot.

Administrative Officer Isaiah, who had come to deal with the situation, asked in surprise, "Sir, have these two tulips already nurtured Elf Bugs?"

"Of course."

Liszt grew frustrated with Isaiah as well. If it weren't for the Smoke Mission alert, it might have been too late to notice the problem until the serfs realized it, and the Elf Bugs would have miscarried by then.

He sternly reprimanded, "Isaiah, as the Town Government Official, I know you're busy. But the anomaly in crops must be taken seriously; it has always been a strict rule I've set. As an administrative officer, you must be vigilant and frequently inspect the crops!"

Isaiah replied ashamedly, "Please punish me, sir."

Liszt was unambiguous, "Deduct half a month's salary. Do not make this mistake again. Although Fresh Flower Town is based on trade, the slightest change in the conditions of the crops is still the most important administrative matter."

"Rest assured, sir, Isaiah will certainly remember this lesson and will never be negligent again!"

...

The cause of the tulips' withering had been thoroughly investigated, and now it was just a matter of waiting for the solution to the problem and for them to recover. Then the task would be completed.

Liszt was not focused on the mission.

He had been gradually getting busier with work recently; the Earl had already gone to Azure Sky Peak Palace to discuss this year's Pioneer Mandate. As a Viscount Lord, he naturally needed to shore up his forces and prepare the Knight Order.

The estate now had a total of seventy-seven Earth Knights,

```

Liszt planned to select sixty knights to form five knight squads, accompanying him to the battlefield, including one squad of Elite Earth Knights. The remaining Earth Knights were entrusted to Captain Paris to lead the patrol unit, maintaining the safety and defense of the territory.

After he announced the list of knights selected for the battlefield, young and tender Emily pleaded with him, "Lord, please allow Emily to follow you into battle and take part in this year's Pioneer Mandate war!"

Twelve-year-old Emily had gradually grown to over 1.6 meters tall.

When they first met last year, she was only 1.5 meters tall, and in just over a year, she had shot up more than ten centimeters; her future height would certainly not be short. Moreover, her exotic features, with deep-set eyes and a high nose bridge, were becoming increasingly striking; she was a beauty in the making. Only, her skin had been tanned dark due to intense training.

"You are only twelve, what battlefield are you going on?" Liszt refused, intending to cultivate Emily into a female Sky Knight, not wanting to lose her on the battlefield.

Emily insisted, "Lord, the battlefield is the best training ground for knights, and Emily already feels her training speed slowing. I need new pressures to stimulate myself!"

"Slowing down is normal; as a twelve-year-old Earth Knight, you already show more talent than many nobles."

"But Emily is a female!"

"What about being a female?"

Emily bit her lip and replied, "Lord, Emily has inquired with Captain Paris that there are very few outstanding female knights in the Duchy of Sapphire. Moreover, once a woman's menstrual cycle begins, it will greatly affect the progress of Dou Qi cultivation. Captain Paris said that the cycle usually starts at 14, and by then Dou Qi cultivation would definitely slow down, so..."

Her implication was clear.

She hoped to solidify her foundation before her menstrual cycle began, so that she could keep pace with the male geniuses in the future—the inevitable monthly cycle of bleeding in females would indeed severely impact the cultivation of Dou Qi.

"The depletion from the menstrual cycle can be replenished with magic potions, don't worry. With such great talent, I will do everything to cultivate you; there's no need to rush for success."

Going into battle at twelve, still a little girl, was indeed too cruel.

Emily knelt on one knee and solemnly said, "Lord, Emily is grateful for your concern; meeting you is the most precious honor in my life. You have spared no expense to help Emily train, and I do not wish to become a waste, unable to repay your kindness!"

Before Liszt could speak to comfort her,

She continued, "Only the battlefield can carve out a strong knight, and you, Lord, shone brilliantly in two wars, becoming the youngest Sky Knight in the grand duchy! Emily too has ambitions and hopes to become the first female Sky Knight in the grand duchy!"

Having said that,

She knelt on both knees and bowed her head, performing the greatest gesture of respect a serf could offer to a landlord: "Please allow Emily to join the battlefield."

She was adamant about her idea, hoping to solidify her foundations in the two years before her menstrual cycle began, which would then give her a chance to advance to a Sky Knight—she had already vaguely felt the tingling in her chest.

This signified the onset of development, and according to Paris's hints to her, about two years after a female's breast development, the menstrual cycle would begin.

She had two more years of rapid cultivation without loss.

The twelve-year-old girl, although still flat-chested, emitted a glow that was so dazzling.

Liszt watched her calmly for a full thirty seconds before speaking indifferently, "The first female Sky Knight of the grand duchy, huh... For the sake of the future, I have no reason to object to your going into battle. However, Emily, my youngest follower, please be prepared to die on the battlefield."

Emily trembled and replied, "Yes, Lord!" Your next chapter awaits on empire