Throne of the North.

Chapter 477: The Empire's First Extraordinary Legion, Northern Breathing Technique
Thanks to the advertising effect of dragon blood, more and more people began to come to Lingdu City from all directions, especially North Wind City. After Ryan took over the city, the frequency of migration became terrifyingly high.

Lingdu City also became a prosperous economic center. With the influx of population, news from all sides continued to arrive.

"Those damn orcs, they sleep well in the winter and come out in the spring."

"What's abominable is that they actually destroyed the seeds in the fields. There was not enough food to begin with, and most of the seeds were destroyed."

"I really hope the Eight Knights can kill them all."

People were filled with righteous indignation and longed for the salvation of the Eight Knights. Ryan also realized that in the spring of the new year, the nobles' territories were not doing well either.

The hundreds of thousands of orcs roaming around in the North Wind Province are still a time bomb, constantly destroying the territories of the nobles.

Spring is undoubtedly the most critical season in the territory. The same is true for the orcs. The cold winter makes the orcs move less, which can reduce the consumption of physical energy. In spring, as the weather warms up, they also become hungry.

The process of finding food was not so smooth. The land in the North Wind Province was owned by someone, and the orcs always appeared in the eyes of the nobles and started wars with the nobles' armies.

The most intuitive feeling is that the Northern Brave Guild has once again spent more than two thousand gold coins, and the butler Beard has been frowning a lot recently.

"Why are you so nervous? Master, haven't I given away enough things?"

Ryan kicked Beard in annoyance. He was frowning all day long, which made Master Ryan in a bad mood. He thought there was something wrong with his vault.

"Sir, you are too kind."

What Beard said was not wrong. In the circle of nobles, Ryan was known for his hospitality. In the circle of the lower class, the common people and slaves did not know what words to use to describe him. They could only keep saying simple and easy-to-understand words like "Hello, Master Ryan".

"What are you afraid of? Shouldn't you be happy?"

"Have you figured out the income and expenditure of the Northern Brave Guild?"

Hearing this, Beard finally laughed.

"Sir, your wealth increased by 630 gold coins and 1,200 silver coins in the first month. Most of the knights who came from afar carried weapons, but they also bought tents, dried meat, flint and daggers from you to enter the North."

Others also said that the key is the dagger at the end. Now the style of adventurers in Zero Crossing City is very unified. The knight's longsword is standard. After all, the knights have been training with such longswords for many years.

But daggers are also very important, especially when adventuring in the North. Many times, the longsword cannot compare to the function of the dagger, especially at times other than combat.

The knights from afar did not pay much attention to these aspects of life. After suffering losses, they could only buy them in Lingdu City. The price was not low, but fortunately they could also gain something.

Among them, there are still knights who come to make money with guilt, because they bring the orcs they killed on the way to Zero Crossing City to ask for money, and the Northern Brave Guild gives them money. It can only be said that the quality of these knights is still too high, otherwise Ryan would have to spend at least twice as much gold coins.

Ryan didn't mind. Orcs were not weeds on the roadside that could grow all over the mountains in a year. Even if all the hundreds of thousands of orcs in the North Wind Province were killed and sent to Lingdu City in exchange for gold coins, Ryan would still give them away.

This will only make Master Ryan famous and his wealth more well-known, and the millions of gold coins that the Meyers family had traded before have not been used much yet.

In fact... this is also the reason why Beard did not die for his protest. It seems that Master Ryan's wealth has been spent in large sums, but in fact, looking at the overall situation, his wealth is actually increasing.

The Northern Brave Guild currently has a deficit greater than its surplus, which is temporary. In other places, every aspect of Zero Crossing City, whether it is cow dung or horse dung on the road, stones or wood carried, clothes woven or firewood sold, will bring profits to Ryan.

Outside the city, in Lingdu County and other places in Beifeng Province, Ryan would gain some wealth to a greater or lesser extent, especially during the war. Many of Ryan's transactions with many nobles were contracted, and the duration of the transactions was at least three to five years, and at least ten to eight years. Those nobles would give Ryan some resources or money every year.

The profits from the war are still continuing. As for the Northern Chamber of Commerce, that is the biggest beneficiary. It can bring in profits from the two kingdoms in the east and the connection to the south to Calais Province and the Imperial Capital.

There is also North Wind Avenue, and many manor farms in the two kingdoms. Dawn City will also bring unexpected surprises to Ryan.

The two thousand or so gold coins paid to the adventurers were not serious.

In fact, if we really talk about the biggest expenses, they are actually those things that cannot be seen.

For example, Archmage McKen has recently been studying whether the Northern Warhorses can obtain certain powers from the giant dragons of the world of Nidhogg. After all, there are many magical beasts in that world, and all of them are related to the dragon overlord.

For example, Dean Rose of Alchemy is trying to create a giant robotic arm controlled by humans, using alchemical means to achieve results similar to mechanical and electronic control. Well... Ryan was shocked.

For example, Frostmourne.

Each Frostmourne is unique. Master Brock even gave up forging other weapons for these weapons. Nearly 70% of the materials used for Frostmourne are extraordinary materials, which need to be traded with those Chambers of Commerce or the Northern Chamber of Commerce, and even communicated with the Frost Giants. Those Frost Giant gems are also within the range of raw materials for the sword.

And these swords had always been given away by Ryan for free. Even now, five Frostmourne have been left in the North. The noble bloodlines that brought them into the North all died in the North. Ryan had considerable conflicts with several nobles because of this. If there were no direct heirs to the titles, the war would have probably broken out.

Ryan has no good way to resolve the conflict with the nobles. In the Northern Brave Guild, Ryan has offered a reward of 300 gold coins. Any adventurer who brings back Frostmourne will be rewarded with 300 gold coins.

Even...the price will continue to rise.

Why? After all, it is a monopoly. Ryan has no need to raise the price. Three hundred gold coins is a huge sum of money for the knights. The adventurers in Zero Crossing City have been discussing this recently.

That's not how the account is calculated.

First of all, the noble bloodlines that Ryan has high hopes for are the descendants of nobles, and often have a direct blood relationship with the current nobles. Secondly, these people can be given Frostmourne by Ryan to build their own base, and they themselves are very powerful.

They are very talented and their strength is stronger than that of ordinary knights. If they enter the North, they will die in those dangerous places where few people go.

In short, the risks of bringing back their remains and swords were high.

Finally, Ryan still needs to use this method to continue to shine Master Ryan's wealth and power. By the way, if possible, he can also use this solemn way to give an explanation to those nobles whose sons have died.

Among all the huge expenditures, the conflicts between the nobles that cannot be measured by money are the most fatal.

Money can buy the lives of many people, but the dignity of the nobles prevents them from falling.

"How can we make the nobles accept the death of their offspring with peace of mind?"

Ryan wants to form an army composed of nobles. Since it is an army, it will bring a large number of deaths, both now and in the future, and the conflict between him and the nobles will never stop.

Ryan thought about it for a long time. In fact, there is only one answer to this question.

No noble is willing to bear the death of his own offspring unless they share honor and disgrace.

To put it simply, it means - dignity and honor!

For example, in the Kingdom of Serra, the sons of the nobles would actively participate in King McReynolds's Griffin Corps to show their loyalty and the glory of their family.

Let them realize that in such a legion, achieving victory and glory is an extremely glorious thing, and any death in the process will pale in comparison to this brilliant glory.

Lion could not replicate King Sera because he was not the king of this land.

He has no reasonable legitimacy, no innate reason to make people eager to be loyal to him.

Then, we have to try a different approach.

If there is more than one way to the end, then what else can be compared with the glory of loyalty to the emperor?

“It is not only the kings who inherit the power that people place high hopes on, but also heroes.”

“Heroes who failed, and heroes who succeeded.”

"In a sense, they are all the same. The weak people long for the arrival of kings and heroes to change their insignificant and unwilling status quo." "Kings are impossible, so the creation of heroes is necessary."

Ryan was on the Rhino Horn Mountain. He looked to the south and seemed to hear the discussion of the people in Lingdu City.

"Are they discussing the Eight Knights?"

Ryan asked, and Apia, who had just walked in, nodded limpingly, and then said:

"Follow your wishes."

"Wait a minute, where is the blind man I asked you to find?"

Nidhogg, the blind old man who guided the Chosen Dragon, Llane did not forget him. He sent Apia to find him, but Apia came back limping. It was said that he was injured by a monster that broke into the city.

"Master, he is dead. People in Blue Butterfly City said that the old man died on a cold night."

"I went to look for it, but I only found a grave. His property had been taken away by others. There was nothing left."

"Is he really using his last breath to guide the Chosen Dragon?"

Ryan frowned. He completely believed that there was a certain type of people in the extraordinary world who had a strong sense of mission and would not even dare to die before completing their mission.

He waved his hand and asked Appia to go to Lingdu City, while Ryan went to Nidhogg.

The frost giants are still fighting the dragon.

……

In Lingdu City, with the arrival of a large number of knight-level adventurers, local adventurers also felt the pressure.

As for the indigenous people of Lingdu City, they were even more desperate and wailing.

"It's over. I thought Knight Beile could become one of the Eight Knights, but last night, he lost to the knight from Yinchuan County. He was knocked down and even his sword was cut off."

"My fifty copper coins!!! I bet fifty copper coins at the Northern Chamber of Commerce. If Master Beile can become one of the Eight Knights, I can get five hundred copper coins."

Someone was crying and the people around him were sneering.

"Master Baylor has only been a knight for two months. You are greedy. If the Northern Chamber of Commerce did not prohibit civilians from placing more bets, you would have sold even your wife."

"And Master Baylor? If there were no rules of the arena, the knights would only be able to cut off the opponent's weapons to declare the opponent's defeat, and Master Baylor would be killed."

"If Master Baylor hadn't been so afraid of death that he didn't dare to buy the Northern Breathing Technique, which is exclusive to the Northern Brave Guild, he wouldn't have lost so miserably."

"If you ask me, Master Baylor will definitely not be able to become one of the Eight Knights, but Lord Valentine can definitely be one of them. He was one of the Eight Knights last year."

"Although you can only get 70 copper coins, it's a sure win."

A knight passing by was previously shocked by the uniqueness of Lingdu City. In his opinion, Lingdu City was very different from other places, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Now, when he heard someone discussing the knight's breathing method, he was stunned.

Knight's Breathing Method, when did these peasants become qualified to discuss it?

He finally realized what was different, which was that the peasants here had no fear at all when they saw the knights.

In his understanding, the ceiling that common people can access is precious wealth such as gold coins, while the Knight's Breathing Technique is a heritage and an honor. Not to mention accessing it, it is a matter of pride for common people to just know the name of a Knight's Breathing Technique.

Knights need to take an oath before they can receive the breathing method granted by the nobles to practice knighthood. Breathing methods have never been cheap, and can even be said to be precious. It can be said that not every noble family in the Flor Empire has its own breathing method.

He heard about the Northern Brave Guild, so he went there angrily. He came here following the will of the nobles, and also represented the nobles to enter the Northern Brave Guild and question the people here.

"Are you selling the precious Knight's Breathing Technique? That is the dignity and creed of the knights. How can you just sell it to those damned peasants?"

The knight's loud question attracted the attention of many people. After hearing his words, many people here couldn't help but reveal mockery in their eyes, while the rest sighed and gloated.

"This knight..."

The steward, a bard, came out, accompanied by a girl with an introverted look. They were the chief bard Sven and Milly who was brought out from Nidhogg.

"I wonder if you have any questions? The Northern Brave Guild will not reject any questions from adventurers."

"The knight was extremely angry and had already drawn his sword, intending to fight a knight-to-knight duel with the man in front of him."

"How dare you sell the Knight's Breathing Technique? This is a gift from the nobles to their followers. The Imperial Senate has also ordered that no noble, any practitioner of the Extraordinary Path, can teach the enlightenment of the Extraordinary Path to civilians and slaves in any way."

This kind of thing would naturally be regulated by cruel and strict laws, and the nobles had absolute reasons to isolate the lower-class civilian slaves from the extraordinary power.

If Ryan spreads knowledge in this way, especially extraordinary knowledge, then the whole world will be his enemy.

Including those to whom he imparted knowledge.

Sven smiled and said:
"Mr. Knight, do you know about the birth of the Flor Empire?"

"The eternal flower of heaven was born in the hands of the ancestor of the Columbus royal family. He bore the will of a great being. The great Lord, the Lord of the Dawn, the God of Light, gave him powerful strength to fight against the invasion of the North and made the Columbus royal family stronger. Every bloodline of the Columbus royal family is born with the power to give birth to the seed of knight life."

"In the beginning, the ancestors of the Columbus royal family and their followers all became knights, including the ancestors of the four archdukes. But at that time, many civilians and even slaves also became powerful knights and followers of the Columbus royal family. They followed the noble emperor and resisted the invasion of the nobles in the northern two-thirds of the land."

"This is the origin of the Flor Empire's first extraordinary army, the Apocalypse Army."

"Those slaves and civilians were all taught the powerful Apocalypse Knight Breathing Technique. The original nobles of the Flor Empire all inherited the Apocalypse Knight Breathing Technique."

Sven calmly told the ancient story, and then continued:
"I am telling you this story not to tell you that the Knight's Breathing Technique can be mastered by commoners and slaves, but to tell you that mastering the Knight's Breathing Technique requires very strict qualifications."

"The first knights of the Apocalypse Knights were brave, fearless, just, unyielding, and kind. It was because of these precious qualities that they were able to become the Apocalypse Knights, the first Flor nobles, the ancestors of the nobles, and follow the honorable Emperor Flor."

"The Northern Brave Guild does sell the Knight's Breathing Technique to many people, but not everyone is qualified to obtain it."

"Even if it's nowhere near as powerful as the Apocalypse Knight Breathing Technique."

Sven walked step by step and looked at the people around him. These people were all knights, most of them were apprentice knights.

"Be loyal to your lord, be loyal to the sword in your hand, protect the nobles with your life, be invincible with your sword, kill all enemies, defend the territory of mankind in blood and fire."

"This is the knight's creed. Every knight practices on this path of glory and splendor. This is also the reason why your lord bestowed upon you the Knight's Breathing Technique."

"The creed you uphold is your qualification to obtain the Knight's Breathing Technique."

"Then do you know what the qualifications are for obtaining the Northern Warrior Breathing Technique?"

Sven looked at the knights. His words made the knights fall into a solemn faith, and his questions also made the knights in front of him confused.

"What is it?"

He asked subconsciously, and then was brought by Sven to the depths of the Northern Brave Guild. Here, there was a stone tablet. The sunlight above shone through the hole. The golden light was like a sharp arrow inserted into the stone tablet with the words engraved on it, sacred and inviolable.

(End of this chapter)