Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 83 What is the world's first productive force?

After more than two months of training, Su Li has grown from an ordinary mortal to the peak of a mid-level apprentice knight.

Although he was not very hardworking in his training and could not be compared with the diligent players like Hilde who worked day and night, he obtained too many treasures and auxiliary training items.

The dragon blood stone strengthened his physique, the light-scale fish enhanced his qualifications, the tinder rabbit directly improved his realm, and Hildreth helped him adjust his breathing and rhythm mouth-to-mouth. His training progress was also very fast, so fast that it shocked the other knights.

He had awakened his knight bloodline just one day before turning 18, and within two months of awakening, he had leaped two realms, on the verge of becoming a high-ranking apprentice knight. This was a rate of advancement not seen in many elite knights in their youth, and even the champion-level knight Orstein had achieved this pace in his youth.

This further strengthened the others' belief that the lord was capable of helping the knights break through.

But Su Li knew that his rapid progress was largely due to the female knight, Hilde. She hadn't forgotten to practice breathing techniques during her knight training; after all, that's how Su Li had brainwashed her. As a female knight, she would guide his breathing rhythm and master it when serving him. Su Li only needed to enjoy the comfort.

Men who practice regularly know that once the rhythm is controlled by the female rider, they will inevitably devote themselves to it wholeheartedly, especially when looking at the female rider's beautiful face and charming demeanor, their breathing will change with the rhythm of the female rider.

So while Su Li was enjoying himself, he also advanced his cultivation, some of which were passive and some were active. After all, he would occasionally practice the [Candle Breathing Method] to enhance his combat effectiveness.

Perhaps he would be able to successfully break through to the high-level apprentice knight without the need for these tinder rabbits in the territory to grow up.

Becoming a high-level apprentice knight means that he has finally touched the threshold of the door to the extraordinary world. Breaking through to become a formal knight will push open this heavy door and witness the bizarre and magical world behind the door.

Therefore, Su Li was full of curiosity about supernatural powers and divine powers.

Hearing Su Li's question, the more knowledgeable Fandral explained, "Your idea is obviously unrealistic. The gods have so many believers, it's impossible for them to respond to every believer's prayer."

Su Li asked, "Even someone as generous as the Goddess of Dawn isn't okay?"

"Oh, Goddess Rhea is certainly an exception," Fandral said righteously, his face filled with unquestionable pride. "Whether every believer will gain divine arts depends on the generosity of the deity. A goddess as generous as Rhea will bring food as long as you show her the right amount of respect. Her followers generally master one or two basic divine arts, just like the priests, priestesses, and nuns of the Church of the Dawn Goddess, all of whom can perform simple healing arts. The higher the clergy, the more divine arts they possess."

"This is because the Dawn Goddess is relatively wealthy, and her followers will devoutly offer sacrifices in return."

Su Li asked curiously, "Does our territory also need to give her a sacrifice in return? What do we need to prepare?"

"It's natural. The Spring Rebirth Ceremony dedicated to the Dawn Goddess takes place in the fields. Priestesses and worshippers gather to sing and pray for a good harvest. As an offering, some of the remaining winter food supplies are plowed back into the fields or fed to livestock. That evening, those hoping to find love or have children this year place gifts at the Dawn Goddess's shrine and stone circle. These are usually the petitioner's personal belongings, but handwoven clothing, large loaves of bread, and figurines carved from fruit are common."

"Besides this grand ceremony, after the harvest, rural communities believe they must return something to the earth in return for Rhea's generosity. This offering might be the first sheaf of wheat harvested from the fields, the first ripe fruit, or the first lamb born to the village's livestock. The offering must be something that provides nourishment for growth—Rhea has no interest in gold or material possessions."

Su Li nodded. If that was the case, he, as the lord, could accept it. It meant that the goddess was not greedy. He just needed to leave the first bundle of wheat ears in the field.

But he couldn't help but be curious and asked, "What would happen if we didn't make the sacrifice?"

A trace of anger crossed Fandral's face, as if all this was absolutely unacceptable, as if even thinking about it was blasphemy against the goddess. He spoke seriously, "That will anger the goddess. She will call down the divine spell [Rhea's Request] on the priests of the Church of the Dawn. The priests will sing subtle harmonies uncontrollably, gathering together the melodious threads of resentment deep within the earth—demanding compensation from those who have not expressed gratitude to Rhea. All powerful nature spirits within the community who have not treated Rhea or her church well since the last spring equinox will lose a year of their lifespan and gain a layer of fatigue for three months."

"If five or more individuals within a community are affected by this spell, then the land within a ten-mile radius multiplied by the number of Dawn Church priests in that area will be affected by this spell, losing its fertility and becoming barren for the next ten years."

It's really amazing. Su Li listened attentively and fascinated. The divine power of this world is really the primary productive force.

So Su Li assured Fandral, "My erudite religious advisor, please rest assured. I will not neglect the sacrifice to the Goddess of Dawn. If we had not received the grace of the Goddess of Dawn before, it would have been fine. Now that we have received the blessing and gift of the Goddess, it is only natural that we perform the sacrifice."

Fandral smiled with satisfaction, his wrinkles practically forming a single flower. He spoke excitedly, "My esteemed Lord, although you have resisted, I sincerely believe that you are truly suitable to be the Chosen Champion of our Church of Dawn. The virtues of self-improvement and enterprising spirit are etched in your racial genes. You will be an outstanding and exemplary knight, embodying the chivalric virtues of honor, justice, faith, and compassion to perfection."

Su Li felt very comfortable with this flattery, but didn’t he know whether faith was in his racial genes?

So Su Li smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Let's get back to the topic we were discussing. Won't the gods provide divine arts to every believer?"

Fandral nodded and summarized it in one sentence: "As far as I know, most gods don't know. Only knights with outstanding abilities can be exposed to divine arts at the official level. Most people usually have to reach the elite level before they can obtain their first divine art in their lives, and most people will never be exposed to a second one in their entire lives."

"As for harsh and mean gods like Ulric, the White Wolf God, even his elite knights may not necessarily acquire divine arts, because he encourages knights to use their own strength to defeat stronger opponents."

Su Li immediately turned around and looked at the elite knight, Beast Slayer Gerald, and asked, "My elite knight, do you have the blessing of Yurik?"

Jerrod raised his chin proudly and said, "Of course. I possess the divine spell, Crush the Weak, blessed by His Majesty Ulric himself. It's a powerful spell, forever blessed upon me. When I fight, my heart is filled with Ulric's contempt for the weak and cowardly. If an enemy parries, blocks, or dodges my attack, I can immediately launch another combo attack at the enemy, empowered by His Majesty Ulric's divine power, crushing the weak with heavy blows and continuous slashes."

Su Li nodded slightly. From this perspective, while both were gods of war, the White Wolf God and the Fiery Sun Goddess clearly had different focuses. Ulric's spells tended to increase a soldier's individual combat power, while the Fiery Sun Goddess's spells tended to enhance tactical capabilities. Of course, the distinction wasn't absolute; for example, Hildur's spells enhanced her individual combat power.

Then, Su Li would have to weigh the pros and cons before deciding which god to believe in.

He had been thinking about this until the afternoon. In this extraordinary world with the ability to practice cultivation, gaining higher strength means a longer life. In this regard, there is no doubt that Yurik has a relative advantage.

But as a lord, he wouldn't charge bravely into battle. His values ​​wouldn't allow him to be reckless. As the commander-in-chief of the three armies, he should sit back and command, with tens of thousands of elite soldiers fighting wherever his sword strikes. In this regard, the Goddess of the Fiery Sun's magic undoubtedly has the advantage.

He couldn't help but sigh as he thought about it, and asked Hilde, "Isn't it possible to believe in multiple gods? We should be more tolerant and let all gods coexist! A knight as outstanding as me should be chosen by two or even three gods."

Hirud replied regretfully, "That's probably difficult to achieve. The Empire is already quite tolerant, allowing its people to freely believe in various gods. However, for a believer to become the chosen one of multiple gods, this is only possible in those evil cults."

This is why a loyal minister does not serve two masters and a good woman does not serve two husbands.

Su Li could understand the gods' mentality. If Hildre served both him and another man, he would instantly lose his temper. Forget about letting her continue to be his guardian knight. He would probably take immediate action and strangle these two bastards to death.

Therefore, it is understandable that a god of order and decency would not allow a knight to be both a follower of their own and visit the temples of other gods. Reaching an agreement in this way is much better than engaging in a holy war of faith to compete for followers.

There are already enough external threats to the empire, and the gods on the side of order will never be allowed to quarrel among themselves and hinder each other.

Just as Su Li was thinking about the gods, a low and excited voice of a dwarf came from afar: "My Lord, my Lord, I have brought you something good. According to our agreement, it is time for you to give me the troll brew."

(End of this chapter)