Chapter 8 Earth Knight Liszt

A tempest seemed to rage within my body, with surging power stirring through every limb and pore. The once-balanced and tranquil Beginner's Battle Aura had now fully infiltrated my cells.

It seemed as if a metamorphosis was occurring at the cellular level. When the new Aura returned to the meridians after its transformation within the cells, it was utterly different.

The nascent Battle Aura had now matured into an Intermediate Battle Aura, bearing a unique attribute. Liszt stood motionless in the small garden, his heart blooming like a flower. He forcefully suppressed his excitement to savor the newly-born Intermediate Battle Aura — the quest was real, and it had already brought about an elevation of his Battle Aura.

He has now truly become a Knight of the Earth!

For cultivation of Aura, this is a brand new beginning, for it is the Earth Knights who embody genuine transcendent power.

"My Aura attribute is fire, which clashes with the water attribute of 'Thousand Waves.' It seems I need to acquire a new intermediate-level Aura manual... Initially, I thought I would awaken the same water attribute as the Earl's family," Liszt was not entirely satisfied with the fire attribute.

Water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, ice, light, and darkness.

There was also gold, represented by dragons, and wood, represented by elves, both embodying mystical magical properties.

These attributes were not inherently superior or inferior; they were merely different aspects of power. The Tulip Family, even before obtaining their earldom, had delved into the study of water attribute Aura, with their ancestral 'Thousand Waves' being a top-tier water attribute Aura manual, containing abundant insights and cultivation experiences.

For the younger generation, practicing this way would yield twice the result with half the effort.

However, Liszt is not in the right condition to practice the Thousand Waves Technique at the moment; forcing himself would only result in inefficiency.

Fire-type Aura is undoubtedly more suitable for practicing fire-related secret techniques.

"Teacher Marcus has Wind Attribute and practices the Reversing Wind Break secret technique, which also doesn't match my attribute. Let me think… when I was at the Knights Academy, I came across the Blazing Wave Technique… In a few days, I'll arrange for Teacher Marcus to make a trip back to Coral City to retrieve it for me."

As a newly advanced Intermediate Rank Warrior, he needs to nurture and stabilize his Aura before diving into secret techniques.

In fact, Liszt wasn't in a rush to improve his strength. While it's true that nobles had to fight on the battlefield, Coral Island was far from the mainland and conflicts were rare. As the third son of an earl and a noble on Coral Island, no one would dare to provoke him. Thus, he could focus on his development without worries.

Moreover, even if one cultivated to be extremely powerful, they would still turn into a handful of dirt a hundred years later.

It would be much better to live as a lord, comfortably served by his servants, leaving the fighting and killing to his subordinates.

"Of course, advancing to Earth Rank Knight is still an exhilarating matter. It means that I'm unlikely to fall ill and my resistance to extreme cold or heat will greatly increase! What else in this world could be happier than having good health and living to a ripe old age?"

Exhaling a mouthful of stale air, Liszt's excitement gradually subsided. He turned around and walked towards the castle.

The valet hurried over, seeking to attend to his master's needs. "My Lord, you've just finished your knightly training. Would you like me to prepare fresh bathwater for you?"

"Would that be too much trouble?"

"Of course not, it's our honor to serve you."

"Alright, then have the bathwater prepared again."

...

Dinner time.

Marcus and Gort arrived as promised.

"Gort remarks, "Liszt, you're looking healthier than ever. It seems you've fully recovered. That calls for a toast." Gort raised his glass, inhaling deeply of its aroma. He was a man with a deep love for alcohol.

It was a common affliction among the nobility.

However, Marcus' eyes flickered. "Baron, have you... made a breakthrough?"

"Just an hour ago, I had a breakthrough in my cultivation of Aura," Liszt said modestly. After all, it wasn't something to be proud of that he only advanced to the Earth Knight after his coming-of-age ceremony at sixteen.

"Congratulations, Sir!" Marcus said solemnly, his tone slightly altered. He had originally planned on addressing Liszt as "Baron," but now he directly called him "Sir."

This was a positive change. Gort followed suit immediately. "Wow, what a piece of fantastic news! No wonder the magpies were chirping joyfully around the town this morning. You truly live up to being the son of the Earl, inheriting the excellent bloodline of the Tulip family. You will surely grasp power!"

"I'm not as talented as my elder siblings. I can only make up for it with hard work."

"That mindset itself proves your excellence. Great figures in history didn't always shine in their youth. It's the spirit of knights to strive relentlessly and keep improving. I see that quality in you."

"Thank you for the compliment, Teacher Gort."

"So, we should celebrate this tonight with a few more glasses of wine." Gort chuckled and turned to Carter, the butler. "Mr. Carter, to celebrate Liszt's advancement to the Earth Knight, shouldn't you bring out the finest wines from the castle's cellar to honor this glorious moment?"

Old Carter smiled warmly. "I agree, Mr. Gort."

But he didn't move. Whether or not they would have wine depended on the decision of the castle's owner.

Liszt didn't dampen the mood and nodded. "Mr. Carter, please fetch a bottle of Crescent Moon Wine and prepare a pudding for each gentleman and lady, if you would."

"As you wish, Master," Carter bowed and turned to descend the stairs, heading for the wine cellar.

Passing by the kitchen entrance, he called out, "Mrs. Abby, the Master has granted an extra serving of pudding for everyone's dinner."

Abby Spoon was a plump woman who exclaimed, "Cream pudding, oh my, how generous of the Master. There's no need for that. Servants can eat anything, and besides, we don't have much cream left in storage."

In the kitchen, the maid Irene was mopping the floor. She looked up eagerly and asked, "Mr. Carter, will the kitchen maids also get an extra helping of pudding?"

"Certainly, it's a grand day! The Master has ascended to the rank of Earth Knight!"

"Oh, my, how magnificent!" Abby praised loudly before turning back and calling out, "Irene, why are you standing there? Finish mopping the floor and fetch the cream from the storage room. Today is a joyous occasion for the Master, so put some extra effort into your work and enjoy this festival treat of pudding!"

"Understood, Mrs. Abby, praise be to the Master."

...

Crescent Moon Wine.

A specialty of Coral Island, harvested during the first crescent moon of autumn each year to craft this delectable vintage.

At Tulip Castle, there resided a Grape Fairy who tended to a specific variety of grapes used solely for winemaking. Though they tasted slightly inferior when consumed fresh, the wine crafted from these grapes was exquisitely sweet and crisp, renowned throughout the Sapphire Duchy. Each year, the royal court would send envoys to purchase a batch.

When Liszt left Tulip Castle, he carried a case of it with him.

"Gort, this vintage Moonlight Wine is like an old tale dancing gracefully through a tunnel of time, revealing the true essence of beauty and the timeless taste in its silence," Gort swirled the crystal stem glass, watching the scarlet liquid ascend and descend along the crystal walls, his words as poetic as a bard's.

Liszt sipped a small amount.

To be honest, he didn't find the wine particularly enjoyable. He had no affection for any kind of alcohol, preferring fermented beverages instead. His body, inherited from his predecessor, possessed a certain level of appreciation for alcoholic drinks and could easily adapt to their diverse flavors.

Therefore, following local customs, he occasionally indulged in a drink.

After all, without highly distilled spirits, it was difficult to get drunk.

"By the way, Professor Gort, is there something wrong with the peanuts in Peanut Village?" He suddenly recalled his new mission, eager for the next reward now that his Aura had ascended.

"Hmm, indeed. Perhaps the weather this year hasn't been favorable; Peanut Village might suffer a complete crop failure. I sent someone to inspect the fields, and most of the peanut plants have turned yellow. They won't survive much longer... Poor serfs, they'll have to endure hunger before winter even arrives," Gort said, expressing sympathy with his words but not on his face.

Putting down his wine glass, he continued.

Liszt stated firmly, "Tomorrow, join me on an expedition to Peanut Village for on-site investigation. Together, we shall explore solutions to alleviate the village's crisis."