Chapter 6: Knowledge is Power

"These are all the potions I've made recently. I'll leave them to you to distribute, brother," Sunan said.

"Thank you for your hard work!" Kyi exclaimed, giving Sunan a hearty pat on the shoulder. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he surveyed the row of potions. He paused, then asked, "What's the effect of this potion on high-ranking knights?"

"It's very limited," Sunan replied without hesitation. "It can probably only increase the physique of a high-ranking knight by one to two percent."

"Is that so?" Kyi's face fell slightly. It seemed a waste to use such a precious potion on himself.

After a moment of contemplation, he turned and called out, "Jorton!"

"Yes, sir!" A knight stepped forward, a look of eager anticipation on his face.

Kyi picked up a potion and tossed it to Jorton. "Drink it."

Without a moment's hesitation, Jorton uncorked the bottle and downed the crimson liquid in one gulp.

Almost instantly, his skin flushed red, veins bulging, his face contorted in a grimace of pain.

The agony was short-lived, however. Within two minutes, Jorton's body returned to normal, leaving him panting and drenched in sweat, yet his eyes shone with exhilaration.

"Incredible! I feel so much stronger, and my reflexes are quicker too!" Jorton exclaimed, flexing his arms and legs.

Sunan observed this with a knowing nod. The Inferior Dragon Blood Potion should increase a primary knight's physique by 0.7 to 0.9 points. Considering that a primary knight's physique ranged from 8 to 10, this was a significant enhancement. For a high-ranking knight, the increase would be around 0.2 to 0.3 points.

This was merely a low-grade, zero-order Inferior Dragon Blood Potion. As his potion-making skills and the quality of ingredients improved, he could create even more potent versions.

The other knights, witnessing Jorton's transformation, were practically drooling with desire as they stared at the potions.

A wide grin spread across Kyi's face. "Go and fetch Nelson, Cardi, Nordan... all of them!" he ordered.

He rattled off seven names in total. These were the apprentice knights who had remained loyal to him and Sunan after their father's death. They were the core of his fighting force, and it was only natural to prioritize them.

A knight immediately dashed off to relay the command. The remaining knights, though momentarily disappointed, quickly composed themselves. They understood that using the potions on apprentice knights, potentially turning them into full-fledged knights, would benefit Blackrock City far more than a slight increase in their own strength.

Especially now, with the looming threat of the Blackscale Lizard invasion, even three or four extra knights would make a huge difference.

Soon, the seven apprentice knights arrived. After taking the Inferior Dragon Blood Potion, three of them successfully condensed their life seeds and became formal knights on the spot. The remaining four, though not yet breaking through, were clearly on the cusp of knighthood.

All seven were flushed with excitement.

After commending them, Kyi swept his gaze across the room, his expression turning stern. "These potions are of utmost importance. Without my permission, no one here is to breathe a word of their existence to anyone. Disobedience will be met with severe punishment!"

A wave of seriousness swept over the room, and the knights responded with a resounding "Yes, sir!" They were not fools; they understood the implications of these potions.

If their treacherous uncle in Flashing City learned of the Inferior Dragon Blood Potion, he would undoubtedly attack Blackrock City without hesitation, never allowing them to grow strong enough to challenge his rule.

Sunan, who had been about to reiterate the importance of secrecy, decided it was unnecessary. He pulled out a list and handed it to Kyi.

"Brother, please help me gather these materials. The more, the better."

"And wizard books, please keep an eye out for those as well."

"No problem," Kyi agreed without hesitation.

Having witnessed the wondrous effects of the Inferior Dragon Blood Potion, he harbored no doubts about the power of wizardry. He was more than happy to fulfill his younger brother's requests, eager for him to continue his research and create even more potent potions.

As the Frost's Descent month deepened, the weather grew increasingly bitter, casting a chill over Blackrock City.

Militiamen huddled behind the battlements atop the city walls, their breath misting in the frigid air. They rubbed their hands together for warmth, occasionally peering out into the distance.

Suddenly, one of them straightened up, his eyes widening as he spotted something in the distance. "Scout cavalry approaching! They're coming from Cassel Village!" he shouted.

Several militiamen hastily lowered a basket over the wall to receive the incoming rider.

Moments later, the piercing clang of alarm bells echoed through Blackrock City.

Everyone heard the sound.

In his study, Sunan looked up, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.

"The bell... the Blackscale Lizards are finally here."

Since the previous month, Blackrock City had been preparing for the inevitable invasion. Residents of distant villages had been brought within the city walls, while soldiers were stationed in the closer ones.

Kyi, clad in his armor, remained within the city, ready to lead his troops against the invaders at a moment's notice.

In previous years, a heavy dread would have hung over Blackrock City at this time. The Blackscale Lizard invasion always brought significant losses: casualties, destroyed buildings, trampled fields... it would take an entire spring to recover. The war against the lizards was a losing battle; whether they won or lost, Blackrock City always suffered.

This year, however, was different.

The Inferior Dragon Blood Potion had transformed the Blackscale Lizards from a scourge into a resource. Their blood was now the fuel for strengthening Blackrock City's forces. Every lizard slain brought them closer to becoming stronger.

Blackrock City finally had the means to turn war into an opportunity for growth!

The invasion was no longer a disaster, but a chance to gain strength. With enough lizard corpses, they could create a large number of apprentice knights and even knights.

Driven by this prospect, the army's morale and enthusiasm were at an all-time high. Sunan could practically see the knight commanders charging into battle with ferocious glee.

"Just a single zero-order potion has turned the tide for Blackrock City."

"Knowledge truly is power."

Sunan's eyes gleamed as he returned his attention to the book before him.

On the slightly yellowed page, the first line was written in small black letters:

'Wisdom is the true source of a wizard's power!'