The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

Editor: Henyee Translations

Fresh Flower Farm, with a history even longer than Fresh Flower Town.

It began eighteen years ago, shortly after Li Weiliam Tulip was granted Coral Island, and he led his Knight Order to survey the entire island, discovering a wildflower field here.

Among the flowers, two new varieties of tulips thrived.

For the Tulip Family, tulips were their lifeline, so the Earl moved his subjects here to cultivate the tulips. However, due to inconvenient transportation, within a few years, the Earl transplanted the new varieties of tulips to Coral City, and Fresh Flower Farm gradually fell into neglect.

Today, besides a few tulips, most of the flowers at Fresh Flower Farm had been cleared away to make space for other crops like barley and wheat.

Therefore, when Liszt arrived, he didn’t see a field of colorful flowers, only lush green wheat seedlings.

“Lord Landlord, only twenty acres of tulips are left here. The red ones are Saint Dance Tulips, to commemorate your ancestor; the yellow ones are William I Tulips, to honor your supreme glory,” said Steward Victor, his hair flecked with white, sighing repeatedly.

At its zenith, Fresh Flower Farm spanned a vast 800 acres, but now only 200 remained, with 180 of them planted with wheat.

“They’re not magic potions?”

“Regrettably, they are indeed not magic potions, which is why the Earl seldom harvested the tulips here afterward. But now, they are about to be revitalized. Look there, Lord, right in the tulip field—that Black Tulip, with its purple-black petals. I’ve never seen it before!”

Liszt looked over, and indeed, that tulip stood out amongst the yellow and red tulips around it, its purple-black color striking.

It was like a proud black swan, serenely preening its feathers amidst a flock of geese.

“Is it a magic potion?”

“I do not know, Lord Landlord.”

“Let me have a look.” Liszt parted the ordinary tulips and walked up to the Black Tulip, his fingers touching the purple-black petals. Suddenly, a familiar yet strange scent was perceived by him.

His eyes suddenly sparkled.

Liszt showed a satisfied smile, “It is a magic potion!”

Magic potions, magical herbal materials.

Mysterious magicians casting spells cannot do without the assistance of magic potions; knights practicing Dou Qi cultivation also rely on magic potions for support, as do various magical treasures, which all need magic potions as auxiliary materials to some extent.

Even though the price of magic potions fluctuates greatly depending on their effects, the cheapest one is worth at least more than one silver coin.

Liszt had never heard of a magic potion cheaper than a silver coin.

To possess a kind of magic potion is to possess a vast fortune.

Now, the Black Tulip grew on Liszt’s territory. Undoubtedly, this wealth belonged to him. According to noble customs and the law, even an Earl had no right to seize a lesser lord’s profits. Loyalty is one thing, interests another; when a lord enfeoffs a vassal, the vassal owns everything in the territory.

“It seems I have gained not only a fortune but also found a new home for my Tulip Spirit Bug,” Liszt took a deep breath, “The Fresh Flower Farm truly should be revitalized!”

He gestured to Victor, the steward, and his own retainer knights, to leave the tulip field.

He crouched beside the Black Tulip alone.

Focusing his mind and calming his breath.

Soon, a faint mist appeared before him, twisting into words.

“Complete the task, reward a new variety of tulip.”

Then.

The mist twisted, and the words changed.

“Task: The decaying Fresh Flower Farm seems to have encountered a turn of fate, the new variety of Black Tulip should take on the duty of revival in conjunction with the Tulip Spirit Bug. Please arrange cordyceps for the Tulip Spirit Bug. Reward: A magical beast cub.”

The task was updated.

“`

Easy as pie, it was like receiving a bounty of welfare.

What caught Liszt’s eye was the reward of a magical beast cub.

Even the most ordinary low-level magical beast was more powerful than an apprentice knight, capable of challenging an Earth Knight. The Wind Blade Wolf Liszt had encountered before was a low-level magical beast, slightly weaker than Earth Knight Marcus. Some low-level magical beasts could even take on a Sky Knight.

“I wonder what kind of magical beast cub it will be—will it be raised or slaughtered?” Liszt was full of anticipation.

…

“My lord, the Tulip Spirit Bug has been brought.” Butler Carter, escorted by the retainer knights, arrived at the Fresh Flower Farm and handed a jade box to Liszt with great care.

Taking the jade box, Liszt could feel a vibrant little life inside, connected by blood to himself.

He opened the lid of the box.

Immediately, he saw a “silkworm baby” inside, thicker than a thumb but shorter than an index finger, with pale yellow on its back and green stripes. Compared to a silkworm baby, the Elf Bug was coated in a jade-like sheen that made it look like a wriggling long jade strip, stunningly beautiful.

At the moment, the Elf Bug lay lazily on the powdered ground jade.

During the transplant period, the cordyceps inside its stomach could not provide nutrients, so it relied on nibbling jade powder to maintain its vitality. Jade, also known as Magic Jade, was a stone imbued with magic power. Much cheaper than the gemstones produced by dragons but still a rare and precious mineral.

“Little guy, have you rested enough? It’s time to check out your new home.” Liszt extended his index finger.

Sensing his thoughts, the lazy Tulip Spirit Bug slowly crawled onto his finger and settled in his palm. Its bright black eyes, the size of sesame seeds, looked around restlessly, as if sizing up the new home environment.

“What a beautiful life indeed; no matter how many times one sees it, it’s never enough.” Goltai, who had come to greet them, stared at the Elf Bug and exclaimed loudly.

As a down-and-out Honored Knight, he had no Elf Bug.

As a Honored Knight, the lowest tier in the noble hierarchy, one often had land and the more affluent could possibly afford an Elf Bug. But Goltai’s land had long since declined and had been sold by him. Now a knight without a fief, he naturally couldn’t afford an Elf Bug.

Liszt walked to the center of the Tulip field and gently said, pointing at the Black Tulip, “Little guy, make your home here and plant your cordyceps.”

With their established contract connection, the Elf Bug understood Liszt’s intentions.

Slowly opening its mouth, it emitted a green light that fell next to the empty space beside the Black Tulip. Following that, a cordyceps took root and sprouted, growing branches and leaves. The green branch tips produced a pale yellow tulip—that was its cordyceps, capable of affecting the growth of dozens of acres of tulips nearby.

As an Elf Bug, it could potentially make a tulip season yield twice over.

And also enhance the quality of the Tulips.

Liszt placed the Tulip Bug within the flower of its cordyceps; that was its home. It seemed that having spat out the cordyceps and replanted it took a toll on its energy, resting lazily in the flower without moving. Liszt couldn’t help urging it, “Little guy, there are new Black Tulips next door, aren’t you going to taste them?”

Enticed, the Tulip Bug finally crawled out of the flower, along the stem, and continuously climbed upwards until it reached the tip of the leaf.

Just when it looked about to fall, it raised its head and moved towards the air.

A faint glow emitted from its underside as if crawling on something transparent, it “climbed” toward the cluster of Black Tulip flowers nearby.

It wriggled its plump body.

The Tulip Bug sent Liszt a feeling of “excitement” and then started rolling around within the purple-black flowers—this was assimilation.

It signified the Tulip Bug beginning to gather the “pheromones” of the Black Tulip, exerting its abilities on the Black Tulip.

Of course, Liszt preferred to think that the Tulip Bug was collecting different genes to perfect itself.

Once it had gathered enough, it would have the chance to evolve.

At Tulip Castle, there were three Tulip Bugs that evolved into Tulip Lesser Spirits by this method. One was given to Liszt’s sister, Li Vera. In Liszt’s memory, he envied, resented, and felt jealous of her, and even more so when he was conferred the title of Baron—because he didn’t receive a Lesser Spirit.