Lei Luo nodded in satisfaction, looking at the ten barbarian youths in front of him, who, though disheveled, had eyes rekindled with light.
"Very good."
He looked at Aide.
"Aide, take them down, get them clean clothes, and prepare plenty of food and water. From today onwards, they are warriors of Blackstone Territory."
"Yes, My Lord!"
Aide took the order and immediately arranged for his subordinates to carry it out.
Lei Luo then looked at Thor and the others: "The ten of you will form a small team, to be called 'Bedrock'. I hope that in the future, you can be as indestructible, loyal, and reliable as bedrock."
"Thor, you will be the captain of this team."
"Yes, My Lord!"
Including Thor, the ten barbarian youths responded in unison, their voices still a bit weak but full of power.
"Aide, from today onwards, you will also serve as their instructor, responsible for teaching them knightly skills."
Blackstone Town.
A new morning dawned.
On the newly opened spacious training ground on the west side of the town, there was a bustling scene. Nearly a hundred newly recruited youths, dressed in uniform coarse linen training attire, were following the commands of several veterans, undergoing the most basic drill and physical training.
Shouts, footsteps, and the clanging of wooden weapons intertwined, injecting long-lost vitality into this small town that had just experienced turmoil.
The residents of the town, young and old, would occasionally stop their work and curiously look towards the training ground.
Those young figures sweating profusely, those powerful slogans, were like a ray of sunlight piercing through the haze, gradually calming their originally somewhat anxious hearts and rekindling their hope for the future.
Thor and his nine companions, after a simple wash, changing into clean clothes, and filling their stomachs, were also brought here.
Their arrival was like throwing a few stones into a calm lake.
Although these barbarian youths were not old, they were all tall and sturdy, having long battled wild beasts in the mountains and forests, carrying an untamed wildness about them. Compared to the slightly more naive apprentices recruited from the town, they seemed out of place.
Aide, following Lei Luo's order, also served as the instructor for the Bedrock team.
He did not treat them differently because of their barbarian identity.
On the training ground, rules were rules.
Basic training was not difficult for the members of the Bedrock team.
Their physical endurance far surpassed that of ordinary youths; the only thing they needed to adapt to was the discipline and combat skills emphasized in knight training.
When Aide began to teach basic knight sword techniques, Thor's talent became evident.
"Thrust! Be fast! Accurate! Ruthless!"
Aide held a wooden sword, personally demonstrating, his movements clean and crisp, carrying the iron-blooded aura of a soldier.
The training ground was a hive of activity, but in the stables and open ground behind the Lord's castle, the atmosphere was somewhat anxious.
Lei Luo, accompanied by several knights, was circling six newly captured Pegasuses.
Having a Pegasus cavalry unit had always been Lei Luo's dream.
Pegasus not only had great speed but could also ignore terrain for aerial strikes and reconnaissance, possessing immense strategic value.
However, the ideal was plump, but the reality was bony.
These wild adult Pegasuses were full of wildness and untamed.
The knights tried various methods—feeding, soothing, forced riding—but all had little effect.
An entire morning passed, and the six Pegasuses still showed hostility towards approaching knights, either kicking with their hooves or flapping their wings to stir up airflow. Two knights were even thrown off hard when attempting to ride, landing in a daze.
"My Lord, these beasts are too fierce, I'm afraid..."
A knight wiped the sweat from his forehead, saying somewhat dejectedly.
Lei Luo frowned, saying nothing.
He personally walked up to a pure white Pegasus, the strongest and most magnificent of the six. He slowly extended his hand, wanting to stroke its neck.
"Whoosh!"
The white horse suddenly reared its front hooves, letting out a loud neigh, its large wings instantly spread, bringing a gust of wind that almost knocked Lei Luo over.
Lei Luo's eyes narrowed, his knightly battle aura instantly erupted, steadying his figure, while a powerful pressure enveloped the white horse.
The white horse felt the threat, pawing its hooves restlessly, but the untamed look in its eyes remained undiminished.
Using battle aura to suppress the Pegasus, he forcibly mounted its back.
No matter how the Pegasus bucked, jumped, swayed left and right, Lei Luo's backside remained tightly pressed against its back, unmoving.
Ten minutes passed.
Both man and horse were exhausted, but neither side yielded or gave up, continuing the standoff.
In the distance, Moonlight appeared from over the wall, having just rounded up a nest of Sand Rats, and was in high spirits.
Seeing this scene, its figure flickered, appearing like a ghost above the white horse's head, then unceremoniously raised its furry little fist.
"Thump!"
"Thump!"
Two punches, landing squarely on the white horse's forehead.
"Whimper..."
The white horse, which had been untamed just moments ago, barely bothered by Lei Luo's oppressive aura, let out a deeply wronged whimper after these two punches, its massive body visibly trembling.
And then...
Its proud head slowly lowered, the fierce glint in its eyes gone, replaced by a kind of almost...
Fawning docility?
It made gurgling sounds in its throat, as if trying to please.
The surrounding knights' jaws nearly dropped to the ground.
This... it's tamed?
Just two thumps?
They had worked hard all morning, feeding and soothing, even risking broken bones with forced riding, yet it was not as effective as two punches from the Lord's magical pet?
Lei Luo's mouth also twitched.
He didn't know if it was because the two punches were too heavy, or if it was the deterrent of the dragon's aura.
This wild Pegasus chose to submit.
This method of taming horses... was it too simple and crude?
And the effect was unbelievably excellent.
Moonlight snorted lightly, patted the white horse's big head, as if scolding a disobedient puppy.
Moonlight then turned and looked at Lei Luo, raising its chin, its eyes seeming to say, "See? It's that simple."
Lei Luo gave a wry smile and hugged Moonlight into his arms.
"Ahem... Moonlight, could you... help out?"
He pointed to the remaining five Pegasuses nearby, which were still warily watching everyone.
Moonlight glanced at the five Pegasuses, then looked at Lei Luo, and pointed to its little belly.
Meaning, "I'm hungry, no energy!"
Lei Luo was quick to understand.
"One roasted goose, for taming one Pegasus."
Moonlight held its little head high, not even looking at Lei Luo.
"Two roasted geese, for one Pegasus?"
Moonlight's two furry little ears twitched.
"Three, alright, three roasted geese!"
Moonlight haughtily turned its head and jumped out of Lei Luo's arms.
Then, under the awed and strange gazes of Lei Luo and the knights, Moonlight, like a queen inspecting her territory, went to each of the remaining five Pegasuses.
"Thump thump!"
"Whimper..."
"Thump thump!"
"Whimper..."
...
Accompanied by five crisp thuds and five wronged whimpers.
In less than a minute, the remaining five Pegasuses all obediently lowered their heads, as docile as domestic horses that had been tamed for many years.
Watching this dramatic scene unfold, Lei Luo took a deep breath.
Moonlight, this little Silver Dragon, though still in its infancy, had already shown extraordinary potential.
Although the cost... was a bit much in roasted geese.