Looking at the six docile Pegasus before him, their arrogance had turned into obedience, as if their souls had been swapped.
Lei Luo could no longer suppress the yearning to control the sky that surged in his heart.
He glanced at the small creature squatting on the white horse's head, meticulously grooming its silver fur with its tiny paws, and a smile involuntarily curved his lips.
“My Lord, would you like to try?”
A Knight, discerning Lei Luo's thoughts, quickly stepped forward and took hold of the white horse's reins.
“Have the kitchen prepare roasted geese for Lord Moonlight.”
Lei Luo nodded, strode to the white horse's side, and gently patted its warm neck with his hand.
This time, the white horse merely snorted contentedly and obligingly shifted its body slightly, making it easier for him to mount.
Lei Luo swung himself onto its back with fluid motion.
He casually scooped Moonlight, who was still grooming himself, into his arms.
Moonlight twisted unhappily, its tiny paws tugging at Lei Luo's lapel, and a muffled grumble escaped its mouth, as if it were calculating the eighteen roasted geese it was about to receive.
“Hold on tight.”
Lei Luo whispered to Moonlight in his arms, then adjusted his posture and gently squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs.
“Up!”
With a low shout.
The white horse understood, its four hooves pushing off the ground, and its massive wings spread wide with effort.
With a whoosh, a powerful current of air stirred up dust and grass from the ground, and in the next instant, Lei Luo felt a lightness beneath him, a powerful thrust, and both he and the horse had risen from the ground, soaring straight into the clouds!
“It’s…it’s flying!”
The Knights on the ground let out gasps of astonishment, craning their necks, their eyes fixed on the white figure, their gazes filled with shock and envy.
Wasn't flight every Knight's dream?
The wind whistled past his ears; unlike the bumpy ride on the ground, this was a smooth and rapid ascent.
The ground quickly receded, and the view suddenly opened up.
The castle, the training ground, the woods and fields outside the wall—everything appeared from a completely new perspective.
Lei Luo's heart accelerated slightly with excitement.
Never before had he felt the flow of the wind and the vastness of the sky so truly.
The white horse was clearly also excited to regain its freedom; it stretched its agile body in the air, each beat of its wings filled with a sense of power.
Lei Luo could clearly feel the bulging and coordination of the muscles beneath him.
He tried to guide the direction, and the white horse responded swiftly and precisely, the cooperation between man and horse was unexpectedly tacit.
The full panorama of Blackstone Territory was revealed to him for the first time with such clarity.
Beyond Blackstone Town, neatly planned farmlands stretched out; although large tracts of land still awaited cultivation, they were already taking shape, and scattered farmers could be seen toiling in the fields.
The Blackwater River, like a silver ribbon, nourished this land.
In the distance lay the rolling Black Stone Mountain Range and the deep forests, serving both as a barrier and harboring unknown dangers and opportunities.
Moonlight in his arms also seemed very interested in the high altitude, its small head curiously swiveling around.
It no longer cared about its grooming being interrupted, but instead stared with wide, intelligent eyes, looking down below.
Suddenly, it extended a paw and pointed in a certain direction below, a “gurgle” sound coming from its throat.
Lei Luo looked down; it was the direction of the castle kitchen chimney, from which wisps of cooking smoke drifted, and he could faintly smell a hint of roasted meat.
“I know, you'll get your roasted geese.”
Lei Luo chuckled and patted its small head.
Eighteen roasted geese for six Pegasus of extremely high strategic value—this deal, no matter how you calculated it, was worth it.
Only then did Moonlight contentedly rub against his chest, find a comfortable position, and half-close its eyes, looking as if to say, “This lord has finished his inspection; it's time to go back and claim my reward.”
The wind brushed against his cheeks, carrying the slight chill of high altitude, yet it dispelled the fatigue and suppression of the past few days.
After circling in the air a few times and becoming thoroughly familiar with controlling the Pegasus, Lei Luo, still not fully satisfied, controlled the white horse to slowly descend.
The white horse elegantly folded its wings and landed lightly on its four hooves, so smoothly that there was almost no jolt.
Lei Luo dismounted, patted the white horse's neck again, and the latter gently rubbed his arm in a docile manner.
The surrounding Knights had already gathered, their eyes burning as they looked at the man and horse, their faces filled with undisguised excitement and envy.
“My Lord, this Pegasus…”
A Knight couldn't help but speak, his voice trembling.
“Hmm, very good.”
Lei Luo nodded.
“Have Captain Aid arrange it; everyone must learn to ride a Pegasus!”
“A Pegasus herd usually has dozens to hundreds of individuals; we will capture more Pegasus in the future.”
The Knights cheered excitedly, shouting “Long live the Lord!”
Three days later.
The faint morning light filtered through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows on the wooden floor.
The scene of riding the Pegasus and soaring through the sky yesterday was still vivid; that feeling of freedom, of breaking free from the earth's shackles, was unforgettable.
Moonlight was curled up on the soft cushion at the foot of the bed, sleeping sprawled out, its little belly rising and falling, and a trace of contented…drool seemed to hang from the corner of its mouth?
It probably dreamed of a mountain of roasted geese.
Daily Intelligence Refresh:
1: In the tavern in the South District of Blackstone Town, there's a cook named Marlene whose culinary skills are excellent, especially her roasted poultry. It's said that her family's heirloom recipe includes a ‘Honey-Glazed Herb Goose’ that is a true masterpiece.
2: Several newly cultivated wheat fields in the northern part of the territory have shown small-scale rust spot disease. The farmers are helpless, and there's a risk of it spreading. Rust spot disease is caused by fungal infection and is highly contagious. Burning the infected wheat fields can effectively inhibit the spread of the disease.
3: Hunters have reported sighting a rare ‘Herb Rabbit’ colony of about thirty individuals on the edge of the eastern hilly area. Their fur is a high-quality material for making lightweight enchanted leather armor, and their meat is a delicious and savory dish.
4: At the flea market in Blackstone Town, an old mercenary claims to possess a fragment of a treasure map pointing to a ‘Treasure Cave’ and is looking for a buyer or collaborator. The so-called treasure map, due to its incompleteness, cannot pinpoint the treasure's location or verify its authenticity. However, this old mercenary was once an Earth Knight who fell in rank due to injury. He was a high-level instructor in the Thunder Dragon Knight Order and possesses extensive experience in Knight training. Perhaps, for you, he is the greatest ‘treasure’.
5: …
6: …
7: Within the neighboring Earl of Red Maple Territory, conflicts seem to have arisen due to succession issues, and several Knights have already died in this struggle for inheritance.
8: The Baron of the western neighbor, Silver Moon Territory, has recently been frequently mobilizing his Knight squadron and has set up additional checkpoints at the border, strictly inspecting passing merchants, claiming to be clearing out bandits. The actual reason is the discovery of a small silver mine within his territory, and the Silver Moon Baron has already begun preliminary mining operations.
9: On the cliffs in the northern part of the territory near the Black Stone Mountain Range, a small amount of rare medicinal herb ‘Starlight Grass’ has been found in full bloom. This herb is an important material for preparing various advanced healing potions and magical inks, making it highly valuable.
10: In the eastern Black Stone Mountain Range and the Emerald Marshes, a great upheaval is occurring. The former overlord, Hydra, has fallen into slumber to accumulate power for advancement, and its controlled demonic minions are causing chaos due to lack of oversight. In the eastern Black Stone Mountain Range, a young black dragon has just left its mother's protection and intends to establish its own dragon lair and dragon kingdom here.