The island of Ogar is across the river from the southern barbarians. This island of more than 19,000 square kilometers is not only the advance base of the Borui Kingdom to open up the southern continent, but also the first line of defense against the barbarians. Each of the five major families has a fort on the island of Ogar and stationing 4,000 elite soldiers, which are under the command of the ruling family to protect the security of the island, and the military operations against the southern barbarians are mainly undertaken by the ruling family.

Erzburg was the home of the Peter family on the island of Ogar, where the family's high-ranking forces gathered during their reign in the kingdom of Borui.

Today, the garrison of Erzburg is extremely strong, with heavily armed guards patrolling non-stop, elite swordsmen at five steps and a post at three steps, and two noble knights personally guarding the passage leading to the main hall of the castle, and no one is allowed to approach.

The doors and windows of the hall were closed, hundreds of water lizard oil candles were shining brightly in the room, the high-ranking members of the Peter family were sitting around the long table, and an old scholar with white hair was holding a bottle of red as blood, and said to everyone: "I carefully studied the formula of the boiling blood potion, tested it 37 times before and after, improved 6 effective formulas, and replaced a total of 27 kinds of medicinal materials, including replacing heather with Kalisu grass, and replacing blue heart leaves with blue spirit mushrooms, but unfortunately I have never been able to find a replacement main material......

"Dear Master Severin, I didn't mean to interrupt you...... I don't understand what you're saying, and I don't think anyone here can understand it. A middle-aged knight in Mithril armor stood up and asked with a smile, "Dear Uncle Severin, has the improvement of the Boiling Blood Potion been successful?"

The chief pharmacist of the Peter family glared at his own nephew fiercely, and shook his head slightly embarrassed, "The original recipe provided by Raymond is perfect, no matter how I modify it, it can't achieve the original effect, and the cost of medicinal materials has increased a lot...... It's a recipe left behind by the Chosen One. ”

The other big knight frowned and said, "It doesn't seem to be of much use...... The power increase effect of the boiling blood potion is not as good as that of the berserk potion, and although the production cost is cheaper than the berserk potion, the main material needs to use the spinal fluid of a gnoll or a wolf...... These guys with a keen sense of smell are not easy to catch. ”

"Gilda, what do you know! You knights can't take any potions, they are qualified to evaluate such a great potion formula!" The old apothecary pointed at Viscount Gilda and shouted indignantly: "A farmer in the prime of life can carry a weight of 1,000 pounds, and the strength of an elite soldier is 1.5 times that of an ordinary person, and he can carry a weight of 1,500 pounds. This is the limit of the average person. Beyond this limit is the realm of transcendence. Soldiers who want to reach transcendent levels either rely on magic or take potions. ”

"That's right! The Rage Potion can increase the strength of a soldier by more than 6 percent, while the Boiling Blood Potion can only increase the strength by 3 percent at most. However, the side effects of the berserk potion are also very terrifying, the strong strength and violent will make the soldiers have no mercy on their physical strength, even with the blessing of divine magic, they can only last for an hour and a half at most, and then they will fall into a weak state of being slaughtered, and they will not even be able to hold the sword. The worst thing is that the soldiers who took the berserk potion completely lost their sense of pain, and they did not know how to avoid the vital points in the battle, and they were inexplicably killed in battle...... The berserk potion is a suicide potion!"

"How difficult it is to train an elite soldier, you don't need to tell you that everyone knows it. ”

"The blood boiling potion is different!"

"Increasing strength is only a collateral effect of this elixir, it is actually the only one that improves perception at present! Well, the boiling blood potion increases the soldier's strength by 3 percent, reacts 5 percent faster, and weakens the sense of pain, although he is bloodthirsty, he will not lose his mind, the effect lasts for at least 2 hours, and after the medicine subsides, the soldier can still maintain 6 percent of his physical strength, and he can take it again after resting for 5 hours. ”

"Ladies and gentlemen, not every squad of knights attacking the barbarians is accompanied by a battle priest. How many of the family's soldiers have died at the hands of the barbarians since our Peter family came to power? And this great potion will keep many more warriors alive! ”

The old scholar's in-depth explanation of the blood boiling potion moved the Grand Knight, and Duke Peter looked around and asked, "Master Severin, what about the improved recipe?"

"The strength enhancement effect has increased, the perception enhancement effect has decreased, 7 auxiliary medicinal materials have become 15 medicinal materials, and the production cost has nearly doubled......" The old scholar shook his head with a wry smile, "This is not an improvement, this is a weakening!"

"Covering up the original recipe is the greatest success!" said Duke Peter with a smile.

"That's right. Severin smiled and said confidently: "Even if Tacitus is an old fellow, he won't even think about deducing the original recipe if he doesn't try it thousands of times!"

The five Grand Knights who attended the meeting also nodded, as long as they kept the secret of the original formula, the Peter family could have an advantage, and the weakened formula could be used in exchange for benefits.

"What about the other two potions that Raymond offered?" asked the Grand Knight Gilda eagerly.

Raymond Peter stepped forward and said politely, "Uncle Gilda, please pay attention to the napkin in front of you. ”

Gilda looked down at the napkin on the table. This napkin, made of wool and fine linen, is made of fine materials and fine workmanship, and there is nothing special about it, but its color is not the usual white, but the same reddish-brown as the dining table. Gilda picked up the napkin and took a closer look, and was surprised to find that the reddish-brown napkin had gradually turned a silvery white, exactly the same color as the Mithril handarmor.

"It's witchcraft!"

Everyone, including Duke Peter, picked up their napkins and observed the change in color of the napkins against different backgrounds.

"The current script is in the same vein as the script of the time of the Chosen One, and although there are differences between the characters of different regions, we can also translate them. According to the stone tablets provided by Raymond, this potion is known as a color-changing dye. Master Severin wrapped the golden coffee cup in a napkin and waited for it to turn orange, then continued, "The recipe of the color-changing dye cannot be modified in any way, its main ingredient is the blood of the shadow spider in the swamp, and the auxiliary material is also the common swamp plant. As for its effectiveness and value...... I don't need to say more!"

Gilda lovingly played with the color-changing napkin and muttered, "With this color-changing dye, our operations on the South Shore will be more covert, and the chances of a successful raid will be greater." ”

"Assassination has also become more deadly!" said another grand knight in a deep voice, "It is not limited to military operations on the south bank, it has a wider range of applications. As he spoke, he stood up and bowed to Duke Peter and said, "My lord, the formula of the dyeing potion must not be leaked!"

That is, to kill people and kill people.

The high knights of the Peter family were full of discussions, and they were all supporting Jörn's suggestion. Duke Peter and Raymond glanced at each other and said with a smile: "Don't be impatient, everyone. I know you're all looking forward to the effects of that last potion. The duke flicked his fingers, and the purple and gold bells on the table made a pleasant sound, and the wooden door of the hall was opened, and two tall and athletic nobles walked in, one in his thirty years old, the other was a young man of eighteen or nineteen, and the gaze of the five high-ranking knights made them pause for a moment, and then bowed to the upper echelons of the family.

"Gerhardt, you've been promoted to Knight! Good...... It's really good!, it's very good!" a big knight stood up sharply and said three "good" words in a row. The more mature nobleman also trembled slightly with excitement, "Yes, father...... I'm finally a knight. ”

"Count Nikolai, congratulations on the addition of another knight to your family. Duke Peter first greeted the Grand Knight Nicholas and then said to his son: "Gerhardt, congratulations on your successful promotion. I'll make up the gift later, and now we'd like to know how many recovery potions you've taken?"

"Honorable master, I will remember your kindness. Gerhardt bowed respectfully, looked up and said, "As everyone knows, I once took ten bottles of energy potions but failed to resonate with the bottom 12 elemental positions. I thought I would be a trainee knight all my life. It was the Duke's recovery potion that changed my fate!"

"For this promotion, I took a total of 7 bottles of recovery potion. In fact, I was already successful with the first bottle of recovery potion. The fighting energy stimulated by the recovery potion is not as violent and uncontrollable as the energy potion, it is no different from my own fighting energy, it is lively and gentle, and it moves as I wish, like an arm. Under the continuous and continuous impact of the fighting energy, the bleakest wind elemental position was lit up. ”

"However, this is not the end. Over the next three months, under the guidance of Master Severin, I took 7 bottles of recovery potion one after another. I resonated with 5 of my 12 mid-level elemental bits. If I have enough recovery potions, I may not be able to resonate with the 25th elemental slot and become a great knight, but I will definitely be able to become a senior knight with 24 elemental slots!"

"This can't be!" shouted the Grand Knight Gilda.

The more elemental slots of resonance, the stronger the knight will be. However, any knight who relies on refining potions and energy potions to advance is unlikely to resonate with more elemental levels, they have no potential for progress, and can only be a beginner-level trainee knight or knight. If Gerhardt's words are true, the effect of the recovery potion is miraculous.

At the signal of Duke Peter, Gerhardt silently operated his fighting spirit. The Silver Knight communicated with the Void Element, and the extraordinary knights of the Peter family naturally sensed that Gerhardt resonated with 17 elemental bits. There was an eerie silence in the conference room.

The advent of the recovery potion has greatly increased the strength of the family, and will also change the existing power structure.

Knights with low bloodlines can be promoted by drinking medicine, so how can they be embarrassed by the great knights who are naturally promoted. How should the new forces within the family be balanced?

The family's great knight's mentality of gaining and losing was all seen by Master Severin, he smiled slightly, pointed at the young nobleman and said: "Agem, 18 years old, a son of the Hoffman family of the Eastern Alliance, his knight's bloodline is very thin, and it took 9 top-grade refining potions to stimulate his fighting spirit. Later, he took 17 bottles of recovery potions, which resonated with 11 elemental positions, but the last wind elemental position remained untouched. This shows that the Recovery Potion cannot help the Knight cross the bloodline limit. ”

The five Grand Knights were silent, but the stiff atmosphere relaxed, and Severin's nephew smiled and asked, "Oh, what a pity...... Uncle, why is this happening?"

Master Severin said angrily, "The mass and total amount of Dou Qi, as well as the elemental bits, are all related to the bloodline. The fighting spirit of the high-blooded knight is like a lake, and the fighting spirit of the low-bloodline knight is like a water tank, and it is naturally easy to wash away the elemental level with the water volume of the lake, and the water tank can store so much water, how many elemental positions can it resonate with?Restore the balance of the four systems of the fighting qi stimulated by the potion, but the effect of the first bottle is the best, the effect of the second bottle is halved, the third bottle is halved, and the fourth bottle is useless, so you can only take three bottles in a row every day. The water tank is filled less than twice, and the total amount is still limited, but it is many times stronger than the energy potion!" Master Severin frowned, and said, "Haven't you discovered the true use of the recovery potion?"

The high-ranking knight of the Peter family was startled, and cast an inquiring glance at Duke Peter, who nodded slightly: "It has been tested, and the recovery potion can replenish the knight's fighting spirit in battle." It's a knight-only combat potion! It means that we, the high-ranking knights, have more lasting explosiveness. ”

Grand Knight Gilda lowered his eyelids and grasped the Mithril dagger at his waist. Duke Peter knocked on the table and said, "The recovery potion must be taken out and shared with the four major families!" Gilda let go of the dagger and shouted at the young nobleman's son, "Boy, you are very lucky!"

Young Akim was completely unaware that he was going around the gates of hell, and he saluted happily: "Thank you, Lord for cultivating." I swear allegiance to the Peter family!"

Duke Peter nodded and ordered, "Gerhardt, take Akim down to rest." ”

"Yes, my lord. Gerhardt saluted at the same time as Akeem, and walked out with his shoulders around him, "Go, lucky Agem." ”

The door closed again, and Duke Peter pondered for a moment before asking, "Master Severin, as far as I know, potions is born out of the Chosen One. If the recovery potion is the legacy of the Chosen One, why doesn't it require sorcery refining like potions?

"Are you trying to ask if there are any other families that have mastered the recovery potion?"

Duke Peter bowed slightly. Master Severin thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "I'm really not sure about this. The Church hides too many historical truths. Maybe the church didn't want to see the knightly nobles grow in strength, maybe the Chosen One deliberately suppressed the potential of the city-state knights, or maybe the Chosen One was overthrown as soon as the recovery potion was developed...... I think the sources of these three potions should give us some hints. ”

Peter turned his head and ordered, "Raymond, these three potions are very important. Tell the adults here where they came from. ”

"Yes, Father. Raymond stood up and said, "Three years ago, I made a mistake......

"Let's be more detailed. Duke Peter said lightly.

Seeing his father's unquestioning expression, Raymond gritted his teeth and said: "More than three years ago, I trusted the rumors of the housekeeper, thinking that reducing the number of elven bloodline nobles could stimulate the sword saint bloodline, so I sent someone to assassinate the elf bloodline nobles, and finally made a big mistake. My father stripped me of my inheritance, and the gang leader who did the work for me absconded. His name is Redbeard, and he is the leader of the Brotherhood of the Bloody Hand. Ten months ago, Redbeard infiltrated the island of Ogar, and he contacted me and brought me three ancient stone tablets. He hopes to use these ancient documents for a different way of life. According to him, the slabs were found by the Bloody Hand Brotherhood in a village near the Nydham Swamp, which made a living by gathering swamp produce. After a pause, he added, "There is no living place in the village." ”

"How can a gang leader sneak into the island of Ogar? he has such a great ability? his courage to throw himself into the net?In that case, why doesn't Redbeard take the slate and join the kingdom of Seuss?" asked Master Severin, rubbing his beard, puzzled.

The Grand Knights looked at each other, and the eldest Count Nicholas coughed dryly and explained, "Master, there are many gangs in the five ports on the north coast of the Borui Kingdom, and the most influential thieves' union is called the Kamen Brotherhood. ”

"The history of the Kamen Brotherhood is as long as our Borui Kingdom. Originally, it was an organization of displaced people supported by the Horsmorn family, and it was responsible for doing something shady. Later, the five major families also secretly interfered in the Kamen Brotherhood. This thief guild maneuvered between the five major families, but it grew stronger. Gradually, even the kingdom of Seuss and the Church Inquisition became inextricably linked to the Brotherhood of Kamen. Now, the Kamen Brotherhood's tentacles extend to all aspects of the Borui Kingdom and even the Eastern Alliance. And the Brotherhood of the Bloody Hand is a member of the Brotherhood of Kamen, and it is completely easy for Redbeard to infiltrate the island of Ogal with the help of the power of the Brotherhood of Kamen. ”

"As for why did Redbeard dare to come to his death...... The Brotherhood of the Bloody Hand has always been a close confidant of our Peter family. Redbeard knew very well that if the ancient documents were handed over to any force, he would be wiped out. The slate was handed over to our Peter family, and he had a chance to live. Moreover, the Kamen Brotherhood has a rule, which is to cooperate with the ruling family as much as possible. We, the Peter family, are in power, and the affairs of the Brotherhood of Kamen are naturally decided by bloody hands. ”

"Even the lowly outcasts are hungry for power. Outlaws like Redbeard certainly know what to choose. ”

Count Nicholas said, "Raymond, you should understand by now. You privately ordered the Brotherhood of Bloody Hand to assassinate the elven nobles, just in time for the Wizard of the Red Harbor incident. The Inquisition found out your identity through the Brotherhood of Kamen, and Queen Seuss knew that you killed her lover. His Majesty Eleano made a condition to Master Peter that he could not accept. In order to protect you, the adults stripped you of your inheritance and placed you on the island of Ogal. ”

The Great Knight Gilda also said: "Behind every elven blood noble, there is a great nobleman. You lost your inheritance by assassinating Queen Seuss's lover. If you kill the Queen of Rose's lover, I'm afraid our Peter family will be destroyed. ”

"Could it be that the Queen of Roses can break down the Southwind Fortress alone?" Raymond asked in disbelief as he pursed his lips.

"Not really. But we never want to go out!" Master Severin sighed and said, "Even if we don't leave the fortress, can you make the high-ranking knights of other families not leave the castle? They dare to offend the Divine Knights?The Divine Knights' strength is far inferior to her influence, which is enough to break the balance of the five major families, and even the Suss Kingdom will take advantage of the trend and turn the five major families into the four major families." ”

"The Divine Knight can actually subdue the five major families?"

"No, you can't. But we and the House of York will pay a heavy price. Duke Peter said: "However, the peak knight and even the legendary knight don't even have the ability to escape in front of the god knight! The original Empress of Iron Mountain may not be able to kill the city breaker Vulcan, but the sword saint Draven does not want his lover to take risks." Raymond, you must remember that the dignity of the Divine Knight is not to be offended. Forget that ridiculous rumor so you can live longer. ”

"Yes, Father. I will take your admonition to heart. Raymond lowered his head, he had no doubt about Duke Peter's will, but his heart was crying: "That man has taken away the power that belongs to me!"

"I have a question. Count Nicholas asked, "The boiling blood potion increases the combat power of the soldiers, the recovery potion increases the combat power of the knights, and the color-changing dye enhances the survivability of the knights' squad...... Isn't that too much of a coincidence?"

"It's because of the coincidence that it seems to be taken for granted. Duke Peter bowed his head and said: "Such an obvious coincidence, Redbeard will not fail to see it, and he dares to give us the slate to show that he does not know about it, so it is useless to kill him, but to keep him can find out the truth." Moreover, we can't refuse the Recovery Elixir, and no family can take the Recovery Elixir alone. Interests beyond our own capabilities will only crush the family, and we must understand the meaning of compromise and co-optation, otherwise the tragedy of the Ephesus and Wimbledon families will repeat itself in us. ”

"Your Excellency, you are right!" said Count Nicholas respectfully, "as long as you take it out and use it, you will not be able to keep the secret." Only the unity of the five major families can withstand external pressure, and we can calmly exchange the recovery potion for benefits. I now believe that it was really a coincidence that Redbeard got the ancient slate. ”

"Why do you think so, Lord Count?" asked Raymond in surprise.

Count Nikolai smiled: "No matter how powerful the outcast organization is, it cannot threaten the status of the knightly nobles. Because, our power comes from the elemental sea, rooted in the bloodline, just as we can't refuse the recovery potion, and the people can't refuse to become nobles. As soon as we nod our heads, the top of the displaced people's organizations will immediately come to us...... Of course, they will also come to the church. Extraordinary power is the reason why the knights and the church rule the people together. ”

"If behind Redbeard is a knightly nobleman, why should he take refuge in us, and if he is not a knightly nobleman, why should we worry?"

"Alright. Duke Peter waved his hand and said, "There are seven key medicinal materials in the recovery potion that are the specialties of the barbarians...... The question returned to Sophia. ”

"What are we going to do with this troublesome wild knight?"