Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence

## Chapter 115: Territory's Holy Ground - Tears of Leif (Bonus Mega-Chapter)

Standing by the newly formed lake, Su Li was astonished by the magnitude of the transformation before his eyes.

Just a few days ago, this was merely a simple reservoir, but now, it had become a vast lake, a brilliant pearl inlaid in this fertile land.

The lake was expansive, its surface shimmering. The water was crystal clear, revealing the sand and stones at the bottom and schools of fish darting freely in this new world. Occasionally, a few water birds skimmed across the lake, their reflections tracing elegant arcs on the water's surface.

The surrounding scenery had also become more magnificent with the expansion of the lake. The original low-lying soil had been submerged, and the verdant mountains were reflected on the lake, blurring the boundary between mountain and water.

Su Li's attention was drawn to a small island in the middle of the lake. It was a natural island left behind during the reservoir's expansion, as per Su Li's instructions to create channels from both sides. Several ancient trees stood proudly on top, their presence securing the soil in this area.

Su Li took a deep breath, the freshness of the lake water and the fragrance of the soil filling the air, bringing peace and joy to his heart.

He smiled and said to the ministers accompanying him, "Now that it's so magnificent, calling it a fish pond doesn't seem appropriate anymore. We should give it a beautiful name. Do you have any good suggestions?"

Fandar stroked his weathered beard and said slowly, "A name is easy to come by. But for a lake to be remembered, it needs a beautiful legend. We must combine the name with a legend to make it known throughout the territory."

That made sense, Su Li nodded slowly. Like the West Lake, which always evoked thoughts of the beautiful White Snake, Green Snake, and their heart-wrenching love story. Or Jiuquan, which reminded people of the invincible Champion Marquis and that magnificent era.

The depth of a territory was greatly related to its history and legends.

Su Li asked, "My erudite minister, do you have any good suggestions?"

Fandar thought for a moment and said, "My knowledge is shallow, and I've only come up with two for now. One could be called Silver Shield Lake."

"We can give it a legend related to you, Lord. The story would mainly recount the deeds of Lord Su Li, the knight. You are a respected lord, known for your justice and virtue. When you came to this land, it was a lake polluted by dark forces, the water murky, and the surrounding land barren."

"To purify this lake, the virtuous Lord Su Li, the knight, embarked on a journey to find the legendary Silver Shield. The Silver Shield is a divine artifact with the power of purification, said to be able to cleanse all evil and filth."

"After countless challenges and adventures, Sir Su Li finally found the Silver Shield in an ancient ruin. He brought the Silver Shield back to the lake and cast it into the water. Instantly, the lake water began to clear, and the surrounding land gradually recovered."

"From then on, this lake was named Silver Shield Lake to commemorate Lord Su Li's heroic deeds and the Silver Shield's magical power. Silver Shield Lake became a sacred site in the Black Forest Territory, its waters believed to have healing and purifying properties."

"Many knights and residents of the territory come here, hoping to receive the blessing of the Silver Shield. And a statue of the Lord, holding the Silver Shield, has been erected by the lake, guarding this lake and the peace of the territory."

"In the future, this legend can be passed down from generation to generation and become part of the Black Forest Territory's culture. Silver Shield Lake will become a symbol of courage and purity for the territory."

Su Li's eyes lit up. So, talent is the most important resource for any territory!

Fandar had only told a story of about three hundred words, yet he had sketched a powerful, heroic, and virtuous lord knight, a magnificent story, and a memorable history and culture.

In the future, except for the first batch of slaves who knew what was going on, all descendants of the Black Forest Territory would treat this fictional legend as historical fact.

The Lord's power, the territory's fantastical color, and its rich heritage – wouldn't that be great?

The only problem was that Su Li had to be thick-skinned, because at least in the early stages of his territory's development, he would have to face the laughter and discussion of some insiders. After all, many people knew how this lake was created.

Su Li then asked, "I need to think about this name. What's your other suggestion?"

"The other name is Lake Leiflin. 'Lin' in divine teachings is often associated with water and clarity, symbolizing the lake's clarity and purity. We can associate this lake with Knight Leif, giving it a beautiful legend. We can say that it was formed from the tears of Leif, the high priestess and holy knight of the powerful Sun Flame Church."

"In a war against the Green-skinned invasion, Leif sacrificed her life to protect the people of the territory. Her tears fell on the earth, forming this lake, and the lake water thus possessed powerful healing and purifying magic."

"Lake Leiflin has since become a sacred place in the hearts of the territory's residents. As long as the people pray to the lake with respect, they can receive the protection of the priestess. The land around the lake has also become fertile, with abundant harvests and rich fishing and hunting, making the territory more prosperous and powerful."

"In the future, as time passes, the name and legend of Lake Leiflin will be passed down from generation to generation in the territory, becoming an eternal symbol representing hope, life, and the goddess's grace."

"Excellent!" Su Li clapped his hands excitedly, his voice somewhat agitated, and said, "That's the name! And this name isn't really fabricated, just a slight embellishment of the facts and history!"

Indeed, not long after Leif's sacrifice, the territory excavated this beautiful lake. Calling it Tears of Leif was not an exaggeration.

More importantly, the various magical abilities that the legend attributed to it could actually be realized by this lake!

This was not an ordinary freshwater lake. Two magic tide river mussels had already been placed inside, and under the influence of the magic power pearls, the lake water was full of spiritual energy.

Washing the body with this lake water could speed up the healing of small wounds on the fingers and ordinary food poisoning.

The land irrigated with this lake water would definitely be more fertile! There was no doubt about that.

And as time went on, the energy gathered by the magic tide pearls would increase, and these effects would become stronger and stronger.

By then, the legend carefully crafted by Fandar would become a legend that generations in the territory deeply believed in.

In the future, the territory would definitely send a large number of troops to station here to protect the growing number of magical creatures, and it would be natural for this place to become the territory's holy ground.

Even the surrounding knights praised the name, and naming the lake after a sacrificed knight was undoubtedly very meaningful.

Moreover, this myth was so closely related to the magical abilities of the current lake that this beautiful name would surely make this lake famous throughout the entire Border Prince Territory. In the future, the lake's good name might even spread throughout the entire empire. In that case, this lake would be remembered by everyone, rather than being an ordinary, nameless freshwater lake.

Su Li couldn't help but smile and said, "Very good. Our territory finally has a landmark building and spectacle. In the future, when we go to Maleburg or other territories, when we talk about our Black Forest Territory, besides knights and war, we will also have a unique cultural landscape to talk about."

"This place must also live up to its name. How is the number of Lightscale Fish inside?"

Fandar immediately replied, "Fish can naturally become pregnant as long as the external conditions are suitable. Generally, larger fish have more eggs, and smaller fish have fewer eggs. The external conditions of Lake Leiflin are very suitable, and these Lightscale Fish are indeed quite large. The Lightscale Fish have already begun to lay eggs, at least tens of thousands of them."

So, it's good to have a talent. A druid who knows more about animals and nature can solve many misconceptions in knowledge.

If he hadn't introduced it, Su Li would have always thought that fish spawning was the same as humans, mainly affected by physiology.

But the reproduction of fish is actually most fundamentally affected by external environmental conditions. Although the stimulation of physiological functions (催靑) has a certain effect, it is not decisive. It can only promote the discharge of mature eggs and accelerate the maturation of eggs in the later stage of development.

Su Li immediately asked, "Then can these tens of thousands of eggs mature?"

If there were tens of thousands of Lightscale Fish, the territory would make a fortune.

Fandar explained with a smile, "This is a bit complicated to explain, so let me briefly summarize it. Fish eggs can usually be stored in the soil for a long time, waiting for the right conditions to grow, so there is a saying that grass seeds last a thousand years, and fish eggs last ten thousand years. The growth of Lightscale Fish requires enough energy, so most of these fish eggs will hide under the soil, and then gradually grow in batches."

Su Li nodded. He really knew this. Mainly because in his previous life, he had seen many fish species in the Yangtze River that had been declared extinct, but after the water quality improved, they reappeared one after another. This was because there were many fish eggs hidden in the soil at the bottom and banks of the river years ago. When the water pollution was severe, they could not grow. When the water quality improved and the external conditions were suitable, they quietly developed again.

As long as the spiritual energy content of the lake water in Lake Leiflin can be continuously improved, there is basically no need to worry about the extinction of Lightscale Fish. Even if one or two are stolen, they will grow in batches in the future.

This made Su Li very gratified. What is the sense of security of farming? This is the stability and security brought by farming! There is no need to worry about having one meal and not knowing where the next one is coming from like hunting and fishing.

At the same time, he asked with a smile, "Does this mean that we can already slaughter a few Lightscale Fish in batches?"

Fandar nodded, and then answered cautiously, "But I still suggest you wait a little longer and let them reproduce for a longer period of time. Also, keep enough large fish to ensure that you can respond to unexpected needs."

Su Li thought for a moment, and followed his advice, saying, "Okay, I will listen to your suggestion and keep them for now."

Su Li originally wanted to slaughter one, but considering that the territory is not yet very prosperous, he decided to postpone it for two or three months, and slaughter it after the territory's population increases and a large number of caravans visit. In two or three months, there should be Lightscale Fish fry.

As a druid, Fandar naturally did not want to kill living beings. He was immediately happy when he received Su Li's promise, laughed loudly, and then said, "This magic tide river mussel is really a good thing. With them, the ecology here has rapidly improved, and the level of spiritual energy has significantly increased. It would be great if we could get a few more."

"I will pay attention to the issue of magic tide river mussels." Su Li nodded, then led Fandar to the lake, looking at the snails, frogs, tadpoles, etc. swimming inside, and asked, "Can the ecology here support the survival of so many fish? How is the degree of improvement?"

This was, after all, an excavated artificial lake, and there was nothing in it before.

Su Li was also curious. If a pond is dug on a piece of land, will there be fish in it if no fish are put in? How does it form its own natural ecosystem?

Fandar pointed to the groups of tadpoles in the lake and said, "Currently, we only need to put a little grain into the fish pond every day. The ecology here has begun to gradually form. Do you see these tadpoles? Late spring and early summer are the seasons when tadpoles reproduce in large numbers."

Su Li nodded. Of course, he knew this situation. Anyone who has ever fished should know how common tadpoles and frogs are in summer.

Fandar said, "In addition to the fish that we put into this lake, toads and forest frogs are among the first animals to come to this lake. Toad reproduction is a typical herd behavior. When one toad comes here, a large number of toads will come to mate and lay eggs. Young people who have had rural experience should actually have this impression. Every spring, not to mention such large lakes, even newly formed puddles on the side of the road after rain, frogs may lay eggs in them."

"In addition to toads and forest frogs, various swans and birds are frequent visitors here. They carry a large number of microorganisms into the small lake through their feathers and feet, even including fish eggs from nearby lakes. With the first one, there will soon be thousands of them. There are already more than a dozen kinds of fish in the lake now."

"With enough herbivorous fish, carnivorous fish will soon be able to survive and reproduce. Some plants that accidentally fall into the water, or tall trees, will also become their new habitats. For example, snails, large schools of fish, and some large fish will use this place as their hunting ground."

"At the same time, such abundant fish will also feed a large number of other small animals and birds, enriching the ecosystem around the lake. Birds will bring more algae, vegetation seeds, and fish eggs. Eventually, plankton, shrimp, insects, fish, small animals, snakes, birds, and even large animals will form a progressive and prosperous ecosystem on the lake."

After listening, Su Li couldn't help but his eyes shining, praising the magic of nature. No wonder so many people are obsessed with the natural school.

Just listening to Fandar's explanation, he seemed to see a grand performance of life and nature. He couldn't imagine how much those druids would enjoy it if they witnessed all this with their own eyes.

And Su Li was of course greatly encouraged to develop the territory from scratch to such prosperity.

He then turned his attention to the surroundings of the lake. In addition to the natural ecology here, the territory's engineering construction here has also been quite successful.

Lest anyone accuse me of padding with a mere 300 words about Silver Shield Lake, here's an extra 1200 words today. The main reason is that when I was thinking about the lake's name, I recalled this story and felt it strongly resonated with the historical depth and cultural flavor of the knight's territory. Abandoning it felt like a shame, so I decided to use it to enrich the world-building.