22: Has this world gone mad?!

"cotton!"

Lister looked at the snow-white cotton on the withered branch in his hand, his face filled with pleasant surprise.

He had been in this world for so many days, and he had always found the warming items used by people a bit strange.

From his personal experience, he felt that nobles seemed to only use animal furs and some difficult-to-make silk floss for warm clothing... while the poor commoners in the territory used very cheap plant fibers, such as hemp, kudzu, or other plant floss, and even more common straw, but never cotton.

Therefore, he had assumed that cotton simply didn't exist in this world, but who knew he would discover it today.

"Since cotton exists, why isn't it used to make warm clothing?" Lister wondered aloud, murmuring to himself.

Although cotton's warmth retention was slightly inferior to animal furs, it was far superior to those plant fibers.

Moreover, cotton was much cheaper than animal furs, which could be seen from the fact that only nobles and the wealthy used animal furs.

Not only that, but the output of the two was not on the same level at all. If it was only to supply a small number of people, then animal furs would certainly be better... but for a large human kingdom, it would definitely not be enough, and the acquisition of animal furs was not as safe and stable.

cotton, on the other hand, had none of these drawbacks. It could be planted over large areas, had high yields, provided strong warmth, and most importantly, it was cheap, making it the best choice for ordinary people.

"Could it be..." Lister thought about this, muttering uncertainly, "Could it be that no one knows that cotton can be used to make warm items?"

"If that's really the case..."

Lister's expression brightened. If the actual situation was indeed the same as his thoughts, then he could really make a good play of it.

Currently, the development of Ironthorn Territory could be said to be very limited, with its potential visible at a glance. The largest production resource was only Cultivated Land, and there were no other resources such as various minerals or fisheries.

Lister had not found any hidden resources of this type within the territory during his inspections.

Without additional resources, the territory would have no capital for external trade, and thus could not earn money.

If the territory couldn't make money, Lister couldn't make money. He had previously reduced the lord's tax by 20%, and now he was so desperate for money that he was losing hair.

However, just thinking about it was useless. The money within the territory was fixed, and self-circulation would only decrease it, not increase it. Therefore, to make money, he definitely had to earn it from outsiders.

In this situation, simply relying on farming was completely insufficient, so he had to start from other aspects. cotton, whose use was very likely unknown to others, was an excellent starting point.

If it could be widely planted, then made into warm items and sold externally, it would definitely bring a considerable income to the territory.

"Phew! No rush, no rush, I need to confirm my idea is sound first." Lister let out a long breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart... First-floor hall.

As Lister, holding a cotton plant, walked down the stairs, he heard Thomas's surprised voice.

"Young Master Lister, you actually obtained a baoyang flower."

"baoyang flower?" Lister was stunned for a moment before realizing, "Are you talking about this in my hand?"

Thomas respectfully replied, "Yes, Young Master Lister, the baoyang flower is called such because its color is snow-white and it's soft like lamb's wool."

"Some nobles in the kingdom are very fond of it and plant it in their manors for appreciation."

"However, due to its high planting difficulty and tendency to die easily, its selling price is not low, costing 1 silver coin per plant."

"1 silver coin!" Lister exclaimed.

Has this world gone mad!

In his previous life, cotton was very cheap and had no ornamental value, but now in this world, it had become a high-class ornamental item and even had a nice name.

Not to mention anything else, just in Ironthorn Territory, a farmer's daily income was only 3 copper coins. 1 silver coin would take more than a month of working without eating or drinking to earn.

He even had a crazy thought now: wouldn't he get rich by planting a large amount of cotton and selling it directly to those nobles?

However, this idea was quickly extinguished, because as soon as he sold warm items made from this cotton, its true nature would inevitably be discovered by those with ulterior motives.

At that time, if those nobles discovered that their beloved 'high-class item' suddenly became a common commodity that even lowly commoners could use freely, they would absolutely not let Lister, the mastermind behind all this, off the hook.

Of course, even if he couldn't make a fortune from these nobles, if he could sell cotton products throughout the entire kingdom, he would definitely earn no less than he would from the nobles.

However, this kind of monopolistic money-making method would definitely be coveted by other nobles, and with his current power, he would absolutely not be able to hold onto it.

"This is indeed a problem. It seems I need to plan carefully," Lister mused, stroking his chin.

Thomas, seeing him deep in thought, did not speak, waiting respectfully.

Soon, Lister, having returned to his senses, said no more and happily enjoyed his sumptuous dinner... Nighttime, training ground.

Lister had originally intended for Red to rest and practice his skills tomorrow, but seeing Red's insistence on guidance, he no longer refused.

Although there was only a one-word difference between 'artistry' and 'skill' in this world, they were worlds apart.

Artistry primarily involved the practice and refinement of martial arts, focusing on physical comprehension and supplemented by Spiritual Power comprehension.

For example, when cultivated to a profound level, if someone attacks you, your body can automatically block or dodge; this is the essence of artistry cultivation.

It could be said that artistry was similar to physical attacks in games, but as one cultivated further, one gained the ability to release Battle Qi.

Skill cultivation, on the other hand, was based on Battle Qi, primarily focusing on Spiritual Power comprehension. By comprehending various natural elemental energies in the air, and then combining them with Battle Qi, one could release substantial, destructive energy.

As for which was easier or harder, there was no clear definition; it depended on which aspect the cultivator had higher comprehension talent.

The skill Lister was learning to cultivate today was a family sword skill – Flame Cross Slash.

Skills and Breathing Techniques had the same quality grade classification, and Flame Cross Slash was of common quality.

Although it was only common, its power was still formidable once mastered.

Before cultivating, Red explained, "Young Master Lister, although our Knights' Spiritual Power is not as strong as that of Mages, we do possess it."

"To successfully cultivate Flame Cross Slash, you first need to mobilize your Spiritual Power to sense the fire elemental energy floating in the air..."

"This step is similar to a Mage's comprehension, but we Knights do not need to absorb it into our bodies. Instead, the moment we sense it, we use Spiritual Power to connect it with Battle Qi."

"Then, we cause the two to intertwine and fuse, and successfully release them through various conduits, such as spears, swords, or other weapons. That is when Flame Cross Slash is considered to be mastered."

"Next, I will demonstrate first, Young Master Lister, please watch..."