Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Blind Girl Cai’er (Part One)
In the first match of the preliminary round for the Demon Hunter Selection Tournament held at the Knight Temple, Long Haochen, contestant number ninety-seven, faced off against contestant number twenty-nine, a young knight. With the referee’s announcement, the battle officially commenced.
Upon hearing the referee’s signal to begin, the knight wearing silver armor, contestant number twenty-nine, did not hesitate. Standing firmly in place, he traced patterns of golden light with his hand to summon his mount.
Any knight eligible to participate in the Demon Hunter Selection Tournament must have broken through to the third tier before the age of twenty; therefore, they all possess the experience of having ascended the Knight Sacred Mountain.
On the other side, however, Long Haochen took an action that surprised everyone. He stood rooted like a nail, making no move to summon a mount. Instead, he held his shield before his chest with his left hand while angling his heavy sword toward the ground with his right. Surrounding his body, a ring of golden mist surged upward, curling gracefully as it rose, creating an exceptionally strange spectacle.
A skill common to both Guardian Knights and Punishment Knights: Charge.
Upon seeing this skill, even the dignitaries in the grandstand could not help but emit a series of soft exclamations. This was because Charge did not belong to the fourth-rank category; it was a skill that only fifth-rank Earth Knights or Sky Knights could learn.
As a mist of light rose around his body, the Radiant Shield and Light Sword in Long Haochen’s hands began to glow brightly. The dense fluctuation of spiritual energy continued to climb, and beneath the veil of that golden luminous fog, his entire figure appeared as though cast from pure gold.
Within the competitors’ resting area, a trace of astonishment flickered in Ye Hua’s eyes; he had never taught Long Haochen this skill. To be precise, even he, a Earth Knight, did not possess knowledge of this technique.
Power Charging was not an ordinary skill that any knight could master, but rather one of the secret techniques of the Knight Temple.
At this moment, Long Haochen’s opponent had already summoned their mount: a steed snow-white from head to hoof, its four hooves resembling fresh snow. This was a level-four magical beast, the Snow Spirit Horse.
The Snow Spirit Horse’s greatest characteristic is its incredible speed, running as if flying, and it possesses two innate ice-attribute skills. Among tier-four magical beasts, it ranks as a high-level existence.
Seeing the radiant mist surging around Long Haochen’s body, contestant number twenty-nine was momentarily stunned. What kind of skill is this? He did not recognize the ability Long Haochen was currently employing at all.
Among knight secret techniques, the Charging skill is considered rather mediocre; therefore, even when knights have accumulated sufficient merit points, very few choose to learn this skill.
Faced with an unfamiliar skill, contestant number twenty-nine naturally exercised extreme caution. He sprang up, mounted his Snow Spirit Horse, but did not charge directly toward Long Haochen immediately. Instead, the Snow Spirit Horse galloped with its hooves churning, circling around to the side.
Long Haochen seemed to pay him no attention whatsoever, standing motionless without even turning around; yet the golden light emanating from his body continued to intensify.
In merely a few breaths’ time, Number Twenty-Nine had maneuvered to Long Haochen’s side. Seeing that his opponent hadn’t moved at all, an intense sense of unease suddenly surged within him. Finally, he chose to charge. A faint white mist seemed to emanate beneath the hooves of his Snow Spirit Horse, its speed increasing dramatically as it shot forward like a streak of white light, heading straight for Long Haochen from the flank.
Number Twenty-Nice raised the heavy sword in his hand, sequentially casting the Aura of Faith and the Gift of Protection upon himself. Simultaneously, the heavy sword in his grip began to glow. Golden light shimmered as spiritual energy fluctuated unpredictably along the blade’s edge, showcasing his fourth-tier cultivation.
As he closed in until less than ten meters away from Long Haochen, the Snow Spirit Horse beneath him suddenly veered sideways. When only five meters remained, he changed direction once more, slashing downward with his heavy sword through the air. A blade of light erupted from the sword’s edge—precisely the Light Slash Sword technique—charging directly toward Long Haochen’s side.
Unsure of what skill Long Haochen was employing, the twenty-ninth knight, erring on the side of caution, launched a probing attack first.
Even so, in this probing assault, he maximized his advantages. Mist surged beneath the hooves of his Snow Spirit Horse as it drifted toward Long Haochen. This was the Snow Spirit Horse’s innate ability, Ice Fog, which reduced an opponent’s speed and weakened their attacks. Against foes with lower cultivation, it could even freeze them solid.
It was precisely at this moment that Long Haochen, who had been standing motionless until now, finally made his move. He half-turned and raised his shield horizontally.
With a loud clang, the Light Slash Sword struck fiercely against the Radiant Shield in Long Haochen’s hands, while a layer of golden light instantly flared across his body.
Divine Guard.
Almost immediately afterward, Long Haochen’s sword, now completely suffused with brilliant golden light, slashed outward. It too was the Light Slash Sword.
The same skill, when wielded by different individuals, produces entirely different effects.
The Light Slash Sword cleaved by Knight No. 29 appeared merely in a pale golden hue, which is the normal color typically manifested by this technique. Yet the slash unleashed by Long Haochen blazed with a brilliant gold. Moreover, this radiant golden blade was more than twice the size of his opponent’s earlier Light Slash Sword.
The icy mist before him seemed split cleanly apart, parting along both sides of Long Haochen’s body. The angle at which the brilliant golden blade was calculated was exquisitely precise, landing exactly on the path the Snow Spirit Horse was bound to take.
Knight No. 29 was struck with alarm; he immediately crouched low and threw himself forward to block the brilliant golden blade. For a knight, their mounted companion is their second life. Seeing that Long Haochen’s Light Slash Sword far exceeded anything within his understanding, how could he fail to sense the impending crisis?
Bang—
The shield, along with No. 29’s arm, slammed violently into the side of the Snow Spirit Horse’s neck. The horse let out a mournful cry, its forward-rushing body swerving sharply before toppling sideways.
No. 29 had thrown everything he had into that block; truly worthy of an elite capable of participating in the Demon Hunter Squad selection trials, he still managed to deploy a Holy Light Infused Shield at the critical moment.
However, the power behind Long Haochen’s strike was simply too immense, far exceeding the normal scope of a Light Slash Sword. The Holy Light Infused Shield shattered instantly, and large cracks spread across No. 29’s shield itself. The force also caused him to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Charge.
Long Haochen perfectly embodied the essence of “still as a maiden, swift as a fleeing rabbit,” charging forward with all his might like a bolt of golden lightning toward his opponent.
The Snow Spirit Horse was indeed magnificent; even under such circumstances, it struggled to stabilize its body, stumbling forward a few desperate steps. Though its body had already tilted, it ultimately did not collapse outright.
Unfortunately, at that very moment, Long Haochen arrived.
Shield Bash Charge.
The heavy sword wielded by Number Twenty-Nine slashed out, attempting to block Long Haochen. However, he had already been injured from the previous exchange, and his left arm, which held the shield, was completely numb, severely hampering his offensive capabilities.
With a sharp clang, the heavy sword was deflected upward by the Radiant Shield, which immediately slammed violently into the side of the Snow Spirit Horse.
Bang—
The Snow Spirit Horse, along with Knight Number Twenty-Nine, crashed heavily to the ground. Due to their momentum, they even skidded forward several meters.
Harnessing the recoil from the collision, Long Haochen halted abruptly, shifted direction, and in a flash of movement appeared before his opponent. His heavy sword extended forward, its tip pressing against the chest armor of his foe.
Number Twenty-Nine appeared utterly dazed. The Snow Spirit Horse had collapsed, and combined with the earlier impact, it had sustained minor injuries. More importantly, its master was now completely devoid of any strength to resist.

The Blind Girl, Cai’er (Part Two)
Contestant No. 29 stood stunned because he had never imagined being defeated so swiftly. Moreover, his opponent was a youth who clearly appeared much younger than himself. What made it even harder for him to accept was that the match had ended before his adversary had even summoned a mount.
“First match: Victory to No. 97. No. 29 is eliminated.” The referee, having appeared before them unnoticed, declared the verdict in a grave tone.
Long Haochen sheathed his sword and stood upright. After exchanging a knight’s salute with both No. 29 and the referee, he proceeded toward the resting area.
The match lasted less than a minute from start to finish. Many of the knight contestants watching hadn’t even clearly seen what happened before it was already over. Long Haochen, whose handsome features belied his youthful appearance, achieved a complete victory.
When Long Haochen returned to the resting area, the gazes of the knights fixed upon him had noticeably changed.
Among the dozen or so individuals seated on the main podium, an elder positioned at the very center nodded slightly. “This child is impressive. It’s just unknown what his mount is.”
Another elder beside him remarked, “He appears to be wearing a Ring of Inheritance on his hand. It seems this year’s selection tournament will be quite worth watching. Those few fifth-rank youngsters haven’t even appeared yet, but we’ve already witnessed Momentum Gathering and Divine Shield Blocking. Quite interesting.”
The elder in the center smiled slightly and said, “Skills are not the key; calmness is. From the very moment the match began, child number ninety-seven was already calculating his opponent’s moves. Number twenty-nine probably doesn’t even recognize the Charging skill; otherwise, he wouldn’t have failed to launch an attack immediately. The Charging skill accumulates spiritual energy over time, increasing its power accordingly. However, it grants only a single strike, which must be unleashed within three seconds after ending the charge; otherwise, all the accumulated spiritual energy goes to waste.”
The elder beside him smiled and added, “Indeed! This child even utilized the Light Retribution effect from Divine Guard, further elevating the power of his charged Light Slash Sword. That single strike reached the offensive strength of a fourth or fifth-grade Earth Knight. Judging by his appearance, he’s certainly under twenty years old. I seem to already see the future leader who will represent our Knight Temple in the selection tournament five years from now. Go ask which city this child comes from.”
“Yes.” From the row of people seated behind them, a middle-aged man respectfully acknowledged and quietly departed.
“Haochen, you’re amazing!” Li Xin, seeing Long Haochen achieve victory right from the start, felt even happier than if she herself had won. She hugged him tightly and planted a kiss on his cheek, turning Long Haochen’s face bright red.
Ye Hua said expressionlessly, “You revealed yourself too early. Even without using Divine Defense Blockade, that contestant number twenty-nine shouldn’t have been your match; his cultivation level wouldn’t exceed that of a fourth-rank Grand Knight.”
Long Haochen smiled bitterly, “Teacher, I forgot to tell you: Haoyue had some matters to attend to and returned to its own dimension.”
“What?” Ye Hua was startled inwardly. “Haoyue isn’t here? At such a critical moment, why did it leave instead? Hasn’t it always been extremely attached to you?”
Long Haochen said, “It was for that stone sphere I mentioned to you. It seems to value whatever lies within the sphere and has taken it back to its own space.”
Ye Hua frowned deeply. “No wonder you made such a choice. You are misleading your opponents, keeping them unaware of your true cultivation level, forcing them to remain wary of your mount’s potential release in subsequent matches. This is actually beneficial; without relying on your mount, you will better hone your own abilities. However, the coming matches will likely be arduous. The preliminary rounds are even more ruthless than the finals. With each battle, your opponents will grow stronger. You might even face adversaries at the fifth rank, so prepare yourself mentally.”
Long Haochen nodded firmly. “Master, I will definitely break into the top ten.”
Ye Hua said, “Very well, go back and cultivate for now.”
Long Haochen had originally intended to watch Li Xin’s match before leaving, but upon hearing this, he was momentarily stunned.
Ye Hua said indifferently, “There’s no need to watch the upcoming matches. Practical experience must be gained through actual combat; merely watching is useless. Moreover, today is only the first day. You needn’t worry about Xin’er either. She has the Rose Unicorn; if she can’t even make it through the first match, then I suppose Nalan Fatty might as well step down.”
While they were speaking, the second match had already begun in the arena. Just as Ye Hua had said, because there were so many matches on the first day, they followed one another in rapid succession. The referee was still the same one as before.
After casting an apologetic glance at Li Xin, Long Haochen left his seat and headed straight back to the hotel.
Stepping out of the Holy Alliance’s Grand Trial Arena, Long Haochen let out a long breath. Although his victory had appeared effortless, in truth, he had been extremely nervous. This battle not only secured his passage through the first round but also bolstered his confidence.
The sky was overcast today, gloomy and heavy, as if rain could fall at any moment. Glancing at the weather, Long Haochen headed toward the hotel where he was staying.
The pills Lin Xin had given him proved remarkably effective. Having already consumed four of the pills that supposedly increased internal spiritual energy by ten points daily, he found they worked exactly as described, greatly enhancing his daily cultivation progress.
However, for Long Haochen, these pills did not merely boost his internal spiritual energy by ten points; the increase was far greater. He didn’t know precisely how much more, but cultivating after taking such a pill yielded at least double the internal spiritual energy gain compared to his usual training.
In just these few days, coupled with the potential unleashed from his earlier slaying of the Emerald Twin-Blade Demons, Long Haochen’s internal spiritual energy has already surpassed the 1,750 mark. He can be certain that he is now a genuine Grade Nine Grand Knight.
At the final stage of each rank, the leap in spiritual energy required is always the greatest. For instance, a Grade Four Grand Knight needs only 150 points of spiritual energy for each of the first nine advancements, yet breaking through from Grade Nine to the Earth Knight realm demands a full increase of 250 points.
Ye Hua set a goal for Long Haochen, and he likewise set one for himself. His objective is to strive for a place among the top ten in the finals, not merely in the preliminary rounds.
Nevertheless, Long Haochen himself feels some regret; if Haoyue were here, he would be confident of achieving an excellent result in the finals. But now, he can rely only on himself.
As he walked toward the hotel, Long Haochen pondered what tactics he should employ in his upcoming match. Just then, he heard a strange sound.
“Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap…”
Instinctively looking up, Long Haochen saw someone—more precisely, a young girl.
The young girl had long purple hair simply tied back, with a black veil covering her face and concealing her features. Her eyes were exposed yet appeared grayish-white, devoid of any spark. The peculiar tapping sound came from the green bamboo staff in her hand as she lightly tapped it continuously against the ground.
The girl was slightly shorter than Long Haochen, even appearing somewhat frail. She cautiously moved forward, using her green bamboo staff to probe the path ahead. Judging by her demeanor, she seemed to be exerting great effort.
“Little sister, where are you heading? Let me help you,” Long Haochen quickened his steps, approaching the girl and asking with concern. Upon seeing the lifelessness in her eyes, his heart ached. If someone loses their sight, then for them, the world holds only one color. How tragic that must be! Witnessing the girl’s condition immediately stirred Long Haochen’s compassion.

The Blind Girl Cai’er (Part Three)
As Long Haochen spoke, he transferred the sword to his left hand and reached out with his right to steady the girl’s green bamboo staff. The girl halted abruptly; suddenly, a chill rising from the depths of his soul washed over Long Haochen, who stood beside her. Almost instinctively, he released the bamboo staff.
“No need.” The girl’s voice was cold, yet not like Ye Hua’s coldness. Ye Hua was cold on the outside but warm within. But the feeling this girl evoked in Long Haochen was an icy stillness bordering on death itself, as if her entire being lacked even a trace of vitality.
“Let me help you. I’ll walk you home,” Long Haochen said, trying to make his voice as gentle as possible.
“I already said, no need,” the young girl replied coldly, before continuing forward.
Long Haochen stood where he was, watching the girl’s figure gradually recede into the distance. Suddenly, a sense of oppression settled in his heart; he wasn’t sure whether it stemmed from his inability to help her or from something else entirely.
Gently shaking his head, Long Haochen sighed inwardly. A blue light flickered on the Forget-Me-Not ring on his finger as he stored the luminous sword of the Radiant Shield within it. Then, with long strides, he headed toward his inn.
Just as he sheathed his weapon, the young girl struggling forward ahead suddenly halted and whipped around.
“Hey,” the girl called out softly, a hint of warmth tempering the ice in her voice.
Long Haochen was heading in the same direction and happened to be passing by her; hearing her call, he immediately stopped in his tracks.
The girl raised her right hand toward Long Haochen. “Could you trouble yourself to escort me for a while?”
Long Haochen was momentarily stunned by the girl’s sudden change and instinctively replied, “Alright.” As he spoke, he raised his left hand and took hold of her slender, fair little hand.
The girl’s hand was soft, as tender as fresh tofu. Her five slender, fair fingers seemed carved from fine jade. Held in his palm, a gentle warmth immediately spread through him—a comfort Long Haochen had never experienced before.
The young girl clasped Long Haochen’s hand, her soft and delicate fingers gently brushing against the Forget-Me-Not ring on his left middle finger.
Long Haochen’s face flushed slightly; he had reached the age where romantic feelings begin to stir. Holding the girl’s tender little hand, his heartbeat quickened involuntarily.
Though the girl wore a veil that concealed her expression, the moment her fingers touched the Forget-Me-Not ring, her other hand instinctively clenched, and her slender body tensed ever so slightly.
Preoccupied by the strange sensation in his heart, Long Haochen’s perception dulled significantly, causing him to completely miss the subtle shift in the girl’s emotions.
“Where do you live?” Long Haochen struggled to calm his emotions before asking the young girl.
The girl replied, “Go forward seventy-six zhang, turn right and walk thirty-eight zhang, then turn left and proceed twenty-three zhang; you’ll arrive.”
Long Haochen felt a stir in his heart. He wasn’t surprised by the girl’s precise estimation of distances; rather, he felt even greater compassion. For her to judge distances so accurately, one could only imagine how much effort she must have exerted. At that moment, the softest part of his heart was deeply touched.
Instinctively, he tightened his grip on the girl’s hand and slowly began walking forward.
The two walked forward in silence, moving slowly. Yet for some reason, Long Haochen felt a warmth stirring within his heart. It was the first time he had ever held a girl’s hand while walking; although his intention was merely to help her, he found himself wishing they could continue like this forever.
The young girl’s aura was cold, yet she remained perfectly quiet and composed. Following Long Haochen’s lead step by step, her long purple hair drifted gently in the breeze, and Long Haochen could almost sense a touch of tenderness emanating from her.
“What… what is your name?” the young girl suddenly asked.
“Huh?” Long Haochen was startled and quickly averted his gaze from the young girl’s face. Although he knew she couldn’t see, he still felt somewhat embarrassed at that moment.
“My name is Long Haochen. And yours?”
“My name is Cai’er,” the young girl said softly, her voice so light that only Long Haochen could hear it.
“What a beautiful name. Cai’er, is your home here in the Holy City?”
Cai’er gently shook her head and said, “I live in a city to the east of the Alliance, not here. I’ve come this time to attend to some matters.”
Long Haochen’s brows furrowed slightly as he asked, “Then what about your family? How could they feel at ease letting you go out alone?”
Cai’er replied indifferently, “I can take care of myself.”
Gazing into her eyes, utterly devoid of any spark, Long Haochen felt as though something had lodged in his throat, rendering him speechless.
“What’s wrong?” Cai’er, having heard no response from Long Haochen for quite some time, turned toward him with a hint of surprise.
Long Haochen gently shook his head. “Nothing.” He had nearly blurted out an offer to take care of her, but ultimately held himself back. After all, he currently possessed neither the ability nor the right to make such a promise, and it would have been far too presumptuous. Nevertheless, his heart ached sincerely for this young lady, Cai’er, who had lost her sight.
Cai’er halted her steps, prompting Long Haochen, whose mood had grown somewhat heavy, to stop as well.
“What’s the matter?” Long Haochen asked, looking at her.
Cai’er said, “I have arrived.”
Long Haochen was startled, only then realizing that he should have been leading Cai’er, yet now it seemed she was the one guiding him.
“I’m sorry, I…” Long Haochen said awkwardly.
Cai’er gently shook her head and softly withdrew her hand from his grasp. “Thank you.”
Long Haochen looked up; this was also a hotel, and quite close to the one where he was staying.
“Let me escort you inside,” Long Haochen said.
Cai’er shook her head again. “No need, I can manage.”
Long Haochen scratched his head. “Goodbye. Take care.” Although he knew clearly that Cai’er couldn’t see him, he still waved at her before turning to leave toward the hotel where he was staying.
Cai’er did not return directly to the hotel. Instead, she stood quietly there, facing the direction in which Long Haochen had departed. Beneath her veil, the corners of her lips curved into a faint smile.
“It really is him. That fool. Of course! It’s been several years; how could he possibly recognize me? Back then, I lost my sense of taste and the ability to speak. Now, I have lost my sight. Long Haochen, Long Haochen!” After making certain she had firmly memorized that name, she slowly clenched the hand that Long Haochen had previously held, tapped her green bamboo staff against the ground, and headed back to the hotel.
Long Haochen returned to his room, yet the image of that blind girl lingered persistently in his mind. Even after sitting cross-legged, he remained unable to enter a meditative state for quite some time.
“It seems my choice to become a Guardian Knight was indeed correct; in this world, there are far too many people who need protecting.” Long Haochen sighed softly, swallowed a pill given to him by Lin Xin to calm his mind, and gradually entered a state of cultivation.
The first day of the preliminary round for the Demon Hunter Team Selection Tournament had thus begun. While Long Haochen returned to the hotel to rest, more contestants were still fiercely engaged in their matches.
On this very first day of competition, half of the participants would have to leave, eliminated from the tournament.
At the Magic Temple’s trial grounds, Lin Xin lounged casually in the spectator seats, watching the matches unfold in the arena. He felt not a trace of nervousness, instead observing the other competitors around him with keen interest.
He was seated in the front row of the contestants’ area, with only two others beside him—one man and one woman.
“Gentlefolk, are you interested in medicinal pills?” Lin Xin asked the man and woman beside him with a smile.
The two young mages looked at him with puzzled expressions, their eyes betraying a hint of wariness.

The Blind Girl Cai’er (Part Four)
Lin Xin smiled slightly and said, “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lin Xin, from Aimei City. Since we’re all at the fifth rank, why not become friends? With our strength, breaking into the top ten is absolutely no problem. Besides being a mage, I’m also a potion master. Look, these are pills I’ve refined myself.”
As he spoke, Lin Xin pulled a crystal vial from his robe and shook it. Yet beneath his eyes lurked a glint of cunning. Silently, he thought to himself, “With my potions, I’m invincible under heaven!”
Priest Temple Trial Grounds.
“Bang!” Sima Xian swung his heavy staff in a sweeping strike, sending his opponent flying violently. Immediately afterward, a Hammer of Holy Light shot forth, hovering above the fallen foe’s head.
“Give up.”
His opponent was a young man whose face had turned extremely pale, staring at Sima Xian in disbelief. “You… what exactly are you, a priest or a warrior? Referee, this isn’t fair!”
Whether in the priests’ resting area or on the main platform of the Priest Temple’s trial grounds, all the dignitaries present now wore expressions of utter astonishment.
“If you don’t surrender, I’ll smash you.” The Hammer of Holy Light dipped slightly lower.
“I… I surrender…”
Sima Xian withdrew his staff and slammed it heavily onto the ground, producing a dull thud that even made the referee’s expression change. Without looking back or touching his bald head, Sima Xian walked straight toward the resting area.
Warrior Temple Trial Grounds.
Chen Chen stood there with a bitter expression, unable to believe what he had just faced. Although he hadn’t held much hope for advancing, suffering such a crushing defeat in the first round still weighed heavily on his heart. More importantly, he had been defeated by a shield warrior.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t break through his opponent’s defense; rather, his opponent countered attack with attack, defeating him in just three moves and forcing him to concede.
The shield warrior facing Chen Chen was a young woman. She stood about 1.7 meters tall, with long black hair neatly tied into a ponytail and a slender figure. Her brows exuded an air of heroic spirit.
Judging by appearance alone, no one would guess that this slender young girl is a warrior. Yet beside her stands an oversized tower shield, standing 1.8 meters tall and 1.2 meters wide, resembling a bed board. This is her sole weapon—a massive object undoubtedly weighing no less than five hundred jin—which, just moments ago against Chen Chen, she wielded with effortless mastery, flipping it up and down as if it were an extension of her own arms.
On the podium of the Warrior Temple’s trial grounds, a powerfully built elder stared in astonishment. “Is this girl a Shield Warrior or a Berserker? No, wait—I’d say she’s more like an Axe Warrior! Did you see that? She just wielded that tower shield as if it were a heavy axe. Who on earth trained this little monster?”
The preliminary round of the Demon Hunter Team Selection Tournament on the first day continued until dusk before finally concluding. The last competition to finish was not the Warrior Temple, which had the largest number of participants, but rather the Magic Temple.
After the first round of elimination matches concluded, the judges from the various Holy Temples seated on the main platform shared a common impression: freaks appeared in every tournament, but this year there were exceptionally many. In just one day of competition, numerous bizarre contestants had emerged.
It was rumored that in the Temple of Soul, a mere fourth-rank Summoner had somehow managed to summon an eighth-rank Cerberus from Hell, directly frightening his opponent into fainting.
However, the elite participants from the six major Holy Temples currently had no mood to investigate such news. Each one rushed back to their lodgings to rest as quickly as possible. The brutality of the preliminary rounds lay not only in the elimination format but, more importantly, in the consecutive matches. Regardless of when a contestant’s match ended on the first day, they would have to continue competing the next day. This placed an immense test on the participants’ recovery abilities.
Pale golden qi currents rotated slowly, while the milky-white light emanating from the tripod-shaped spiritual furnace at the core grew increasingly intense.
Silken strands of pale golden internal spiritual energy continuously converged from his limbs and bones into a funnel-shaped vortex at his chest, then spiraled outward through the vortex to diffuse back throughout his entire body. This caused all his meridians to glow with a faint golden luster.
Since returning yesterday morning, Long Haochen had been cultivating in silence for an entire day. While in this state of cultivation, he constantly absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to replenish himself, resulting in a very low demand for food; he had only eaten a small amount last night. Apart from that brief interval, he had been cultivating for nearly a full day and night.
Stimulated by the medicinal herbs, the speed at which his internal spiritual energy increased was shocking even to Long Haochen himself. In just one day, his internal spiritual energy had risen by at least twenty points. At this rate, within ten days at most, he would have the opportunity to break through to the fifth rank. Of course, bottlenecks would appear at the fifth rank, and it was hard to say how long breaking through them would take.
From the beginning of his cultivation until now, relying on his constitution as the Child of Light, Long Haochen had never encountered a true bottleneck.
“Haochen, it’s time to depart.” A knock sounded at the door, followed by Li Xin’s voice from outside.
The golden light receded, and the white glow at his chest vanished. Long Haochen emerged from his cultivation state. “Coming,” he replied.
Opening the door, the first thing Long Haochen saw was the excited smile on Li Xin’s face.
“Sister, you won yesterday, didn’t you?” Long Haochen immediately guessed the reason for her excitement.
Li Xin nodded. “I won, and it was fairly easy, though not as quickly as you. Jialu also passed the first round. Unfortunately, both Chen Si and Chen Chen…”
Long Haochen was startled. “Both Elder Brother Chen and Second Brother Chen lost?”
Li Xin sighed softly and said, “The competition at the Warrior Temple is even fiercer than ours. Almost all the participants here are experts of the fourth tier or above; breaking through such a field is no easy task. Let’s go get something to eat. We still need to cheer each other on for today’s second round. After this round, only thirty or so contestants will remain. Each round will be more difficult than the last, brother. You must not let your guard down. I know you can make it into the top ten.”
After a simple meal, they met up with Ye Hua, and the three of them returned to the Holy Alliance’s Grand Trial Arena.
Watching Long Haochen, whose eyes shone with brilliant spiritual light, Ye Hua nodded inwardly. This child must have been cultivating continuously since returning yesterday; otherwise, he wouldn’t appear so full of spirit and energy. He hoped their luck would be as good as yesterday’s, allowing them to compete early once again.
After the first day of competition, the number of knights entering the trial grounds today instantly halved. Though fewer in number, the atmosphere had noticeably grown more tense. Having witnessed the brutality of yesterday’s matches, these young elite competitors now clenched their fists in readiness while cautiously observing potential rivals around them. After all, no one could predict what the lottery draw would bring.
Long Haochen had been the first to compete yesterday; naturally, he attracted somewhat more attention from the other knight participants. Long Haochen, however, was also observing—yet his gaze focused on just one person.
Upon entering the resting area, Long Haochen immediately spotted that knight. He was a young man who appeared to be in his twenties. Tall and imposing, he stood at least one meter ninety centimeters tall, with broad shoulders and a wide back. His short golden hair stood upright atop his head like steel needles. His handsome features radiated masculine vigor, his facial contours as sharply defined as if carved by knife and axe.
He wore no armor, but rather a set of black, form-fitting attire. Upon entering the resting area, he sat directly in the central seat of the front row.
What a composed demeanor! Long Haochen felt a deep sense of awe inwardly. Although this young man appeared to be only in his twenties, he exuded an aura as steady as a mountain and as weighty as a peak. Especially his profound, still gaze revealed not a trace of emotion. After sitting down, his back remained perfectly straight, utterly motionless, as if frozen in place.
“Teacher, who is that person?” Long Haochen whispered to Ye Hua beside him.