Chapter 3:A Teacher from Hell? (Part One)
Starry Sky’s voice came again, but he only gave a few simple instructions on sword techniques before falling silent.
At just nine years old, Long Haochen was left entirely alone to face the pitch-black cave, the frenzied hawk ants, and the excruciating pain that never ceased.
The agony repeatedly slowed his movements, yet whenever he thought of his mother, fresh courage surged within his heart.
The owl ants brought him nothing but excruciating pain; gritting his teeth and enduring the agony, he swung the bamboo sword in his hand again and again.
Xingyu stood just outside the cave, feeling each second tick by, his expression shifting repeatedly. More than once, he raised his hand as if to push aside the massive boulder blocking the entrance, yet each time he restrained himself.
Had it been any other child from the Odin Sub-Temple, they would likely have fainted from terror shortly after entering that cave. Yet Long Haochen remained fully conscious, tirelessly battling the owl ants. Though non-venomous, these creatures inflicted intense pain; their bodies, barely an inch long, were not only extremely hard but also possessed formidable attacking power.
Starry Sky’s expression shifted constantly; the training method he employed for Long Haochen was extreme. Yet, he clearly understood the benefits such an extreme approach could bring. As long as Long Haochen could endure it, his extraordinary spiritual energy would be developed at the fastest possible pace, accompanied by numerous other advantages. The only prerequisite was that his will must not collapse.
Half an hour—a full half-hour—felt to Long Haochen like an entire century. When his entire body had gone numb from pain and he could no longer lift the bamboo sword in his hand, his strength gave out, and he slipped into unconsciousness.
At that very moment, stones in the cave ceiling opened, and a tremendous force pulled his body upward. Countless Xiao ants were suppressed within the cavern by a mysterious power, unable to escape.
Even though all of this had been arranged by Starry Sky, upon seeing Long Haochen in his current state, he still drew in a sharp breath, a hint of reluctance flickering in his eyes.
At this moment, Long Haochen’s clothes were torn beyond recognition, his entire body swollen to nearly twice its size, and his once-pretty little face was now completely unrecognizable. Even the pair of bamboo swords he carried bore numerous marks from the bites of hawk ants.
Starry Sky swiftly placed a medicinal pill into Long Haochen’s mouth. With a flash of light, he moved at a speed far greater than when they had arrived, carrying Long Haochen back to the wooden cabin almost in the next instant.
The wooden cabin consisted of three rooms: one for each of the master and disciple, and a third room that Long Haochen had never entered before. At this moment, Starry Sky led him directly into this very room.
As soon as they stepped inside, a dense wave of heat rushed toward them.
On the floor of this wooden hut, there was a pool carved directly into the stone. More accurately, the pool had existed first, and the wooden hut was subsequently built over it.
The water in the pool was nearly brimming, its surface a murky brown, floating with numerous medicinal herbs.
Starry Sky swiftly removed Long Haochen’s tattered clothing and carefully lowered his body into the steaming hot spring water, leaving only his mouth and nose exposed above the surface.
This was a natural hot spring; Starry Sky had excavated the pool right at its source. The unconscious Long Haochen remained unaware that the medicinal ingredients steeping within these waters possessed a value surpassing even ten thousand bottles of Yuan-Nourishing Elixir.
Half an hour later, when Xingyu saw the swelling on Long Haochen’s body gradually subside, he finally stepped out of the wooden hut.
Sunlight was slowly obscured by the encroaching night; unnoticed, dusk had arrived.
“It hurts so much. Woo—” Long Haochen, soaking in the hot spring, let out a cry and woke from his unconscious state.
The moment he moved, he lost his balance. Although the pool wasn’t deep, he still swallowed some water. With a loud splash, he struggled out of the pool and began coughing violently.
Where is this? Long Haochen looked blankly at the mist surrounding him and the pool he was in. The excruciating pain he had felt before had completely vanished. Except for being entirely naked without any covering, everything else seemed perfectly normal.
The door opened, and Starry Sky walked in from outside, holding clothes.
“Get dressed and come out.” With that simple instruction, he walked out.
Long Haochen emerged from the pool in a daze, grabbed a towel nearby to dry himself, and changed into clean clothes. His mind drifted back to everything that had happened inside the Hawk Ant nest.
The mere thought of the excruciating pain that had permeated every moment made him shudder involuntarily. Back then, he had endured solely through sheer courage and bloodlust; yet now, recalling it, he felt as though that agonizing pain was surging through his limbs and bones once more.
Pushing open the door, he realized he was in the third wooden cabin. Upon entering the central main hall, he found a lavish meal already set upon the table.
“Let’s eat.” Xingyu acted as if nothing had happened, pointed to the meal on the table, and began eating first.
Long Haochen looked at his teacher and stammered, “Teacher, I…”
“Eat first,” Xingyu said, casting a stern glance at him.
Long Haochen dared not say another word and quickly sat down to eat. As if he hadn’t eaten for ages, he felt exceptionally hungry tonight, consuming nearly three times his usual amount. Except for a small portion that Xingyu ate, Long Haochen finished all the food in no time, like a whirlwind sweeping away scattered clouds.
“Tell me how you feel today,” Xingyu asked calmly, without letting Long Haochen clear away the bowls and chopsticks.
“It hurts terribly,” Long Haochen replied honestly.
“Is this all you’re capable of?” Xingyu said coldly. “This is merely the beginning. Come with me. Take your bamboo sword.”
“Oh.”
Master and disciple stepped out of the wooden hut and ascended to the mountain peak.
Two identical bamboo swords appeared in Xingyu’s hands. “Among weapons, the sword is hailed as the kingly path. It can attack and defend. To protect everything, you must first learn to protect yourself. I will now teach you the Sealing Technique. Watch closely.”
The bamboo sword moved, a curtain of light rose, and dreamlike sword radiance shimmered across the mountaintop. Incantations flowed continuously into Long Haochen’s ears alongside the gleaming blade. Yet for him, this day marked only the beginning of his hellish training.
For seven consecutive days, every morning Xingyu would teach Long Haochen various subjects, covering astronomy, geography, and history without omission. An assessment would follow the next day. This was also the happiest time of Long Haochen’s each day.
By afternoon, hell would descend. Training in the nest of the predatory ants became a daily compulsory lesson, always ending the same way. The inhuman agony tormented Long Haochen to the brink of ecstasy and death; whenever thoughts of giving up arose in his heart, Xingyu would simply remind him that only a few days remained before he could return home.
Each session in the predatory ant cave invariably concluded with Long Haochen losing consciousness. Upon awakening, he would always find himself immersed in a hot spring, all pain completely vanished.
After dinner, cultivation would resume. Xingyu would impart certain techniques to Long Haochen and make him memorize various things by rote. Only late into the night would the day’s training finally end.
What caused Long Haochen the most suffering was that Starry Sky did not allow him to sleep. After exhausting himself during the day, Starry Sky taught him a meditation technique which, in Long Haochen’s words, amounted to sleeping while sitting. However, Starry Sky would supervise him; if he failed to meditate exactly as instructed, there was no doubt that Starry Sky’s bamboo sword would strike his back to wake him.
A Teacher from Hell? (Part Two)
Thus, seven days passed. Long Haochen, who could initially endure only half an hour within the Xiao Ant nest, had now extended his endurance by another quarter of an hour.
After soaking in the hot spring and eating dinner, Long Haochen waited obediently for Starry Sky’s instruction. Following this week of cultivation, his feelings toward Starry Sky had evolved beyond mere respect into awe, accompanied by a deep-seated fear.
“No need to continue tonight; go home. But do not interrupt your meditation. Return first thing tomorrow morning.” Xingyu tossed a bottle of Yuan-Nourishing Elixir to Long Haochen and waved his hand, signaling that he could leave.
Relieved, Long Haochen bowed to Xingyu before darting out of the wooden hut like the wind. Finally, he could go home.
Watching his departing figure, a faint smile appeared on the corner of Xingyu’s lips—a smile Long Haochen had never seen before. “Silly boy, have you forgotten what kind of place this is? I can only stay here for three years, and during that time, I will ensure you learn everything I have to teach, every moment of every day.”
The feeling of lightness in his body was wonderful. As Long Haochen ran down the mountain, he keenly sensed the changes unfolding within himself.
In just one week, he discovered that all his senses had noticeably sharpened compared to before. Although the torment he endured in the Xiao Ant nest was excruciating, each subsequent visit brought new sensations. At least now, after a week had passed, he could systematically defend against attacks coming from all directions by the Xiao Ants. His reaction speed had also increased immeasurably since his arrival.
The most significant change was in his physique. Although he hadn’t been tested, Long Haochen was certain that his spiritual energy had increased once again—by at least two points. And this was after only a week!
Though he endured such painful training every day, without even time to sleep, by the end of the week his originally frail body had noticeably grown stronger, and his complexion far more ruddy. Besides eating well, this was naturally due to his daily immersion in the hot spring.
What Long Haochen did not know was that the combined effect of the hot spring and the medicinal herbs was called “Marrow-Cleansing and Bone-Forging.”
He was running excitedly down the mountain when suddenly a faint, bloody scent caught his attention.
A week of training against swarms of hawk-ants had not been in vain; without even thinking, Long Haochen instantly halted his steps, leaped sideways, and simultaneously drew the pair of bamboo swords strapped to his back.
Whoosh! A dark shadow swiftly swept across his path. Since dusk had only just fallen, Long Haochen immediately recognized what had attacked him.
Over four feet long, entirely black, with short yet sturdy limbs supporting its body, fine scales covering its back, a barbed tail constantly swaying behind it, and a pair of brown eyes fixed intently upon him.
“Demon beast?” Long Haochen couldn’t help but whisper in alarm, his heart instantly tightening with tension.
Starry Sky taught him various kinds of knowledge every day, including introductions to demon beasts. It was purely by “chance” that they had discussed this very type of demon beast just a few days prior.
The Scorpion-Tailed Lizard is a first-rank intermediate demon beast, roughly equivalent to humans of various professions possessing between thirty to fifty points of spiritual energy.
Each rank of demon beast is divided into four levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and peak. Their greatest distinction from ordinary beasts lies in their ability to utilize spiritual energy to enhance themselves or attack their enemies.
First-tier magical beasts are relatively weak; they generally lack the ability to attack enemies with spiritual energy and can only enhance themselves. The Scorpion-Tailed Lizard is no exception. As a carnivorous magical beast, it possesses scales on its back that offer a degree of defense, and its tail stinger is venomous. Its vital point lies beneath its belly. However, since it typically attacks while crouched low to the ground, it rarely exposes its abdomen.
The Scorpion-Tailed Lizard fixed Long Haochen with a fierce gaze from its brown eyes, its massive jaws splitting open to reveal rows of gleaming white teeth, as if pondering how long such a small human might last as a meal.
Facing a magical beast for the first time, Long Haochen felt the hairs on his back stand on end. He gripped his bamboo swords tightly, yet made no rash move, nor did he turn and flee. For a mere nine-year-old to remain calm in such a moment was already remarkable, especially since he remembered Starry Sky’s warning: the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard could sprint with incredible speed over short distances. He also recalled his mentor’s teaching: as a knight, one must never expose their back to an enemy.
Whoosh—the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard afforded him no further time for thought. Its thick, powerful limbs drove hard against the ground as it lunged straight at Long Haochen, jaws snapping toward his thigh.
At that critical instant, the hellish training of the past seven days proved its worth. Acting on pure instinct, Long Haochen stepped sharply to his left while simultaneously slashing downward with both bamboo swords, striking the creature squarely on its head.
The reason he stepped sideways rather than backward was another lesson from Starry Sky: when the terrain behind you is uncertain, retreating is perilous, as unseen obstacles can easily throw you into a disadvantageous position. To the side, however, your peripheral vision can monitor the surroundings, allowing both awareness and evasion.
With two dull thuds, the bamboo sword, though resilient, was too light to inflict significant damage; striking the scorpion-tailed lizard felt like hitting worn leather. However, Long Haochen was no longer the novice he had been during his initial squire knight assessment. Channeling nearly thirty points of spiritual energy, he forcefully slammed the creature back onto the ground.
Yet the scorpion-tailed lizard’s assault did not end there. Even as its body hit the earth, its tail, tipped with a venomous hook, swept viciously toward him.
Relying once again purely on his reflexes, Long Haochen leaped straight up, soaring more than three feet into the air, while simultaneously sweeping his sword downward to deflect the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard’s strike.
This brief exchange filled Long Haochen with confidence. After successfully blocking the creature’s attacks twice in a row, he realized with surprise that magical beasts were not as terrifying as he had imagined. At the same time, much of the pent-up resentment he had harbored over the past seven days dissipated. Compared to a week ago, his strength had increased, and his reactions had become sharper. Undoubtedly, this was all thanks to Teacher Xingyu; such rapid progress had never been possible before! Although the experience in the Owl-Ant Cavern still haunted his nightmares, he had to admit that the results were indeed remarkable.
The Scorpion-Tailed Lizard was not one to give up easily. Having missed its first strike, it immediately lunged at Long Haochen again. Moreover, this time its body seemed to have swollen slightly.
Because Long Haochen hesitated momentarily after countering its initial assault, his reaction this time was a fraction slower. Nevertheless, he still managed to strike the creature with his bamboo sword. However, unlike before, the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard was not knocked to the ground.
No, this is its charging skill to strengthen itself. Amidst his shock, Long Haochen’s bamboo sword was knocked aside, and his body lost balance, toppling backward.
The vicious, gaping maw of the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard loomed right before his eyes. An intense sense of crisis caused Long Haochen’s pupils to contract violently, as if something had exploded within his mind.
In that instant, he suddenly felt as though the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard, now at arm’s length, had slowed down; every one of its movements and the precise angle of his own backward fall became crystal clear.
If anyone could see Long Haochen’s eyes at this moment, they would discover that in the center of his azure-blue irises, his pupils had contracted to the size of needle points, yet his gaze remained extremely calm, faintly glowing with a cold light uncommon among ordinary people.
A Teacher from Hell? (Part Three)
As his body recoiled backward, the sword in his right hand plunged straight into the ground. Simultaneously, he arched his upper body forcefully backward while sweeping the sword in his left hand with full power. In that instant, Long Haochen felt as though his spiritual energy had broken through to an entirely new realm. This strike landed heavily upon the chin of the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard; although it failed to send the creature, currently enhanced by its strength-boosting state, flying, it did force its viciously grinning maw shut.
At the same time, leveraging his right hand gripping the bamboo sword planted on the ground, Long Haochen bent his entire body backward into a bow-like shape. His left leg swept outward, striking the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard’s chin once again.
Two consecutive strikes, executed with extreme precision and seamless timing, finally broke the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard’s balance, sending its body flying upward from the force of his kick.
At the same moment, Long Haochen used the bamboo sword planted on the ground to propel himself into a backward flip. Releasing the bamboo sword in his right hand allowed him to land a fraction of a second earlier, while the bamboo sword in his left hand shot upward like a faint streak of white lightning.
With a sickening thrust, the bamboo sword pierced straight through the lower abdomen of the airborne Scorpion-Tailed Lizard, simultaneously halting its downward momentum.
Amidst a piercing shriek, the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard’s tail swept horizontally in a final, desperate struggle against death.
But Long Haochen had already made his judgment. The moment his sword struck true, he immediately rolled on the ground to dodge the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard’s final attack, while simultaneously drawing his right-hand sword that had been stuck in the ground and assuming a defensive stance.
With a loud thud, the Scorpion-Tailed Lizard crashed to the ground, its body writhing violently. Agonizing pain beneath its belly made it shriek repeatedly, yet it did not die immediately.
Long Haochen first calmly scanned his surroundings. Finding no other magical beasts, he leaned against a large tree and began gasping for breath in deep, ragged gulps.
In just an instant, sweat poured from his entire body like flowing water. It seemed as though all his strength had been completely drained at that very moment.
From facing the scorpion-tailed lizard to achieving victory, only a few seconds had actually passed. Those few seconds spent teetering on the brink of death had unleashed all of his potential. Especially during that earlier moment when his senses were exceptionally clear, every one of Long Haochen’s abilities was pushed to its absolute limit. His final fatal strike even employed the sole technique Starry Sky had taught him: the Pure White Blade. In an instant, he concentrated all the spiritual energy within his body into a single point, generating one hundred and ten percent of his normal attacking power.
Regarding this entire sequence of actions by Long Haochen, even someone hidden in the shadows would have to admit it was perfect. Even that moment when Long Haochen lost his balance from the impact could be interpreted as a deliberate tactic to lure the enemy deeper. After all, his subsequent reactions contained not a single flaw. With two sword strikes and one kick, he eliminated the scorpion-tailed lizard. Simultaneously, his spiritual energy broke through the barrier of thirty, entering the realm of a Level Three Squire Knight. This was also the reason Long Haochen had previously sensed an increase in his strength.
For any profession, the higher the rank, the more pronounced the sensation becomes upon breaking through.
After panting heavily for the duration of half an incense stick, by which time the sky had grown even darker, Long Haochen finally felt his physical strength recover slightly. Meanwhile, the scorpion-tailed lizard lay there motionless.
Looking at the dead scorpion-tailed lizard, something gradually stirred in the eyes of nine-year-old Long Haochen. “Teacher, you were right; only by enduring the hardest hardships can one rise above others. I shouldn’t have harbored any resentment toward you. Without your guidance, I恐怕 would never have seen my mother again. Teacher, from now on, I will never complain again, not even secretly in my heart.”
As he spoke, Long Haochen respectfully bowed toward the mountain peak before carefully approaching the scorpion-tailed lizard.
Even the lowest-grade magical beasts were far more valuable than ordinary animals. This particular first-rank intermediate magical beast was worth at least one gold coin. Long Haochen could not bear to waste it.
With great caution, he first found a stone to knock off the creature’s tail stinger, then used two vines to tie around its tail before dragging it onward in the direction of home.
On the way back, he encountered no further dangers and made it safely to Odin Town. He first rushed to the shop and, claiming that his mentor had slain the beast, sold the scorpion-tailed lizard for one gold coin and two silver coins before finally heading home.
Bai Yue seemed to have known all along that her son would return today. The moment Long Haochen stepped through the doorway, she greeted him with a lavish dinner more abundant than anything he had ever seen at home.
His mentor had indeed kept his promise and sent delicious food for his mother as well. Seeing this, little Haochen felt even more grateful toward Xingyu.
“Mother, here you go.” Like someone presenting a precious treasure, Long Haochen pulled out all the money he had just earned and handed it to Bai Yue.
Bai Yue paused in surprise. “Where did you get this money?”
To avoid worrying his mother, Long Haochen told a white lie. “My teacher asked me to give this to you. He said that once I become a Squire Knight, I’ll receive a salary too. This is my first year’s pay; if my cultivation progresses quickly, there might even be bonuses in the future.”
Surprisingly, Bai Yue didn’t press further. Taking the money with a smile, she said, “Haochen, you must listen to your teacher, understand?”
“Mm.” Long Haochen nodded repeatedly.
Bai Yue asked, “Is cultivation hard?”
Had this question been asked before he hunted the scorpion-tailed lizard, Long Haochen would certainly have hesitated in his answer, for the shadow of the Hawk Ant Cave still loomed large in his heart. But now, he shook his head without hesitation. “Mother, it’s not hard at all. My teacher teaches wonderfully; every day he gives me plenty of delicious food and even lets me soak in hot springs.”
Hearing his words, Bai Yue’s face finally showed a hint of relief as she patted her son’s head. “Hurry up and eat.”
After dinner, Long Haochen made sure to use the Nutrient-Restoring Liquid he had brought back to brew a bowl of wild vegetable soup for his mother before happily returning to his room to sleep.
Early the next morning, he set out on his journey back to Mount Odin. He encountered no magical beasts along the way and soon reached the summit.
“Teacher, I’m back,” Long Haochen exclaimed cheerfully as he stepped into the wooden cabin.
Starry Sky seemed to have been waiting there all along. He said calmly, “Before we begin today’s lesson, I will test whether you have forgotten anything from last week’s studies. Tell me, how much spiritual energy is required for a Squire Knight, a Prospective Knight, and a full Knight to advance in rank?”
Long Haochen answered almost without hesitation, “For a Squire Knight, advancing from rank one to ten requires an increase of ten points of spiritual energy per rank. Breaking through one hundred points of spiritual energy allows one to become a Prospective Knight. Prospective Knights also advance by ten points of spiritual energy per rank; breaking through two hundred points enables one to undergo the true Knight assessment. During the Knight assessment, not only is spiritual energy evaluated, but also adherence to the Ten Great Principles of Knighthood. After becoming a Knight, advancing from rank one to two still requires an increase of ten points of spiritual energy, meaning a total of two hundred and ten points suffices to reach rank two. Thereafter, each of the next nine ranks requires an accumulation of thirty points of spiritual energy per rank. Finally, when advancing from Knight rank ten to the fourth-tier profession, an accumulation of fifty points of spiritual energy is needed, totaling five hundred points.”
Starry Sky continued asking, “Then why does the spiritual energy required for advancement from rank one to two differ from that needed for subsequent ranks after becoming a true Knight?”
Long Haochen replied, “Because only upon entering the third-tier profession does one truly qualify as a master of that profession. The advancement from rank one to two is merely a process of adapting to that tier. As you have taught me, this applies equally to the third tier and the subsequent fourth and fifth tiers: the advancement from rank one to two is always the easiest.”
Next, Xingyu asked a series of questions, which lasted a full half-hour before finally concluding this assessment. Long Haochen answered each of his teacher’s questions one by one without a single mistake, demonstrating his astonishing memory.
“Very good; you remember everything clearly. Let us begin today’s lesson. Tell me, in your opinion, what is more important for a knight: offense or defense?”
A Teacher from Hell? (Part Four)
Hearing Xingyu’s question, Long Haochen was momentarily stunned. After pondering for a while, he shook his head in bewilderment.
A rare smile graced Xingyu’s face. “You are honest; you did not offer a random answer merely to placate me. As for this question, let alone you, even the high echelons of the Knight Temple would find it difficult to answer. It is precisely because of this issue that, upon truly becoming knights, the Knight Temple divided into two branches: the Punishment Knights and the Guardian Knights.”
“Punishment Knights are offense-oriented knights who wield two-handed weapons. By combining their mounts with offensive Holy Arts, they possess extremely powerful single-combat capabilities. On the front lines, their strength surpasses that of Warriors and Assassins of the same rank.”
“Guardian Knights focus on defense, wielding a weapon in one hand and a shield in the other. They serve as the core of a team, specializing in various supportive and healing Holy Arts. While their individual combat power may be inferior to that of Punishment Knights, their role in team battles is far more significant.”
Having said this, Starry Sky paused briefly before looking at Long Haochen and asking, “In your opinion, within our Knight Temple, are there more Guardian Knights or Punishment Knights?”
Long Haochen thought for a moment and said, “There should be more Retribution Knights. You mentioned that Retribution Knights possess greater combat strength.”
Xingyu shook his head and replied, “Quite the opposite. In our Knight Temple, the ratio of Guardian Knights to Retribution Knights is ten to one.”
“Huh? Such a big difference? Why is that?” Long Haochen asked in confusion.
Starry Sky replied, “Because we are the Temple Alliance. As the foremost of the Six Holy Temples within the alliance, our Knight Temple cannot consider only individual combat power; we must also take our companions into account. The reason there are Six Holy Temples is that these six professions, when combined, can unleash the greatest combat potential. As the core of any team, a knight must not only integrate magic and martial arts but also balance offense and defense while protecting their companions. Therefore, the role of a Guardian Knight is far more significant than that of a Retribution Knight.”
Long Haochen understood slightly better. “Teacher, then will I become a Guardian Knight or a Retribution Knight in the future?”
Starry Sky said calmly, “Only you can make the choice that suits you best. In this regard, I cannot help you. Given your personality, you might be more suited to becoming a Guardian Knight. However, I am a Retribution Knight. Most of what I can teach you consists of the abilities and techniques possessed by Retribution Knights.”
“Teacher, I…”
“Don’t rush to answer me.” Just as Long Haochen was about to speak, Starry Sky interrupted him. “You have one year to think it over. A year from now, tell me your answer.”
“Yes.”
One year later. Haoyue City.
Walking along the broad streets of Haoyue City, Long Haochen’s eyes were filled with curiosity and astonishment.
What a massive city! The broad streets stretch at least five zhang across, lined with shops on both sides. Carriages and horses flow endlessly, their clamor rising and falling in waves. The bustling crowds here are worlds apart from those in Odin Town.
Located to the southeast of the Temple Alliance, Haoyue City is considered a medium-sized urban center. Yet even a city of this scale was something Long Haochen, who had grown up in the small town of Odin, was seeing for the first time.
Long Haochen was filled with curiosity about Haoyue City, just as the people along the streets were curious about him. Dressed in simple, plain cloth garments, he possessed a face as exquisite as that of a porcelain doll. A year later, any trace of unhealthy pallor had vanished from his features, and he had grown significantly taller. Though still childlike in appearance, he now carried an impression of slender grace.
Most astonishing of all was the sight of two long swords crossed upon the back of such a beautiful youth. They were clearly forged from refined iron, each over three chi in length, three cun wide, and at least one cun thick. Although they appeared unsharpened, their weight could not be light; they were essentially miniature versions of knightly greatswords. Could someone so young possibly wield such heavy blades?
These people had no idea that, were it not for his desire to keep a low profile, he could easily wield even two genuine knight greatswords taller than himself.
A year of arduous cultivation brought about a transformation so profound it was as if he had been reborn. On the eighty-third day within the owl-ant nest, he finally managed to block attacks coming from all directions using nothing but a bamboo sword. Yet afterward, he continued training daily in the same nest; the only thing that changed was his weapon. Progressing from the lightest bamboo sword to wooden swords, then iron swords, refined iron swords, and finally greatswords, he constantly adapted to dual swords of varying weights. Once accustomed to the knight greatswords, he spent another month working backward—from greatswords to refined iron swords, then iron swords, wooden swords, and finally back to bamboo swords—completing an entire cycle.
By the time he finished all this, a full year had passed. His journey to Haoyue City now stemmed from two tasks assigned by Xingyu, serving as an assessment of his year-long trials.
After entering the city, Long Haochen simply asked someone for directions and immediately learned the location of his first destination: the Haoyue City branch of the Knight Temple. Crossing several broad streets, he reached an area near the center of Haoyue City where he spotted his target, marked by the emblem of a shield and sword.
The Haoyue Branch Hall was far beyond comparison with the Odin Sub-Hall. From the outside, this towering structure, at least five stories high, occupied a vast expanse of land. Two young knights clad in armor stood guard at its entrance.
“Little friend, who are you looking for?” As Long Haochen arrived at the entrance of the Knight Temple, a young knight on the left asked with a smile. It had to be said that Long Haochen’s pretty little face was incredibly endearing.
“Greetings, elder brothers. I am here to see Vice Master Nalan Shu,” Long Haochen replied politely after bowing respectfully to the two knights.
“You wish to see the Vice Master?” The two young knights exchanged glances, and the one who had spoken earlier asked, “And what business do you have with him?”
Long Haochen answered, “My teacher sent me to deliver a letter to Vice Master Nalan.”
“Then hand the letter to me,” said the young knight on the left.
Long Haochen shook his head and replied, “My teacher instructed me to deliver it personally to Hall Master Nalan.”
The young knight hesitated, saying, “I’m afraid that won’t be possible. This is the Haoyue City branch of the Knight Temple; only members of our Holy Temple are permitted entry.”
Somewhat anxious, Long Haochen insisted, “But I am also from the Knight Holy Temple! I come from the Odin Sub-Temple.”
The young knight said, “It still won’t work, little brother. Here’s the situation: children from your sub-temple are only permitted to visit the branch temple during the triennial assessment. Just hand me the letter; I’ll ensure it gets delivered upward. Only if the Temple Master agrees to meet you may I escort you inside.”
Long Haochen frowned. Starry Sky had explicitly instructed him that this letter must be delivered personally to Nalan Shu.
Just then, a clear and melodious voice rang out, “What are you doing? Giving a child such trouble?” Accompanying the voice, a figure emerged from the Haoyue Branch Temple.
She was a maiden clad in light armor, her long pink hair neatly tied into a ponytail at the back of her head. Her beautiful pink-blue eyes were fixed upon Long Haochen. The girl appeared to be eighteen or nineteen years old, with a graceful and captivating figure. On either side of her shoulders, the hilts of two swords protruded visibly.
“Sir Knight.” The two young knights, who had in fact only recently advanced to the rank of Probationary Knight, bowed respectfully in unison.
The young girl approached Long Haochen, curiously examining his face before turning to the two young knights. “I heard everything you said. Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. Moreover, this young brother is also a member under our Knight Temple. I will simply take him to see Uncle Nalan. Surely a child like him couldn’t possibly cause any trouble?”