A Teacher from Hell? (3)

As his body fell backward, he drove the sword in his right hand straight into the ground. At the same time, he threw his upper body back with all his strength, while the sword in his left hand swept out with all his might. In that instant, Long Haochen felt as though his spiritual energy had broken through into an entirely new realm. The strike lashed fiercely against the Scorpion-tailed Lizard's jaw. Though it failed to send the strength-enhanced creature flying, it still snapped its vicious maw shut.

At the same time, Long Haochen used the bamboo sword in his right hand, braced against the ground, to bend himself backward into the shape of a bow. His left leg swept out, striking the Scorpion-tailed Lizard beneath the jaw once more.

The two consecutive blows flowed together seamlessly. At last, the Scorpion-tailed Lizard could no longer maintain its balance and was kicked upward by his leg.

At the same time, Long Haochen used the bamboo sword supporting him against the ground to complete a backflip. He released the bamboo sword in his right hand, allowing himself to land an instant sooner, while the bamboo sword in his left hand shot upward like lightning, sheathed in a faint white glow.

With a wet pfft, the bamboo sword pierced through the underbelly of the rearing Scorpion-tailed Lizard, bracing against its falling body.

Amid a shrill scream, the Scorpion-tailed Lizard's tail swept toward him in an instant, making one final death throe.

But Long Haochen had already judged it. The moment his strike landed, he rolled across the ground, evading the Scorpion-tailed Lizard's final blow. At the same time, he pulled out the sword he had previously driven into the ground and took up a defensive stance.

Bang. The Scorpion-tailed Lizard crashed to the ground, its body twisting violently. The agony in its abdomen made it shriek without end, though it did not die immediately.

Long Haochen first calmly surveyed his surroundings. Only after confirming that there were no other magic beasts did he lean against a large tree and begin gulping down breaths of air.

In just an instant, his entire body was drenched in sweat. It felt as though all his strength had been drained away at that very moment.

From facing the Scorpion-tailed Lizard to defeating it, only a few seconds had passed. Those few seconds spent hovering at death's edge had drawn out all of his potential. Especially that earlier state of extraordinarily clear perception—it had allowed Long Haochen to bring every one of his abilities to its utmost limit. For the final lethal strike, he had used the only skill Xingyu had taught him: Pure White Blade. It instantly concentrated all the spiritual energy in his body at a single point, producing one hundred and ten percent attack power.

Even the person hidden in the shadows could not help but call Long Haochen's series of actions perfect. Even the moment when Long Haochen had been knocked off balance could be regarded as luring the enemy in deep. After all, there had not been the slightest error in his subsequent reactions. Two sword strikes and one kick had taken down this Scorpion-tailed Lizard. At the same time, his spiritual energy had broken through the threshold of thirty, entering the realm of a Level Three Attendant Knight. That was also why Long Haochen had felt his strength increase earlier.

For any profession, the higher one's level, the more distinct the sensation of breaking through became.

Only after panting for the time it took half an incense stick to burn, by which point the sky had grown even darker, did Long Haochen feel some of his strength return. The Scorpion-tailed Lizard, meanwhile, lay there without moving.

As he looked at the dead Scorpion-tailed Lizard, something gradually appeared in nine-year-old Long Haochen's eyes. "Teacher, you were right. Only after enduring the bitterest hardship can one rise above others. I shouldn't have harbored resentment toward you. If not for your guidance, I might never have seen Mother again. Teacher, from now on, I definitely won't complain anymore—not even secretly in my heart."

As he spoke, Long Haochen respectfully bowed toward the mountain peak before cautiously approaching the Scorpion-tailed Lizard.

Even the lowest-ranked magic beast was far more valuable than an ordinary wild animal. A Level One mid-rank magic beast like this was worth at least one gold coin. Long Haochen could not bear to waste it.

He cautiously found a stone and used it to knock off the Scorpion-tailed Lizard's tail hook first. Then he tied two vines around its tail before dragging it onward in the direction of home.

He encountered no more danger along the way. After returning to Odin Town, he first hurried to a shop and sold the Scorpion-tailed Lizard for one gold coin and two silver coins, claiming that his teacher had hunted the magic beast. Only then did he go home.

Bai Yue seemed to have known all along that her son would return today. The moment Long Haochen stepped through the door, he saw a lavish dinner unlike anything they had ever had at home before.

His teacher had kept his promise and truly sent Mother delicious food as well. Seeing this, little Haochen could not help feeling even more grateful to Xingyu.

"Mother, this is for you." Long Haochen took out all the money he had just received and handed it to Bai Yue as though presenting a treasure.

Bai Yue froze for a moment. "Where did you get this money?"

Not wanting to make his mother worry, Long Haochen told a well-intentioned lie. "Teacher asked me to bring it to you. Teacher said that after becoming an Attendant Knight, I could receive pay too. This is my pay for the first year. If my Cultivation Level improves quickly, I might even receive rewards in the future."

Surprisingly, Bai Yue did not press him further. Taking the money, she smiled. "Haochen, you must listen to your teacher, understand?"

"Mm." Long Haochen nodded repeatedly.

Bai Yue asked, "Is cultivation hard?"

Before hunting the Scorpion-tailed Lizard, Long Haochen would definitely have hesitated over this question. After all, the shadow cast by the Owl Ant Lair was deeply rooted in his heart. But now, he shook his head without the slightest hesitation. "Mother, it isn't hard at all. Teacher teaches me so well. He gives me lots of delicious food every day, and even lets me soak in hot springs."

Only after hearing this did Bai Yue reveal some relief on her face. She stroked her son's head. "Hurry and eat."

After dinner, Long Haochen did not forget to use the Essence Replenishing Liquid he had brought back to make Bai Yue a bowl of Wild Vegetable Soup. Only then did he happily return to his room to sleep.

Early the next morning, he set off on the road back to Odin Mountain. He encountered no magic beasts along the way and soon returned to the mountaintop.

"Teacher, I'm back." Long Haochen strode into the wooden cabin excitedly.

Xingyu seemed to have been waiting there already. He said calmly, "Before we begin today's lesson, I will test whether you have forgotten anything from what you learned last week. Tell me the amount of spiritual energy required for Attendant Knights, Quasi-Knights, and Knights to advance."

Long Haochen answered almost without hesitation, "For Attendant Knights, from Level One to Level Ten, every increase of ten spiritual energy raises one level. Breaking through one hundred spiritual energy advances one to Quasi-Knight. Quasi-Knights likewise advance one level for every ten spiritual energy, and upon breaking through two hundred spiritual energy, one can undergo the true Knight assessment. During the Knight assessment, not only is spiritual energy tested, but one must also be tested on the Ten Knightly Precepts. After becoming a Knight, advancing from Level One to Level Two still requires ten points of spiritual energy. That is, with a total of two hundred and ten spiritual energy, one can advance to a Level Two Knight. After that, each of the next nine levels requires thirty points of spiritual energy to advance by one level. When advancing from Level Ten Knight to a Fourth Order profession, fifty points of spiritual energy must be accumulated. That is, five hundred spiritual energy."

Xingyu continued, "Then why is the spiritual energy required to advance from Level One to Level Two after becoming a true Knight different from that required for later advancements?"

Long Haochen replied, "Because only upon entering a Third Order profession does one truly count as an expert of that profession. The advance from Level One to Level Two is merely a process of adapting to that rank. You taught me that this is the case for Third Order professions, as well as Fourth Order and Fifth Order professions afterward. Advancing from Level One to Level Two is the easiest."

Next, Xingyu asked a string of further questions. Only after a full half hour did the assessment finally end. Long Haochen answered every one of his teacher's questions without the slightest mistake, displaying his astonishing memory.

"Very good. You remember clearly. Let us begin today's lesson. Tell me, for a Knight, which do you think is more important: offense or defense?"