A Teacher from Hell? (4)

Long Haochen was momentarily stunned by Xingyu's question. After thinking for a while, he shook his head blankly.

A rare smile appeared on Xingyu's face. "You're very honest. You didn't casually give me an answer just to brush me off. As for this question, let alone you, even the higher-ups of the Knight Temple would find it difficult to answer. It was precisely because of this question that, after truly becoming knights, the Knight Temple split into two branches: Punishment Knights and Guardian Knights."

"Punishment Knights are knights who focus on offense. They wield two-handed weapons and coordinate with mounts and offensive Holy Arts. Their individual combat strength is extremely formidable; on a head-on battlefield, they are stronger than warriors and assassins of the same rank."

"Guardian Knights focus on defense. They wield a weapon in one hand and a shield in the other. They are the core of a team and excel at all kinds of support and healing Holy Arts. Perhaps their individual combat strength is weaker than that of Punishment Knights. But in team battles, Guardian Knights are far more important than Punishment Knights."

At this point, Xingyu paused slightly before looking at Long Haochen and asking, "Which do you think there are more of in our Knight Temple—Guardian Knights or Punishment Knights?"

Long Haochen thought for a moment. "There should be more Punishment Knights. You said Punishment Knights have greater combat strength."

Xingyu shook his head. "Just the opposite. In our Knight Temple, the ratio of Guardian Knights to Punishment Knights is ten to one."

"Ah? That big a difference? Why?" Long Haochen asked in confusion.

Xingyu said, "Because we are the Holy Temple Alliance. As the foremost of the Six Great Temples in the Holy Temple Alliance, our Knight Temple cannot consider only individual combat strength. We must also consider our companions. The reason there are Six Great Temples is because these six professions can unleash the greatest combat strength when combined. As the core of a team, knights are not only Magic-Warrior Unity, but must also unite offense and defense while protecting their companions. Therefore, Guardian Knights are far more valuable than Punishment Knights."

Long Haochen understood a little. "Teacher, then should I become a Guardian Knight or a Punishment Knight in the future?"

Xingyu said flatly, "Only you can make the choice that suits you. I can't help you with that. Given your personality, you may be better suited to becoming a Guardian Knight. However, I am a Punishment Knight. Most of what I can teach you are the abilities and techniques possessed by Punishment Knights."

"Teacher, I..."

"Don't rush to answer me." Just as Long Haochen was about to say something, Xingyu interrupted him. "You have one year to think it over. A year from now, tell me your answer."

"Yes."

One year later. Bright Moon City.

Walking along Bright Moon City's broad streets, Long Haochen's eyes were filled with curiosity and amazement.

What a huge city! The broad streets were at least five zhang wide. Shops lined both sides, traffic flowed like a river, and the clamor rose and fell without end. The bustling crowds were simply worlds apart from Odin Town.

In the southeast of the Holy Temple Alliance, Bright Moon City was a medium-sized city. Yet even a city of this level was something Long Haochen, who had grown up in Odin Town, was seeing for the first time.

Long Haochen was curious about Bright Moon City, and the people on the streets were equally curious about him. He wore simple, plain cloth clothes, yet his delicate face was as exquisite as a porcelain doll's. A year later, the unhealthy pallor had vanished from Long Haochen's face, and he had grown much taller. Though he still looked like a child, he already possessed a hint of slender grace.

What surprised people most was that this handsome youth had two longswords crossed over his back. They were clearly two Iron Swords, each more than three chi long, fully three cun wide, and at least an inch thick. Though they appeared unsharpened, they certainly would not be light. They were practically miniature knight heavy swords. Could someone so small really use such heavy swords?

What these people did not know was that if he had not been trying to keep a low profile, even two genuine knight heavy swords taller than Long Haochen himself would have been easy for him to wield.

A year of Arduous Cultivation had brought about a complete transformation. On his eighty-third day in the Antlion Nest, he had finally been able to use a Bamboo Sword to block the Owl Ants' attacks from all directions. Yet afterward, he continued cultivating in the Antlion Nest every day. Only his weapons changed. From the lightest Bamboo Sword to a Wooden Sword, then an iron sword, an Iron Sword, and a heavy sword, he constantly adapted to dual swords of varying weights. After adapting to knight heavy swords, he spent another month training back down from heavy swords to Iron Swords, iron swords, Wooden Swords, and Bamboo Swords. He completed an entire cycle.

By the time he finished all of this, the year had already passed. He had come to Bright Moon City because Xingyu had assigned him two tasks, which served as an assessment of his Arduous Cultivation over the previous year.

After entering the city, Long Haochen asked around briefly and learned the location of his first destination: the Bright Moon City branch of the Knight Temple. After crossing several broad streets, he saw his destination near the center of Bright Moon City, marked by the emblem of a shield and sword.

The Haoyue Branch Temple was far beyond anything the Odin Sub-Temple could compare to. From the outside, this towering building of at least five stories occupied a vast area, and two young knights clad in armor stood guard at the entrance.

"Little friend, who are you looking for?" When Long Haochen arrived at the entrance of the Knight Temple, the young knight on the left asked with a smile. It had to be said that Long Haochen's pretty little face was exceedingly endearing.

"Hello, big brothers. I'm looking for Temple Master Nalan Shu." Long Haochen first bowed politely to the two knights before speaking.

"You're looking for the Temple Master?" The two young knights exchanged glances. The one who had spoken earlier asked, "Then what business do you have with him?"

Long Haochen said, "My teacher sent me to find Temple Master Nalan, and to deliver a letter to him."

"Then give the letter to me," the young knight on the left said.

Long Haochen shook his head. "My teacher said I must hand it personally to Temple Master Nalan."

The young knight said awkwardly, "I'm afraid that won't do. This is the Bright Moon City Knight Branch Temple. Only members of our temple may enter."

Long Haochen said anxiously, "But I'm from the Knight Temple too! I'm from the Odin Sub-Temple."

The young knight said, "That still won't do, little brother. It's like this: children from sub-temples like yours can only come to the branch temple during the once-every-three-years assessment. You should still give the letter to me, and I'll help pass it along. If the Temple Master wishes to see you, only then can I take you inside."

Long Haochen frowned. Xingyu had specifically instructed him that this letter had to be personally delivered to Nalan Shu.

Just then, a clear, pleasant voice rang out. "What are you doing? Giving a child a hard time?" As the voice sounded, someone walked out of the Haoyue Branch Temple.

She was a young girl dressed in light armor. Her pink hair was neatly tied into a ponytail behind her head, and her beautiful pinkish-blue eyes were watching Long Haochen. She looked around eighteen or nineteen. Her figure was graceful and captivating, and a sword hilt protruded from each shoulder.

"Knight, sir." The two young knights, who had in fact only recently advanced to Quasi-Knights, simultaneously bowed respectfully.

The girl walked over to Long Haochen and curiously examined his face before saying to the two young knights, "I heard everything you said. Rules are dead, but people are alive. Besides, this little brother is also one of those under our Knight Temple. I'll take him to see Uncle Nalan. Could a child like him possibly cause trouble?"