Knight Holy Mountain (I)

The girl behind the counter hurriedly lowered her voice. "Little brother, you should leave quickly. This isn't a place you should be. Don't pay them any mind. These adventurers live with their blades licked by blood; under that pressure, they often show their worse sides. But they probably wouldn't dare do anything to you. After all, this is the Guild."

After saying that, the girl suddenly noticed that something called determination had appeared in the clear eyes of the boy before her.

"He shouldn't have insulted my mother." As he spoke, Long Haochen took something from his chest and handed it to the girl, then turned and walked toward the bearded man.

Ten-year-old Long Haochen was not even as tall as the burly bearded man's chest, but his steps were exceptionally steady.

"Oh, oh, oh, everyone, look! This little chick is angry. Tsk, tsk, look at that pretty little face! So tender it could drip water. Even if he really is just a little chick, send him to the flower streets and willow lanes, and he'd be a first-rate catamite."

The bearded man held a Double-Edged Battle Axe. At that moment, he propped the axe against the ground and leaned against it, watching Long Haochen with a mocking expression.

Long Haochen stopped a zhang away from the bearded man. His expression was calm, his back ramrod straight. He clenched his left fist and placed it over his right chest, performing a standard knight's salute.

The next moment, he took out a white glove and threw it at the man. At the same time, he drew the twin swords from his back, their tips pointed downward, and said in a deep voice, "You have insulted my mother. I, Long Haochen, challenge you in the name of a Quasi-Knight of the Knight Temple. Until death."

Long Haochen's voice was crisp, and everyone around could hear him clearly. For a moment, the adventurers' laughter and clamor fell silent. The bearded man was also stunned.

But in the blink of an eye, the bearded man recovered. "Hahaha, this is killing me! Look, everyone! This little bastard must have heard too many stories. He's even copying knights and issuing a challenge—calling himself a Quasi-Knight, too. Has your baby fuzz even grown in yet? I accept your challenge. Come on! Bite me! Hahahaha!"

Long Haochen raised the sword in his right hand and pointed coldly outside. "Please." Though this was his first time at the Adventurer's Guild, he knew that fighting was forbidden here, even for a formal knight's challenge.

After saying that, he took the lead and walked out.

The bearded Axe Warrior followed without hesitation, and a large crowd went along to watch the excitement. Only the girl behind the counter remained staring blankly at the badge in her hand. "A level-one Quasi-Knight... Could he really be a Quasi-Knight?"

After leaving the Adventurer's Guild, even the warm sunlight could not dispel the gloom in Long Haochen's heart. At that moment, Xingyu's teachings echoed within him. There was no need to say much to an enemy. Wash away humiliation with the sword in your hand and your enemy's blood.

The bearded man came out as well, shouldering his Double-Edged Battle Axe and pointing at Long Haochen. "Come on, little bastard! Let your grandpa teach you a lesson. Once I knock you down, I won't even kill you. I'll sell you straight to the flower streets and willow lanes. Could still earn a few gold coins to spend..."

Just as another burst of laughter erupted around them, Long Haochen moved.

Charge. Rapid footsteps rang out in an instant. Long Haochen pushed his speed to its limit in a single moment, and those on both sides could clearly see a trace of white appear on each of the Iron Swords in his hands.

Pure White Blade. It truly was Pure White Blade, the skill commonly used by low-ranking knights of the Knight Temple.

In an instant, the laughter died abruptly. Long Haochen had already reached his opponent.

The bearded man was startled by Long Haochen's Charge. He recognized Pure White Blade, and his expression changed at once. He had never imagined that this child really was from the Knight Temple. How could an ordinary adventurer like him continue getting by after offending the Knight Temple, foremost among the Six Great Temples? Forget it. Kill this brat first. At worst, he could flee immediately afterward.

As that thought crossed his mind, malice rose from the edge of the bearded man's courage. Gripping the double-edged axe with both hands, he swung it up and met the charging Long Haochen with a heavy slash. He was a second-rank, third-level warrior, with spiritual energy exceeding one hundred and twenty. This stepping heavy slash was quite formidable, carrying tremendous force.

But for almost every week of the past year, Long Haochen had faced Magic Beasts on his way home. He lacked no real combat experience. More importantly, he remained calm even at a moment like this.

His right foot stamped heavily against the ground. The technique he had used to interrupt Charge when facing Li Xin appeared again, and this time, he linked it into another skill.

His twin swords rose in a cross, completing Divine Seal Block in the instant before the double-edged axe fell.

What terrifyingly precise judgment did that require? Without extraordinary mental strength, Long Haochen could never have completed such a transition.

With a thunderous clang, the Double-Edged Battle Axe smashed fiercely against the crossed swords.

Many people could not help closing their eyes. The contrast between Long Haochen's frame and the bearded man's was simply too stark. To many, it looked as though he had been forced to use such a block in haste. But at his age, how much spiritual energy could he possibly possess? Moreover, the bearded man's heavy slash, like Pure White Blade, increased attack power, and it was delivered with a heavy weapon. The watching adventurers seemed already to see the scene of broken swords and a dead boy.

Yet the Iron Swords in Long Haochen's hands did not break. Amid the bearded man's horror, the Double-Edged Battle Axe was knocked upward, leaving his chest wide open.

Even third-rank knight Li Xin could not break Long Haochen's Divine Seal Block. How could a mere second-rank warrior like him possibly breach it?

At that moment, a faint glow seemed to appear around Long Haochen. The crossed swords in his hands followed through almost naturally, completing a Cross Slash.

Two muffled impacts sounded in succession as the two iron swords struck the leather armor over the bearded man's chest. The iron swords had no edges, yet behind the leather armor came the instant sound of shattering bones.

The bearded man's eyes went wide, and he sprayed out a mouthful of blood.

Long Haochen's Divine Seal Block was not yet profound enough for him to borrow Li Xin's spiritual energy. But this bearded man's cultivation level was only slightly higher than his, allowing Long Haochen's Divine Seal Block to borrow exactly twenty points of spiritual energy. Added to the boost from Pure White Blade and Long Haochen's own spiritual energy of over one hundred points, the power of this strike had even surpassed the bearded man's full-force blow. How could the ordinary leather armor on his body possibly withstand it?

"Old Three!" Two cries of alarm rang out as two burly men charged from the crowd. They were clearly in the same group as the bearded man. Adventuring was a dangerous profession, and adventurers generally formed teams.

However, they were too late.

Pfft— After the Cross Slash, Long Haochen immediately followed with a thrust from his right-hand sword. The sharp iron blade pierced through the bearded man's throat in an instant, then flashed back just as quickly.

"Bastard!" The two charging burly men rushed straight at Long Haochen.

"Stop." A cold voice rang out. Immediately afterward, pale golden light surged skyward behind Long Haochen, forcibly knocking the two charging adventurers back.

Li Xin stood there with a frosty expression, the twin swords in her hands spread to either side of her body. A pale golden aura of spiritual energy rose around her, displaying the strength of a third-rank knight.

"Ah, it's Hell Rose..." Someone in the crowd immediately cried out in alarm.