Knight Holy Mountain (III)

"The Knight Holy Mountain is where our Knight Temple specially raises all manner of powerful Magic Beasts. Within the Knight Holy Mountain lies a giant magic array laid down by our Temple's forebears three thousand years ago. It greatly benefits the growth of Magic Beasts and lessens their wild nature, making them much easier to tame. As long as young knights can gain the recognition of one of them there, they may take it away and make it their own mount. This is also one of the finest benefits offered by our Knight Temple, just as the Mage Temple grants Magic Equipment to its elite members. It could be said that every one of the Knight Temple's highest-ranking figures was a powerhouse who descended from the Knight Holy Mountain."

Long Haochen's azure eyes immediately lit up. "What if all the Magic Beasts on the Knight Holy Mountain are tamed?"

Li Xin laughed. "How could that be so easy? Across our entire Knight Temple, it's already quite good if there are a few dozen knights under twenty each year. In lean years, there aren't even ten. Besides, there is a great summoning array atop the Knight Holy Mountain that seems able to connect to some special place, summoning Magic Beasts at regular intervals. Therefore, there is no fear of a shortage of Magic Beasts on the Knight Holy Mountain. I heard that there are even ninth-grade Magic Beasts up there. If you could obtain a ninth-grade Magic Beast mount, it would be almost like opening a path to at least a seventh-step profession."

Long Haochen asked, "Sister, what grade Magic Beast is your Rose Unicorn?"

Li Xin said proudly, "My Rose is currently a beginner fifth-grade Magic Beast, but she is still in her Growth Stage. Once she reaches adulthood, she will at least become a beginner seventh-grade Magic Beast, equivalent to a sixth-step professional. Your sister will become at least a sixth-step Radiant Knight in the future, so you have to work hard too."

"Alright. I'll first work toward climbing the Holy Mountain."

The following task was simple. With Li Xin, a true knight who had once climbed the Knight Holy Mountain, protecting him, hunting ten mid-grade second-grade Magic Beasts was not difficult for Long Haochen, who was already a Quasi-Knight and possessed Divine Seal Block. In just half a day, he completed the task, handed in ten Magic Beast crystal cores, received a reward of twenty-five gold coins, and earned the first completed-task entry on his adventurer certificate.

Sometimes, fate between people was a wondrous thing. Li Xin liked this newly acknowledged little brother very much. Not only did she accompany him in completing the task, but she also escorted him all the way back to outside Odin Town, more than two hundred li from Bright Moon City. Only then did the two part reluctantly.

It was nearing evening. Gazing at the distant horizon reddened by the afterglow of the setting sun, Long Haochen could not help revealing a somewhat smug smile. "Teacher gave me two days to complete this trip's task, but I finished it in just one day. I'll go home and see Mother first, then return to the mountaintop early tomorrow morning and give Teacher a surprise."

As he thought, he happily headed toward home. Yet his mind was filled with the image of that Rose Unicorn drifting like a crimson cloud. How wonderful would it be if I could have such a Magic Beast as a mount someday! Long Haochen knew clearly that if Li Xin had ridden her unicorn during the Quasi-Knight examination, he probably would not have been able to withstand even a single strike.

Filled with envy, he soon caught sight of his family's thatched hut. Wanting to give his mother a surprise, he gently pushed open the courtyard gate. But the moment he stepped into the yard, his entire body froze.

His azure eyes instantly went blank, and even his body began trembling uncontrollably.

His unusually strong spiritual power had given Long Haochen a far steadier and calmer disposition than others his age, but at this very moment, he could not control his emotions at all. What lay before him was simply too unbelievable.

Bai Yue was in the courtyard, but she was sitting on a man's lap. That man was Xingyu, the teacher who held a place in Long Haochen's life second only to his mother, the teacher who had raised him from an Attendant Knight to a Quasi-Knight in just one year.

"Y-you..." Long Haochen stood there, unable to say another word. In that instant, his mind went completely blank.

"Chenchen." Bai Yue struggled to rise from Xingyu's embrace, but Xingyu pulled her back with one arm. A faint white light flashed, and Bai Yue seemed unable to move. She could not even speak.

Xingyu rose to his feet, set Bai Yue aside, and stared coldly at Long Haochen.

"Why? Why are you bullying my mother?" Long Haochen screamed, nearly hysterical. Amid a ringing clang, he drew his pair of Iron Swords. His eyes had turned completely red.

With a flick of his wrist, Xingyu somehow had a Bamboo Sword in his right hand. His left hand rested behind his back, the sword tip angled toward the ground. He said calmly, "Make your move."

Long Haochen's earlier excitement had utterly vanished, replaced by despair, pain, resentment, and all manner of Negative Emotions surging wildly upward.

"Ah!" Long Haochen cried out and launched a Charge at Xingyu. This time, there was no technique whatsoever. He swung both swords at once, slashing at Xingyu with all his strength.

He did not know what level Xingyu's strength had reached. The only thing he could be certain of was that he could never be his teacher's match. But his teacher had bullied his mother. Something like this had happened between the two people he loved most. How could he retain even a shred of reason now?

Bang—

The Bamboo Sword in Xingyu's hand swept sideways. Long Haochen seemed to have crashed into a great mountain as he was sent flying backward and fell into the courtyard.

"Is this how I taught you? No matter what enemy you face, even if you face me, you must remain calm," Xingyu said blandly.

How could Long Haochen listen to his lesson at a time like this? He rolled across the ground and sprang back up. At that moment, the fury of betrayal burned within him, and the blood throughout his body seemed to be on fire. Without hesitation, he launched another Charge.

Pure White Blade, thrust. Combining it with Charge, he unleashed his strongest attack.

Yet it was still useless.

Xingyu used spiritual energy at the same level as Long Haochen's, and all he held was a Bamboo Sword. Yet that slender Bamboo Sword effortlessly struck the weakest point in the force of Long Haochen's twin Iron Swords.

The Bamboo Sword jabbed repeatedly, striking Long Haochen's hands in succession. The Iron Swords fell to the ground with two dull thuds, while Long Haochen staggered backward and landed hard on his butt.

"Ah—" He did not give up. Pain was the source of persistence. Even without weapons, Long Haochen charged at Xingyu again like a mad tiger.

Xingyu's brows furrowed slightly. The Bamboo Sword stabbed forward, shooting straight toward Long Haochen's chest. But Long Haochen did not even try to dodge. He charged directly into the blade.

Xingyu was startled. Though it was only a Bamboo Sword, it was still sharp. If Long Haochen, with no armor protecting him, ran into it, he would be grievously injured even if he did not die. Xingyu instinctively withdrew the Bamboo Sword, but Long Haochen had already slammed into him.

Without the slightest hesitation, Long Haochen sank his teeth into Xingyu's arm.

With Xingyu's Cultivation Level, shaking him off would have been effortless. Yet he did not move, allowing Long Haochen's teeth to bite fiercely into his muscle. Only his brows creased faintly.