Star Brilliance Unicorn (3)

How beautiful! Long Haochen could not help but sigh. Such a vast and magnificent scene made his heart suddenly feel open and bright. Taking a deep breath, he felt as though abundant Light Elements were swirling around his body. Forcibly suppressing the urge to sit down and meditate, he fixed his gaze on the direction of the Holy Mountain's center and sped onward.

The Knight Holy Mountain covered an immense area, and traveling through it was extremely difficult. In the blink of an eye, five days had passed. Long Haochen had climbed to mountaintops more than ten times to observe his surroundings, only to discover that he had covered perhaps just one-third of the distance. He was still very far from the Holy Mountain's center.

Moreover, the deeper he went, the taller the peaks became, and the more difficult they were to climb.

However, as he continued onward, the Magic Beasts he encountered gradually grew stronger as well. Fifth- and Sixth-level Demon Beasts appeared one after another. Unfortunately, not a single Magic Beast had shown him any sign of affection.

He had brought sufficient rations and waterskins in the Forget-me-not Ring, and Long Haochen rested for roughly three shichen each day. Though he did not dare meditate, he could clearly feel his spiritual energy improving.

"Ah, water!" After climbing another mountain peak, Long Haochen joyfully spotted a lake in the valley on the other side.

Looking down from the mountaintop, the lake was like an enormous sapphire set amid the mountains. Reflecting the sunlight spilling down from the sky, it was simply like a paradise on earth.

"Wonderful. Teacher said that places with water have the most Magic Beasts, and there is no shortage of powerful ones. Maybe I can find my partner here."

Without wasting a moment, he hurried down the mountain. Perhaps because he now had a goal, he moved exceptionally quickly this time, reaching the foot of the mountain in no time.

From afar, he had already seen several Magic Beasts drinking by the lake. He stopped, slowed his pace, and gradually approached.

Soon, he witnessed a strange sight. Long Haochen's heart jolted. What was that?

More than a dozen unicorns wandered by the lake, drinking water. They were clearly a herd. Their bodies were snow-white, the manes on their necks golden, and spiral golden horns stood proudly atop their heads. Every unicorn possessed a pair of enormous feathered wings, with golden feathers lining the outermost edges of their pure white wings. As they walked, faint rings of golden light could be seen radiating beneath them.

Th-this was...

Star Brilliance Unicorns?

Unicorns were, without question, the mounts most beloved by knights. Whether in the sky or on the ground, they possessed formidable combat power. They were truly powerful Magic Beasts capable of fighting in both air and on land. Moreover, unicorns were gentle by nature and relatively easy to tame. Of course, they were proud as well; only by conquering them or earning their favor could one possibly form a contract with them.

Among unicorns, Star Brilliance Unicorns were the cream of the crop. An adult Star Brilliance Unicorn was a Peak Eighth Tier Magic Beast, only a single step away from the ninth tier. They were second only to ninth-tier Sacred Unicorns.

Star Brilliance Unicorns were also Light Attribute Magic Beasts. If one were to survey knights and ask what mount they most wished to obtain, at least half would choose one.

At the sight of the Star Brilliance Unicorns, Long Haochen nearly stopped breathing. These were even more powerful than his sister's Rose Unicorn!

They were simply too beautiful. The lines of their bodies were the perfect union of strength and beauty. Their rich Holy Aura was so pure that even the lake surface they touched seemed to ripple with rings of pale golden light.

Taking a deep breath, Long Haochen put away his heavy sword and shield. He knew that his opportunity had arrived.

He calmed himself as much as possible, then slowly walked toward the Star Brilliance Unicorns.

Even outside the Knight Holy Mountain, kind-hearted Star Brilliance Unicorns would not easily attack humans, much less here, where they were influenced by the magic arrays.

Among the herd of Star Brilliance Unicorns was one that stood especially tall. It was fully two zhang long and one zhang two chi tall, its horn nearly two chi in length. Light gleamed brilliantly from its pale golden eyes. While the other unicorns drank, it alone stood quietly, observing everything around it.

Without question, this unicorn was the king here.

Seeing Long Haochen slowly approach, the Star Brilliance Unicorn gave a slight start and lightly pawed the ground with its right forehoof.

Long Haochen hurriedly stopped and said earnestly, "Honored Star Brilliance Unicorn, I am a knight from the Knight Temple. I came here in search of my partner. May I communicate with you?"

High-level Magic Beasts possessed extremely high intelligence, not even inferior to that of humans. The higher the rank of a Magic Beast, the harder it was to gain its recognition. Attempting communication was the first step.

The Star Brilliance Unicorn King's golden eyes fell upon Long Haochen. When its gaze met his equally pale golden yet even clearer eyes, it could not help but pause slightly.

Dense golden light surged from the horn atop its head, spreading into a golden curtain of light that enveloped Long Haochen.

At once, a faint layer of gold appeared over Long Haochen's body as well. The light at his chest in particular shone brilliantly.

The abundant Holy Aura made Long Haochen feel warmth and affinity, and delight immediately filled his heart. This unicorn king's willingness to communicate with him proved that he had a chance to gain its recognition. And there was that intimate feeling as well.

"Hello, human." A gentle male voice sounded in Long Haochen's mind.

Although Long Xingyu had long told Long Haochen that high-level Magic Beasts could communicate with humans, his first exchange with a Magic Beast of this level still made him nervous. He hurriedly thought, "Hello, Star Brilliance Unicorn."

The Star Brilliance Unicorn said, "The aura of light on your body is extremely pure, even purer than mine. It makes me feel very comfortable."

Long Haochen's heartbeat abruptly quickened. "Then, can I become your partner?"

The most crucial moment had arrived. If this Star Brilliance Unicorn agreed, Long Haochen would possess a powerful Peak Eighth Tier Magic Beast as his mount. This was not an Infant Stage unicorn! With such a powerful mount, even an Earth Knight might not be his match.

The Star Brilliance Unicorn fell silent upon hearing Long Haochen's question. The golden light released from its horn also grew increasingly intense. Affected by that golden light, Long Haochen's eyes gleamed, and within his clear gaze was reflected the unicorn's figure.

"I truly wish to agree to you." The Star Brilliance Unicorn actually used an honorific. "But I cannot deceive you."

Long Haochen was somewhat stunned. "Y-you, what do you mean?"

"Honored Child of Light, I have seen the source of your light clearly. I very much wish to become your mount, your partner. If that were so, perhaps in my lifetime, I might have a chance to advance into a ninth-tier Magic Beast. However, I cannot do so. For we unicorns are creatures of honesty. With my talent, I am not qualified to serve the Child of Light. I am sorry, but I can only refuse you."

"Ah?" Not qualified? Long Haochen was instantly dumbfounded. Even if the Star Brilliance Unicorn had said that he was unqualified, he would not have been so surprised. Before him stood a powerful Peak Eighth Tier being! If even it was not qualified, then what kind of Magic Beast partner was he supposed to seek?

"I fear you have made this trip in vain. As far as I know, within this Knight Holy Mountain, it is not only I who am unqualified. Even those few ninth-tier Magic Beasts and their descendants are likewise unqualified to become your partners." The Star Brilliance Unicorn spoke with a trace of regret.