Tired. Let It All Burn!

His tone was extremely firm.

As he spoke, Long Haochen's small body unconsciously straightened.

Having made a true choice, he now felt that his goal was crystal clear.

He, Long Haochen!

Was determined to become a great Guardian Knight!

To protect his brother, protect his mother, protect his father, and protect everything he wished to protect!

"Haochen, it's still early."

"You still have the next year to slowly consider your choice!"

"Don't rush to tell Dad your choice now. It won't be too late to tell me after the Special Training ends a year from now."

Long Xingyu crouched before Long Haochen, grasping his shoulders with both hands as he spoke earnestly.

Where exactly had things gone wrong?

The plan had been for Long Haochen to learn combat Instinct from Long Haoyu and strengthen his resolve to walk the path of a Retribution Knight.

It had only been one day!

How—how had he suddenly decided to become a Guardian Knight?

Tired. So tired!

"Dad, there's no need to wait a year!"

"My brother was injured in this battle!"

"If I were a Guardian Knight, I could share enough of the burden!"

"Then, in future battles, I could heal my brother, support him, and fulfill the role I should play!"

Long Haochen was rarely this resolute.

Everything at the Owl Ant Nest had thoroughly solidified the thoughts in his heart.

Thinking of how he had been uselessly standing to the side while his big brother fought bloodily, he felt terrible.

Even if he could not truly share the pressure of battle, he wanted to do what he should—provide some healing, offer some support, and help bring the battle to a quicker end.

"Don't you want to fight side by side with your brother?" Long Xingyu asked again. "You must know that your brother has chosen the path of a Retribution Knight. With his abilities, he will surely become an extremely powerful Retribution Knight in the future!"

Long Haochen answered, "I do, but Guardian Knights can fight side by side with their brothers too! And Dad, you taught me this today."

"My brother and I are blood brothers. We must watch over and help each other. My brother is a Retribution Knight, so as his younger brother, I should become a Guardian Knight!"

At this point, Long Haochen paused. Then the determination in his eyes grew even stronger. "When that time comes, my brother will lead the attack and I will hold the defense. We'll definitely be able to watch over and help each other even better!!"

"And precisely because my brother will certainly become an incredibly powerful Retribution Knight, becoming a Guardian Knight will be the better choice if I want to catch up to him sooner!"

Long Xingyu: ...Is that what I meant by watching over and helping each other?

For a moment, Long Haochen's words left Long Xingyu somewhat at a loss.

To say they were not standard would be wrong, yet they were perfectly standard.

But to say they were standard, this was absolutely not the answer he wanted to hear!

"Alright, Dad understands."

"But this is your decision for now."

"A year from now, you can tell Dad your answer again. Dad will give you a chance to change your mind!"

Long Xingyu gently patted Long Haochen's shoulder.

Then his gaze fell upon Long Haoyu, and the complicated emotions in his eyes were nearly impossible to hide.

"I heard from Haochen that you killed nine of the ten Scorpion Tail Lizards. Very good!"

"Keep up the good work in your future training."

Long Xingyu was somewhat depressed, but he had not forgotten what he was supposed to do. He praised Long Haoyu as well.

Long Haoyu gave a grunt. How could he not know what this old man of his was really up to?

Half-hearted praise, half-hearted fatherly behavior.

Training over, Long Xingyu got his emotions under control and did not waste any more words. He took the two brothers home at breakneck speed.

After dinner, Long Xingyu cleaned up the dishes and stood alone in the small courtyard.

The night wind howled, while a brilliant full moon hung high in the sky.

One man, one shadow—utterly lonely.

"Brother, do you think Dad is unhappy with my choice?"

Inside Long Haoyu's room, Long Haochen and Long Haoyu watched Long Xingyu in the courtyard through the Paper Window. Unease filled Long Haochen's face as he asked uncertainly.

He remembered that when Long Haoyu had chosen the path of a Retribution Knight, Long Xingyu did not seem to say much.

But when it came to him, he wanted to choose the path of a Guardian Knight, yet he had been told that he could choose again a year later.

"No. You call him Dad, so how could he be angry with you?" Long Haoyu comforted him.

Long Haochen furrowed his little brows and looked at him suspiciously. After thinking for a moment, he continued, "It feels like he is unhappy. Dad is a Retribution Knight too. He probably wants me to be like you, Brother, and walk the path of a Retribution Knight together with you!"

"Don't worry, he won't be. Who wouldn't want their own child to succeed? A Guardian Knight can also become a great Knight and reach the pinnacle."

Long Haoyu said this as he glanced at Long Xingyu in the courtyard, raising his voice slightly. "Maybe he just learned that both of us brothers have clear goals, and he's sighing over how we made our decisions so early."

"So he isn't unhappy. He's marveling at how clear and firm the goals of us two brothers are. Don't put too much pressure on yourself!"

Was that so?

Long Haochen blinked.

Although he felt Long Haoyu's analysis was right, something still felt a little strange.

But he could not put his finger on what exactly was strange.

Long Haoyu had deliberately raised his voice a little, and Long Xingyu heard every word clearly in the small courtyard.

His lonely figure seemed to stagger faintly.

That child Haoyu truly is my nemesis!

I had planned to have Haochen learn from him so that he could firmly embark on the path of a Retribution Knight!

Yet I never expected things to somehow end up like this. Was it a mistake to let Haochen train with him?

Long Xingyu analyzed the situation helplessly in his heart. As he continued listening to the brothers whispering to each other, the twitching of his brows grew far more frequent than before.

It seems it really was a mistake. Going forward, I still need to teach Haochen to stand on his own.

When his true strength proves insufficient, Haochen should change his mind. There is still a year left.

One year is enough for Haochen to give me a satisfactory answer again!

Long Xingyu comforted himself in his heart. As he pondered the plan buried deep within, his gaze became firm once more.

Having soothed himself and restored calm to his heart, Long Xingyu turned and headed back toward Bai Yue's room.

As he passed Long Haoyu's room, he casually glanced over from the corner of his eye, the hidden meaning unmistakable.

As for Haoyu, I still can't let him influence Haochen too much.

It seems the training methods will have to change again!

He had already thoroughly settled the arrangements for Long Haochen, while as for Long Haoyu...

At that moment, he devised an entirely new and complete plan in his heart!