Long Xingyu's Flag, Attendant Knight Examination

The next day.

Dawn had only just broken.

Long Haoyu got up and prepared breakfast for Bai Yue, Long Haochen, and himself.

As for Long Xingyu, who had also moved into the Thatched Cottage last night, he selectively chose to ignore him.

After breakfast, Long Haoyu took Long Haochen straight to the Odin Sub-Temple, leaving Long Xingyu standing beside Bai Yue in a complete mess.

"This little fellow still has such a temper after an entire night?"

Long Xingyu smacked his lips. "After saying those things in front of Haochen last night, am I basically slapping myself in the face?"

Bai Yue sighed helplessly. "Yuyu matured earlier than Chenchen. He had already started helping with the housework when he was five."

"If it hadn't been for how well Yuyu managed the household these past few years, this family probably wouldn't have been able to hold on."

"Spend more time with him, and Yuyu will definitely accept you."

Bai Yue was not lying. Only she herself understood the difference between raising one child and raising two.

Long Xingyu was rendered speechless. "Yue, don't worry. I'll make this child acknowledge me too. Believe me!"

"I, Long Xingyu, have that much tolerance. Getting a child to accept me won't be too difficult!"

Elsewhere.

Long Haochen followed behind Long Haoyu.

He was innocent, but he still knew how to read people's expressions.

The situation at home before they left, along with what had happened last night, made him keenly sense that something was wrong.

"Brother, do you not want to acknowledge Dad?" Long Haochen asked.

Long Haoyu stopped and lightly flicked Long Haochen's forehead, putting on an old-fashioned air. "What are you asking so many questions for, kid?"

Long Haochen hissed in pain and muttered, "Mom said I was only born five minutes after you, Brother."

Long Haoyu glared, then pressed both hands against Long Haochen's face—a face just as pretty and girlish as his own—and vigorously rubbed it.

"We're going to the Odin Sub-Temple for the Attendant Knight examination today. You should focus on the examination instead."

"As your little brother, ask fewer questions about your big brother's business, or I'll beat you up!"

Long Haoyu joked with Long Haochen, but he did not mention Long Xingyu, nor could he possibly tell him about those matters.

He would bear the irritation of impure thoughts as the older brother. His younger brother should simply live peacefully.

"Got it. Instructor Balza said that to become a first-grade Attendant Knight, you need at least 10 points of External Spiritual Power."

Long Haochen blinked his bright eyes and asked with some concern, "Brother, you've never drunk Essence Replenishing Liquid. What if something goes wrong during the test?"

"If you drank Essence Replenishing Liquid, would you be my match?" Long Haoyu asked.

Long Haochen immediately fell silent, finally realizing something. "Then how much External Spiritual Power do you actually have, Brother?"

"Guess!"

"I can't guess!"

"Then wait and see!"

Long Haoyu would not show Long Xingyu much kindness, but he was incomparably gentle toward Long Haochen, the younger brother he spent every day with.

He had never imagined this feeling before. Only after truly becoming an older brother did he understand that those two words also carried responsibility.

Chatting and laughing, the two brothers arrived at the Odin Sub-Temple.

All the other children had already gathered in the sub-temple.

The broad, powerfully built Balza stood before the children. Seeing Long Haoyu and Long Haochen join the line, he spoke in a deep, resonant voice.

"Tell me, what are the principles of a Knight?"

"Humility, honesty, compassion, bravery, fairness, sacrifice, honor, perseverance, benevolence, justice!"

Long Haoyu did not stand out. He answered neatly alongside everyone else.

Balza looked at the crowd with satisfaction, then pointed at what appeared to be a wooden stump before him. "Today is your examination day. I've already told you the specific requirements."

"Now, let me see how well you've studied over this past year, and whether you can continue studying here for another three years!"

"First, Jiang Hu!"

The relatively tall Jiang Hu stepped forward.

Everything proceeded just as Long Haoyu remembered.

One child after another stepped forward, gripping a Wooden Sword in both hands and swinging it with all their might at the wooden stump.

Soon, only the Long brothers remained untested.

"Next, Long Haochen!"

Long Haochen stepped out at the call. Before Balza, he clenched his right hand into a fist, pressed it to his heart, and bowed. "Instructor!"

Having always drunk Essence Replenishing Liquid, he was no longer as thin and frail as he had been in the Original Work.

Balza's gaze softened greatly as he praised him. "Begin!"

"Ah—" Long Haochen shouted, gripping the Wooden Sword with both hands and smashing it fiercely into the wooden stump.

The Stone Ball jolted violently, then bounced high into the air.

"Spirit Energy: 18. Passed!"

Balza's expression remained stern as he watched the Stone Ball rise to the mark of 18, but satisfaction appeared on his face.

"Next, Long Haoyu!"

Balza withdrew his gaze from Long Haochen and slowly turned it toward Long Haoyu.

Hearing his brother's name called, Long Haochen hurriedly waved his fist at Long Haoyu. "Go, Brother!"

Long Haoyu smiled faintly and walked before Balza just as Long Haochen had.

He clenched his right fist, pressed it firmly against his chest, and bowed. "Instructor!"

"You two brothers..."

Instructor Balza smiled this time and lightly patted Long Haoyu's shoulder. "Begin! Don't disappoint me!"

"Mm, I know!"

Long Haoyu walked in front of the wooden stump.

He looked at the stone pillar inside it, then at the markings on the stump.

"Haochen's Spirit Energy Test actually reached 18 points. I thought it would be thirteen or fourteen at most."

"Did I miscalculate when I estimated my External Spiritual Power at around 20 points?"

Long Haoyu was somewhat confused. He had never tested exactly how much Spirit Energy he possessed before, so he had only been guessing based on vague memories.

For example, Jiang Hu had 13 points of Spirit Energy during the examination, so Long Haoyu had roughly estimated his own at around 20 points.

But now, he was certain that his External Spiritual Power exceeded Long Haochen's. Since Long Haochen had reached 18 points, he felt that his judgment might have been wrong.

"Forget it. The truth will show itself in my hands. Let's see just how much External Spiritual Power I have now."

"I've trained in the Shadow Space for so long. I hope it gives me a surprise!"

Long Haoyu suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his heart.

He held the Wooden Sword in his hand, but unlike the other children, he did not swing it in a wide arc.

His stance was the chopping stance he used most often in the Shadow Space.

Under Balza's gaze, Long Haochen's gaze, and the gazes of Jiang Hu and the other children.

Long Haoyu moved. He raised the Wooden Sword above his head, gave a low shout, and brought it down heavily upon the wooden stump.

The Stone Ball shot upward in response.

The Wooden Sword snapped in response.