Knight's Will

The membership card Shang Yulin had given Zuo Yi was exactly the same size as an ordinary credit card. It had an embedded IC chip, with the West Creek Underground Market logo and name printed on the front, and a long serial number along the bottom.

The entire card was bronze-colored, exquisitely designed and crafted.

Shang Yulin explained, "This Bronze Card was applied for by my father years ago. It recognizes the card, not the person. I used it at West Creek Underground Market before, but it can only be used on the first level."

At the mention of Shang He, her expression dimmed slightly, clearly reminded of the past.

Not wanting to reopen her wounds, Zuo Yi pretended to be interested and asked, "Do the second and third levels require higher-tier cards?"

"Yes."

Shang Yulin nodded. "You need a Silver Card for the second level and a Gold Card for the third. I heard there's even a Diamond Supreme Card, but I've only ever seen a Silver Card."

"But for people like us, a Bronze Card is enough. The first level has the most people and the most goods. Whether you can find any treasures depends entirely on your own eye, and it's convenient for setting up a stall and selling things too."

After a pause, she added, "West Creek Underground Market has the Martial Arts Alliance and several major families backing it. You mustn't cause trouble there, or it'll become very troublesome."

Zuo Yi smiled. "Don't worry. I'm only going to sell a few things and earn some money, not cause trouble."

"Heavenly Vast's current situation..."

Shang Yulin seemed a little embarrassed. "Anyway, if you urgently need money, I can lend you some."

"Thank you."

Zuo Yi smiled. "I won't stand on ceremony with you."

But Zuo Yi could not possibly ask Shang Yulin for a loan. Without Shang He, its pillar, Heavenly Vast Martial Arts Hall was already in dire straits. He could see that Shang Yulin was struggling to keep it afloat.

"By the way, Senior Sister..."

Zuo Yi said, "I'd like to take Bao'er to visit Madam. When would be convenient?"

The madam Zuo Yi referred to was naturally Shang He's wife and Shang Yulin's mother, Liang Xuemei.

Back when Zuo Yi had trained at the martial arts hall, Shang He and Liang Xuemei had taken very good care of him. He had gone to the Shang family home for meals more than once, and he still remembered the taste of Madam's cooking.

It was fragrant and warm.

A few days ago, Zuo Yi had asked Shang Yulin about Madam's recent condition and learned that Liang Xuemei had been recuperating at home due to poor health.

So it would not have been appropriate for him to visit rashly and disturb her.

And Shang Yulin had to care for her mother while managing the martial arts hall, constantly running between the two and exhausting herself.

Shang Yulin hesitated for a moment at Zuo Yi's suggestion. "In a few days."

"Fine."

Zuo Yi said, "I haven't seen Madam in a long time. I really miss her braised lion's head meatballs too."

He sighed sincerely, "They were really delicious."

Shang Yulin did not know what she had thought of, but a smile appeared on her face.

Much of the gloom between her brows faded away with it.

While Zuo Yi sat talking with Shang Yulin in the office, Bao'er led Taike into the sword room.

"Slash!"

At that moment, Sun Qiang, dressed in a martial arts uniform, was practicing swordsmanship against a training dummy.

It was still that same move, Slash. He raised and swung his wooden sword again and again, practicing each movement with extreme seriousness.

Bead-sized drops of sweat emerged from his forehead and splattered continuously onto the floor with his vigorous movements, forming a conspicuous ring of damp marks. He had clearly been practicing for quite some time.

Woof!

Taike barked once.

Upon hearing it, Little Qiang immediately stopped practicing. He turned around, saw Bao'er, and instantly broke into a delighted smile.

Without even bothering to wipe his sweat, the chubby boy scampered over and greeted her eagerly. "Junior Sister Bao'er, you're here."

Bao'er gave him a sweet smile. "Good morning, Brother Sun Qiang."

The chubby boy grinned from ear to ear. "Good morning."

But before his voice had even faded, he caught sight of Taike beside her glaring at him with hostility from the corner of his eye, a low growl rumbling in its throat!

Taike: Only one bootlicker may exist in this room!!

Though it was only an adorable little dog not much bigger than a palm, Sun Qiang felt as if he had been targeted by some prehistoric beast. His scalp went numb and his legs turned weak.

With lightning speed, he grabbed the lunchbox he had prepared beforehand and opened it in a fawning manner for Taike.

Little Qiang's desire to survive was still very strong.

At least you know what's good for you!

The moment it smelled the pastries, Taike's gaze toward the chubby boy immediately softened, even carrying a hint of approval.

It turned around and rubbed its head against Bao'er's calf, whining and acting cute.

Bao'er was completely helpless against that routine. She thanked Little Qiang, then took the lunchbox and fed the pastries inside to the foodie Taike one by one, trying to fill its bottomless stomach.

Having escaped disaster once more, Sun Qiang chuckled. "I'll have my mom make more tomorrow."

Bao'er felt embarrassed. "No need. That would be too much trouble for your mother."

Taike: Nom nom nom, munch munch munch...

Sun Qiang waved his hands repeatedly. "It's no trouble, no trouble at all. My mom loves making pastries. If she doesn't make them for a day, she feels uncomfortable."

Fortunately, Mama Qiang was not there. Otherwise, upon hearing that, she would have grabbed a mop handle and beaten him senseless. You think your mother likes making pastries every day? Isn't it because I'm afraid you'll go hungry outside?!

The carefree chubby boy simply grinned foolishly at Taike as it wolfed down the food.

Zuo Yi, who had just arrived at the sword room, saw the scene and could not help shaking his head. "Taike is being greedy again?"

Bao'er had just stuffed a shumai into Taike's mouth. Guiltily, she stuck out her little tongue.

Sun Qiang nearly jumped into the air. "Teacher Zuo!"

"Hm?"

Zuo Yi swept his gaze over the chubby boy, somewhat surprised. "Did something happen to you?"

His senses were extraordinarily sharp. At a glance, he noticed the change in Sun Qiang.

It was a change at the level of spirit and will!

Sun Qiang was a little bewildered by the question. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "This morning, this morning some people surrounded me. I... I drove them away."

It was a bit of an exaggeration, but it was basically true.

After stammering for a few sentences, he gradually became more fluent. "Luckily, I had the wooden sword you gave me, Teacher, and the sword move you taught me. Otherwise, they definitely would've beaten me badly."

Thinking of what had happened that morning, the chubby boy still felt lingering fear and could not help tightening his grip on the wooden sword in his hand.

"Mhm."

Zuo Yi nodded without asking further.

He had just discovered that Sun Qiang had unexpectedly gained a trace of Knight's Will. Now he knew where it had come from.

In Sadea World, if an ordinary person wanted to become a knight, besides tempering their body and practicing swordsmanship to awaken their potential and break through their limits, the most important thing was cultivating a powerful will.

Regardless of alignment, a cowardly and timid person could never condense a Knight's Heart or become a true knight.

Zuo Yi had previously told Sun Qiang that if he did not have the courage to draw his sword and fight, then he should not learn swordsmanship. That was the way of the sword, and likewise the way of the knight!

What Zuo Yi had not expected was that Sun Qiang would gain such an understanding so quickly and develop the most basic Knight's Will.

That meant he possessed the potential to become a knight!

Although it had happened through a fortunate coincidence, Zuo Yi's instruction had clearly not been wasted.

But Zuo Yi's silence made Sun Qiang extremely uneasy. He lowered his head and assumed the posture of someone obediently admitting his mistake.

Seeing this, Zuo Yi smiled. "You didn't do anything wrong. As long as you know your limits, protecting yourself is completely reasonable and legal."

He pondered for a moment, then continued, "Today, I'll teach you something new."

Sun Qiang raised his head in delight. "Thank you, Teacher!"

He had long been utterly convinced by Zuo Yi. Being able to learn even one extra move or technique from him felt like an enormous gain.

In fact, Little Qiang's gratitude was entirely justified, because what Zuo Yi taught him that day was neither a body-tempering movement nor a sword technique, but the Giant Dragon Breathing Method, one of the three foundational arts of knights!

The Knight Body Tempering Art, basic swordsmanship, and the Giant Dragon Breathing Method formed the foundation of Sadea World's knight training system. Nearly all knights condensed their Knight's Heart by cultivating these three fundamental arts.

Zuo Yi had previously taught Sun Qiang one movement from the Knight Body Tempering Art and passed on Slash from basic swordsmanship. Adding the Giant Dragon Breathing Method today showed that Zuo Yi was training Sun Qiang according to the standards of an Apprentice Knight.

Sun Qiang did not yet know how fortunate he was. A door to a brand-new world was opening for him!

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