The Knight Squire Assessment

Time slipped by.

In the blink of an eye, two years had passed.

Yang Tian was already four years old and had grown considerably taller. His heart had become purer, and his yearning for the light had only deepened.

"Long Haochen is only four now, too. He hasn't even started school yet!"

Peeking in at the group of children inside once again, Yang Tian murmured to himself.

Instructor Balza was conducting another Knight Squire assessment.

Only those with more than ten points of Spiritual Power could stay to train and receive a higher-grade Spirit Cultivation Liquid.

Though the stuff tasted awful, Yang Tian had drunk it a few times.

In a sense, Yang Tian had started school at two, though he had only poked his head in to listen.

As for training, he would wait until the students had finished before practicing for a while himself.

"Li Nian, ten points of Spiritual Power. Passed!"

"Zhang Wu, eight points of Spiritual Power. Failed..."

An older child with fourteen points of Spiritual Power was announcing the other children's test results.

Before long, the testing was over.

"All right. Those with more than ten points of Spiritual Power may continue studying at the Child Hall for three years. Only after those three years can you go to the Branch Temple to take the Squire assessment!"

"Only by passing the Squire assessment can you become an official member of our Knight Temple. I, for example, am one!"

With a stern expression, Balza swept his gaze over the children who had trained for a year.

It was a shame, but those were the rules.

If they still could not cultivate ten points of Spiritual Power after a year, even with Essence Cultivation Liquid to strengthen their foundations and nourish their vitality, it proved their aptitude was poor.

Watching, Yang Tian understood what that meant.

They would either end up as ordinary people or continue cultivating on their own. Even reaching the First-Tier Profession or Second-Tier Profession someday would be an extraordinary achievement.

Though they had failed the assessment, the children were not discouraged.

They had no idea how exciting a life they would lose by failing, or how far their future standing would fall behind that of the children who had passed!

The Temple's resources were limited. Being able to receive them already meant one was outstanding.

Those so-called elites all had formidable backgrounds.

Everyone who joined a Demon Hunt Squad came from a family of fifth-tier professionals.

Yang Tian was merely an ordinary person. His parents, ordinary people themselves, had died in the jaws of magical beasts, leaving him and his grandmother with only each other to rely on.

"Uncle Ba, could I take the test? I've been coming here for two years!"

Four-year-old Yang Tian walked inside with determination in his eyes and looked at Balza pleadingly.

As a commoner, he desperately wanted to become a knight and gain an opportunity to cultivate!

So, after the other children left, he stepped forward.

"Little Yang Tian, you're still young. You can wait until you're seven to take the test. You'll certainly pass then. There's no hurry!"

Looking at the little boy, Balza's heart softened, and he spoke gently.

More than anything, he felt sympathy. This child was so sensible it hurt, even though he was still only a child.

He bore burdens no child should have to bear, helping his grandmother with farm work and helping the neighbors, yet he faced life with a smile every day.

Balza believed the boy worked so hard only because he wanted to become a knight someday and go onto the battlefield to kill magical beasts!

"No, I want to try, too. Even if my aptitude is too poor, I won't give up!"

Yang Tian persisted, his determined gaze fixed on Balza, revealing that same stubborn resolve.

Seeing the resolve in Yang Tian's little eyes, Balza was somewhat surprised. This child seemed to have grasped quite a few of the ten knightly commandments.

Such resolve was exceedingly rare. Without a measure of determination, how could anyone go far along the path of cultivation?

In the end, Balza relented.

He handed Yang Tian a wooden sword. "Don't push yourself. You're still young. There's no need to rush!"

Yang Tian nodded, but he could not afford not to hurry. He did not have Long Haochen's talent or opportunities.

Smack!

The wooden sword struck the testing apparatus with a practiced chop.

Then the stone bead sprang up!

Balza was stunned:

"Tw-twelve points of Spiritual Power!"