Balza

Biodata

Background / History

Early Instruction in Odin Town

In his youth, Balza hoped to become a true Knight. Yang Tian’s ambition later reminded him of his own former confidence 7.

Balza allowed two-year-old Yang Tian to listen to lessons on the ten knightly commandments and practice after the other children left. He watched over the boy and reminded him to return home without worrying his grandmother. From the age of three, Yang Tian occasionally received Essence Cultivation Liquid from him 1 4.

When four-year-old Yang Tian requested an assessment, Balza initially advised him to wait until seven. He relented after seeing the boy’s determination and was astonished by his result of twelve points of spiritual power. Balza arranged three years of study alongside the other students, concealed Yang Tian’s age in the enrollment paperwork, and supplied his first wooden training sword 3 4 5.

The Six-Month Agreement

Balza initially refused Yang Tian’s request to learn meditation early, warning that he needed a stronger physical foundation. Moved by the boy’s determination to become strong in an age threatened by demons, he offered a six-month trial: Yang Tian had to reach sixth-level Knight Squire, equivalent to sixty points of spiritual power, or have his training doubled 7.

By the deadline, Balza was worried about Yang Tian’s relentless training and privately decided that forty points would justify an exception. Yang Tian achieved fifty-three. Although this fell short of their agreement, Balza rewarded his perseverance with permission to learn meditation and ordered him to halve his training load 8.

Balza gave him the Knight Meditation Primer after teasing him with a choice between meditation and combat skills. When late-night study left Yang Tian exhausted, Balza allowed him to rest, carried him home, and asked his grandmother to prevent further sleepless nights. He later checked Yang Tian’s meditation against the manual and found every step correctly performed 9 10 11.

Escort to Haoyue Branch Hall

Balza accompanied seven-year-old Yang Tian to Haoyue City for the Squire examination. During the journey, he explained the importance of awakening internal spiritual power, discussed the available professions, and recounted his own examination experiences. By this point, he recognized that Yang Tian’s theoretical knowledge exceeded his own 16 17.

Concerned that Yang Tian’s age would prevent him from taking the examination, Balza submitted documents listing him as twelve. The boy’s score of 183 spiritual power prompted further scrutiny, during which Yang Tian revealed his real age. Balza did not blame him for telling the truth and praised his understanding of the knightly commandments 18 19.

Hall Master Nalan accepted Yang Tian and thanked Balza for discovering and nurturing him. Before returning to Odin Town, Balza warned the boy to keep a low profile among the Branch Hall’s older squires and insisted that he accept a pouch containing roughly a dozen gold coins for living expenses 19.

Personality

Balza maintains a stern manner to keep his students disciplined. He reprimands idleness, intensifies physical training, and expects students to understand the protective purpose of knighthood rather than merely seek strength. His corrections are based on performance: he praises Yang Tian’s controlled swordsmanship while criticizing Zhang Hu’s excessive force 5 6 8.

Beneath that strictness, he is compassionate and protective. He sympathizes with Yang Tian’s responsibilities at home, worries about the risks of premature cultivation, and changes his own agreement when the boy’s perseverance merits recognition. His concern extends beyond lessons to sleep, health, accommodation, and money 3 8 10 19.

He also has a playful side, deliberately pretending to put away the meditation manual until Yang Tian chooses it over combat skills 9.

Abilities & Skills

Basic Swordsmanship

Balza demonstrates and teaches three foundational sword techniques, correcting each student individually 6.

• Thrusting Sword — Emphasizes a steady sword hand and a decisive, accurate thrust.
• Chopping Sword — Requires a firmly grounded stance and a powerful chop.
• Rising Sword — Requires balancing strength and speed; Balza stresses conserving energy and varying force against stronger opponents.

Physical and Knightly Instruction

Balza organizes the Child Hall’s curriculum around theory, conditioning, and practical combat training 5 6.

• Uses weighted running to build endurance and stamina 6.
• Teaches the ten knightly commandments and the duty to protect humanity, goodness, the Temple, and loved ones 5.
• Uses Yang Tian’s work ethic as an example to push the other students harder 4 15.
• Adjusts training when excessive effort threatens a student’s health 8 10.

Meditation Knowledge

Balza understands the Temple’s introductory meditation method and can verify its execution against the primer 9 11.

• Normally requires students to reach one hundred points of external spiritual power before studying meditation 7 9.
• Recognizes Yang Tian successfully sensing, drawing in, and absorbing spiritual qi during a deliberate demonstration 11.
• His low professional rank prevents him from noticing the subtle spiritual changes occurring while Yang Tian sleeps 10.

Relationships

• Yang Tian — Student and recipient of his personal support; calls him “Uncle Bal” or “Uncle Ba” outside formal instruction 1 17 19.
• Yang Tian’s grandmother — Coordinates with her over Yang Tian’s health and sleep schedule, personally bringing the exhausted boy home 10.
• Li Jieyuan — Squire Squad Three’s leader; reports attendance and carries out Balza’s instruction to summon Yang Tian for testing 5 8.
• Zhang Hu — Student frequently reprimanded for fooling around and relying on brute force rather than control 6 8.
• Nalan Shu — Haoyue Branch Hall’s master; acknowledges Balza’s concerns and praises his contribution to finding promising young recruits 19.

Notable Quotes

“Heh, an agreement isn't set in stone. Your determination and persistence moved me!” 8

“You already call me Uncle, so take it. Our Odin Sub-Temple is proud of you. Work hard on your cultivation!” 19