Chapter 10: Night Asura (Part One)
Watching Long Haochen charge toward him, Ye Hua nodded inwardly. The boy’s charging technique was not only standard but also demonstrated a mastered rhythm; he wasn’t sprinting with full force. While this might slightly reduce the impact, it would allow for far greater versatility in his movements.
Leaning his body slightly to the side, Long Haochen harnessed the momentum of his charge to thrust his heavy sword forward in a textbook-perfect lunge. Silvery-white light instantly enveloped the blade as Pure White Edge activated simultaneously.
Just as the heavy sword came within a foot of him, Ye Hua finally moved. His motion was astonishingly swift; with his right hand clasped behind his back and his left hand raising the shield forward, he did not block Long Haochen’s heavy sword head-on. Instead, he angled the shield’s surface slightly.
With a sharp clang, Long Haochen felt his sword tilt; instead of striking the shield directly, it slid along its angled surface, the Pure White Blade sparking a trail of fire across Ye Hua’s shield. The next moment, all he saw was a shield rapidly enlarging before his eyes.
With a thunderous crash, Long Haochen was sent flying seven or eight meters before slamming hard onto the ground.
Throughout the entire process, he only managed to raise his Radiant Shield in front of himself before being sent flying the next moment.
With a sudden roll, Long Haochen scrambled to his feet, his face filled with astonishment.
Xingyu held no weapon in his hands, only a shield; yet it was this single shield that ended the battle in an instant.
“Waste,” Xingyu coldly spat out two words.
Long Haochen’s gaze hardened. He tapped his heavy sword against his shoulder and bowed once more to Xingyu. “Instructor, please instruct me.” After the salute, he launched another charge.
The knights running laps were all stealing glances at the duel in the arena. Watching Long Haochen get defeated only to rise again and charge forward, they exchanged astonished looks.
“This kid is something else! It’s the first time I’ve seen anyone from our branch dare to challenge Night Asura a second time.”
Little did they know that during his training under Long Xingyu, Long Haochen had been constantly battered; a single fall meant nothing to him, especially since the Shield of Glory had filtered away most of the impact. Long Xingyu’s goal in raising his son was to forge a spirit that grew stronger with every setback, learning lessons and improving through failure.
Charging forward once more, Long Haochen adjusted his footing slightly. His speed was noticeably slower, yet his overall presence felt far more steady. This time, instead of using Thrust, he switched to Lightning Stab.
A flash of golden light erupted with holy spiritual energy. The difference between Lightning Thrust and Pierce is that Pierce is an unrelenting forward charge, whereas Lightning Thrust strikes and immediately retreats.
Spiritual energy? Third rank? The knights running laps all stared in astonishment, their eyes wide with shock.
Ye Hua’s expression remained unchanged. As always, he acted only at the last moment, tilting his shield in the same defensive posture as before. The heavy sword struck it with a sharp clang, but this time, Long Haochen withdrew the blade after merely deflecting it slightly, without his own center of gravity shifting even in the slightest.
Yet, the shield in Ye Hua’s hands once again loomed large in Long Haochen’s eyes—the exact same skill as before: Charge.
Lunging forward with a shield block, Long Haochen raised his Radiant Shield horizontally, standing firmly before himself with unwavering resolve.
Boom! Long Haochen’s body was once again sent flying; this time, the impact was even heavier than before, leaving him gasping slightly on the ground for several seconds before he could rise again.
“Do you know why I can defeat you?” Ye Hua asked coldly.
Long Haochen frowned slightly and replied without hesitation, “Because your cultivation level is higher than mine.”
Ye Hua nodded and said, “That’s right. Do you feel it’s unfair that I knocked you back using my superior internal spiritual energy rather than defeating you through technique?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Long Haochen still nodded.
Ye Hua snorted disdainfully. “Fool. If you encountered an enemy stronger than yourself on the battlefield, would you question them in the same way? Then your only destination would be hell to voice those doubts. When facing a stronger opponent, what you must do is utilize every possible advantage at your disposal to bridge the gap, employing any means necessary to defeat your foe and protect yourself.”
After a brief moment of thought, a look of sudden realization appeared on Long Haochen’s handsome face. He nodded vigorously and said, “I understand. Thank you, Instructor.” As he spoke, he bowed to Ye Hua once more. “Please instruct me, Instructor.”
Ye Hua said disdainfully, “Do you truly understand? If you challenge me again, I will crush you with even greater strength.”
“Please instruct me, Instructor!” Long Haochen shouted loudly. His eyes were filled with a light of persistence and determination, forming a striking contrast with his handsome face, which could be described as delicate and graceful.
“Come then,” Ye Hua replied, his expression still as cold and lifeless as ever.
Charge, leap. This time, Long Haochen sprang high into the air when he was only halfway to his target, swinging his heavy sword that blazed with dazzling golden light as it slashed toward Ye Hua.
“Fool.” Ye Hua watched Long Haochen with fury. Knowing he was outmatched, why would he leap into midair? Wasn’t that simply inviting death?
However, Ye Hua’s anger quickly turned to astonishment. Long Haochen’s leap had carried him directly above Ye Hua’s head. The position where his heavy sword struck was aimed at Ye Hua’s back; at this moment, Long Haochen’s entire body seemed to have lost its balance.
But Ye Hua did not think so, for he saw the look in Long Haochen’s eyes. Someone who had made a mistaken attack could never still possess such determination and resolve in their gaze.
Half-turning, he swept his shield across the air.
At that very moment, the faint golden light emanating from Long Haochen’s heavy sword, who already seemed to have lost his balance, suddenly vanished. He drew his Radiant Shield back before his chest with his left hand, bending his body in mid-air into an almost impossible angle, and gently grazed the edge of Ye Hua’s shield with his own Radiant Shield.
Ye Hua unleashed a tremendous amount of spiritual energy in this strike; his shield turned almost entirely golden. Even the slightest graze altered Long Haochen’s downward trajectory, sending him spinning several times before crashing to the ground.
Thud! The heavy sword plunged into the ground, and a ring of intense golden light suddenly erupted around Long Haochen.
Ascension Formation, a third-tier skill of the Retribution Knight.
Even Ye Hua had not anticipated that Long Haochen would close the distance using such a method, nor that his body’s flexibility would be so extraordinary as to forcibly alter his posture mid-air. At that moment, the shield Ye Hua had thrust forward remained raised. Although the spiritual energy unleashed by the Ascension Formation could not injure Ye Hua, it still struck his arm with enough force to jerk it upward once more, preventing him from retracting the shield immediately. In response, he erupted with a surge of golden energy, forming a protective barrier around himself.
Long Haochen, who had thrust his heavy sword into the ground to activate the Ascension Formation, simultaneously stabilized his stance using the same blade. With a fluid motion, he swept the Radiant Shield held in his left hand horizontally across Ye Hua’s waist. The shield erupted with the brightest golden radiance it had emitted since the battle began.
Crack—
Ye Hua’s right hand, previously hidden behind his back, finally moved, seizing the Radiant Shield firmly. Yet, the surprise in his eyes transformed almost instantly into sheer astonishment.
Blinding golden light exploded within his grasp. Although spiritual energy already shielded his body, the force of this radiant impact caused him to stagger slightly, forcing him back half a step.
Long Haochen was also greatly shocked. He had already done his utmost; the radiant light erupting from the Shield of Glory was the fourth-rank knight skill, Sunlight Slash—the strongest attack technique he could currently wield! Even though the shield’s edge was not sharp, the fact that Ye Hua managed to catch it with a single hand made it clear just how vast the gap between them truly was.

Night Asura (Part Two)
Ye Hua pushed forward with his right hand, sending Long Haochen staggering back three or four steps.
“Very well, you have won. I lost because I was deceived by your appearance and underestimated you—a fatal mistake. Thank you for teaching me this lesson.” As he spoke, Ye Hua clenched his right hand into a fist, pressed it against his left chest, and performed a knight’s salute toward Long Haochen.
Long Haochen hurriedly returned the salute. “Thank you for your guidance, Instructor.”
The knights who had been running came to a complete halt, staring in stunned silence. Although they couldn’t discern how Ye Hua had lost, the sheer fact of it was utterly shocking. Especially that Asura of the Night had actually performed a knight’s salute to a trainee. It was as inconceivable as a cat kissing a mouse.
“What are you all doing? Do you think my words are mere farting? Get running again, all of you! Fifty more laps!” Just an instant later, their Asura of the Night had reverted to his fearsome demeanor. His roar erupted, terrifying the knights into immediately resuming their run.
“Follow me.” After shouting, Ye Asura coldly addressed Long Haochen once more before turning and walking away.
Long Haochen hurriedly followed, entering the Knight Temple under Yehua’s guidance.
A massive figure seemed to have been waiting there all along. Watching them approach, he smiled and said, “How was it? Didn’t I tell you so?”
“Grand Master Nalan,” Long Haochen exclaimed in surprise.
The owner of that massive figure was none other than Nalan Shu. At this moment, he resembled an old fox, gazing at Long Haochen and Ye Xiuluo with a beaming smile.
“Fatso,” Ye Xiuluo snorted coldly.
Nalan Shu laughed heartily and said, “Zombie-face, our Haoyue Branch Temple is certainly going to shine this time. By the way, I forgot to tell you how old he is this year. Haochen, are you twelve yet?”
Long Haochen shook his head and replied, “I’ll be twelve in four more months.”
“What?” Ye Hua, usually cold as ice, finally showed a change of expression upon hearing these words; shock and fervor appeared on his face almost simultaneously.
“Not even twelve years old? Able to use Sunlight Slash before turning twelve?” How could he fail to recognize the skill Long Haochen had just unleashed with his shield?
Nalan Shu declared with smug pride, “Didn’t I tell you? A peerless genius has arrived at our Haoyue Branch Hall. Peerless—do you understand what that means, you fool?”
Ye Hua seemed utterly unaffected by Nalan Shu’s mockery. The coldness on his face transformed entirely into seriousness as he fixed his gaze on Long Haochen and said, “Since you can wield both Sunlight Slash and Ascension Formation, your training until now must have focused exclusively on Punishment Knight skills. Why, then, did you choose not to continue along the path of a Punishment Knight, but instead become a Guardian Knight?”
Without hesitation, Long Haochen replied, “I wish to possess the strength to protect everything I hold dear. My father once told me that an individual’s power is ultimately limited. When facing the demons to defend our homeland, the role of a Guardian Knight far surpasses that of a Punishment Knight.”
Yehua’s eyes brightened slightly. He nodded slowly and said, “Very well. From today onward, you will study Guardian Knight skills under my sole instruction. Without my permission, you are not to engage in combat with any other knights. Do you understand?”
Long Haochen paused briefly, then asked, “But won’t a lack of sufficient practical combat affect my cultivation?”
Yehua snorted coldly. “You may speak those words only after you have defeated me. Go to the training grounds and wait for me there.”
“Yes,” Long Haochen replied with a hint of uncertainty. After bowing once more to Nalan Shu, he turned and departed.
Watching his retreating figure, Ye Hua’s gaze gradually grew intense. “You dead fatso, where did you find such a treasure?”
Nalan Shu declared with smug satisfaction, “Zombie-face, are you convinced now? Yesterday I told you, and you didn’t believe me; do you believe it now? With this little one joining us, our Haoyue Branch Temple is destined to shine brilliantly in the near future. We might even be elevated to a Main Temple. Let those who ostracized you see just how powerful the disciple you taught has become.”
Ye Hua paid no heed to Nalan Shu’s boasting. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, “Do you know what this little one’s innate internal spiritual energy is?”
Nalan Shu shook his head. “I don’t know. I asked, but he refused to say. However, I tested his current total spiritual energy, and it reached as high as two hundred and sixty-eight. In my opinion, this little one’s innate internal spiritual energy cannot be lower than forty; it might even be higher. Why do you ask? Haven’t you always held the greatest contempt for those powerful individuals with high innate internal spiritual energy?”
The coldness on Ye Hua’s face suddenly turned somewhat strange. “If innate talent could truly be replaced, I wouldn’t be confined to the rank of Earth Knight now. Had my innate internal spiritual energy exceeded fifty, my figure would undoubtedly grace the Divine Throne. Damn it, Heaven! You granted me wisdom and comprehension, yet stripped me of my innate talent.”
Nalan Shu’s plump hand rested on his shoulder as he said, “There now, no more blaming heaven and others. Isn’t Haochen’s arrival precisely the opportunity you needed to showcase your talents? Even if you cannot attain that position yourself, what difference does it make if your disciple achieves it instead?”
Ye Hua took a deep breath, the flush of excitement gradually fading from his cold features. “Fatso, thank you.”
Nalan Shu laughed heartily. “Why thank me? If not for you back then, these three hundred jin of fat would have been left behind on the battlefield long ago.”
Ye Hua spoke in a grave tone, “I need you to do several things for me. First, starting today, I am to have exclusive use of the Temple Trial Grounds unless conducting Knight-level assessments. Second, seal all information, especially regarding this child’s age. Under no circumstances must other main temples or branch temples learn of it. In the Demon Hunter Selection Tournament two and a half years from now, I intend for this child to astonish the world.”
“Very well, no problem. However, Zombie Face, do not be too eager for quick success; under no circumstances should this child be harmed. Pulling up seedlings to help them grow will only produce the opposite effect.”
Ye Hua said indifferently, “This child is stronger than you imagine. The hope I see in him stems not from his age or talent, but from his perseverance. Among the Ten Knightly Precepts, he has already grasped at least courage and determination. Moreover, he is a child who refuses to admit defeat, possessing observation skills far beyond the ordinary and imagination as boundless as a soaring steed. Though two and a half years may seem short, I believe he will still astonish the entire Temple.”
Nalan Shu nodded slightly and said, “I repeat: do not be too eager for quick success. I cannot reveal this child’s origins to you, but perhaps in the near future, he will become humanity’s hope.”
Ye Hua smiled; his cold features twisting into a smile looked even worse than when he cried, yet Nalan Shu could be certain that he was indeed smiling. On his face appeared a笑容 that had not been seen for at least ten years.
Smiling, Ye Hua walked outward, his voice drifting into Nalan Shu’s ears, “I cherish this child even more than you do. He will be the continuation of my dream.”
Long Haochen did not know that, having just escaped the tiger’s den of his father’s hellish training, he had now stepped into the demonic grasp of a somewhat paranoid Asura.
From this day forward, Ye Hua, the Chief Instructor of the Haoyue Branch of the Knight Temple, known by the nickname Asura, suddenly ended his tenure at the Knight Hall, with Nalan Shu personally taking over the position of Chief Instructor. Meanwhile, the young knight who had appeared only briefly vanished as well.

Night Asura (Part Three)
Many were speculating whether the young knight might be the descendant of some prominent figure who had been mistreated by Ye Hua, prompting that dignitary to angrily dismiss the Asura Instructor from his post. Of course, regardless of the truth, this was undoubtedly great news for the knights; they would no longer have to face that zombie-like expression every day, nor endure those hellish training sessions.
Days passed one by one. Even Li Xin, who knew Long Haochen best, rarely saw him. All she knew was that he was receiving private guidance from Night Asura. And even when they did meet, Long Haochen never uttered a single word about his Asura mentor’s teaching methods.
The meals at the Haoyue Branch Temple were quite excellent. Moreover, Long Haochen himself received special provisions. Cultivation improved his physique, and with sufficient nourishment, his body grew remarkably fast. Yet, what surprised people somewhat was that the lines of his face had softened again, making him appear increasingly radiant.
Two years later.
Haoyue Branch Temple Training Grounds.
Clang, clang, clang—the dense clashes of weapons and the explosive surge of sacred light were completely contained by the magical formation surrounding the trial arena. Not a trace could be felt from outside.
Bang—
A figure was violently hurled outward, flying more than twenty meters before crashing into the wall, then slowly sliding down.
The figure sent flying stood about 1.7 meters tall. Though not particularly muscular, he appeared remarkably slender and graceful. Dressed in a light blue fitted outfit, with black hair and golden eyes, his face was as flawless as polished jade, his lips as red as if painted. His features were exceptionally gentle, his skin fair and delicate, without a single visible pore. Had he worn women’s clothing, he would undoubtedly possess the potential to topple cities with a single smile.
“Long Haochen, get up, you good-for-nothing! How did I teach you? When facing an opponent whose strength far surpasses your own, clashing head-on is the most unwise choice. Could it be that just because I called you a coward, you couldn’t hold yourself back? For a Guardian Knight, endurance is paramount. Again!”
“Yes.”
The youth sent flying by that impact was undoubtedly Long Haochen, who was receiving personal instruction from Night Asura.
Over two years, he had achieved astonishing growth. Although in terms of cultivation level, Night Asura could not compare to his father, Long Haochen increasingly felt that in teaching him cultivation, many of his Asura teacher’s insights were even beyond what his father could offer. Especially his bizarrely creative ideas, along with his understanding and evolution of skills, never bound by convention, prioritizing practicality above all else.
Of course, training under Night Asura was anything but a pleasant experience. Night Asura’s temper truly lived up to his title of “Asura”; at the slightest dissatisfaction, he would immediately resort to punches and kicks.
As for the actual combat training Long Haochen had requested, Ye Xiuluo fully satisfied his demands.
Ye Xiuluo’s approach to sparring with Long Haochen differed from that of Long Xingyu. Long Xingyu would refrain entirely from using spiritual energy, attacking solely through technique to hone Long Haochen’s skills.
Ye Xiuluo, however, did no such thing. This teacher, who seemed truly born of hell, unleashed his full power in every sparring session, holding back only slightly enough to avoid causing genuine injury to Long Haochen’s bones and muscles—a classic case of the strong bullying the weak.
Yet under such oppressive combat conditions, Long Haochen’s growth was astonishing. Each day, after exhausting himself completely, he would sit in meditation to cultivate, gradually unlocking his latent potential bit by bit.
However, the gap between master and disciple was simply too vast to be bridged in just two years. Although Long Haochen’s spiritual energy cultivation speed accelerated alongside his rising power, a significant disparity still remained between him and Ye Xiuluo.
One must understand that Knights from levels one to ten require spiritual energy ranging from 201 to 500, whereas Earth Knights demand between 2,001 and 4,000. This represents a gap of nearly tenfold. Such is the case for every profession. This is precisely why the disparity between high-ranking experts and those of lower ranks grows ever more pronounced.
For instance, Long Haochen’s father, Long Xingyu, who holds the title of Divine Seal Knight, begins his ninth-tier profession with a spiritual energy baseline of 100,000.
“Clang—”
“Hmm? Pause.”
A collision and a soft exclamation sounded almost simultaneously, bringing the battle within the trial grounds to a temporary halt.
The reason was simple: Long Haochen had blocked Ye Hua’s heavy sword with the Radiant Shield in his hand.
Intense golden light continuously emanated from both master and disciple. Although Ye Hua had called for a pause, Long Haochen dared not let his guard down in the slightest. His teacher often did unexpected things, such as launching surprise attacks.
“You managed to block my strike head-on, albeit by relying on Divine Defense. Nevertheless, your spiritual energy must have broken through. Rest for one hour, then we will conduct a spiritual energy test.” Upon saying this, a faint smile inadvertently appeared on Ye Hua’s icy face. He only displayed such an expression whenever Long Haochen made significant progress. Of course, Long Haochen had never regarded this facial expression of his as a genuine smile. Just imagine: on a rigid face, when the facial muscles suddenly twitch a few times, what other effect could it possibly produce besides appearing even more ferocious?
“Yes.”
One hour later.
“Boom—” A dazzling golden light instantly illuminated the entire trial ground, as if coating it in a layer of gold.
Ye Hua spoke in a deep voice: “One thousand and fourteen. Very good. You’ve finally broken through the thousand mark, just as I predicted. I have been stuck at the fifth rank, fifth level for six years. My spiritual energy is approximately around three thousand.”
If anyone were to witness this scene and know Long Haochen’s exact age, their jaws would likely drop in astonishment.
Every round number milestone in spiritual energy presents a bottleneck, similar to the barrier encountered when breaking through the final level of each rank. Ye Hua had been blocked at the three thousand spiritual energy threshold for six years, unable to make any progress! No matter how hard he worked or how clever he was, he could not pierce through this barrier. Yet, he clearly remembered that just about a week ago, Long Haochen’s spiritual energy tested at only around nine hundred and eighty. This meant that within a single week, his spiritual energy had not only increased by more than thirty points but had also shattered through a bottleneck.
“Haochen, during your cultivation of internal spiritual energy these past few days, have you felt any obstruction?” Ye Hua asked.
Long Haochen shook his head and replied, “No! Everything is perfectly normal.”
“Ahhh—” Ye Hua suddenly let out a neurotic, skyward scream.
Long Haochen, standing nearby, watched him with perfect calm; clearly, this was not the first time he had seen his teacher behave this way.
After a long while, Ye Hua’s emotions seemed to stabilize somewhat. Without even glancing at Long Haochen, he said coldly, “Go back and pack your things. We’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Yes.” Long Haochen dismissed his Radiant Shield and heavy sword, respectfully performed a knight’s salute toward his mentor, then turned and departed.
Only after watching Long Haochen disappear beyond the gates of the training grounds did Ye Hua once again lift his head and roar skyward, crying out in grief and indignation, “There’s no justice! Damn you, heavens, you bastard! Do you have any humanity at all? That little rascal didn’t even feel any bottleneck! What level of talent does it take to achieve this? In just two years, he broke through from 268 spiritual energy to 1,014! Damn it! Didn’t those old bastards from the Holy Temples claim that spiritual energy growth wouldn’t accelerate until after age twenty? Those charlatans! Did you see that? Thirteen years old and already at 1,000 spiritual energy! Hell’s bells, he’s already a Grade Four Grand Knight! If I had even one-fifth of such talent, I’d at least be a Radiant Knight by now!”
Long Haochen returned to his room, washed himself, and changed into clean clothes. After eating a simple meal, he was just about to go back inside to cultivate when a knocking sound came from outside.

Night Asura (Part Four)
“Sister.”
It was indeed Li Xin who had arrived.
Although they still managed to meet occasionally, whenever Li Xin saw Long Haochen’s handsome appearance, she couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned, especially with the faint fragrance of bathwater lingering on him.
“I just finished my cultivation and happened to see you return, so I came over to check on you,” Li Xin said with a bright, charming smile, gently patting Long Haochen’s damp hair as she spoke.
Long Haochen replied somewhat shyly, “Sister, please sit inside first; I’ll go get you some water.”
“No need for all that trouble. I just wanted to see you,” Li Xin said naturally, slipping her arm around Long Haochen’s shoulders and walking inside with him. Although Long Haochen already stood at 1.7 meters tall, Li Xin reached a full 1.75 meters. Her long, slender legs, narrow waist, and perfectly rounded, upturned buttocks had captivated countless people. However, no one dared to flirt with this rose straight from hell.
Patting Long Haochen’s shoulder and giving his arm a playful squeeze, Li Xin teased with a giggle, “Seems like you’ve gotten even more solid. And increasingly charming too. Sometimes, big sister really wants to just gobble you up. How I wish I had skin as nice as yours!”
Long Haochen replied with some helplessness, “Sister, here you go again. Do you think I wanted this? But appearance is given by one’s parents; there’s nothing I can do about it. I just happen to resemble Mother.”
Li Xin chuckled softly, “Alright, alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Let’s talk seriously. In half a year, the Demon Hunter Squad Selection Tournament will begin. I’ve already broken through to the rank of Grand Knight Level Two, and this time I’ll definitely strive to become a member of a Demon Hunter Squad. I’ve already spoken with Uncle Nalan; he’ll take you along this time so you can witness the event firsthand. In five years, you’ll still be under twenty, eligible to participate in the next tournament. This experience will surely benefit you. However, getting approval from Ye Xiuluo won’t be easy; you’ll have to persuade him yourself. Even Uncle Nalan can’t do anything about him.”
Long Haochen smiled and said, “Very well, I’ll go talk to him. Sister, tomorrow I’ll be going out with Teacher Xiuluo. I’ll mention it to him then.” He felt quite helpless as well; Ye Xiuluo had issued strict orders forbidding him from revealing his cultivation level to anyone, not even to Nalan Shu. In Nalan Shu’s words, that zombie-faced man had reached the ultimate level of being outwardly reserved yet inwardly flamboyant, and this time he was determined to astonish everyone with a single remarkable feat.
A hint of cunning suddenly appeared in Li Xin’s eyes. “Brother, although you can’t tell me your current level of cultivation, training under Ye Xiuluo surely means you haven’t fallen behind. Besides us, there are a few others from Haoyue City participating in the Demon Hunter Selection Tournament, especially that wretched girl Lin Jialu. You must help your sister later.”
Long Haochen replied somewhat helplessly, “Sister, you two have been bickering for so long; just let it go. I can see that even though you argue every time you meet, deep down you still consider each other friends.”
“Pah, pah, pah! Who considers her a friend? Anyway, I’m leaving. Make sure to train hard these next six months.” True to her decisive and swift nature, she left as soon as she said she would, giving Long Haochen’s damp hair one last pat before departing his quarters.
Watching her retreating figure, a trace of warmth filled Long Haochen’s eyes. Since his parents had left, this sister was the only one who made him feel the warmth of family. In his heart, he had long regarded Li Xin as his own elder sister, someone worthy of protecting with his life.
Long Haochen was not a man of many words, yet he possessed a grateful heart.
Returning to his meditation chamber, Long Haochen sat cross-legged and almost instantly entered a state of deep concentration. Those gifted with talent do not necessarily achieve success; countless geniuses have perished along the path of cultivation, and even more have met their demise midway due to flaws in their character. The reason Long Haochen’s cultivation advanced so rapidly lay not only in his innate talent but also in the tranquility of his mind.
With a mind free from distraction and clear as a mirror, he harbored no stray thoughts during cultivation, making his entry into meditative focus far simpler than that of ordinary people.
Gentle spiritual energy rippled softly from his body, while faint golden light emerged subtly from within him, spreading outward. At the center of his chest, a denser cluster of gold gradually materialized, its radiance pulsating in rhythm with the beating of his heart.
Pure light emanated from Long Haochen’s body. Possessing the constitution of a Child of Light, he found it far easier than most to absorb the light elements of heaven and earth. More importantly, as his internal spiritual cultivation continuously advanced, Long Haochen discovered that his sacred light internal energy seemed purer than that of other knights. He had realized this while cultivating Guardian Knight skills.
For the same skill, Ye Xiuluo, who taught him, had stated that fifty points of spiritual energy were required to activate it. In reality, however, Long Haochen completed it using only thirty points.
He kept this secret to himself. Although he deeply knew how well Ye Xiuluo treated him and counted him among his closest companions, Ye Xiuluo could never compare to Long Xingyu in his heart. Therefore, he always remembered his father’s words: never fully reveal one’s true foundation. This was especially true for a foundation so incredible to ordinary people.
The faintly visible golden glow at his chest was the energy fluctuation of the Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove. Within his body, this spiritual stove had now turned golden. During meditation, when focusing his mind inward, Long Haochen could see the Holy Guidance Spiritual Stove quietly suspended within his chest, surrounded by a funnel-shaped vortex of internal spiritual energy rotating around it.
This cluster of internal spiritual energy, resembling a pale golden mist, rotates extremely slowly. During meditation, when it can be stimulated, its rotation speed increases slightly. However, if left unstirred, it takes two full hours to complete a single revolution.
At first glance, the circulation speed of this internal spiritual energy cultivation seems exceedingly slow. Yet, within this seemingly arduous and sluggish rotational process, every six turns of the golden funnel-shaped vortex increase Long Haochen’s internal spiritual energy by one point.
In other words, even if he did nothing at all right now, his internal spiritual energy would still increase by at least one point each day. Never underestimate that single point; accumulating daily, it amounts to three hundred and sixty-five points in a year. This means that even if he merely slept all day every day, within three years he could advance from the rank of Grand Knight to that of Earth Knight.
The formation of this funnel-shaped vortex began one month after his arrival, precisely when his internal spiritual energy had fully recovered. Initially, Long Haochen couldn’t perceive its rotation at all; only by exerting his willpower to its utmost limit could he force it into sluggish motion. From that time until now, after breaking through the threshold of one thousand points of spiritual energy, the vortex has become capable of circulating on its own every day. Long Haochen’s cultivation speed is truly astonishing.
Naturally, Long Haochen would never spend his days sleeping; his diligence was such that not even Night Asura could find any fault with it.
Perception, attraction, absorption, assimilation, filtration, and condensation—this was the entire process of Long Haochen’s cultivation of internal spiritual energy. Soon, he entered a state of meditation.
Early morning.
Long Haochen arrived before Night Asura right on time.
“Let’s go.” Night Asura’s expression remained as stiff as a corpse’s.
“Master, where are we heading?”
“The Knight Sacred Mountain.”
“A mount, you say?”
“Mm.”
A surge of intense excitement, like a volcanic eruption, erupted within Long Haochen’s heart. The rose unicorn, crimson as fire and swift as lightning, seemed to be beckoning him. “I’m finally going to have my own mount!” he cried out inwardly.