Chapter 9: The Radiant Shield (Part One)
Li Xin snarled, “Last time? You actually have the nerve to bring up last time? If my father and Uncle Lin hadn’t arrived so quickly, I would have split her in two with a single sword strike.”
Lin Jialu sneered coldly, “If Father hadn’t been protecting you, I would have frozen you into an ice sculpture last time.”
Li Xin scoffed, “If you’ve got any real skill, don’t use any magical equipment.”
Lin Jialu replied contemptuously, “If you’ve got any real skill, don’t summon that unicorn of yours.”
Li Xin’s fury was clearly beyond containment. With a flick of her wrist, she drew one of the twin swords from her back. “Come on, let’s take this outside. Today I won’t summon Rose; let’s see what you can do to me!”
Lin Jialu handed her magic staff to the warrior attendant beside her. “Fine, then I won’t use my staff either. Let me show you just how fast I can cast spells.”
“Misses, both the Archon and the Grand Master explicitly warned that if you two fight again, you’ll be confined to your quarters.” The two warriors, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads, stood between the young women with expressions of bitter resignation.
At the mention of confinement, Li Xin and Lin Jialu both visibly hesitated before simultaneously letting out another indignant snort in perfect unison.
Lin Jialu sneered coldly. “Consider yourself lucky.”
“Am I the lucky one? I’m already a level-seven knight, while someone here is still just a level-six mage. I wonder who’s truly blessed by fortune. Didn’t they forbid us from fighting? Fine then! Lin Jialu, do you dare to make a bet with me?”
Lin Jialu snorted. “What kind of bet?”
Li Xin pointed toward Long Haochen, who had just risen and now stood directly behind her. “This is my younger brother. I’ll let him fight in my place. You send someone out too. As long as we ourselves don’t fight, we won’t be confined.”
Until now, Li Xin had completely blocked Long Haochen from view; only when she stepped aside did Lin Jialu finally see him. She was instantly struck: Long Haochen’s exquisitely refined, nearly perfect features, his unique and rare pale golden eyes brimming with clarity, and an intangible aura about him all left her utterly astonished.
Glancing at Long Haochen and then at Li Xin, Lin Jialu lowered her voice slightly and asked Li Xin, “Is he also a woman disguised as a man, just like you?”
The muscles on Long Haochen’s face twitched instantly; lines of frustration appeared across his forehead as he frowned and said, “I am a man.”
He thought to himself, Can’t you guys stop this? Why does everyone who sees me assume I’m a woman? Haven’t you noticed my Adam’s apple? Have some common sense, will you!
Li Xin said triumphantly, “How about it? Isn’t my brother handsome? Have you ever seen such a dashing young lad?”
Lin Jialu curled her lips and retorted, “So you have this kind of taste too, liking little pretty boys. But aren’t you way too old for him? Have you no shame?”
“You…” Li Xin snapped angrily, “Just say whether you dare to take the bet or not. Let me tell you plainly, my brother is also from our Haoyue Branch Temple; he just joined today.”
Lin Jialu was taken aback. “Are you mistaken? You want him to fight? How old is he? Fifteen, even?”
Li Xin replied, “That’s none of your concern. Just say whether you dare to bet or not. If you don’t, then scram quickly and don’t ruin my mood for eating.”
“Who are you calling ‘my lady’? Bet it is then. It’s just a little pretty boy. Xu Tiankong, you go up.” Lin Jialu didn’t know why she clashed with Li Xin; clearly, neither could tolerate the other’s provocation.
Li Xin said, “Let’s take this outside so we don’t disturb their business. Besides, since it’s a bet, we should at least add some stakes.”
Lin Jialu said, “What do you want to bet?”
Li Xin had clearly already decided on the stakes. Pulling a white crystal from her robe, she said, “I’ll bet this level-five light-attribute magical beast Golden Yan Tiger’s magic core against your shop’s Shield of Radiance.”
Lin Jialu’s eyes flickered slightly. “Are you crazy?” She was beginning to sense something amiss. The magic core of a Golden Yan Tiger was exceedingly rare, ranking among the most valuable of all level-five magical beast cores. Though the Shield of Radiance was excellent, in terms of pure value, it still fell short of this magic core. Did Li Xin really have that much confidence?
Li Xin tossed the magic core in her hand and sneered, “If you don’t dare, then scram quickly. And remember, from now on, whenever you see me, make sure to give me a wide berth.”
“What’s there to fear? Let’s bet on it.” Impulsively, Lin Jialu agreed immediately.
Long Haochen stood silently nearby. Although he didn’t know what conflict existed between Li Xin and Lin Jialu, he could clearly see that despite their noisy argument, both spoke with restraint; they were not true enemies. Li Xin had always treated him kindly, and since she was asking for help on behalf of her sister, he found himself unable to refuse.
The group left the restaurant together. Li Xin held Long Haochen’s hand and whispered, “Little brother, I’m truly sorry for making you fight before you’ve even eaten. But you must do your best! My actions serve a purpose; you absolutely must win.”
Long Haochen clearly detected a hint of cunning in Li Xin’s eyes. He nodded and replied, “Sister, I will do my utmost.”
On the other side, Lin Jialu was also encouraging her attendant. “Xu Tiankong, that little boy probably has some skills, but you must win. If you win this duel, I’ll gift you a fine sword when we return. Just remember not to truly harm him.”
Xu Tiankong replied helplessly, “Young Miss, let’s make a deal then. After this duel, whether I win or lose, you must stop quarreling with Miss Xin’er, alright? Otherwise, I’ll have to report this to Lord Governor.”
Lin Jialu responded somewhat impatiently, “I know already.”
In front of the restaurant lay an open space specifically designated for parking carriages. At this moment, few carriages were present, leaving ample room for them to conduct their duel.
Long Haochen had already stepped forward with his heavy sword in hand. Just as Xu Tiankong emerged from the other side, Long Haochen turned to Lin Jialu and said, “Sister Lin, I have never fought against a mage before. Could you please grant me the honor of testing my skills against you?”
“Hmm?” Both Li Xin and Lin Jialu were momentarily stunned.
Li Xin quickly interjected, “Brother, don’t be reckless.” She had witnessed Long Haochen’s combat prowess before and knew his practical experience was considerable, not to mention his spiritual energy cultivation level demonstrated during earlier tests was quite high. Lin Jialu’s two guards were merely warriors who had just broken through to the third rank; without the support of holy light skills, they would stand little chance against Long Haochen. However, Lin Jialu was different. She was the prodigious young genius of Haoyue City, renowned equally alongside Li Xin herself.
Long Haochen earnestly addressed Li Xin, “Sister, my father once told me that practical combat experience is often more important than cultivation level. I wish to test myself in battle against a mage.”
Lin Jialu walked over to the somewhat dazed Xu Tiankong and asked with a puzzled expression, “Little boy, you want to fight me? Then your Sister Xin’er is definitely going to lose.”
Long Haochen slowly lifted the heavy sword in his hand, shook his head, and said, “That’s not necessarily true. Sister Xin’er, is that alright?”
Li Xin, seeing the composure and determination in Long Haochen that belied his age, smiled gently and said, “Good, you truly are my brother. Show her what you’re capable of. Lin Jialu, don’t cry if you lose.”
“I’ll lose?” Lin Jialu shot Li Xin a dismissive glance. Without even picking up her staff, she faced Long Haochen bare-handed and said, “Then let’s begin.”
“Sister Lin, please.” As he spoke, Long Haochen lightly tapped his right shoulder with the heavy sword in his hand, performing a knight’s salute. Then, touching the ground with the tip of his foot, he charged straight toward Lin Jialu.
Cold musical notes swiftly escaped from Lin Jialu’s lips. She did not retreat; instead, a faint blue light rippled outward from her body. With a flick of her right index finger, an ice sphere shot directly at Long Haochen like lightning. The entire sequence took less than a second.

The Radiant Shield (Part Two)
Long Haochen’s eyes narrowed slightly. Without dodging, he moved directly to meet the incoming ice sphere.
But just then, the ice sphere suddenly sank and struck the ground with a sharp crack. A blue halo instantly spread across an area two feet in diameter, precisely beneath Long Haochen’s charging footsteps.
A chill surged upward from under his feet in an instant. His footing slipped, causing Long Haochen’s body to waver as if he were about to lose balance.
Lin Jialu wore a confident smile on her face while continuously chanting incantations. A pale blue luminous shield had already enveloped her. This was the second-tier magic spell, Ice Barrier.
However, the smile on her face quickly turned into astonishment.
Just as Long Haochen’s foot slipped, a faint golden luster suddenly surged over the top of his foot. With a sharp crack, the layer of ice frozen onto the ground shattered beneath his step, instantly restoring his balance. Not only did his charging speed fail to decrease, it abruptly doubled. His heavy sword thrust forward in one swift motion, striking squarely against the Ice Barrier.
A third-rank Knight!
Both Lin Jialu and her two attendants were utterly astonished. The ability to wield holy light internal spiritual energy was the hallmark of a third-rank Knight. Could this youth, who appeared to be barely fifteen years old, already be a third-rank Knight?
“Thud, thud, thud…” A rapid series of impacts echoed against the Ice Barrier.
Long Haochen felt as though he had thrust his weapon into an ice wall, his charging momentum instantly halted. Yet, under the force of his piercing strike, the Ice Barrier developed extensive cracks and seemed on the verge of collapse.
Though startled, Lin Jialu did not cease her spellcasting. A ring of white ice erupted outward from around her body in an instant, its powerful repulsive force hurling Long Haochen, who had been merely a hair’s breadth away, backward.
This is one of the most common repulsion skills ice mages use against melee classes. Casting so fluidly and swiftly without a magic staff, Lin Jialu truly lives up to her title as a magical genius.
Pushed backward, Long Haochen paused briefly, thinking to himself that battling a mage was indeed different from fighting a warrior.
Just at that moment, more than a dozen ice pillars shot up swiftly around him, blocking all paths in front, behind, to the left, and to the right. The biting cold sent a chill through Long Haochen’s body, seemingly slowing the circulation of his spiritual energy.
Only then did Lin Jialu breathe a slight sigh of relief, thinking to herself, “I almost fell for Li Xin’s trick. This little boy is actually a third-rank knight. If Xu Tiankong had gone up against him, he might not have been a match!”
On the other side, Li Xin sighed inwardly. In her view, now that Long Haochen was immobilized, he would surely be affected by the ice-type magic, greatly reducing his combat power. Before he could break free from the surrounding barriers, he would likely be defeated by Lin Jialu.
But just at that moment, Long Haochen leaped into the air.
“That silly boy,” Li Xin couldn’t help but murmur. Jumping into the air while still at a distance from a mage—isn’t that just making yourself an easy target? Lin Jialu’s Ice Cage was clearly meant to force him upward; it seems he truly lacks any experience fighting against mages!
Sure enough, the moment Long Haochen leaped into the air, a subtle, knowing smile appeared on Lin Jialu’s lips. One ice sphere after another shot straight toward him. She was already holding back; otherwise, had she upgraded her first-tier ice spheres to second-tier ice blades or ice cones, their destructive power would have been far greater.
Yet once again, Long Haochen stunned everyone present.
A faint golden light emanated from within Long Haochen, spiraling upward. With both hands gripping his sword and raising it high above his head, he stood bathed in this radiant glow, his handsome face imbued with an even more divine aura.
Each ice projectile shattered on its own when it reached a foot in front of Long Haochen, and the frigid air they emitted failed to penetrate the golden light in the slightest.
The three words “Light Slash Sword” instantly arose in Ling Jialu’s mind, causing her smile to freeze immediately. Without hesitation, she reformed a layer of ice shield before herself.
Leaping into the air, Long Haochen descended from above, swinging his heavy sword downward. The faint golden light instantly intensified, transforming into a light blade one foot wide that tore through the sky.
Light Slash Sword: A third-tier Knight skill learnable by both Retribution Knights and Guardian Knights, requiring fifty points of spiritual energy. It channels holy light to protect the user while condensing it into a blade of light to strike enemies. Its attack range is directly proportional to the knight’s own cultivation level of spiritual energy.
This skill is the first ranged attack ability a knight can wield using their inner spiritual energy. Although it consumes the same amount of inner spiritual energy as the Sunlight Slash, its power is far weaker, since the Light Blade Sword is a ranged technique that integrates both offense and defense.
Even so, the Light Blade Sword is generally a skill only accessible to knights of tier five or above. Only at higher levels, with abundant spiritual energy to support it, does the true potency of this skill gradually reveal itself.
The golden blade of light collided with the Ice Barrier almost instantly, producing a sharp crack; the Ice Barrier shattered immediately, yet the light blade unleashed by the Light Blade Sword was likewise neutralized.
Long Haochen’s figure did not pause even for an instant; the moment his feet touched the ground, he charged once more toward Lin Jialu.
Lin Jialu breathed a sigh of relief as she watched her Ice Barrier successfully block the Light Slash Sword. She thought to herself, “Fortunately, this little boy’s spiritual energy isn’t too strong; otherwise, that attack would have been difficult to deflect. I underestimated him.”
However, having blocked the Light Slash Sword, a smile returned to Lin Jialu’s face. As Long Haochen charged forward once more, she unleashed her Repelling Ice Ring again.
The Light Slash Sword consumed fifty points of spiritual energy. Clearly, the little boy’s remaining internal spiritual energy was running low. If she could block his charge once more, he would have no choice but to admit defeat.
Snap—The moment the Repelling Ice Ring appeared, Long Haochen suddenly changed his tactics. He slammed his right foot hard against the ground, abruptly halting his own charge and bringing himself to a stop, while holding his heavy sword upright before him.
The Ring of Resisting Ice swept past Long Haochen, but this time he was not pushed back; instead, a faint golden light enveloped his body.
He pointed his heavy sword forward, gently resting its tip on Lin Jialu’s shoulder.
“Hiss—” The sound of sharp intakes of breath arose almost simultaneously from the mouths of Lin Jialu’s two attendants. Lin Jialu herself, who had been preparing to cast another spell, froze in place.
Although Long Haochen’s heavy sword did not truly strike her, she could clearly feel that faint aura of divinity.
“Sister Lin, I am honored by your concession.” Long Haochen stepped back several paces, sheathed his sword, and stood upright.
“Impossible, this is absolutely impossible! Even a fourth-rank class would only be temporarily pushed back by my Ring of Resisting Ice.” Lin Jialu’s face was filled with disbelief as she looked at Long Haochen; her original smile had completely transformed into shock and unwillingness to accept defeat.
She had lost. As the genius mage maiden of Haoyue City, she had actually been defeated by a boy so much younger than herself. How could she possibly accept this?
Even though she had been holding back throughout the match and hadn’t used any magical equipment, she, a third-rank, sixth-level mage, had still lost.
Not to mention Lin Jialu herself, even Li Xin’s eyes clearly showed bewilderment. However, knowing Long Haochen better than Lin Jialu did, she quickly recovered from her brief stupor and understood what had happened.
Divine Shield Block. When Lin Jialu cast her Ring of Repelling Ice for the second time, Long Haochen activated Divine Shield Block.

The Radiant Shield (Part Three)
Compared to a year and a half ago, Long Haochen’s mastery of Divine Shield Block could now be described as flawless. It must be remembered that although Divine Shield Block is formidable, it demands extremely precise timing. Its effect lasts only for an instant; therefore, only the most accurate prediction can make it effective.
Relying on Divine Obstruction, Long Haochen withstood the Repelling Ice Ring without retreating, thereby securing victory against Lin Jialu’s expectations.
Had Lin Jialu utilized her magical equipment or taken the fight seriously from the start, Long Haochen, whose internal spiritual energy had been heavily depleted by fusing his Spirit Furnace, would have stood almost no chance against her. Unfortunately, Long Haochen’s age proved highly deceptive, and coupled with the knight’s heaven-defying skill, Divine Obstruction, Lin Jialu met a tragic defeat.
Li Xin was astonished by Long Haochen’s judgment in employing Divine Obstruction; little did she know this instinct was forged through daily torment at the hands of Long Xingyu. After two hours of real combat training every day, Divine Obstruction had become second nature to Long Haochen, executed purely by instinct.
Observing Lin Jialu’s reluctance and dazed expression, Li Xin was the first to snap out of her shock. Laughing heartily, she declared, “What do you mean ‘impossible’? It only proves your ignorance. If you can’t even defeat my younger brother, how dare you aspire to challenge me? A bet is a bet; hand over the stakes.”
Lin Jialu glared fiercely at her, then glanced at Long Haochen before stomping her foot hard. “I’ll have someone deliver it later. Let’s go.” Without another word about the meal, she turned and left. Her two attendants, after casting two more astonished looks at Long Haochen, hurriedly followed Lin Jialu away.
“Haha, that was so satisfying!” Saying this, Li Xin hugged Long Haochen and planted a firm kiss on his cheek.
Long Haochen froze for a moment; the next instant, his handsome face flushed crimson.
Li Xin burst into giggles. “Little brother, you look so cute when you’re shy. You’re completely different from the calm fighter you are in battle. Come on, let’s go eat.”
Lin Jialu’s defeat put Li Xin in high spirits, and she treated Long Haochen to a sumptuous dinner. Although she ordered many dishes, her appetite proved even more astonishing than that of Long Haochen, who was still growing; between the two of them, they devoured nearly everything.
“Wow, I’m so full. Little brother, if I eat with you every day, I’ll surely gain weight,” said Sister Li.
Long Haochen had not yet fully recovered from the kiss she had given him earlier. Though her cool, smooth lips had touched him only for an instant, the sensation was deeply imprinted in his heart. That warmth made him feel, for the first time since his parents’ departure, as though he had a home again. Having such a sister was truly wonderful.
“Sister, what exactly is the conflict between you and that Sister Lin?” Long Haochen asked curiously.
Li Xin snorted and said, “Just mentioning it makes me angry. Originally, when we were young, we were best friends who shared everything. About five years ago, we both fell for a boy from their Magic Temple. Though he wasn’t as handsome as you, he was still quite decent, and his talent was remarkable too. At that time, Lin Jialu and I were still good friends. Once I learned she also liked that guy, I was prepared to step aside for her. But then that boy came running to me, claiming Lin Jialu had used her family’s influence to force him into being with her, and that for the sake of his future, he had no choice but to yield. Since then, I’ve never seen that boy again.”
“I went to confront Lin Jialu about it. Instead, she argued fiercely with me, calling me a liar and accusing me of being despicable and so on. The more we spoke, the angrier we became, until we ended up fighting. Ever since then, our relationship has turned into what it is now. Who knows who’s truly despicable? Hmph.”
Long Haochen asked puzzledly, “Could there have been some misunderstanding? Sister, I think you should still have a proper talk with Sister Lin.”
Li Xin replied, “What misunderstanding could there possibly be? That boy disappeared completely. Perhaps she even harmed him. Anyway, let’s not dwell on this anymore; just bringing up those past events makes me angry. However, although Lin Jialu is detestable, she does keep her word. Haha, this time we really gained something! Even if you use the Shield of Glory until you reach the fifth rank, it will hold up just fine.”
“For me to use?” Long Haochen was stunned.
Li Xin said, “Of course! Otherwise, why would I have made a bet with her? I don’t want her belongings at all. Aren’t you training to become a Guardian Knight? How can a Guardian Knight be without a shield? The standard-issue shields in our branch are far too inferior. With this Radiant Shield, your defense will improve by at least one level.”
Waves of warmth flooded his heart. Long Haochen truly hadn’t expected that Li Xin had urged him to accept the challenge and make a bet with Lin Jialu all for the sake of finding him a good shield.
Li Xin sighed softly, twiddling her fingers somewhat bashfully. “It’s all Father’s fault; he refuses to give me more pocket money. Otherwise, Big Sister would have bought you equipment directly. There would have been no need to resort to such methods.”
“Sister—” Long Haochen called out softly.
Li Xin burst out laughing and said, “What’s wrong? Why are your eyes all red? Little boys really are so sentimental! Come on, let’s go back. You start classes tomorrow, and I still need to share some experience with you.”
Just as the two returned to the entrance of the Knight Temple, a middle-aged man was waiting there respectfully, holding a large cloth bundle in his hands.
“Miss Xin’er, my young lady asked me to deliver this to you,” the middle-aged man said, handing the cloth bundle to Li Xin before turning and leaving.
Watching his retreating figure, Li Xin smiled and remarked, “I wonder how much it hurt Lin Jialu this time. Her allowance doesn’t seem to be much more than mine, does it?”
Returning to the Haoyue Branch Temple, Li Xin followed Long Haochen directly back to his quarters.
“Brother, look quickly, this is the Shield of Radiance.” Speaking as she did, Li Xin excitedly unwrapped the cloth bundle in her hands, took out a shield, and handed it to Long Haochen.
It was a round shield, approximately two feet and five inches in diameter, classifying it as a medium-sized shield. Its entire body presented a dark silver hue, giving an immediate impression of antiquity and grandeur.
In the very center of the shield lay a round gemstone the size of a pigeon’s egg. The gemstone exhibited a pale golden color. Centered on this gem, a sun pattern was engraved upon it, with radiating lines extending all the way to the shield’s edge.
The shield did not appear particularly thick, yet it radiated a steady aura of light.
“Try it quickly,” Li Xin said, handing the Radiant Shield to Long Haochen.
Long Haochen did not refuse. Once he regarded someone as family, he would never decline anything they offered; moreover, he was willing to give everything he had for their sake.
Taking the Radiant Shield, Long Haochen noticed that inside was not a simple grip but a metal sleeve resembling a bracer. He slid his left hand in; the sleeve felt slightly loose, covering his entire forearm. When his palm reached the innermost part, it grasped a metal handle perfectly. Thus, the entire shield seemed to fit seamlessly onto his arm. Especially with that faint aura of light, it gave Long Haochen an extremely comfortable sensation.
Li Xin walked over and adjusted the metal bracer on his arm. Inside the bracer were some intricate metal clasps, which she easily set to fit Long Haochen perfectly. Now, whenever Long Haochen swung his arm, he felt as though he and the shield were completely one.
The Radiant Shield was not heavy; with a mere swing of his arm, Long Haochen immediately fell in love with it.
Li Xin said, “This Radiant Shield can itself withstand impacts below three hundred units of spiritual energy. When infused with internal spiritual energy, its defensive power continuously increases. The radiant spiritual energy emanating from it can block most negative effects of magic, such as the freezing effect of Lin Jialu’s ice magic. When used in conjunction with certain skills of a Guardian Knight, it performs remarkably well. Look at this gemstone; it is a Fusion Gold Stone. As long as the shield isn’t too severely damaged, it can repair itself thanks to this stone. Perhaps it isn’t the strongest shield below the fifth rank, but it is absolutely the most practical magical shield.”

The Radiant Shield (Part Four)
Long Haochen tried injecting a small amount of internal spiritual energy into the shield. Immediately, the sun pattern at the center of the Radiant Shield lit up, causing a layer of pale golden light to spread across the entire surface. Moreover, radiant spiritual energy flowed back to him, resulting in minimal consumption on Long Haochen’s part.
“Thank you, sister,” Long Haochen said sincerely.
Li Xin smiled and replied, “There’s no need to thank me; you earned this yourself. Now, let me explain the important points about studying at our branch temple.”
Li Xin stayed in Long Haochen’s room for nearly an entire hour before finally leaving. Through her introduction, Long Haochen gained a much deeper understanding of the Haoyue Branch Temple.
Early morning.
After simply washing up, Long Haochen ate breakfast specially delivered to him—a privilege reserved only for Knights, as Squire Knights had to dine in the cafeteria. Following his meal, he arrived early at the Knight Temple.
The Knight Hall is a two-story building, not particularly large. The first floor serves as the lecture hall for Guardian Knights, while the second floor belongs to the Punishment Knights.
When Long Haochen arrived, the spacious lecture hall for Guardian Knights was still empty. He found a corner, removed his heavy sword and Radiant Shield, placed them beside him, and waited quietly.
Gradually, knights began entering the classroom. Within a short while, the room was filled. Long Haochen roughly counted about eighty knights. Compared to the nearly one hundred knights in the entire Haoyue Branch Temple, this clearly showed how much more numerous the Guardian Knights were than the Punishment Knights.
Although Long Haochen sat in a corner, he still drew the attention of the other knights. Most of them wore only tight-fitting combat attire, yet they couldn’t help but cast curious glances his way, simply because he appeared far too young.
“Look, who’s that little guy? Oh, could it be the Shield of Radiance? Seems his family is quite wealthy!”
“But our Knight Temple isn’t somewhere you can enter just by having money. Could he be a relative of one of the instructors?”
“You wouldn’t know this then. I heard from the brother guarding the gate yesterday that our Hell Rose brought along a handsome young lad; it must be this little fellow. Still, why would the Temple Master allow him to attend classes here?”
An older knight approached Long Haochen and said gently, “Young friend, have you perhaps come to the wrong place? This is the Knight Temple; the classroom for prospective knights is next door.” In the eyes of these knights, even if Long Haochen were already a prospective knight at his age, it would demonstrate remarkable talent.
Long Haochen hurriedly stood up and politely performed a knight’s salute toward the other party. “Greetings, I am here to audit at the Knight Temple. My name is Long Haochen.”
Just as the knight was about to say something more, a somewhat hoarse voice rang out, “Class begins.”
The knight was startled, seemingly quite fearful of the owner of that hoarse voice, and quickly turned around to rush back to his seat and sit down.
Long Haochen shifted his gaze toward the podium, where a tall and slender middle-aged man had now appeared, carrying a round shield on his back. This middle-aged man’s eyes happened to be looking directly at him as well.
“Do you have a question?” the middle-aged man asked in a deep, stern voice.
Long Haochen quickly shook his head.
The man’s expression immediately turned severe. “Then what are you still standing there for?”
Startled by the sudden increase in volume, Long Haochen hurriedly sat down.
The entire classroom fell silent. Every knight looked at the middle-aged man with reverence, their gazes clearly tinged with fear.
“Newcomer, my name is Ye Hua, Chief Instructor of the Haoyue Branch Temple. No matter how talented you may be, once you step foot here, you are just an ordinary knight. If you fail to meet my standards, I will expel you and send you back to train among the knight candidates. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” Long Haochen stood up once more and offered the Chief Instructor a perfect knight’s salute.
Ordinary knight? These words sent a ripple of astonishment through the knights in the classroom. This youth, who couldn’t possibly be fifteen yet, was already a knight? Could there be some mistake?
“Everyone, stand up!” Ye Hua suddenly shouted in anger.
As if by reflex, with a swift rustle, all the knights immediately rose to their feet.
Ye Hua gazed coldly at them. “Is this all you’re capable of? How did I teach you? What is most important for a Guardian Knight?”
“Calmness,” the knights responded in unison.
“Did you achieve it?” Ye Hua’s gaze swept darkly over the knights.
This time, no one answered.
Ye Hua said, “All of you, change into heavy armor immediately. Run fifty laps around the training ground. Otherwise, you won’t remember the lesson. Now, right now.”
“Yes.” No one dared to object; the Guardian Knights jogged out of the classroom in an orderly fashion.
Long Haochen was also startled. He had never expected the Chief Instructor to have such a fiery temper.
“What are you still standing there for? Aren’t you one of them? Go with them!” Ye Hua pointed at Long Haochen and shouted angrily.
“Yes.”
The equipment vault was located in the basement of the Knight Temple. After Long Haochen retrieved a set of gear and emerged, he couldn’t help but feel like crying without tears. He was too young, his body far from fully developed. This suit of heavy armor, weighing over a hundred jin, could not truly be worn by him; it merely hung loosely on his frame. He had to hold both sides with his hands just to prevent the heavy armor from slipping off.
The clanging of metal echoed across the spacious training ground. Encircling an area of two hundred zhang, the field imposed a considerable burden even on these knights, whose external spiritual energy had all reached two hundred, especially while clad in heavy armor.
Ye Hua stood in the center of the training ground, watching them run. “No one is allowed to fall behind. Whoever does will have to run another fifty laps. Long Haochen, come here.” He had clearly learned Long Haochen’s name from Nalan Shu.
“Yes, Instructor.” Long Haochen dragged his heavy armor and ran before Ye Hua.
Ye Hua said indifferently, “You’re new here; it’s understandable that you don’t know the rules. I’ll give you a chance now. If your attack can make me move even a single step, you won’t have to run laps with them.”
Hearing these words, the knights running laps noticeably quickened their pace; not one dared to glance in Ye Hua’s direction. Yet, many faces betrayed expressions of pity.
“Yes.” Long Haochen swiftly removed his heavy armor, holding a shield in his left hand and a heavy sword in his right. Actual combat is the best method to enhance fighting prowess; under sufficient pressure, it can even promote the growth of internal spiritual energy. The key point was that he feared no defeat—the worst outcome would simply be more laps to run.
Ye Hua reversed his grip to remove his own shield, seemingly unconcerned that Long Haochen wielded a magical shield like the Radiant Shield, and said coldly, “You may take the initiative to attack.”
“Yes, Instructor, please guide me.” Holding a shield in his left hand and a sword in his right, Long Haochen felt somewhat unaccustomed; after all, he had never used a shield before, making the stance feel slightly awkward. Nevertheless, having a shield was better than leaving his left hand empty. Before arriving at Haoyue Branch Temple, Long Haochen had already decided never to easily resort to dual swords in battle against others; he would only practice Punishment Knight skills when training alone.
When Long Xingyu taught his son, he imparted a crucial principle: never let your opponent know the true depth of your capabilities.
With synchronized and rhythmic strides, Long Haochen suddenly accelerated, charging toward Ye Hua like a young leopard. His speed was not exceptionally high, yet his footsteps remained remarkably steady. His eyes locked onto Ye Hua, using his superior observational skills to anticipate the instructor’s every move.
The reason Long Haochen had defeated Lin Jialu the previous night lay not only in his opponent’s underestimation but, more importantly, in his precise judgment and calculations—all made possible by his extraordinary spiritual power.