Chapter 3: Knight Examination (III)
“Senior, I don’t know.” As soon as he saw that middle-aged man, Balza hurried to salute him. This middle-aged person came a few days earlier to Odin Hall, so he was not sure of this middle-aged man’s identity and circumstances, and only knew that he was a figure from the group of knights coming from Haoyue city.
The middle-aged man looked back, saying indifferently, “It is because his mental capacity is different from ordinary people’s… Otherwise, how do you think he could display that kind of talent?”
Long Haochen was happily holding a small glass in his hands and jubilantly ran towards his home.
For the other kids, the liquid in that bottle was just a hard-to-drink medicine, but for him, it was actually the reason why he joined the Knight Temple.
As he walked, he said aloud, “Big brother Jiang Hu was right, this Elemental Training Liquid is a really good thing. Ever since she started drinking a bottle of this each week, Mother’s health had been getting better. Mother, sorry, you taught me that, as a man, I can’t beg other people, but if I couldn’t pass the examination today, I would never be able to bring you another Elemental Training Liquid to drink.”
If Balza heard Long Haochen’s remark, he would be staring at him in astonishment.
To the Knight Temple, the Elemental Training Liquid was a kind of medicine that had a special effect on children under fifteen years old. It would help enable them to strengthen their basic cultivation results, assist in their training and lay their body’s foundations. The reason why Long Haochen had almost failed the examination today was that he didn’t drink any Elemental Training Liquid at all! All of it was given to his mother. One year ago, he was just a thin and weak little boy and today, he had to make intense efforts in order to break through the tenth spiritual energy level, while letting his mother drink his Elemental Training Liquid that was supposed to support his spiritual energy’s cultivation.
To that nine year-old kid, in terms of difficulty, going through that trial completely surpassed the hurdles of the examination to become a Standard Knight.
The sunlight fell on Long Haochen’s body that shone with a golden luster which seemed to have emerged from the bottom of his heart.
Long Haochen’s home was located on the western side of Odin; he even had to cross a river to reach it. Quickly, he passed over the wooden bridge. However, he didn’t go straight home, but went along a little road that gave access to a forest that was west of Odin.
Every time he got the Elemental Training Liquid, he would first pick up some vegetables. Before he could give it to his mother to drink, he’d mix the medicine with some wild vegetables, producing a soup with a strong taste.
As he went through the forest, he quickly got to work. These last few years, Long Haochen and his mother were depending on each other. Even in Odin Town, their household was the poorest one and, as the child of a poor person, he had to take care of the chores early on, whereas a lot of children of the same age only knew about playing everyday. He needed to help his mother, to let her share some of her pains. Although mother and child were relying on the mother’s meager income from sewing some clothes every day, for their life expenses, Long Haochen felt that is life was still quite happy.
After a while, quite a few herbs were piled up. Long Haochen had become quite familiar with them and although they were only wild herbs, their flavor was not so bad. He knew that because, since infancy, he had eaten a lot of them.
As Long Haochen was preparing to pack these up, before going home, he suddenly heard a low pitched Puff! sound that startled him. Actually, the forest was not so peaceful, there were occasionally some wild animals in it.
Long Haochen looked in the direction he heard the sound from, and saw a faint, yet small, shadow that seemed to have fallen down. Urged by his curiosity, he cautiously walked towards it. After several steps, he saw that the shadow that had fallen in the forest was actually no wild animal, but was, unexpectedly, a little girl.
The little girl seemed to be seven or eight years old, had a very delicate appearance, and purple short hair. Her clothes were damaged, and blood was coming out from at least six or seven places on her body. Although she fell on the ground, she still maintained her consciousness. She tried to get up, but was having some difficulty.
Long Haochen hurried towards her, tried to help her get up, and asked her, “Are you okay?”
The little girl looked surprised and she unconsciously moved back, looking at him from the side. At that moment, Long Haochen saw the appearance of the little girl.
A lot of dirt was on her beautiful cheeks, and the corner of her mouth was letting out a thread of blood. She looked very embarrassed, but her delicate features would still easily shock people. However, her beauty was different from Long Haochen’s. Long Haochen’s gaze was gentle, giving people a feeling of intimacy. That little girl, however, had a stubborn and cold gaze, and, as she suddenly stared at him, Long Haochen couldn’t help shivering.
Seeing Long Haochen, the little girl looked surprised. She didn’t know if it was because her affinity with Long Haochen was good enough; however, she had quickly calmed down.
“Are you okay?” Long Haochen asked one more time.
The little girl lifted a hand reluctantly and wrote a line of words: I can’t speak, bad people are chasing me, they will arrive soon. Sister, save me!
Looking at the words written in front of him, Long Haochen was shocked, but when he read the last words she wrote, a few black lines appeared on his forehead.
“It is brother, not sister.” After defending himself with one sentence, in a depressed tone, he lifted the little girl up, full of determination. Because he passed the knight’s examination, his strength was already at the level of an adult’s, plus the little girl’s body was especially light, so when holding her, he did not find her heavy at all.
After lifting her up, Long Haochen went back to the spot he was at, using a rough rope to pick up the wild herbs. But at that moment, the little girl anxiously pulled the lapel of his clothing.
Long Haochen gawked at her as he hurriedly placed her on the ground, and the little girl wrote quickly on the land: I feel their presence, they will arrive soon. They can track my scent. Go, quickly! Otherwise, it will be too late!
Long Haochen wrinkled his brows and firmly shook his head, declaring: “Out of the question! As a man, I must to protect you.”
Even though he was only nine years old, as he said those words, his beautiful little face contained an incredible resolution.
“Your scent?” The expression in Long Haochen’s eyes changed. Very quickly, he extracted some parts from some nearby wild herbs, and pressed them with his hand, before he quickly rubbed them on the little girl’s body, as well as his own. Afterwards, he ran to the side, carrying her towards bushes, and placed her carefully in the middle of the brushes. At that point, he lied on his stomach, using his elbows to support his body.
He didn’t notice that the moment he was doing that, the little girl he was protecting stared at him with a strange look, without moving at all.
When Long Haochen stopped moving, he heard some noise from beyond the bushes. From a gap between the bushes, he secretly looked out, and saw a group of men in black clothes. The men’s figures were very tall, and smelled a little fishy. Among these people, were some specialized in smelling odors.
“Why does the scent trail end here? Did that little girl get someone to rescue her?” An unpleasant husky voice resounded in the woods.