Chapter 18: The Sacred Mountain of Knights (II)

“If you want to court death, I don’t mind helping you join the one who just passed away.” Li Xin’s cold voice was full of murderous intent.

The two robust men were also warriors; the first one held a greatsword and the second one a sword and shield. Looking at Li Xin, they showed uncertain faces. They knew that they couldn’t intervene: Long Hao Chen had just killed Luo Sai Hu in a duel, so even the defense of the city did not have the right to interfere.

The warrior that held a greatsword shouted in anger: “My third brother merely joked a little, but this little kid killed him. Is this your knight’s kindness?”

The first of these warriors was a third step, second rank war master and the second was a second step, eighth rank warrior. Although, together, they didn’t fear Li Xin, they couldn’t disregard the Knight Alliance backing Li Xin.

Li Xin said, full of disdain, “Are you blind? My brother is a Retribution Knight, not a Guardian Knight. The Retribution Knights’ norm is to get rid of their enemy, and knowing my little brother’s temperament, if not for your companion speaking horribly to him, how could he have possibly lowered himself to kill him? If you are not convinced, then come at the same time.”

As she was speaking, the pair of long swords in both of Li Xin’s hands ran through a series of strange paths, thin golden energy gushing out from her body.

“Lulu.” With an extended sound, this strange light took the form of a tall and robust horse with a pair of wings coming out from its back.

This winged horse was of an extremely rare pink color, its body was 2.66 meters (8 chi) long and 2 meters (6 Chi) tall. The wings coming out from its back were not really wide, it looked as if it didn’t enable it to fly. At some place atop of its head, something stuck out. Its eyes were rose colored and a strong smell came out from its body. Both rose colored eyes gave a dignified feeling.

Li Xin mounted on the horse’s back and looked at the two knights with eyes full of contempt and disdain.

Li Xin’s nickname, the Hell Rose, came from this horse, a young fully rose colored unicorn. Even if it was not fully grown yet, it was still a real fifth step magical beast. Against it, a third or even a fourth step warrior wasn’t a worthy opponent. To begin with, even humans of the same step weren’t a match for magical beasts.

“She’s a knight from the Knight Alliance?” exclaimed the man holding a shield. Both exchanged looks and didn’t say anything else, fleeing while carrying their companion’s corpse.

A lot of nearby adventurers commented in a low voice, “These guys are, for sure, outsiders for not knowing the greatest genius of Hao Yue Hall, the Hell Rose. Serves them right. But she’s still… …”

“Elder sister.” Long Hao Chen was standing by Li Xin’s side all this time, but after having killed someone, his face still didn’t show the slightest change.

Li Xin descended from the Rose Unicorn, smilingly saying: “Little idiot, why did you come to the adventurer’s guild in the first place?” She had previously asked someone from the guild about Long Hao Chen because she wasn’t at ease letting him go alone to such a snake nest-like place, so she followed after him and came at just the right time to see the previous scene.

Long Hao Chen answered: “Teacher wanted me to accept a second step mission.”

Li Xin answered, somewhat speechless: “This teacher of yours must really trust you. Let’s go, I’m coming along with you.”

Entering once more into the adventurer’s guild, the look the adventurers gave Long Hao Chen changed. Not to mention about the powerful sister by his side, the display he showed by killing, in a few seconds, that axe-wielding warrior showed that his strength was, without a doubt, a Standard Knight’s.

They didn’t know about [Divine Obstruction], but looking at Long Hao Chen’s age, they guessed the Knight Alliance ought to protect such a treasure. They didn’t dare act rashly anymore.

“Knight, Senior Knight, I have to give you back your badge.” The girl who was behind the counter advanced hurriedly as soon as she saw them come back, respectfully giving back to Long Hao Chen his badge. After she took a look at this badge, she immediately ran out and saw the whole fight from afar. The current gaze she gave Long Hao Chen was full of curiosity.

Now that he had taken care of the matter, Long Hao Chen chose a mission that was north of the city of Hao Yue that consisted of killing ten second step magical beasts.

“Little brother, let me come with you or else I won’t be at ease. Although there aren’t high step ranked magical beasts around Hao Yue, there are still third step ones and sometimes even fourth step ones can appear. Plus, you will be able to go faster if I come along.”

“I can’t, elder sister. Teacher wanted me to accomplish this mission alone.”

“What is the problem? You will be accomplishing it alone! You will be killing magical beasts while I will only be in charge of making sure that you are not caught off-guard by others. Now that it’s decided, let’s go.”

As she spoke, Li Xin pulled Long Hao Chen out of the adventurer’s guild and immediately left the city on the Rose Unicorn.

Long Hao Chen was very excited as this was the first time he was riding a mount.

The rose mount’s back was very smooth and Li Xin was right behind him. He could smell a thin scent of rose, but didn’t know whether it came out from elder sister or the Rose Unicorn.

They both left quickly. Long Hao Chen was surprised that as they were leaving the city, not only did Li Xin not stop at all, but in addition, she was saluted by the guards at the entrance.

Leaving the city of Hao Yue, the Rose Unicorn accelerated even further, shaking Long Hao Chen who discovered a red radiance coming out from the Rose Unicorn’s body that clearly was raising the temperature nearby and increasing its speed. However, he didn’t feel any pressure from the wind because of the protection of the red barrier. The Rose Unicorn’s wings often stretched, becoming more steady; the travel speed was as fast as a flying engine’s.

“So fast! Elder Sister, your mount is awesome. How can I possess such a mount?!” Long Hao Chen was, after all, still a kid; how could he not be excited by this kind of new sensation?

Li Xin smiled: “If you answer one question, I will tell you.”

Long Hao Chen said: “Please ask, elder sister.”

Li Xin: “Was it the first time you killed someone? If it was, how aren’t you disturbed at all after that? I have never forgotten the pain of the first time I killed someone; I threw up for three days and three nights!”

Long Hao Chen scratched his head, saying: “I haven’t killed anyone else before, but I have killed magical beasts. Teacher said that killing foes was just like killing magical beasts, I cannot show the slightest mercy and as long as they aren’t dead, I cannot relax. Since he is like a magical beast, why should I feel uncomfortable? I have killed many magical beasts. And after I delivered the last blow, I didn’t take a single look at his appearance.” Actually, he didn’t know himself that because of the bitter training in the owl-ants’ crypt, his fear of this kind of situation was now nonexistent.

Li Xian couldn’t help but react: “I really don’t know if he has an extremely pure heart or is cold blooded. But it is as his teacher said, evil must be completely eradicated.”

Long Hao Chen was truly eager to have a mount as good as this Rose Unicorn and anxiously asked: “How did you acquire this Rose Unicorn?!”

Li Xin answered: “Don’t be in a hurry. In fact, even if I didn’t tell you, you would still know in the future. Because, like me, you will need to go to the Knights’ Sacred Mountain to choose a suitable magical beast.”

“What kind of place is this Knights’ Sacred Mountain?”

“In our Temple Alliance, the vast majority of knights have to select a mount or to tame a magical beast to serve them as a mount. But there is an exception; it is regarding exceptionally gifted young knights. Those who pass the Genuine Knight examination before hitting twenty years and thus become third step, first rank knights have the qualifications to enter the Knights’ Sacred Mountain. You are a ten years-old Standard Knight, so you should have no problem becoming a Genuine Knight before hitting twenty years-old.”