28 Saint Spiritual Stove (II)

"Father, even if I stayed by your side, I wouldn't have stopped putting in the effort!" Choking back the sobs, Long Haochen painfully curled up, ruthlessly digging into the ground with his hands, feeling the pain of being alone for the first time in a long time.

Meal time had already passed when Long Haochen started to crawl on the ground. He was actually a resolute kid, but his mood just took control of his whole heart. Without notice, Father and Mother suddenly left…, that fact was too hard to accept in his heart.

As he stood up, Long Haochen looked around, feeling completely lost. In his gaze, the scenes of everything that happened in the past two years surged ceaselessly in his mind. His father's seriousness, his mother's gentleness.

"Why are days of joy and happiness so brief?" His tears fell once more, and at the same time, Long Haochen noticed two letters on the nearest table.

After taking two or three steps, he grabbed the letters.

The envelopes containing the two letters were respectively addressed to Haochen and Nalan Shu. Obviously, one of the letters was for him and the other one had to be given to the Hall Master of Haoyue Hall, Nalan Shu.

Long Haochen calmed down and slowly took apart the envelope that contained the letter that was written to him.

Haochen,

By the time you have noticed this letter, I will have already left with your mother. We didn't want to bear the pain of separating from you. However, this is only a temporary farewell. You are already a grown man, and now that you are a man, you have to stand strong because the only thing you will be able to rely on in the future will be your own power.

After reading this letter, you should go directly to Haoyue City. In Haoyue Hall, there is a place where you can study all kinds of Guardian Knight skills, and there is an instructor there that is particularly outstanding. Keep in mind that, unless it is absolutely necessary, you mustn't easily expose your situation of being both a Retribution Knight and a Guardian Knight. I will also warn Nalan Shu about this fact. Nalan Shu is someone worth trusting: you can ask for his guidance. Also, you must learn all of the skills used by Guardian Knights from the 1st to the 4th step and be able to use them proficiently before you leave for the Sacred Mountain to get your mount.

Regarding the Spiritual Communication in the Sacred Mountain, if you cannot resist the aura emanated by strong beasts, you will be unable to get a suitable mount as a companion. Meanwhile, studying the abilities used by Guardian Knights should also help you to tremendously grow even more. Remember well!

You should continuously train with Spiritual Stoves. After you own a Spiritual Stove, it will turn into an intermediary for the practice of your internal spiritual energy and thus raise your training potential. Now that you have already integrated with a Saint Spiritual Stove, your internal spiritual energy will most likely drop due to the integration. However, there is no need to worry, this is an interaction between your internal spiritual energy and your Spiritual Stove. In half a month, or at most one month, it will be back to normal. Saint Spiritual Stoves are especially suited to be used by Guardian Knights and you should be able to learn this fact through personal experience in the future.

Haochen, Father and Mother also hate the fact that we have to part with you, but Father hopes that the next time we meet with each other, you will show us your outstanding ability. If Mother and I don't come to look for you, then it will mean that we are busy with very important matters. Only when you are able to reach the 7th step as a Knight of the Temple, pass through the examination, and are able to get a Mythril Foundation Armor, only at that moment, can you look for us.

Arriving at the end of the letter, Long Haochen had an agonizing look. His heart, filled with motivation, was already aimed to reach the highest heights.

Suddenly, he turned around, fleeing from the entrance of the log cabin and shouting at the top of his lungs: "FAAAATHEEERRR! MOOOOTHEEEERRRR!"

Long Haochen did not immediately leave Odin Mountain. He stayed there for three more days, until the log cabin did not have the fragrance of his parents any longer. He then put in order his depressed feelings caused by the separation, and descended from the mountain with his luggage.

On the road to Odin Town, he saw that, in town, the rebuilding job was in progress and that at least 2,000 private troops of the Temple Alliance were stationed in the area.

It was already high noon when he arrived at Haoyue City, and it looked like there wasn't much change. The instant he crossed the thresholds of the city, Long Haochen secretly pledged that he would absolutely make the greatest effort so that he could become a 7th step knight as soon as possible.

Haoyue City looked like it was not in disorder because of the surprise attack of the demon race. From what he could remember about its location, Long Haochen went back to the Knight's Hall, Haoyue Hall.

"Please, I want want to see Hall Master Nalan Shu." said Long Haochen as he handed over his badge of a Standard Knight.

The two people who guarded the entrance had changed and, although they didn't know him, they could clearly see that he was some ten-odd-years-old youth who had, unexpectedly, already earned a Standard Knight insignia. They didn't dare treat him brashly and hurriedly reported his arrival.

After a little while, accompanied by a slightly rosy fragrance, a silhouette arrived from the inside of Haoyue Hall.

"Lil' Bro Haochen, you finally came."

The one who came out from the Hall was Li Xin. She was dressed the same as last time, with light armor, a pony tail, and looking quite heroic. A year and a half didn't leave any significant changes on her body, except her expression, which looked even more imposing than in the past. It was obviously due to training; like him, she had made great progress since the last time they had met.

"Big Sister Xin'er." Looking at her, Long Haochen immediately had a feeling of intimacy; his depressed feelings from the last few days almost faded. Under the stupefied look of the two guards, he threw himself directly into Li Xin's bosom.

Li Xin gave him a big hug and, affected by Long Haochen's sentimental behaviour, she hurriedly asked, "Haochen, what happened? Anything bad?"

Long Haochen, choked with sobs, said, "Father and Mother left. They left me alone."

Li Xin was astounded. "Are you saying that during the demon race's surprise attack…?"

Long Haochen suddenly heard her misunderstanding and hurried to clear it. "No, Father and Mother went to another place and left me to join Haoyue Hall to continue my training."

Li Xin lowered her tall and erect posture, looking relieved, "I was really scared. You jumped at me so suddenly! What's the problem? I, personally, have no problem with the fact that I'm separated from my parents. In the future, Haoyue Hall will be your home. Whoever dares bully you will hear from me. Come, let's go in and then talk in more detail."

As she spoke, Li Xin pulled Long Haochen's hand and took big steps towards the center of Haoyue Hall.

The two guards at the entrance exchanged a glance, revealing to each other their shocked expressions.

"Who is this youth? How can he be so affectionate with our Hell Rose?"

"Be quiet, you dare inquire about the private life of Miss Li Xin? Even if you could turn into someone handsome and become as talented as her, it is not set in stone that she will possibly view you in a new, favorable light."

Li Xin pulled Long Haochen inside of Haoyue Hall. The place looked the same as before, except that the six Divine Thrones in the center of the Hall were shining in a different light in the eyes of Long Haochen. The feeling he had upon looking at them was completely different.

With a proud and, at the same time, somewhat sad feeling, at a glance he found the second throne from the left that symbolized the Divine Throne of Doom and Slaughter. This is Father's glory!

There will inevitably be a day when he will certainly possess one of these six Divine Thrones. Long Haochen's eyes had a certain kind of fire in them.

The steps he took with Li Xin felt like they were becoming slower before their pace had come to a stop. "Lil' Bro, you grew up so much in the span of a whole year! Two years from now, I'm afraid that you will have already surpassed this Big Sister. En, you will even be better looking. It's a tragedy. After you have grown up, I wonder how many girls will go head over heels for you?"

Li Xin's figure straightened. Despite the fact that Long Haochen had grown up a lot, she was, nevertheless, still one head taller than him. However, when she looked at Long Haochen, her heart couldn't help admiring him, going as far as showing signs of an increase in her heartbeat.