Chapter 12: A Teacher who comes from Hell? (IV) (2/2)

A year of bitter practice caused incredible changes in him, as if he had been reborn. On the 83rd day in the owl-ants’ lair, he could finally rely on the bamboo swords to block completely the owl-ants’ attacks that came from all directions. However, he still had to practice in the owl-ants’ lair, only changing the weapons he brought. From the lightest bamboo sword, to a wooden sword, then an iron sword, a refined-iron sword, and finally an epee; he had to adapt to pairs of swords of all kind of weights. After he adapted to the knight’s epee, he had to come back from the epee to the refined-iron sword for one more month, then to the iron sword, the wooden sword, the bamboo sword, accomplishing a full lap.

After he accomplished all of that, a full-year had already passed. This time, he went to Hao Yue city because Xing Yu gave him two assignments as an evaluation of the year’s bitter training.

Upon entering the city, Long Hao Chen asked people where the Knight Temple of Hao Yue city could be found. After passing through a few wide streets, arriving close to the center of Hao Yue city, he identified his destination because of the symbol consisting of a shield and sword.

The Knight Hall of Hao Yue couldn’t be compared to Odin Hall at all. From outside, it looked like at least five layers of tall and big buildings were erected there, occupying a very wide area. At the entrance stood two armored young knights.

“Little friend, who are you looking for?” When Long Hao Chen arrived at the entrance of the Knight Temple, a young knight smiling at the entrance asked him. Having no choice but to answer, Long Hao Chen, who had an appearance of pretty boy advanced.

“Hello brothers, I am looking for the hall master, Nalan Shu.” Long Hao Chen politely spoke to the two knights.

“Looking for the hall master?” The two youth looked at him, and asked: “Why do you need to meet him?”

Long Hao Chen told: “My teacher told me to look for the hall master Nalan Shu, and then to deliver him a letter.”

“Then hand the letter to me.” said the young knight on the left.

Long Hao Chen shook his head: “Teacher said that I had to hand it to Na Lan Shu hall master personally.”

The young knight awkwardly retorted: “I am afraid that I can’t let you do that: this is Hao Yue city’s Knight Temple Hall, only people from the Temple like us can enter.”

Long Hao Chen, showing some anxiety, said: “But I am also from the Knight Temple! I come from Odin Hall.”

The young knight said: “That still won’t do, little brother, it is like this. As a kid from one of those halls, you can only enter for the examination every three years. Give this letter to me; I will help you to pass it. Then if the hall master is willing to meet you, you will be able to enter.”

Long Hao Chen wrinkled, Xing Yu warned him several times that this letter had to be personally delivered to Na Lan Shu.

At this moment, a pleasant voice echoed, “What are you doing? Embarrassing a little child?” This voice came from someone in the Hall.

This person was a lightly dressed teenage girl, her neatly combed pink-colored hair formed a ponytail and her beautiful blue large eyes looked attentively at Long Hao Chen. She looked 18-19 year-old. Her body gracefully moved, her shoulders exposing from each side, a handle of a sword.

“Senior knight.” In fact, both youths had just become knights recently, so they respectfully saluted her.

The young girl arrived in front of Long Hao Chen, curiously looking at his face, then said to the two young knights: “I heard all your words, but you should know that the custom are to die for people to live[2]. Plus, this little brother is also from one of the sub-temples of our Knight Temple. I will take him to meet uncle Nalan. Or do you believe that this child came to cause trouble?”

1.TL: kind of duelling sword that looks like a thick rapier

2. 规矩是死的，人是活的, litterally: rules/custom are to die, people are to live. I tried to translate its meaning rather than simply the words, thus I translated it a little differently. I think it means that people should be opened to adapt their rules to circumstances, if they want to live well.