_Ping, ping, ping_ The door was being knocked.
“Lil’ Bro, we have to set off. Are you ready?” Li Xin was hitting the door in an unladylike fashion as she called out.
“I’m ready, I’m ready.” Opening the door, Long Hao Chen came out from the room.
Li Xin’s eyes shone, “Wah, so handsome.”
Long Hao Chen wore a white warrior outfit, neat and functional. A silver dragon was embroidered on it, covering the two sides of the cloth including the collar. At the center of the belt, a shining stone was inlaid and holy energy was spread around it.
Long black hair was scattered on his shoulder, and it was as if a starry sky could be seen through his limpid golden eyes. Red lips, white teeth, skin emitting a luster of gems and as moisturized as jade, a high nose, and a deep gaze: a single flaw absolutely could not be found on his appearance.
Barely six months had passed but, once again, Long Hao Chen had grown a little: he had a tall and thin build without any excessive fat built up. It was a well shaped and perfectly proportioned body.
Ordinarily, Long Hao Chen’s appearance with regular clothes was already stunning; but now that he changed his clothes into this gorgeous warrior outfit, he could simply make any girl jealous of him.
Long Hao Chen felt somewhat awkward wearing these clothes, “Sis, there’s no need to be dressed so formally. I’m really not used to it.”
These clothes were specially made by Li Xin for him, so Long Hao Chen’s clothes were quite different from the standard clothes of Hao Yue Hall’s knights.
“How can you remain uncomfortable with it? Lil’ Bro, the color white is the one that suits you the best, you are a hundred percent handsome like that! Ai, why weren’t you born a few years earlier? A shame, a shame. We spent a long time together, and this old sis’ range grew bigger. In the future, if I cannot find a man, then I’ll just seize you.”
Li Xin sized Long Hao Chen up with her gaze, as she clenched her fist menacingly at him.
At this very moment, two heads came out from Long Hao Chen’s back, gently stroking his leg, producing a _Wu Wu_ sound with their mouths.
Long Hao Chen bent down, patting the two heads of lizard, “You cannot come tonight, stay home to look after the house. Be obedient, I’ll bring dried fish for you to eat later.”
This two-headed grotesque lizard was clearly the magical beast companion Long Hao Chen had brought home from the Knights’ Sacred Mountain, that was given the name Hao Yue.
Hao Yue became a new species recorded by the Knights’ Sacred Mountain, and half a year had already passed since the time Long Hao Chen had brought him home.
Ordinary magical beast mounts lived in a specific place of their own. Only when the knight needed them would they be summoned from their side through the contract. However, this little Hao Yue was different, he shamelessly wanted to stay by Long Hao Chen’s side no matter what, and whatever he was told, he would remain unwilling to go back to his original place.
Due to the blend among their blood vessels, because of the fact that he did not discard him at that time, because of the feeling of not being abandoned, the degree of familiarity between the both of them had far surpassed the relation between the others knights and their companions.
The first good deed brought by the blood contract was that from the time he came back, Long Hao Chen could already feel that their hearts were interlinked. With an ordinary contract of equals, only the magical beast could sense the feelings and intents of the knight. However, the blood contract brought to each one the awareness of the other. Hao Yue could not speak, but Long Hao Chen could always feel each change in his mood. Even if they were far apart, it would be the same.
Hearing the two words ‘dried fish’, Hao Yue’s two heads opened their eyes wide, giving each other an extremely human-like look, raising their noses, and repeatedly nodding while advancing towards Long Hao Chen. It looked like even his saliva was flowing out.
Long Hao Chen held both heads in his embrace, telling them: “Then I’m leaving first, I will return later.”
As a member of Hao Yue Hall, Long Hao Chen received a monthly income of five gold coins, but he had basically no money left because all the money he received was used to buy food for Hao Yue.
This little guy was extremely voracious and especially liked to eat fish, his favorite meal being five spice seasoned dried fish, to the extent that Long Hao Chen became the kind of person who spend their monthly income even before they earn their next salary.
Along with the increase of the duration of contact, Long Hao Chen discovered, to his astonishment, that each one of Hao Yue’s head could actually think on its own. When he just came back from the Knights’ Sacred Mountain, he did not feel it in the slightest bit; but half a year later, he had figured that the nature of the red eyed head was a little more violent, whereas the golden eyed head was a lot gentler.
Obtaining Long Hao Chen’s promise, Hao Yue went back to the room in high spirits, swinging his large tail to effortlessly close the door.
Li Xin said, somewhat envious, “Hao Chen, this Hao Yue is extremely intelligent even if he seems like a kid, sticking close to you all day.”
Long Hao Chen chuckled in great delight: “That’s right! He’s just like my little brother; no, I should say my two little brothers, there’s really nothing that can be done about them. Sis, let’s go.”
The two people left Hao Yue Hall and, while walking on the street, Long Hao Chen asked: “Sis, what is happening today? Why does Uncle want to treat us to a meal?”
Previously, when Li Xin gave Long Hao Chen the clothes, she only told him that, today, her father wanted to treat him to a meal and had some things to tell him.
After they spent so much time together, Long Hao Chen already knew that Li Xin’s father was, in fact, Li Ao Xiao, the chief minister of Hao Yue City, and Lin Jia Lu’s father, Lin Yin Jia, was the consulate of Hao Yue City.
All the cities inside of the Temple Alliance had a consulate in charge of government affairs as well as a chief minister in charge of military affairs, two complementary roles.
Li Xin smiled, “It is not only my father who is going to treat us to a meal today. There will also be Uncle Lin, Uncle Nalan, as well as the Hall Master of the branch hall of Hao Yue Mage Temple, Uncle Bai Yu, and finally the Hall Master of the branch hall of Hao Yue Warrior Temple, Uncle Chun Hua.”
Long Hao Chen was flabbergasted: these five people were all extremely important figures of Hao Yue City, filling the most important positions of the city. Hao Yue City was a mid-sized city and, in it, only three of the six great temples had a branch hall established. With the addition of the consulate and the chief minister of military affairs, they handled almost all of the decisions related to the city. These five big figures actually wanted to treat them to a meal; how could Long Hao Chen not be shocked?
“Sis, for what reason are we invited?” asked Long Hao Chen, puzzled.
Li Xin answered: “We are obviously convened for the eve of the Demon Hunt Selection Competition. We are all competitors and they gathered us to bother us with their lectures.”
While they were talking, they had already arrived at Hao Yue City’s office hall, and Li Xin led Long Hao Chen directly to the third floor. Specialized staff members welcomed them and guided them inside to a reception hall
When Long Hao Chen and Li Xin arrived, it was already night; dishes were arranged on a round table with only two seats left, obviously prepared for the both of them.
Long Hao Chen swept before him with his eyes, discovering that, among everyone present, there was none he recognized apart from Nalan Shu and this Lin Jia Lu he had formerly dueled.
Li Xin naturally saw her as well. Their eyes met each other and, simultaneously, they turned their head around with an excessive motion, each of them both ignoring the other one. However, when Lin Jia Lu’s look swept past Long Hao Chen’s figure, she could not help but stare at him blankly.
On the seat of honor was seated a dignified middle-aged man who gave a stern look, “Li Xin, you are not allowed to act rudely.” Clearly, he was Li Xin’s father and Hao Yue City’s military affairs’ head minister, Li Ao Xiao.
Li Xin stuck out her tongue before giving her greetings to the others who were already seated, “Greetings Uncle Lin, Uncle Nalan, Uncle Bai, Uncle Chen.”
The middle-aged men nodded in succession and Long Hao Chen called right after Li Xin to these few important figures of Hao Yue City, giving them his greetings.
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap