Chapter 2: The Legend Begins

The night remained hazy, the tree shadows still swaying. Through the dense thicket of trees and past countless thorns, in a narrow, sunken clearing in the woods, Mels and the others quietly watched Mosde's reaction.

Although Xiu Lante's words weren't overtly provocative—perhaps from the start he had intended to give Mosde a way out—the situation was entirely different once they reached Mosde's ears.

In Mosde's eyes, Xiu Lante was like a "preacher." Under the protection of a few brats from god-knows-where, Xiu Lante, having just narrowly escaped death, preached down to him like a victor. This humiliation, this helpless situation, completely shattered Mosde's twisted pride, pushing him toward the brink of madness.

After losing his arm, Mosde had already been convinced he was doomed to die, but Xiu Lante's intervention had given him a chance to survive. However, no good deed goes unpunished. For Mosde, allowing Xiu Lante to live was already intolerable. Moreover, as a master of the "Righteousness Sect," how could a renowned expert like him lose an arm to some kid in his twenties? If this disgrace spread across the continent, he would become a laughingstock!

Whether it was true or not, Mosde believed it to be so. That was why he had decided to seize the moment when those brats were distracted, quickly summoning his Summoned Beast to achieve a surprise victory!

Yet, Xiu Lante's words not only shattered his confidence but also put Mels and the others more on guard. Even Sol, who had been intently watching Bagina's battle, redirected his magical light sphere toward Mosde. All of this undoubtedly ruined his plan entirely, leaving him without even a sliver of opportunity to counterattack!

The thought of Xiu Lante—first killing hundreds of his capable subordinates while poisoned, and now using words to erase his last chance at retaliation—filled Mosde with hatred that erupted from his eyes like a volcano. If looks could kill, Xiu Lante would have been torn to shreds, with not an inch of his skin left intact.

Although Mosde desperately wanted to kill Xiu Lante, he was no fool. In fact, one might say he was quite clever. Seeing the kid who'd wounded him, after the ceasefire, show not a trace of arrogance and still prepare to fight again; witnessing his three burly subordinates being thrown into disarray by a single girl; and observing that the other side not only had a seemingly strong warrior and a mage poised to strike at any moment but also a young man called 'boss' watching cockily from the sidelines—he realized Xiu Lante's words were no exaggeration.

With his injured body, even if he could command his Summoned Beast to launch a surprise attack and eliminate the youth who had wounded him, he would be unable to withstand the frenzied assault of the remaining four. Launching another attack would surely mean his own death!

Once that sank in, his earlier madness gradually faded, but his twisted hatred for Xiu Lante remained unchanged, unaffected by Xiu Lante's plea for mercy.

"Xiu Lante, cut the pious act! Heh, you'd better kill me today, or someday I'll take your head!" Mosde spoke this way precisely because he was certain Xiu Lante, having said he would let him go, would not go back on his word.

Sure enough, Xiu Lante stared intently at Mosde for a long moment before sighing softly and saying, "Go. Take your dogs and get out of here!"

"Hah... So now you know how it feels to be cocky. Today, you were lucky these no-good brats came to your aid. Otherwise, this day next year would be your death anniversary! Xiu Lante, don't celebrate too soon. Who wins and who loses is still unknown! Let's go!" Mosde declared.

As soon as Mosde finished speaking, the three burly men, who had long been suffering and could no longer fight, felt like they'd been granted amnesty. They immediately feinted and prepared to follow their boss in making a quick escape. However, they hadn't anticipated that a final spectacle awaited them before they could leave.

"Wait!" Just as Mosde and his men were about to depart, Mels suddenly called out.

Caught off guard by Mels' sudden interjection, Mosde and his men exchanged glances, then stopped and turned back.

"That uncle may have forgiven you, but the ones fighting you were my brothers! Did I say you could leave?" Mels looked arrogantly at Mosde, then uttered the words they least wanted to hear.

"Young man, could you please..." Seeing Mels give Mosde a hard time again, Xiu Lante hurriedly tried to dissuade him. But before he could finish, Mels waved his hand and said, "Uncle, you rest first. Leave the rest to me. At the very least, I can't let these brothers who fought them for so long get nothing out of it before letting them go!"

After hearing Mels' words, Xiu Lante had nothing more to say. After all, these young people were not his subordinates. That they had helped him was already a blessing for Xiu Lante.

According to the customs of private duels on the continent, how to treat the defeated after a victory was the right of the victor. Therefore, Xiu Lante truly had no grounds to insist that Mels act according to his wishes.

Seeing Xiu Lante offer no rebuttal, Mels stepped forward and said to Mosde, "You, who betray friends, are worse than pigs or dogs. Given my temper, I'd tear you to pieces to prevent you from harming the world. However, this is ultimately a grudge between you and this uncle. Since he has decided to let you leave alive, it would be unreasonable for me to say more.

It's just a pity that someone like you throws kindness back in someone's face! Knowing full well that this uncle means what he says, you still had to talk big before running away. I, the Young Master, am not usually one to meddle in others' affairs, but seeing the face of someone like you fills me with rage. If I don't teach you a lesson, you'll think you're the victor!"

It was only then that Xiu Lante realized that Mels was so incensed because of Mosde's arrogant remarks before leaving. Touched, his fondness for Mels doubled.

Unaware of what Xiu Lante was thinking, Mels approached Mosde again and said, "Now, I'll give you two choices. First, leave behind all your valuables and those flashy pieces of scrap metal you're so proud of wielding. Consider it your 'ransom for your lives'! Second, if you can withstand my brother's 'Million Raging Thunder Curse,' then everything is up to you. You can even take the money from us! Choose for yourselves!"

"You... This is nothing short of banditry!" After hearing Mels' words and learning that the unassuming, pretty-faced mage could actually cast a high-level spell, Mosde's face turned ashen with extreme embarrassment.

A large-scale area-of-effect spell like the Million Raging Thunder Curse—the number of grand mages on the continent capable of casting it alone could be counted on one hand, let alone those who could withstand it. If Sol were given enough time to cast the spell, not only would they be instantly reduced to charcoal, but even this entire forest would be burned to ashes by the ensuing magical fire! Mels' conditions were indeed like those of a bandit, leaving no room for mercy.

"Hahaha..." After hearing Mosde's words, not only Mels but even Sol, Rek, and the others burst into laughter.

Listening to their laughter, Mosde's expression grew even uglier, completely baffled as to what was so funny about his words.

"Hmph! You fool, they wouldn't say such things for no reason! They are bandits through and through. Did you think they were young heroes?" Bagina, the only one not laughing, suddenly said to Mosde.

Her words not only confused Mosde but also startled Xiu Lante.

Bandits? These youngsters were bandits? I've never heard of any bandit organization within the Relkes Empire having a mage capable of casting high-level spells, especially one so young! Could it be that these aren't youngsters at all? Are they renowned masters who have used some 'rejuvenation' technique to disguise themselves and come to my rescue? Xiu Lante thought to himself.

"Heh, seems you don't believe Sol can cast a large-scale spell! Sol, it's your turn now!" Mels glanced at Mosde, then turned and walked back to Xiu Lante's side as if it were none of his business.

Upon hearing Mels' command, Sol became exceptionally excited. He responded loudly, then slowly closed his eyes. Before he even began chanting the spell, the dark light around him suddenly started gathering toward the sandalwood staff in his hand. Moments later, a wheel-sized sphere of dark magical energy had formed atop Sol's staff.

"Wordless Magic Gathering Curse!" Xiu Lante and Mosde exclaimed simultaneously.

Typically, a mage must first invoke the name of a deity before casting a spell to draw upon their magical energy. When a mage cultivates to the point of not needing a deity to gather magical energy, it signifies their ability to cast high-level spells!

"W-Wait! We're willing to hand over everything!" Knowing that once Sol began chanting the spell, someone of Sol's age might be unable to stop it, Mosde hurriedly seized the final opportunity to agree to Mels' demand.

"Haha... Should've done that from the start!" Mels laughed heartily. Then, his expression shifted as he shouted, "Let me tell you, this Young Master doesn't give a damn about your worthless junk! This Young Master just wants to humiliate you, to make you understand that a loser either dies or must act like one!"

Humiliation—endless humiliation flowed from Mels' mouth into Mosde's ears! Some might say Mels was a petty man reveling in his moment, but on the Kaxiu Continent, this was the way of survival! The weak are prey to the strong. In conflicts over interests, aside from death, the defeated can only accept such a fate!

If Mels were truly a cruel person, to avoid potential retaliation, he could have demanded the removal of Mosde and his men's Summoning Gems, turning them into despised "cripples." But Mels did not do so. Such verbal humiliation was already a great fortune for Mosde and his men!

After placing their valuable accessories, all their money, and weapons on the ground, Mosde, filled with shame and resentment, shot Mels one last glance before turning and leaving without another word.

This time, Mels did not mock them further but quietly watched their departure. Only when the sounds of Mosde and his four men's footsteps had faded from everyone's hearing did Mels relax, certain the opponents no longer posed any threat.

"Sol, come take a look at this uncle's injuries first!" Mels turned and said to Sol.

Although Mels had some knowledge of medicine, when it came to treating poisoning, Sol, with his mastery of various magics, was more adept.

"My injuries aren't too serious. I've already used my Qi energy to temporarily suppress the poison. As long as I find a quiet place and some suitable medicine, I can cleanse the toxin soon," Xiu Lante said with a smile. "Is that really true? I've heard Seven-Step Soul Chaser is an extremely potent poison. Most people die shortly after ingestion. Can you really suppress it after such intense exertion?" Mels asked doubtfully.

"Hmm, I'm absolutely confident about that. For decades, I've lived a life of constant battle, naturally accumulating considerable experience and energy. Ordinary poisons have no effect on me. Even with Seven-Step Soul Chaser, I just need some time to recuperate and recover. Heh, I'll explain these things to you when there's time.

I am truly grateful you saved me. Without you, no matter how strong my body's resistance to poison, I wouldn't have survived till dawn!" Though extremely weak, Xiu Lante forced himself to stand steady and bowed to Mels.

Watching Xiu Lante draw the longsword from his waist and salute Mels and the others with the standard cross-knight military salute, Mels finally understood that the man they had saved was not only imposing in demeanor but also held a prominent position as an Imperial Knight of the Relkes Empire!

On the Kaxiu Continent, social status was highest for the emperors of various nations, yet the most revered was the Grand Pope. Among the second-tier nobility, even a duke, if not granted a knighthood by the emperor, held lower status than a baron knight! Therefore, within the continent's kingdoms, knights were truly the nobility among nobles!

The Relkes Empire was the continent's largest empire and, in practice, the kingdom most capable of ruling the entire continent. Thus, its knights were one in ten thousand, the elite among elites!

Among the Imperial Knights of Relkes, the Imperial Marshal Res Bolt held the greatest power and commanded the most respect, rightfully receiving the title of "Lord Knight" bestowed by the emperor. However, the emergence of the Lord Knight was merely a titular honor established by Emperor Raelks to reward the Imperial Marshal. In reality, the traditional titles of "Sword Guardian" and "Sword Bearer," held respectively by the Dragon Knight Captain and the Captain of the Imperial Guards Knights, represented the highest honors among all knights.

In an empire, the strength of its knight orders represented the nation's overall military might. On the continent, aside from the Relkes Empire, all other kingdoms, regardless of size, possessed only a single knight order. Even so, their strength paled in comparison to the Dragon Knights Regiment or the Imperial Guards Knights. Precisely because of this, legends about the two captains were even more numerous.

"Ha! Who would've thought we actually saved a big shot today!" Sol exclaimed upon seeing Xiu Lante's gesture.

"Heh, even if I am a knight, you are my saviors. To you, I am just an ordinary uncle," Xiu Lante said with a smile to Mels after sheathing his knight's sword.

His words greatly increased Mels and the others' fondness for him. After all, Mels and his companions hailed from bandit groups. Yearning to be knights was every young man's dream, but for bandits like them, it was a distant fantasy.

Now, not only had they met a genuine Imperial Knight of Relkes, but more remarkably, Xiu Lante was exceptionally kind to them, not ashamed of their bandit identities. This greatly satisfied Mels and the others' sense of pride, deepening their affection for Xiu Lante.

"Heh, Sol, don't get too excited! We're bandits. Knights are practically our mortal enemies. Be careful he arrests us all and throws us into Relks' prison," Rek teased Sol from the side.

"No way! Uncle, we saved you after all. Just pretend you never saw us!" Sol said anxiously.

"How could I pretend I never saw you? I even witnessed you, a grand mage among bandits, preparing to cast an extremely lethal, powerful spell on several imperial citizens!" Xiu Lante suddenly adopted a stern expression, speaking seriously to Sol. "What? Are you really going to arrest me and throw me in prison?" Originally, Sol was just playing along with Rek's joke, but after hearing Xiu Lante's words, his conviction wavered, as if he truly believed Xiu Lante would arrest them.

"Haha... You kid, you're my savior! Besides honor, what knights value most is loyalty and righteousness! Since I could even spare my enemies who poisoned me out of past friendship, how could I possibly turn against you, my saviors, and repay kindness with enmity?" Xiu Lante suddenly burst into laughter, as if mocking Sol. Seeing that Xiu Lante, despite the age difference, still retained a childlike innocence in his speech, Mels and the others felt even more positively toward him, even finding him very easy to get along with.

After a round of laughter and banter, Mels spoke to Xiu Lante, "Knight Uncle, this place is a complete mess, and the two girls you saved earlier are nowhere to be seen. I think we should head back to where we were resting before and talk there. We'd also love to hear you tell us about knights!"

"Alright, that works! This place isn't safe to stay for long anyway, so I'll be troubling you for now!" Xiu Lante readily agreed, and the group of several people headed toward their original resting spot.

However, for some unknown reason, Bagina never liked Xiu Lante from the start. Not only did she walk at the very back, but she often kept a wary eye on Xiu Lante.

After everyone had already gathered around Xiu Lante, chatting and laughing as they entered the forest, Bagina suddenly stomped her foot and muttered under her breath, "What's so great about some stinky knight? Stupid Mels, idiot Mels! Didn't you say you'd protect me? Now that this dumb knight shows up, you just leave me all alone here. Jerk, jerk, jerk!"

It turned out this young lady was only hostile toward Xiu Lante because Mels' attention had shifted to him! However, only she could hear her own grumbling. After cursing to herself for a bit and seeing that no one paid her any mind, she reluctantly started walking toward the meeting point.

Upon returning to the meeting point, Mels and the others first checked the items they had left behind. After confirming nothing was missing, they immediately brought out some water, food, and the medicinal herbs from the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes for Xiu Lante.

Xiu Lante's cultivation was truly remarkable. After selecting and consuming several medicinal herbs and meditating for two hours, a dark mist began to rise from the top of his head—most of the poison had been forced out! Witnessing this extraordinary phenomenon, Mels and the others were filled with genuine admiration, even believing that all knights of the Relkes Empire must possess such talent!

"Come over here! The poison has been completely expelled now, so there's no more danger!" Xiu Lante waved to Mels and the others, who were waiting nearby.

Earlier, before expelling the toxins, he had worried that the poisonous fumes might threaten Mels and the others, so he had told them to keep their distance. Now that the toxins were expelled, he called the youths back.

In fact, on the way here, Xiu Lante had skillfully pumped them for information about their backgrounds and intentions. He did this not only because he was deeply interested in these youths with exceptional skills but also because he was concerned they might pose a threat to the Relkes Empire.

However, when Mels and the others explained that Blue Whirlwind had been destroyed and they had come to the Relkes Empire to hunt down the perpetrators, Xiu Lante's worries vanished entirely. He even wanted to help them find their enemies.

"Uncle, is your injury really no problem now?" Mels asked as he approached Xiu Lante.

"Yes, it's truly fine now! Come, all four of you, sit beside me. I just remembered something that might help you, but I need to ask for a few more details." Xiu Lante said to the four youths.

Seeing Xiu Lante's serious expression, Mels and the others felt a bit puzzled but still sat down beside him.

Once the four youths were seated, Xiu Lante spoke solemnly, "I was just thinking: although you're eager to find the culprits who destroyed Blue Whirlwind, your current approach is rather meaningless.

First, since the enemy was able to gather over a thousand mysterious experts and move with the wind, they must belong to an organization—and likely a very secretive one at that! Wandering aimlessly across the entire continent like you are, even if you stumble upon some clues, you won't be able to uncover the true key figures behind it all! Unless they launch another unusual attack using the same methods!

Second, your current search methods not only waste a lot of money but also drain your energy. Most importantly, with your current approach, it's very likely that before you discover the enemy, they'll learn that members of Blue Whirlwind—including you—are still alive. Given their ruthless methods, to prevent the truth from being exposed, they will definitely send assassins to eliminate you!

Perhaps you believe your abilities are enough to handle any direct confrontation, but the assassins the enemy sends might not engage you head-on. Methods like poisoning, assassination, dividing your unity, or creating opportunities to isolate you—if they attack using such tactics, could you hold out long enough to track down the culprits?

Finally, regarding intelligence. I'm still not clear on how you determined the culprits might be within the Relkes Empire, but judging by the fact that your intelligence network has only yielded such scant information over more than two years, there seem to be significant gaps. Therefore, your chances of uncovering this secret organization are even lower!

If you want to obtain the most accurate intelligence in the shortest time and personally exact revenge on your enemies, the first thing you must do is secure more precise information—or even a reliable intelligence network that continuously provides you with various data daily, allowing you to analyze and extract what you need!"

"We've already considered all of that, but with our current strength, it's simply impossible to achieve what you're describing. What exactly should we do to break this deadlock and improve the situation?" Mels asked, furrowing his brow.

"That's precisely why I'm offering you this suggestion. I think your best course of action now is to find a way to join the Relkes Empire Knight Order. As knights, not only could you mobilize local law enforcement agencies, but you could also rely on the Relkes Empire's military intelligence network to receive the most reliable information as soon as possible!" Xiu Lante said. After hearing his words, everyone was stunned, never expecting Xiu Lante to propose such an "impractical" suggestion.

Bagina, who was already annoyed that Xiu Lante hadn't called her over as well, snorted coldly and said, "I thought you were going to say something important! Joining the knight order? Hah, isn't it obvious you just want to recruit these fools for yourself? Strengthen your own forces while gaining a few reliable bodyguards? Hmph, it's a pity your plan is too naive.

As far as I know, in the Relkes Empire, if a man wants to join the Imperial Knight Order, he must first become a soldier. After three years of military service and accumulating certain military achievements, he must pass the triennial Probationary Knight selection to become a Probationary Knight. Finally, after three more years of training as a Probationary Knight and making significant contributions to the empire, he can receive the emperor's appointment to become an Imperial Knight! This process takes at least six years, and sometimes one might never receive any knightly title at all. I'd like to ask you, sir, how many years did it take you to earn your knightly title?"

Although Bagina's words were rather rude, they voiced the doubts in Mels and the others' minds. Thus, the four youths immediately turned their gazes to Xiu Lante, silently posing the question with their eyes.

Hearing Bagina's pressing question, Xiu Lante wasn't angered. He replied with an unhurried smile and said, "If you're asking about earning a knightly title, it took me four years! If—" Before he could finish, Bagina burst into laughter, and the flicker of hope in Mels and the others' eyes vanished at that moment.

Seeing the youths' expressions, Xiu Lante suddenly laughed and said, "I haven't finished. It's true that earning a knightly title took me four years, but becoming a Probationary Knight only took me five days!"

"What? You became a Probationary Knight in just five days?" Everyone, including Bagina, exclaimed in shock upon hearing Xiu Lante's words.

"That's right! Once you become a Probationary Knight, aside from official rank and hereditary land and property, your rights are essentially the same as those of a knight. For you, becoming a Probationary Knight would mean you could utilize the empire's power!" Xiu Lante explained.

"So how exactly can one earn the title of Probationary Knight in just five days?" Mels immediately pressed.

"Perhaps you all know that to allow ordinary warriors the opportunity to serve the empire, whenever His Majesty the Emperor celebrates a milestone birthday ending in zero, a Probationary Knight selection is held in the royal capital. As long as one has a recommendation from a high-ranking knight and possesses solid strength, regardless of background or origin—provided they haven't threatened the empire—they can rightfully become an Imperial Probationary Knight!" Xiu Lante announced loudly to the four youths. "I know about that, but even an Earl Knight can only recommend one person at a time. If it means separating us, I'd rather rely on our own strength to find the culprits!" Mels said, looking at Xiu Lante with disappointment once more.

In fact, Mels had heard about this back in the Chaotic Country. Back then, they had even been excitedly planning to challenge the Imperial Knights with their own abilities. Unfortunately, Sarikat and the others objected, and the timing—being only once every ten years—wasn't right, so they had to give up.

Now, although Xiu Lante had made this suggestion, judging by the fact that he was traveling alone without any guards, Mels believed Xiu Lante's status couldn't be very high. It would already be quite difficult for him to recommend even one of them. If Mels agreed, it would mean separating from Sol and the others. This was why he felt particularly disappointed!

"Hehe, you don't need to worry about that. Judging by how you handled the enemies earlier, splitting you up would only strip you of your greatest combat strength! I may not have the sharpest eye, but I can still see that you're a group of youths with a very strong bond. So, of course, I wouldn't recommend just one of you!

Perhaps you don't know this, but in the Relkes Empire, there are a few commanders who can recommend candidates without restrictions. And the Imperial Dragon Knight Commander happens to be one of them. And I—this uncle who nearly died in the forest just now—happen to be that 'Imperial Dragon Knight Commander of the Relkes Empire,' Xiu Lante Bolt, who dislikes bringing guards and seems rather useless!" Xiu Lante proclaimed.