Chapter 695: Haoyue, possibility of eight heads (III)
Thanks to the Heart of Eternity, Long Haochen recovered his spiritual energy at an even faster speed than Yang Haoyu. But what use was there in that if Yang Haoyu were to not let him have the time to recover?
The gap in strength between Long Haochen and Yang Haoyu was still considerable. However, this battle brought him especially huge benefits. In particular, he was given an important lesson regarding a domain's uses. Yang Haoyu had conceded for the sake of helping him carry out his plan. Very obviously, Long Tianying had already informed him, this number one powerhouse of the Knight Temple, about Long Haochen's plan.
Chen Zidian's look was filled with gratification and pleasant surprise, as he nodded to Long Haochen, "Then, Long Haochen is victorious, and advances to the fourth round. Since the stadium has sustained a massive destruction, today's matches are to be paused for the field to immediately be restored, and the competition will resume tomorrow in the morning."
If Long Haochen's battle with Qiu Yonghao could be said to make him the focal point of attention, his battle with Yang Haoyu gave him famed accomplishment.
That was a match opposing domains, opposing domain evolution with domain technique, and opposing the two magical beast companions.
Although no one got to clearly see the last clashes, Long Haochen had already displayed his power to the whole audience. This twenty-five years old youngster had convinced them all with his strength. Bright Glimmer of Hope would also be regarded just like the other Six Great Temples from that point onward.
Walking out from the barrier's scope, Long Haochen caught up with Yang Haoyu using large strides, bowing to him respectfully, "Grandpa Yang, thank you for your help."
Yang Haoyu smiled to him, "It is not that I helped you, but you just made it off on your own. My original intention was to cut off your drive on the basis that Failure is the Mother of Success, so that you could look for your own shortcomings after suffering a blatant defeat. But, you managed to reverse my thinking by relying on your strength. You are the most talented youngster I have ever seen, yet you are showing a great steadiness and experience unfit to your age. I am leaving the Knight Temple, as well as the whole Alliance to you. The old guys such as us will be supporting you on the side, so you can be at ease. I can really see humanity's emergence by looking at you, and the possibility of overcoming this dark age. If you have nothing else to do, come with me. I have some things to discuss with you."
"Yes Grandpa Yang." Long Haochen accepted hastily, Long Tianying patting his shoulders as he performed another standard knight salute to Yang Haoyu.
Although the Alliance's Great Gathering had been interrupted in great chaos, it had more than enough manpower involved to take care of the exterior damage, while numerous artisans of the Alliance were assigned to the repairs in shifts.
Yang Haoyu quietly led Long Haochen out from the stadium. With their cultivation, remaining unnoticed couldn't be easier.
Without proceeding to the Alliance's headquarters, Yang Haoyu brought Long Haochen to a familiar place, the Demon Hunt Squad's Pagoda Tower.
Due to the Temples' Great Gathering, this place was completely empty. Recognizing Yang Haoyu, the staff did not even utter a question and left him to proceed to the top floor of the tower.
Under Yang Haoyu's lead, Long Haochen proceeded with him to the seventh floor of the tower, somewhere he hadn't ever gone before.
The sixth floor was used for the Demon Hunt Squads' mission announcements, and this seventh floor was a place only Titled Demon Hunt Squads were qualified to access for taking missions.
Although Long Haochen was already the captain of a Titled Demon Hunt Squad, it was the first time he had come here.
Upon arriving, he discovered with great surprise another person waiting for them in this seventh floor.
"Senior Chen, you are here too?" Long Haochen asked him, pleasantly surprised to see the legendary chief referee of the Temples' Great Gathering, Chen Zidian.
Chen Zidian let out a laugh, "Old pal Yang has been throwing flirtatious winks at me before leaving. How could I not come?"
Yang Haoyu replied unhappily, "How could you be so lacking of dignity when you are already so old, old Chen? Pay attention to your words in front of a youngster."
Chen Zidian laughed, "What do you want me to pay attention to? I am just like that. Or, based on that, you should call me great ancestor in terms of seniority. Wow, Haochen! Your performance gave me a whole new level of respect for you today."
Long Haochen's face flushed, "Actually I have lost. Grandpa Yang just let me win on purpose, there's still a great gap between Grandpa Yang and me."
Chen zidian shook his head, "Don't be tense because of the gap. It's okay as long as you have the potential. You are really an unprecedented case in History. Old Yang, you agree with me?"
Yang Haoyu nodded, "I have never encountered such a genious as this child. I am even feeling jealous of him."
Chen Zidian responded, "Seeing your battle, I couldn't help but think back about ten years ago. Do you know, old pal Yang, it was ten years ago that I met this guy Haochen for the first time. He was only about fifteen, but I found out about his gifts at that time. I told him that they should give their best to take over my legacy, to inherit the title of the Demon God Slayers."
Yang Haoyu couldn't help but feel submerged with emotions as well, "Good eyesight."
Chen Zidian chuckled, "I have always believed that we Demon God Slayers were rather famous, but do you know how this guy replied to me?"
Yang Haoyu had a puzzled look, "Could it be that he refused?"
Chen Zidian continued with a laughing face, "Of course he refused. He told me that if they could really one day become a Titled Demon Hunt Squad, they did not want to get called Demon God Slayers, but Bright Glimmer of Hope."
"I have lived for over three hundred years, but never expected to one day be shocked by a fifteen years old kid. I was brimming with shock that day, and the same went for my comrades. Glimmer of Hope, what a well-found game! To bring humanity a glimpse of hope in the midst of darkness. I haven't seen any of what they experienced in those ten years, but I can see that all of it has borne fruit. At first, our lives should have come to their end five years ago, as a human cannot go against his fate. But with the start of that Holy War, we were left with no choice but to keep ourselves alive through secret means, and after five more years passed, I can finally see hope, qualified successors, truly qualified successors!"
In fact, Chen Zidian had been following Long Haochen's group's return from demon territory. Speaking of which, it was truly the terrible Will of Heaven that they had initially fallen for the trap of the Demon God Emperor.
The Demon God Slayers' Demon Hunt Squad had been concealed in Modu Core City all along. And, that year, Long Haochen's group having pulled such a large move in Core City, if the Demon God Slayers were present, they would surely have immediately come to their rescue.
But when Long Haochen's group was coming in, the Demon God Slayers had happened to be running into the end of their lives, so the team provisionally had to withdraw from Modu to look for a secret underground to use the secret means to prolong their lives.
Chen Zidian's group had already been living for over three hundred years, having spent an even greater part of their lives in demon territory compared to the Temple Alliance. They actually had nothing much keeping them alive since long ago, but during that Holy War, they couldn't bear to leave like that. If nothing was left to restrict the Demon God Emperor, humankind was bound to encounter a massive calamity.
After Long Haochen's gruop terminated their seclusion in the Tower of Eternity, Long Haochen had been looking for Yue Ye thinking of getting news from her, but her residence in the Moon Demon Clan was already empty, devoid of any traces of living.
Afterwards, Long Haochen used the contact signal of Demon Hunt Squad in Modu Core City, not expecting to get hold of Chen Zidian, leader of the Demon God Slayers. And there, Long Haochen learnt about the many changes that occurred on the continent during these past years, as well as obtaining news about the Temples' Great Gathering on the verge of being convened.
Chen Zidian had followed Long Haochen's group back, and had given advice for Long Haochen to decide after discussion, that they should directly participate in the Temples' Great Gathering with only one goal: to put an end to the current scattered state of the Temple Alliance.
Hearing Chen Zidian speak about nearing the end of his life, Long Haochen's expression darkened unconsciously, lowering his head in silence.
Yang Haoyu responded smilingly, "No need to feel that way, Haochen. If you can show the hope of breaking out from the dark era before old Chen departs, I believe that he will be able to leave with a smile."
Chen Zidian nodded with a beaming look, "Exactly. Old Yang, you must have called out this youngster here for some purpose. Speak straight."
Yang Haoyu replied, "Originally, when Tianying mentioned about having him take over the lead of the Temple Alliance and that the time had come to establish a whole new Alliance, I was still skeptical. But in today's match, he persuaded me with strength, and I have decided to support him wholeheartedly. The Alliance had been dispersed for far too long, but with the end of the Holy War finally came the best turning point. I believed that all other Temples clearly witnessed today's match. Old Chen, do you think we should end the Temples' Great Gathering ahead of time to avoid wasting more time?"
Chen Zidian shook his head, "It won't do, the Temples' Great Gathering is no trifling matter. And to these youngsters, it's also a significant experience. Let's rather keep the competition going. Or could it be that you don't believe in Haochen? Even if he cannot defeat Li Zhengzhi in a one versus one, I am very confident in their results in the next team competitions."
Yang Haoyu declared, "In that case, let's keep it going. Haochen, I have actually called you here today to warn you about another matter."
"Please, do tell." Long Haochen replied respectfully.
Yang Haoyu declared, "Establishing a new Alliance is a must, and our objective this time is to establish an Alliance with a highly centralized state power. You may even call it a nation. Your current strength is already sufficient, but you are still lacking an important thing. A Divine Throne."
Hearing about Divine Throne, Long Haochen couldn't refrain from shaking. He still remembered vividly the first time he witnessed in shock the use of a Divine Throne by his father. The Divine Throne of Doom and Slaughter had left him a just too deep impression, giving him at that time a longing for becoming a Divine Knight one day.