Li Tongyun's words might fool other new Knights, but they wouldn't work on Hu Xiaoniu and Zhang Tianzhen.
No matter what she said, Hu Xiaoniu was certain Qing Chen wouldn't let the two girls leave Whale Island easily, after all, they were too young.
"You two are too bold," Hu Xiaoniu sighed, "And you're implicating me! What if Master thinks I secretly brought you out? No, I have to call Master and explain the situation after I get off the plane."
Li Tongyun's "authoritative" demeanor vanished, replaced by a pitiful expression: "Brother Xiaoniu, Xiao Zhenji is also a Knight, she needs training too. I'm too unprofessional to be her coach, and it's a good chance to learn together during your training. Brother Qing Chen doesn't have time to teach her, and I'm worried as her Guardian."
It was indeed her true feelings.
A Knight's Guardian acts as a coach, bodyguard, and confidante all in one.
Now that 99 new Knights have embarked on their journey, Shinguji Maki, as their senior, would be in an awkward position if all 99 Knights completed the challenges in a year...
Shinguji Maki might be oblivious, but Li Tongyun had to consider it for her.
Hu Xiaoniu looked at the mischievous Li Tongyun, and even though he knew her pitiful act was fake, he could only concede: "But you have to let Master know about this."
"Don't worry, I'll call him after we land, just don't make the plane turn back," Li Tongyun chuckled."Alright, you two have been cooped up in your suitcases for a long time, are you hungry? I'll have the staff prepare dinner for you," Zhang Tianzhen smiled, "Chicken rice, beef rice, noodles, what do you want?"
"I'll have chicken rice, and Xiao Zhenji, beef rice, she likes beef. Do you have canned peaches? She loves those," Li Tongyun said with a smile, "Brother Tianzhen is the best."
Li Tongyun always told everyone not to spoil Xiao Zhenji, yet she knew Xiao Zhenji's preferences perfectly, remembering all the details.
Zhang Tianzhen smiled: "No canned peaches, but we have oranges."
"Oranges are fine, she loves those too."
Hu Xiaoniu retrieved the canned food from the cabin.
Shinguji Maki's eyes lit up upon seeing the canned food: "Lit!"
Zhang Tianzhen: "???"
Hu Xiaoniu's eyebrows shot up: "Xiao Tongyun, what are you teaching her?!"
Zhang Tianzhen chuckled helplessly: "Xiao Tongyun, do you really teach her seriously?"
"Of course..." Xiao Tongyun said nervously, "She learned it herself... uh, self-taught."
After the two girls finished their meal in the cabin, Shinguji Maki whispered, "I feel... since climbing Qing Shan, my body feels..."
"Hmm? What is it? What's wrong with your body?" Li Tongyun asked curiously.
Xiao Zhenji hesitated for a moment: "A little... strained?"
Zhang Tianzhen complained: "Your teaching is too eclectic!"
"Uncomfortable?" Xiao Tongyun asked with concern, "Where exactly? Brother Qing Chen didn't say there would be aftereffects after completing the Trials of Life and Death."
"Stuffiness," Xiao Zhenji patted her chest.
The next moment, the Shikigami Red Leaf Hunt suddenly materialized from Shinguji Maki's chest.
Everyone was startled. What was this?
Li Tongyun exclaimed, "Careful, it's the Shikigami Brother Qing Chen transferred to her, I don't know how it came out!"
Everyone was on high alert. Chen Zhuoqu quickly found a crowbar from the cabin, ready to swing at Red Leaf Hunt.
However, after appearing, Red Leaf Hunt didn't attack anyone but landed gracefully in front of Shinguji Maki, bowing deeply.
The next moment, the white Foxfire and the eerie two-faced Prajna also floated out!
The white fox stepped on flickering flames without harming the cabin floor.
"Prajna' looked like a flying God Woman, but her graceful figure had two faces, one compassionate and one wrathful, on her head.
Now, she wore a compassionate expression, bowing along with Red Leaf Hunt and Foxfire.
The cabin fell silent, everyone stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Gradually, they calmed down: "Shendai's Shikigami? Why are they bowing to Senior Sister?"
Li Tongyun whispered, "Can you control them? Make them stand up."
Shinguji Maki nodded, and the three Shikigami stood up.
Li Tongyun looked at Xiao Zhenji with astonishment. To summon Shikigami, Shendai Consortium's Yin-Yang Masters must reach C-Class.
C-Class can summon one.
B-Class can summon three.
A-Class can summon six.
S-Class can summon twelve.
Shinguji Maki hadn't cultivated Yin-Yang Master techniques, and she had just passed a Trials of Life and Death to reach F-Class, yet she summoned three Shikigami who bowed to her?!
Wouldn't E-Class summon six, D-Class twelve, C-Class twenty-four, B-Class...
If Xiao Zhenji reached the Demi-God level, it would be a hundred ghosts night parade.
The ancient records weren't lying, some people could indeed command a hundred ghosts night parade!
Could the descendants of the Yuan Clan do whatever they wanted?
Wouldn't the people of the Shendai Consortium cry themselves to death upon seeing Shinguji Maki?
Li Tongyun hesitated: "Make Red Leaf Hunt arm-wrestle me."
Li Tongyun and Red Leaf Hunt faced each other, arm-wrestling on a wooden box, and they remained in a stalemate for a moment before Xiao Tongyun won.
She looked at Xiao Zhenji in shock.
Everyone said that a Shikigami's level follows its master's.
But Xiao Zhenji was only F-Class, yet her summoned Red Leaf Hunt already had the strength of a C-Class? C-Class Shikigami is the lowest level, it can't be lower.
At this moment, Xiao Zhenji still had many Shikigami within her, including the giant whale from Whale Island, and those Qing Chen helped her capture: Mirage Tower, Shadow Girl, Wine Swallowing Child, Flying Head Demon, Mountain Child, Never Fall, White Tiger, Great Heavenly Dog, and Bing Zhu Bu.
A total of 10 Shikigami.
Once Shinguji Maki completes two Trials of Life and Death to reach D-Class, she can summon twelve C-Class Shikigami. Even B-Class would fear such power...
The Knight's group fighting style has become absurd since Qing Chen's generation.
A large number of Knights is one thing, but there's also a freak like Xiao Zhenji who can control twelve, or even one hundred ninety-two.
It's unbelievable!
Li Tongyun knew Shinguji Maki was a beta tester, so she wondered if this girl was specifically chosen by the Yan-surnamed Demi-God to destroy the Shendai Family?
It's too targeted.
Hu Xiaoniu whispered, "Does Master know about this?"
Li Tongyun shook her head blankly: "He doesn't know, I just found out. No, I have to cultivate hard, otherwise I won't be qualified to be her Guardian!"
Li Tongyun initially thought she could cultivate casually with her talent.
But now, Shinguji Maki's bloodline talent gave even a genius like her a sense of urgency!
She had to step up her game!
The pilot's voice announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, we're about to land."
Hu Xiaoniu instructed everyone: "After we land, please act like real baggage handlers, don't be picky, I know you all have eaten Eternal Heaven Fruit, you won't get tired from this little work. The cargo in the cabin is for our future use, don't be lazy."
The plane landed, and Li Tongyun, now aware of the seriousness of the situation, proactively called Qing Chen: "Brother Qing Chen, Xiao Zhenji can now summon Shikigami, and a lot of them..."
As Xiao Tongyun described the events, Qing Chen on the other end of the phone was stunned.
Oh my god!
At that moment, Qing Chen suddenly felt Master Li Shutong's worry.
Li Shutong was worried about where to find so many Forbidden Artifacts.
While Qing Chen was worried about where to find so many Shikigami for Xiao Zhenji?
This might be the legendary cycle of cause and effect...
At the rate of Knight Trials of Life and Death, in just half a year, this girl will be able to control at least forty-eight Shikigami, still a long way to go!
Qing Chen, sitting on the yacht, almost hung up the phone: "Um, I see..."
It seems that the next time the Federation war reignites, he needs to team up with Shendai Yunluo.
They have to go deep into the battlefield to find Yin-Yang Masters.
Shendai Yunluo takes the Yin-Yang Masters' eyeballs, while he takes the Shikigami, a clear division of labor.
It seems feasible.
Li Tongyun, one of the people who knew Qing Chen best, had already begun to mourn for those Shendai Yin-Yang Masters.
Knights might exploit their disciples, but when it comes down to it, they'll do anything for their disciples.
Even a Demi-God like Li Shutong would rob bandits, so Qing Chen could also plunder Yin-Yang Masters.
...
...
On the yacht, Yang Yang and Qing Chen stood on the deck.
The girl tilted her head and asked, "Is Xiao Zhenji having problems? What's wrong with our daughter?"
"Hmm...?" Qing Chen was stunned, even with his intelligence, he couldn't figure out how to answer this question: "Wait a minute, I feel like this sentence is wrong."
"Then I'll ask again, what's wrong with Xiao Zhenji?" Yang Yang curiously asked.
"Nothing, the girl's talent is even more amazing than I predicted, she can summon Shikigami at F-Class, and she summoned three at once," Qing Chen sighed.
"That's good news, she has self-preservation abilities now," Chen Yang Yang said nonchalantly, "I heard from Xiao Tongyun that you used the alias Chen Nian in the Academy? What, you took your wife's surname?"
Qing Chen: "...Don't your skills have a cooldown?"
This time, only Qing Chen and Yang Yang were on the yacht to Nepal to climb Pearl Peak Mount Everest.
When they were alone, this girl drove like she wanted to run over Qing Chen's face with her wheels.
Back and forth.
Qing Chen pondered and asked, "Actually, you shouldn't have come, it'll be dangerous."
"What's there to be afraid of? I'm your Guardian, I should be by your side when you complete the Trials of Life and Death, and you still owe me a honeymoon trip," Yang Yang said.
This decision was carefully considered by Qing Chen. First, he couldn't use this Forbidden Artifact.
Because the downgrade bullets would cause fatal annihilation if shot at ordinary people, and Qing Chen would need to maintain the Reverse Breathing Technique state for a month after completing this Trials of Life and Death, reverting to an ordinary person.
He had to shoot himself with the revolver every day, Qing Chen couldn't gamble on not having a downgrade bullet every day for thirty days.
Therefore, using it would be life-threatening.
Second, Qing Chen only needed to steadily cultivate to become a Demi-God, there was no need to prematurely merge with the will of the world, Knights didn't take that path.
Others used the power of the world, but Knights unlocked the secrets of their own genes.
Different paths lead to the same destination, only Knights walk alone.
Therefore, this revolver wouldn't benefit Qing Chen much.
But Yang Yang was different, she was a once-in-a-century Force field type Awakened One, a mainstay of Daybreak, and Qing Chen's Guardian.
If Yang Yang used the upgrade bullet, she would have a direction to further break through. If she could reach the Demi-God level, she could probably shoot down even a Class A Airship from afar.
Therefore, Yang Yang and Qing Chen's interests aligned at this moment, her enhancement directly benefited Qing Chen, Guardians' Union, and Daybreak.
Yang Yang leaned against the railing of the deck, she wore her hair in a braid today, wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt, and her abs and navel were visible when she stretched: "A token of love?"
"Cough, this thing is an artifact for Awakened Ones, try it first," Qing Chen said, "Although the probability of an upgrade bullet is low, if you get it, your promotion to A-Class will be secured."
"Then what should I give you?" Yang Yang smiled, "You can't just receive a Forbidden Artifact for nothing. How about this, come to my room, I have a gift for you."
"I'm not that kind of person," Qing Chen said righteously.
"What are you thinking?" Yang Yang laughed brightly, "You're always making love with me, but now you're getting smarter. I found the Forbidden Artifact ACE-240, Universal Charger, in the wilderness."
"Hmm?" Qing Chen questioned, "There's not much information on this thing in the Hu Family Intelligence Agency, it seems mysterious, where did you find it?"
"I got it from the Wildlanders, just like in the Outer World in the 90s, many people went to villages to dig up antiques. Many Wildlanders actually have Forbidden Artifacts they picked up, but they don't know their function or value," Yang Yang gently leaned on Qing Chen's shoulder on the deck, "This was supposed to be a birthday gift for you, but now that you're giving me the revolver, I'll give it to you early."
"What can the Universal Charger do? Have you tried it?" Qing Chen curiously asked.
"It can be used once a month, it can instantly charge anything that consumes energy. In the early days, some people in the wilderness used it to refuel their Off-road Vehicles, but it's not very useful since it can only be used once a month. But you'll need this," Yang Yang said.
"I need it?" Qing Chen was puzzled.
"Yes, your and your Master's cloud qi both deplete all your Knight True Qi at once," Yang Yang smiled, "Such powerful abilities, but only usable once, it's a shame, the Universal Charger can increase the usage of your cloud qi to twice. Anyway, cloud qi isn't used frequently, twice in one battle will basically decide the outcome."
Qing Chen was stunned for a moment, the Universal Charger was indeed what he needed most.
He softly asked, "You've been looking for this thing for a long time, haven't you?"
A Forbidden Artifact with such a high compatibility with him couldn't be easily found from Wildlanders.
Yang Yang smiled and said, "Glad you know."
Speaking of which, Yang Yang suddenly straightened up and said freely, "I know you can't forget the girl who gave you an apple... Don't worry, I won't force you, I'll wait until you figure it out. Let's go, let's drink, the yacht's dance is about to start, I lost a lot of money playing Texas Hold'em yesterday, I'll borrow your brain today to help me win it back."
Qing Chen stood on the deck, watching the waves break.
He didn't expect Yang Yang to suddenly mention Qin Yiyi.
At that time, he had just been taken away from Prison 18 by his Master to Forbidden Zone 002 to complete his first Trials of Life and Death.
Along the way, that girl with no ulterior motives offered him an apple, and Qing Chen remembered her.
That feeling was so pure. She didn't know his identity, even if she thought he was just a servant, she didn't disdain him.
Qing Chen and Yang Yang were more like partners, their goals are now aligned, and some feelings will inevitably develop over time.
But Qin Yiyi didn't care about all this, she didn't care about Qing Chen's goals or identity, but after learning that Qing Chen's Master was a Demi-God, she decisively left her family to seek her opportunities, just so she could be on par with Qing Chen instead of living under Li Shutong's protection, one step below Qing Chen.
Qing Chen had never seriously considered emotional matters, but he did seem to have forgotten that short period of time.
He walked into the cabin.
The Brilliant Pearl yacht passed through Island Nation and Thailand, finally reaching Nepal.
Nepal, from February to May, is a paradise for overseas trekking enthusiasts, with over 6,000 people coming here to climb Pearl Peak Mount Everest every year, and the total number of tourists is over 10 million.
With more tourists, Nepal is also bustling.
There are over 3,100 tourists on this ship, and they will all disembark in Nepal.
Nepal and the yacht may hold many unknown dangers.
...