Chapter 126: Section 127: Divine Favored Knight
The chase battle had ended.
They had killed only a Blue Dog Fox Wolf, and though Zong Ge was seriously injured, he remained dissatisfied after a fruitless search.
Only Lord Zhenjin knew that there had been only one left.
“When Divine Power was infused into my eyes, I could see the target I wanted to see, and even overlook the world to analyze the target’s route. But when I had just caught up with this Blue Dog Fox Wolf, the Divine Power in my eyes was depleted, and I no longer had the vision I had before,” Lord Zhenjin provided the answer.
Zong Ge and the others were left with no choice.
Lord Zhenjin tried to pray publicly again, but this time, there was no response from the gods.
...
Of course, there would be no response!
Lord Zhenjin wanted to continue praying, but Zong Ge stopped him, “Don’t overuse it, Divine Grace is not infinite, Zhenjin.”
The four of them quickly cleaned up the battlefield and returned to the temporary camp with their spoils.
“Look, they’re back!” a sentinel in the bushes suddenly shouted.
The temporary camp erupted in cheers and a large crowd immediately came out.
“Lord Zhenjin is back?”
“Where are they?”
The forest blocked their view.
The sentinel in the tree had a clearer sight and he shouted again, “Wait, I see them. Lan Zao is carrying a corpse.”
“My God, it’s a Blue Dog Fox Wolf!” the sentinel then exclaimed.
The crowd under the tree immediately cheered.
“My God, they did it!”
“They succeeded! They killed the main culprit.”
“Unbelievable… they really succeeded.” Hei Juan, who had stayed in the camp, revealed a shocked expression upon hearing the cheers of the crowd.
The Demon Beast Army attacked the camp, causing significant casualties and burning the entire camp to the ground. The cunning and treacherous nature of the Blue Dog Fox Wolf put immense psychological pressure on everyone.
Lord Zhenjin decided to pursue and kill them, but the vast majority lacked the confidence.
“Divine Favored Knight, this is the Divine Favored Knight!” Bai Ya, who had awakened, heard the cheer and exclaimed fervently as he rushed out of the tent toward the crowd.
Hei Juan glared fiercely at him, but Bai Ya was completely unaware and left Hei Juan with only his back.
Through the gaps between the trees, people saw Lord Zhenjin, Zong Ge, and others and moved forward to greet them.
“Lord Zong Ge!” As they got closer, someone called out softly.
Zong Ge’s wounded left arm was horrifying, and even without seeing the final battle, the severity and danger of the fight were immediately clear from his injury.
“How strange…” the crowd began to wonder.
“Why is Lan Zao naked, covered only with a white cloth around his groin?”
“That loop of white cloth looks somewhat familiar.” Sear?h the n??el Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
People were curious.
To what extent was this chase battle grueling that Lan Zao’s clothes were all gone?
“Wait, Lord Zhenjin seems to be wearing Lan Zao’s clothes. Where is his own armor?”
People were even more puzzled.
“Lord Sanda!”
“I knew Lan Zao’s white cloth looked familiar!”
Former members of the Mercenary Group waved and called out to Sanda, most of them holding back laughter.
Sanda’s face remained stern throughout, his large bald head completely exposed without a white scarf to cover it, making his normal neck look thin in comparison.
This made him look quite comical.
No wonder he wore a scarf all the time; this kind of attire really undermined his dignity as a Mercenary Squad Leader.
“My lord!” Zi Di ran up to Lord Zhenjin, her eyes brimming with tears, seemingly wanting to throw herself into his arms, but she stopped short due to shyness with so many people around.
“I said I would come back,” Zhenjin smiled at her.
Zi Di nodded, “My lord, let me treat your wounds.”
Zhenjin shook his head, “My injuries have been dealt with and are not serious. This battle is hard to describe in a few words. We can talk about the details later, right now I just want to sleep deeply.”
Zi Di immediately nodded, “Your tent is ready.”
Everyone considerately made way.
Everyone was exhausted.
The Blue Dog Fox Wolf’s Demon Beast Army had launched their attack during the night.
Zhenjin had not only fought throughout the night, facing powerful Magic Beasts like the Blue Dog Fox Wolf multiple times, but by day, he had taken the initiative to pursue them, and after traversing mountains and hills, he had decapitated the Blue Dog Fox Wolf.
“Lord Zhenjin, please rest well!”
“Quick, someone, treat Lord Zong Ge.”
“First, we need to figure out how to remove the broken steel armor!”
“Lan Zao, come and tell me what kind of battle it was. Why are you naked?”
Lan Zao: …
Although the camp had been burned down, there were still tents.
In fact, not just tents, but food, water, and other supplies had been partially taken out beforehand and buried outside the camp.
This was Cang Xu’s suggestion—do not put all your eggs in one basket.
Upon entering the tent, Zi Di carefully checked Zhenjin’s entire body, and after confirming that his injuries were not severe at all, Zi Di finally exhaled a turbid breath and tenderly helped Zhenjin clean his wounds, apply medicine, and bandage him.
Lying on the newly laid bed in the tent, Zhenjin quickly fell into a deep sleep.
He really was exhausted.
The first half of the night he had rigorously practiced transforming into the shape of a Monkey-tailed Brown Bear, and the latter half he signaled warnings, directing everyone to protect the camp and counterattack the Demon Beast Army’s assault. In the burning central wooden hut, he finally found the opportunity to kill a Blue Dog Fox Wolf. The camp was destroyed, daylight came, and Zhenjin encouraged Zong Ge and two others to chase down the remaining Blue Dog Fox Wolf.
This was not just a simple hunt; Zhenjin had also staged a big drama in front of Zong Ge, using the Blue Dog Fox Wolf and several Monkey-tailed Brown Bears.
It wasn’t just physical exhaustion for Zhenjin; it was also mental.
This sleep lasted until the evening.
Zhenjin slowly opened his eyes, and through the slits of the tent, he saw the leaping flames of the campfire and heard the sounds of people having dinner and talking to each other.
“So, did the lord and the others only kill one Blue Dog Fox Wolf?” the shipwright asked.
“Yes, just one,” it seemed to be Mu Ban who answered.
The shipwright sighed, “In that case, aren’t we still in big trouble? Once this Blue Dog Fox Wolf replenishes its forces, the Demon Beast Army will attack again. It might even summon more Blue Dog Fox Wolves!”
“There’s nothing we can do. The lords did everything they could! Didn’t you see the wounds on Zong Ge?” Mu Ban also sighed, worried.
“Sorry…” Zhenjin apologized inwardly.
In fact, both Blue Dog Fox Wolves were already dead, but it was difficult for Zhenjin to explain.
However, leaving the illusion that one survived could also keep everyone always alert and maintain a sense of crisis, which was not entirely a bad thing.
Mu Ban and the shipwright were positioned close to Zhenjin’s tent, so he could not hear the conversation of others clearly.
This did not deter Zhenjin.
After these nights of almost continuous rigorous training, Zhenjin’s mastery of the Heart Core had deepened considerably.
The next moment, he mutated his ears into those of a bat monkey.
The exquisite part was that Zhenjin’s outer ear still maintained a human form, only the structure of the inner ear and such had subtly transformed.
Actually, this change alone was very dangerous.
Zhenjin’s other physical structures were still in human form, and the sudden increase in hearing could overwhelm the human nerves.
But the Heart Core, through the consumption of demon energy, took on the contradictions between life structures.
This allowed Zhenjin to not only hear more sounds but also maintain his own safety as he continued to listen quietly.
Soon, he heard Bai Ya asking Cang Xu.
“What is a Divine Favored Knight?” Bai Ya asked. The young man was curious about everything related to knights.
Cang Xu slowly explained, “The so-called Divine Favored means deeply cherished by the gods.”
“Lord Zhenjin is a Holy Temple Knight who worships the Holy Emperor. Does that mean he is deeply favored by the Holy Emperor?” Bai Ya continued to ask.
“Of course!” Cang Xu’s answer was definitive, “You experienced last night’s battle yourself, you saw it, Lord Zhenjin’s prayers were always answered. You also heard the recounts from Sanda and Lan Zao. When Lord Zhenjin faced a desperate situation, the Holy Emperor immediately helped him, turning defeat into victory!”
“This is very rare.”
“The Divine watches every believer, but His response is actually very scarce.”
“Yet Lord Zhenjin almost every time he prays, immediately receives a response from the Holy Emperor. The Emperor repeatedly intervenes, heeding the requests of His believers, His knights—it’s almost as if he responds to every plea!”
“If this is not Divine Favor, what else could be considered as such?”
“Lord Zhenjin is a Divine Favored Knight!” Cang Xu declared with utmost certainty.
Carrying a look of aspiration and admiration, Bai Ya whispered softly, “Lord Zhenjin is a Holy Temple Knight, he is also a Divine Favored Knight… Divine Favored Knight…”
“Thinking back now, it isn’t actually surprising,” Cang Xu stroked his beard.
Drawing more attention, he spoke at length, “Lord Zhenjin himself is an extremely outstanding cultivator, his talents are extraordinarily remarkable.”
“He possesses a noble bloodline, is a Holy Temple Knight, and has devoted all his faith to the Holy Emperor.”
“These already make him one in ten thousand, but what is more precious is that he always adheres to the knight’s path, uprooting the strong to support the weak, combating evil and promoting good, caring for the vulnerable, even if it means sacrificing himself, he never violates the principles of the Holy Temple Knights!”
“He is brave and fearless, fair and just, willing to accept anyone, treating everyone as comrades, which demonstrates his broad-mindedness, and his compassionate and benevolent nature.”
“Such a person, receiving the favor of the Divine, isn’t that rightful?”
Hearing Cang Xu’s analysis, the audience subconsciously nodded in agreement.
Cang Xu sighed with deep emotion, “Perhaps, encountering a shipwreck and ending up on this island was an opportunity for Lord Zhenjin. Here on this island, Lord Zhenjin faced danger with courage, always considering the bigger picture, fighting bravely, often risking his life to save others. All these caught the attention of the Divine, thus bestowing dense Divine Favor. Lord Zhenjin is absolutely deserving of it.”
“Further analyzing, although the will of the Divine is inscrutable, the Holy Emperor is a living God, the ruler of the Empire.”
“He dispatched many Holy Temple Knights to enter the Wilderness Continent, to compete for the title of City Lord. A great battle between the Human Race and the Beast Race will surely occur, these Holy Temple Knights will become the vanguard and cornerstone of the war. For those Holy Temple Knights who perform outstandingly, the Holy Emperor will not spare His favor.”
“Lord Zhenjin, perhaps due to the shipwreck, stood out early and became one of the most followed believers of the Holy Emperor. I have a premonition that he will certainly become a dazzling new star in the grand battle between the Human Race and the Beast Race. A grand war, a racial war, will definitely bring forth a hero of the Human Race! And both the Empire and the Divine require a new hero of the Human Race. Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps we are witnessing the birth and rise of a great figure destined to be remembered in history, what an honorable thing this is!”
Everyone was momentarily stunned by what he said, leaving only the night wind to weave through the temporary camp around the fire.
“Lord Zhenjin is coming out!” Bai Ya suddenly shouted loudly.
Zhenjin opened the tent’s curtain, having heard Cang Xu’s analysis, and as the subject, he felt his face growing hot.
Everyone’s gaze collectively turned towards Zhenjin.
Zhenjin could only nod, smiling at everyone.
What a perfect smile!
It was not like a mere noble’s dismissive or arrogant smile, it was like sunlight, like dew; it was friendly, warm, graceful, and composed.
The eyes of the audience gradually brightened.
“Zhenjin, Zhenjin, Zhenjin!” Bai Ya took the lead in cheering, and soon more and more people also stood up, chanting Zhenjin’s name.
Even former members of Sanda’s mercenary group did so.
In this moment, Zhenjin’s influence on the crowd reached an unprecedented peak.
The title of Divine Favored Knight, along with the bright future Cang Xu personally painted, Zhenjin’s consistent performance added more and more worship, admiration, affection, and even fervor in the eyes of the people.
In a corner, Zong Ge and Sanda were still sitting.
Zong Ge extended his left arm, while Sanda was forcefully removing metal armor strips from Zong Ge’s bloodied left arm.
This task was quite bothersome; Sanda was already sweating profusely.
Listening to the cheers for Zhenjin around him, Zong Ge, although he had been prepared, still couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss.
Zhenjin’s momentum had risen, and Zong Ge had also lost the courage to challenge him. How to challenge? The form of Golden Armor that Zhenjin took after his prayers was deeply ingrained in Zong Ge’s heart.
Zong Ge silently watched the campfire in front of him.
The flames jumped in the half-beast’s eyes.
He seemed to see his own past…
The battle was over.
He sat under a big tree, sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, shining on his armor. He silently wiped his armor with a cloth.
Not far away, the voices of the generals arguing over their contributions and rewards could be heard.
“Please, without my cavalry flanking them, who could have broken their formation?”
“Hmph, if my team hadn’t held back the enemy’s main force at the front, where would you have gotten the chance?”
“No matter what you say, the gnolls killed by my team outnumber those killed by yours. If you don’t believe me, just compare the gnoll heads we’ve harvested.”
“Haha, you did kill more gnolls than us. But what about it? Our Great Tree General is always the one who kills the most enemies. Do you want to compare yourself with him?”
“Hmph! He is the Great Tree General, with high aspirations, aiming to be a Great General. How can we ordinary mortals compare to him? I’d rather fight for the recognition I deserve. That’s reality.”
The Great Tree General mentioned by the generals was naturally Zong Ge.
Every time after a battle ended, he would always sit alone under a tree, quietly wiping his armor, and remain silent, never arguing over his merits.
Because he knew that even if he argued, he still would not win. He had experienced more, his every military merit would be diminished, or partly claimed by others.
What could he do, being a Half-Beast?
Not a single Human Race general would initiate a conversation with him.
He could only be alone, forever a solitary figure.
“Hisss…” Pain struck, and Zong Ge lightly inhaled a breath of cold air, interrupting his reminiscence.
“Sorry, sir, this thing is too tough to handle.” Sanda apologized, as he had just attempted to pry open a piece of steel armor forcefully, but unexpectedly exerted too much strength and couldn’t control it, failing to pry open the arm armor, which instead hit Zong Ge’s wound.
As Zong Ge was about to speak, a figure arrived in front of him, blocking the light from the fire.
Zong Ge looked up and saw the young knight Zhenjin.
“I want to thank you for your rescue, Zong Ge,” Zhenjin said sincerely.
“Don’t mention it,” Zong Ge replied indifferently.
Zhenjin nodded, drew out the thin sword Silver Lightning, “Let me give you a hand.”
Zong Ge extended his left arm towards him.
Zhenjin took a deep breath and the thin sword flashed continuously in front of Zong Ge, a dozen streaks of silver-white lightning disappeared in an instant.
In the next moment, both the arm armor that bound Zong Ge and the steel armor shards embedded in his flesh were cut by Zhenjin.
Zong Ge gave his left arm a gentle shake, and the shattered arm armor completely fell to the ground.
“Good sword skill, worthy of the bloodline of the Hundred Needle Family. Thank you,” Zong Ge said.
“No need, we are comrades in arms, aren’t we? Here’s some wound medicine, the latest concoction by Zi Di, it should be very effective for your injuries.” As he spoke, Zhenjin handed the potion to Sanda.
“Comrades in arms…” The words echoed in Zong Ge’s heart.
Suddenly, Zhenjin raised his voice, “This time in the chase, without your help, I absolutely couldn’t have done it. In fact, without you, Zong Ge, holding back and slaying so many Silver Level Magic Beasts, I couldn’t have achieved such a feat!”
The entire camp quieted down again, everyone’s gaze centered on Zhenjin.
Zhenjin’s voice spread throughout the camp, “So, not just my name, we should also cheer for Zong Ge, for Sanda, for Lan Zao, for all our warriors!”
“Zong Ge!” called out Zhenjin, raising his arm, his gaze sweeping around, leading the shout.
“Zong Ge, Zong Ge, Zong Ge!” Everyone was stirred, all raising their arms, echoing in unison.
Zhenjin shouted, “Sanda!”
“Sanda! Sanda! Sanda!”
Both Zong Ge and Sanda were staring blankly at the blond young knight before them.
Zhenjin called out again, “Lan Zao!”
“Lan Zao, Lan Zao, Lan Zao!” Everyone’s emotions peaked.
Lan Zao was tightly pursing his lips, his body trembling slightly.
Bai Ya was overjoyed, clapping Lan Zao’s shoulders vigorously.
Zhenjin left Zong Ge and Sanda and moved into the crowd. Every time he raised his arms and shouted someone’s name, it triggered waves of calls.
The temporary camp was filled with joy, the shouts of the people accompanied by the flames echoing through the nearby forest.
Watching the young knight among the crowd, even the bright bonfire couldn’t overshadow his brilliance. Zong Ge sighed and said to Sanda,
“Apply the medicine to me.”