Chapter 577: Challenge (I)
“Bright Glimmer of Hope.” Hearing these four words Chen Hongyu couldn’t help but show himself emotionally moved. On the side, Sanshui had a shocked expression. They could both feel the far-reaching ambition Long Haochen had behind this name.
Hearing these words, the resisting look in Chen Ying’er’s eyes finally calmed down.
At that time, when Long Haochen rejected Chen Zidian’s offer in order to mention this title of Bright Glimmer of Hope, even the members from their own Demon Hunt Squad only took that as a far-reaching goal that they could maybe aspire to in a hundred years.
But after just a few years passed, Long Haochen, still under twenty, was already saying that they were on the verge of possessing this title of Bright Glimmer of Hope. An incomparable feeling of honor rose in Chen Ying’er’s heart, and a soft milky-white spiritual energy was abruptly released from her body. The spiritual energy in the air suddenly went up, as Chen Ying’er regained her ability of movement the next instant, and shot to Long Haochen’s side.
“Captain, are you saying that for real? We are really eligible to have our own title?” Chen Ying’er grabbed Long Haochen’s hand and shook it energetically. Although she wasn’t very greedy for material items, she valued very highly the fact that her own Demon Hunt Squad could gain a title. This majestic honor even gave Chen Hongbo and Sanshui Popo some feelings of jealousy.
In fact, in the six thousand years of human history, the total of Demon Hunt Squads that were able to acquire a title is below twenty. And in the present age, there are only two of these Titled Demon Hunt Squads.
Long Haochen showed a faint smile, “Although our strength is still far from matching the name of Titled Demon Hunt Squad, we certainly have a title of our own.”
“Awesome, that’s really awesome! Captain, I want to return no matter what, and fight alongside everyone else. I want it wholeheartedly!” Saying that, Chen Ying’er abruptly turned her head, facing Chen Hongyu.”
“Grandfather, you cannot stop me. You don’t have the authority to stop a Demon Hunter from returning to her own team. Did you know? In the past years under captain’s lead, we went through fire and water and made outstanding contributions for the Alliance. But in the team, I had no way to use summoning magic, and was always a burden to everyone else. But my comrades never expressed discontentment toward me. No matter when, they were always putting me in the safest place, especially Captain who faced off against the most powerful enemy every time, and bore the enemies’ most powerful attacks. And every time it came to this, I could only stare blankly at everyone fighting at the risk of their lives, unable to do anything. But now that I am finally a true summoner, with a power of my own, how can I choose to break away from my team at this time? How can I be so selfish? Grandfather, no one can stop me. Even you cannot unless you kill me. Otherwise, I will return to my team anyway, to be alongside my comrades.”
Chen Ying’er’s speech was very earnest, once again her tears gushed out, but her words were incomparably steady, containing no diversion or leeway.
Sanshui Popo still had a clearly hesitant look. She also used to be a Demon Hunter, and obviously knew the feelings of unity between the members of a team, and the deep feelings arising from countless experiences of life or death. Their feelings as compatriots were often enough compared to relatives from a same family. Who knew how many times they strived their utmost to manage to save each other from a situation of danger. At that very moment, Chen Ying’er’s determined words rang in her mind and couldn’t help but confuse her. But Chen Hongyu’s view wasn’t the same. Although he fears his wife, in the end he’s the head of a Spiritual Temple, the one with the highest authority and power in the present situation.
Seeing Long Haochen and his tearful granddaughter, Chen Hongyu’s expression gradually pacified, giving a resolute look to Long Haochen, “Deep apologies, Saint Knight Head. I am taking back my previous words which I spoke due to an emotional impulse. Congratulations on obtaining this title of Bright Glimmer of Hope.
“Over many years, any of the Six Great Temples have all made sacrifices for each other. Who knows how many parents have seen their child step into the battlefield, only to see their corpse return, sometimes not even complete. As the head of the Spiritual Temple, I understand the importance of Ying’er’s honor as a Demon Hunter. I know I shouldn’t stop her, and I certainly have some selfish motives deep inside: I have only this one granddaughter. But I am definitely not stopping her from returning to you because of these selfish motives.”
Reaching this point, Chen Hongbo pointed at the Spiritual Saint Robe on Chen Ying’er, “Please look, Saint Knight Head. The current cloth Ying’er wears is called Spiritual Saint Robe.
“That’s the only divine tool held by our Spiritual Temple. It is embedded with a hundred and eight spiritual pellets, all of which were left by powerhouses of the ninth step from our Temple. This cloth can be said to come from the efforts expended by several dozen generations of the Temple, to be finally completed. But from the day of its completion to now, only Ying’er was able to put it on. That’s because her innate spiritual energy exceeds ninety, blessing her with the constitution as Spiritual Saint Girl. Just like you, she is a god’s chosen one.
“Summoners aren’t the same as you knights: even the most powerful summoners will have a weak body. Our Spiritual Temple cannot do without Ying’er, so I cannot let her take risks. Give her another ten years, and she will surely become the true cornerstone of our Spiritual Temple. At that time, she will be able to show much greater use in the battlefield than now. So as the head of the Spiritual Temple, I must stop her from going back to that life. I hope you can understand.”
“That won’t do grandpa! You can’t stop me. Captain, transport me away! That way, even grandpa won’t find me!” Chen Ying’er swayed Haochen’s arm, as she asked to be teleported to the Tower of Eternity.
But Long Haochen didn’t do so. That’s because he could understand the current feelings Chen Hongyu was having. Wasn’t the current Chen Hongyu just like his own grandfather Long Haohan at the time he emerged from seclusion? At that time, they made things incredibly difficult for him for the same reason. An innate internal spiritual energy of over ninety has, for any Temple, an incomparable value. That’s an earth-shattering powerhouse, born with the potential to match the Demon God Emperor one day. With such a powerhouse as their leader, any Temple would have an extremely prosperous future. As the Temple Head, Chen Hongbo had no other choice but to keep Chen Ying’er here.
And as Chen Hongbo said, Ying’er was, before all else, a summoner. Cai’er and him were both gods’ chosen ones, but their survivability is far greater than Chen Ying’er’s, especially he, possessing the Tower of Eternity, able to transport him to another realm at anytime to escape the enemy’s chase. In the end that’s why Long Tianying and Sheng Yue let their team re-form with ease.
“Ying’er, be patient for a bit.” Long Haochen patted Chen Ying’er’s shoulders, finally calming her down. But upon looking, she saw her grandfather and grandmother’s look become very alert. Chen Hongyu couldn’t help but take a defensive postureposture. However he secretly was impressed, feeling that this youngster called Long Haochen truly is a big deal. She understood her granddaughter’s character very well, including her extreme stubbornness. Unless she’s truly convinced, there’s no way she would remain obedient and listening. At least, at his own side, this treasured granddaughter was never so obedient.
“Temple Head, I can really understand your apprehensions. But Ying’er is part of my team: we really need her. I can guarantee you I’ll do my utmost to defend her safety. As captain, protecting my comrades is my unrelenting responsibility. I will do my utmost for this sake. As long as I live on, I won’t let the enemies inflict any harm to her.”
Chen Hongyu showed a calm and collected look, “Are you saying that you believe your own strength to be sufficient?”
Long Haochen replied, “Temple Head, our team is an entire body, and at least in the same level, I dare affirm that we have the greatest survivability possible. Back then, senior Chen Zidian handed over a piece of epic equipment to us, called Soul Sharing Chains. You should have heard about it from Ying’er: they have the ability called Life Sharing. In other words, at the time we suffer enemies’ surprise attack, we can take the damage for each other. Not only that, but every member of our team is equipped at least at the Legendary Tier. We have now two divine tools and four pieces of epic tier equipment as well, without counting Ying’er’s Spiritual Saint Robe. I am very confident in our abilities of self-preservation.” The divine tools he was referring to were his Divine Snail Shield and Cai’er’s Sickle of the God of Death, and the four pieces of epic tier equipment: Soul Sharing Chains, Eternal Melody, Aria of the Goddess of Light, and Hibiscus of Light.
The Tower of Eternity wasn’t counted because aside from its teleportation, he really didn’t want to use its other powers. So the Eternal Melody was only counted as a piece of teleporting equipment of the epic tier.
Two divine tools and four pieces of equipment of epic tier? Chen Hongyu facial muscles twitched visibly. How could such super-equipment be found at low value? And how young were their bunch?
For a moment, Cheng Hongyu didn’t know how he should continue to rebut Long Haochen.
Seeing her husband’s hesitation, Sanshui Popo expressed, “Equipment and weapons are after all external objects. The most important for one to defend himself is a sufficient strength. Although Ying’er has already broken through the seventh step, her capability is insufficient. Captain Long, how about that, we can permit Ying’er to return to your team, but you have to promise to not enter into demon territory for a certain time to complete missions. The best is for you to remain in the Myriad Beast Mountain Pass, participating in the Holy War to make contributions for the Alliance.”