Chapter 16: The Weight of a Knight’s Resolve

Her long hair was tied into a ponytail, and her features, undeniably beautiful, did not, however, impart an impression of delicacy to observers. Quite the contrary, she exuded an inherent heroic aura, a quality further amplified by the armor she wore. Upon seeing her, one could not help but conjure images of an invincible female general sweeping across a battlefield, wielding her weapons with masterful prowess.

She was Anlin Dantès, who had graduated with honors from the military academy, ranking second in her class. Subsequently, she entered the imperial palace by her own will, becoming a member of the Empress’s personal guard, and was promoted to captain two years later. In the terms of the Eastern Continent, Anlin’s position was akin to the head of the imperial guard. To have ascended to such a rank in her twenties was testament enough to the Empress’s trust in her and recognition of her capabilities!

“Could you please refrain from interfering?”

Cai altered her usual voice, a pragmatic choice to avoid future complications for herself.

“And I would ask: are you capable of not disturbing Her Majesty?”

Her question was immediately followed by action. With a swift pivot, Cai evaded Anlin’s forceful lunge with her silver spear, using the momentum of her dodge to effortlessly circle behind her. As if executing a textbook maneuver, Cai unleashed a spinning back kick, though Anlin had already turned to face her.

*Boom!*

The kick landed on Anlin’s arm. In that split second, Anlin had raised her left arm, blocking it in front of her face. Her reaction speed was commendable.

But what next?

Speed did not equate to strength!

The Sacred Power used by humans, elves, and sea folk;

The Demonic Power used by demons, magical beasts, beastkin, dragons, and vampires;

The Netherworld Power used by the undead and wraiths;

And the Divine Power used by the gods!

These four were the primary powers existing in this world. As a complete and utter human, there was no doubt as to which power Cai wielded. Sacred Power surged into Cai’s right foot, and in the very next instant of her exertion, Anlin, still in her defensive stance, was sent careening backward.

A thunderous roar immediately echoed through the chamber! Every pillar in Anlin’s path of retreat was utterly shattered, decimated by her body and the sheer force of the impact. Protected by Sacred Power, such collisions were not fatal.

However, Cai harbored no illusions that Anlin would be gravely injured and unable to rise. She had no intention of underestimating her opponent.

Neither underestimating nor overestimating, Cai had concluded from their previous skirmish that she would not need a weapon for this fight. Her cross-shaped sword reverted into an iris pendant, which Cai then put away.

*Whoosh!*

At that moment, the silver spear, gleaming with a cold light, shot forward from a distance, hurled by its master.

“How impressive!”

Cai applauded in admiration, even as the spear tip threatened to pierce her in the very next second. A hexagonal barrier, shimmering with light, materialized in the blink of an eye, forming a protective shield just before the spear could strike. Anlin’s forceful throw was unable to breach the single layer of defense. Once the momentum infused into the throw was spent, the spear clattered to the ground. Concurrently, Anlin launched her assault, this time engaging with fists and feet.

In response, Cai lightly tapped her foot, her form shifting and evading like a phantom. The flurry of punches and kicks, though capable of leaving deep craters in the flagstones, ultimately failed to connect with its target. Anlin’s offensive was undoubtedly as relentless as a storm. Her misfortune, however, lay in encountering an overwhelmingly powerful adversary.

Had Cai chosen to unveil her face, Anlin would have discovered that her opponent wore an utterly relaxed expression. After a continuous barrage of fierce attacks, Anlin had not only failed to inflict any damage on her target but hadn’t even grazed a single corner of her clothing. Seeing her assault prove fruitless, Anlin hooked the spear shaft with her foot, kicking it into the air, then swiftly raised her hand to grasp it once more. At this moment, Cai intended to end the battle with hypnosis.

As the ripples of the Forbidden Spell spread, Anlin braced herself, holding her spear horizontally to block.

*Clang!*

A metallic clang resounded, the sound of the ripples colliding with the silver spear, signifying Anlin’s successful defense against the Forbidden Spell. As the price of her successful defense, both she and her weapon were subsequently forced back by the impact. To have achieved this much was already remarkable.

Cai realized that this Great Knight was indeed very strong; if she wanted to complete the hypnosis, she would first have to defeat her. Only when Anlin lost her ability to resist could she be manipulated. This was a rare instance for Cai where a Forbidden Spell failed to achieve its intended effect. Yet, this hardly constituted a decisive reversal. Beyond the Forbidden Spell, the disparity in their strengths was simply too vast!

Anlin was indeed powerful, but in comparison, Cai was more terrifying than a monster. The power levels of this world could be categorized as follows:

Hundred Battles (rivaling a hundred people) → Thousand Slayers (felling a thousand people) → Formation Breaker (effortlessly handling five thousand people) → Army Destroyer (demonstrating dominance over ten thousand people).

Up to the Army Destroyer rank, there was no specific distinction between male and female practitioners. For the ranks beyond, male and female powerhouses were categorized separately:

Taking Wang Xiaole as an example, since she had transformed into a girl, the subsequent ranks for females were:

→ City-Toppler (easily defeating 50,000 people)

→ Quasi-Nation-Toppler (disregarding an army of 100,000)

→ Nation-Toppler (an army of 200,000 is no match)

→ Quasi-World-Toppler (treating 300,000 people as mere weeds)

→ World-Toppler (a legendary rank, an absolute powerhouse who cannot be overwhelmed by numbers, capable of crushing anyone they wish).

For males, these ranks were called:

Life and Death → Quasi-Sovereign → Sovereign → Quasi-Dominator → Dominator.

These corresponding male and female ranks represented the same level of power; only their names differed! Anlin belonged to the City-Toppler rank, and by her estimation, Cai had surpassed at least the Quasi-Nation-Toppler rank!

Any other Great Knight, upon realizing such a vast disparity in strength, would undoubtedly choose to flee. But Anlin showed no intention of escaping. If she could choose her death, she wished to die for her Empress, who had recognized her worth. Given the choice between a glorious death and a life of ignominy, she would undoubtedly choose the former. To fight as a knight, and to die without shaming the name of a knight—this was Anlin’s resolve!

Wielding her silver spear, she decided to launch a desperate, final charge towards her target. Just as she prepared to charge, a strong voice echoed from not far away:

“We’re here to help!”

The two women’s battle had caused a significant commotion; how could the other unhypnotized soldiers in the area not rush over? More enemies appearing was only a matter of time.

Cai knew precisely what action to take next. Her form flickered, instantly appearing beside Anlin; what the latter then pierced was merely an afterimage left by the Saintess.

“Loyal guard, you win this round.”

These were the words the intruder left for the loyal retainer. Cai had come to hypnotize the Empress, not to kill. Truthfully, if murder were her aim, it would be simple. She could simply raze the entire palace to the ground, leaving no one alive within its walls… but that was not her objective. Rather than achieve an undesirable outcome, it was better to act as if she had never been here at all.

With her objective unfulfilled, Cai smoothly broke through the encirclement; no one possessed the ability to stop her. After that, she returned to the Orland Cathedral. As the moon and stars faded, dawn arrived, greeting the land with the first rays of the rising sun. In front of the cathedral’s main entrance, Wang Xiaole stood, holding a cup. She had stepped outside for some fresh air, and her encounter with Cai, now divested of her disguise, was merely a coincidence.

“You’re up so early today.”

Wang Xiaole had woken up before dawn, lacking sleep, and had gotten out of bed because she couldn’t fall back asleep. Guessing Cai was in a similar situation, she offered her cup.

“It’s freshly brewed coffee, I haven’t even had a sip. Would you like some?”

“I graciously accept your kindness.”

Cai took the cup, her eyes smiling as she looked at Wang Xiaole, her thoughts at that moment:

‘If Lady Xiaole ever found out what I’ve been doing behind her back… she would surely detest me.’

No, perhaps that wasn’t quite right.

‘Even without knowing my hidden truth, Lady Xiaole would have many reasons to dislike me.’

The coffee cup was clutched in her hand, yet the Saintess herself seemed to be in a daze, her eyes having lost their focus at some point.

‘I’ve become far too complacent…’

The person she deeply loved had reincarnated and reappeared before her, and due to work, she was able to remain close to them. Such an experience was so blissful that Cai felt she had, without realizing it, become utterly carried away!

‘I’m so foolish! What does it matter if we’ve reunited? Lady Xiaole doesn’t belong to me.’

The idea of making someone belong to oneself was simply too arrogant. Cai dared not harbor such extravagant hopes.

‘Perhaps one day, this lady will leave here…’

If that were to happen, Cai wished her life could end on the very night Wang Xiaole departed. That way, she could carry a beautiful memory to her grave before the pain overshadowed the happiness. Yet, even as such thoughts arose, Cai was unwilling to die.

‘I want to see Lady Xiaole happy more often, to witness her happiness firsthand, to stay by her side for an entire lifetime!’

If that last wish couldn’t be fulfilled, then she would settle for the next best thing:

‘I hope to be remembered by her for a lifetime!’

Could death truly guarantee eternal remembrance? If so, what kind of death could fulfill this desire? To offer her the cross-shaped sword, begging, ‘Please, kill me!’ Would dying in such a way allow her to remember me more profoundly?

Her slender hand trembled with her thoughts, and the cup, no longer held firmly, ultimately fell, shattering into pieces.

“I’m sorry!”

Before Wang Xiaole could utter a word, Cai preempted her with an apology, then fled as if escaping. She left because her mind was in turmoil. In the depths of her consciousness, complex emotions intertwined. Joy for one person, and sorrow for that same person. The longer the happy days lasted, the greater the sadness would be when they parted. And even before their separation, her heart, besides its joy, could faintly perceive a burgeoning pain.

‘Lady Xiaole, this pain of mine is, after all, connected to you…’

At that moment, the expression on Cai’s face was akin to smiling through tears.

“I’m so happy…”

Even with nuns passing by, she continued to whisper these words. Others did not hear what the Saintess was muttering; it didn’t matter, after all:

She was lucid now! Lucid enough to know that the words she had just uttered were the true voice of her heart.

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