Chapter 1672 Trash Knight
A pie fell from the sky—a genuine pie from heaven.
Inside the tavern, all Barbarian Warriors looked enviously at Sun Hao. Who could have imagined this fellow casually picking up a barbarian woman who turned out to be a witch? Just like that, he received a Guardian Knight contract—something only Barbarian Tribe Heroes could obtain?
Sun Hao’s brow furrowed slightly.
Sun Hao’s main purpose in reaching the Middle Void was actually transit. What he lacked was a path; what specific contract it was mattered little. Even a lower status was acceptable. His ideal choice, however, was a contract easily terminated, allowing him to integrate swiftly into the Middle Void.
Strictly speaking, a Guardian Knight contract wasn’t Sun Hao’s preference.
Especially since Little Lan clearly lacked a few screws loose. After entering the Middle Void, would he truly need to protect her?
Could he end up shackled to Little Lan’s side?
A thread of hesitation arose in Sun Hao’s heart—this wasn’t his ideal choice at all.
As Sun Hao hesitated, tears seemed to well in Little Lan’s eyes. She mumbled, “Little Lan finally picks a knight, and Little Mountain still won’t agree?”
Sun Hao knew entry into the Middle Void wasn’t child’s play. Climbing up with Little Lan was truly less ideal than charging into the top ten himself to select a contract later.
Hardening his heart, his dao heart felt hard as iron, Sun Hao was about to refuse Little Lan when suddenly, a split consciousness within the Witch Soul hovering over his Sea of Consciousness seemed to murmur several times, like speaking to itself: "Be good to the one who takes you to the Middle Void. Be good to the one who takes you to the Middle Void. Remember this... remember this..."
Sun Hao paused, startled, abruptly recalling that this split consciousness had once received aid from an immensely powerful being. Only with that being's assistance had his Flesh Body finally mastered the Barbaric Decapitated Deity Art.
That being's methods were truly fearsome. Even this split consciousness—unable to remember even Jianghe—had managed to cast out these words at this critical moment.
Undoubtedly, that mysterious, formidable being intended to remind him, right at this moment, to treat Little Lan well.
What sort of being could foresee this moment and warn him in advance?
Such a Great Power Cultivator likely surpassed the scope of the Middle Void itself.
Sun Hao took a deep breath, smiling at Little Lan. "How could I refuse? How could Little Mountain be unwilling? I was just stunned by the sudden surprise and hadn't reacted yet..."
Speaking thus, Sun Hao knelt on one knee, extending his right hand. "I, Jiang Xiaoshan of the Jianghe Tribe, am willing to become Gerlane’s Guardian Knight. Should it be needed, I vow to protect Little Lan for all my days."
Little Lan beamed.
Border Collie muttered, "Has Boss’s brain got its wires crossed?"
Little Lan lightly tossed the blue mysterium sphere in her hand, releasing a Phantom Glow that pierced Sun Hao's glabella. A purple horizontal line seemed to appear on Sun Hao's forehead, flashing once—too quick for the warriors to see clearly—before the purple line and Phantom Glow vanished.
Gerlane clapped her hands. "There, done! My brother said signing a Guardian Knight might take ages, but it was this simple! Okay, Xiaoshan, from now on, you’re Little Lan’s Guardian Knight! Hehehe... but Xiaoshan…"
She pointed at Border Collie. "Your mount is way too shabby! A hideous-looking mutt…"
Border Collie barked furiously. "You’re shabby! Your whole family’s shabby!"
Gerlane blinked innocently. "Doggie, your words are so profound. I don’t understand."
Border Collie shot a helpless look at Sun Hao.
Sun Hao chuckled, returning to his stone table. He picked up a barrel of wine, tore off a piece of meat, and handed it to Gerlane. He got another portion for himself, raised his wine barrel with a broad smile, and boomed, "Brothers! Little Lan! A toast! To my becoming a Guardian Knight! Drink…!"
The Savage Power Tavern erupted into celebratory chaos. For the first time ever, a Guardian Knight had appeared within its walls—an earth-shattering good omen. Barbarian Warriors surged with enthusiasm, raising barrels in congratulations for Sun Hao.
Seeing the jubilant atmosphere, Gerlane too grew excited. Lifting her barrel high, her cheeks flushed crimson, she chirped brightly, "Drink! Drink…!"
It was then Sun Hao finally realized Gerlane wasn't an underage barbarian girl, but a fully-grown Witch Clan cultivator—though her cultivation level was low, only at the Divine Transformation Stage, not even Tribulation Transcendence Stage.
This information had been conveyed upon establishing the Knight Guardian Contract.
As he drank, Sun Hao also grasped the fundamentals of the Guardian Knight pact.
Essentially, it was an agreement developed by powerful Middle Void races to protect and nurture their younger generation.
It functioned like a Lifebound Pact, wielding a certain Law power.
The contract specifically targeted extraordinarily capable Heroes from the Lower Void.
Indeed, to recruit Lower Void Heroes, the Guardian Knight contract offered incredibly lenient terms—its sole drawbacks were the potentially long duration of protection or lofty goals required to complete it.
In Sun Hao and Gerlane’s contract, Sun Hao had two ways to gain his freedom in the Middle Void:
First, stand guard for ten thousand years—an eternity for someone at the Divine Separation Stage, making it no minor demand.
Second, elevate Gerlane’s strength to the Divine Separation Stage—equally challenging, particularly as her mental faculties seemed incomplete, likely making cultivation tough.
Were it not for the reminder left by the mysterious Great Power, Sun Hao truly wouldn’t have suited becoming Gerlane’s Guardian Knight.
Yet, even as her Guardian Knight, Sun Hao still saw no clear reason why he must protect Gerlane. Perhaps as his own cultivation progressed, he’d discover the answer.
He didn’t believe a Great Power Cultivator who could glimpse his future would idly say such things without cause.
Failing to see it now merely meant his strength remained insufficient.
Little Lan was delighted, drinking and eating meat with Sun Hao, immensely pleased with her chosen knight.
The news that a Barbarian Warrior from Savage Power Tavern had miraculously become a Guardian Knight also rapidly spread throughout the Lower Void.
Soon after, the prelude and outcome became known in many places. The result? For future selections in the Ancient Barbarian City, every little barbarian girl on the street received the warmest, most sincere service from Barbarian Warriors—who knew if she might be a little witch?
Roughly an hour later, Sun Hao was chatting and laughing with Little Lan.
Ripples stirred within the tavern, accompanied by a Phantom Glow, and the Male Witch Germain, who'd appeared before, materialized inside.
With a flick of his wrist, his mysterium sphere vanished. Germain frowned at Little Lan, affection lacing his voice. "Lan'er, why did you sneak down by yourself?"
Gerlane giggled. "Brother! You were off signing contracts, I was bored stiff! Came down to find my knight! Come, Little Mountain, this is my brother, Great Dharma Master Germain! Brother, this is Jiang Xiaoshan—my freshly signed Guardian Knight!"
As she spoke, Gerlane instinctively shook her head, puzzled—how did Jiang Xiaoshan have two names?
Sun Hao smiled faintly, standing straight and facing Germain. "Jiang Xiaoshan pays his respects to the Great Dharma Master."
Germain forced a thin smile onto his face, barely a nod in response. Glancing around, he said loudly, "Off we go then, Lan'er, back up top."
Following Germain and his sister, Sun Hao traversed a broad passageway toward the uncharted Core Area of the Ancient Barbarian City.
Ahead, Germain lowered his voice. "Lan'er, how exactly did you pick your Guardian Knight? Didn’t I say I’d help choose?"
Gerlane replied naturally, "Before coming, Father said choosing a knight depended on two things: height and character! Brother, you didn't see—Little Mountain was the tallest warrior! And he treated me so well! The only barbarian warrior who gave me wine and meat..."
Germain pressed a hand to his forehead, shooting Sun Hao a sidelong glance. Ugh, this trash warrior hit the jackpot. Must find a way to secure another contract for Little Sister, get a backup guard.
Given his sister's subpar Divine Soul strength, normally, contracting a Warrior as a Guardian Knight would take significant time. Yet, this warrior proved so trash-tier, the pact completed with absurd ease. Done deal now—can’t change a finalized contract... stuck with it.
Sister ended up with a trash knight… wouldn’t want to face Father after this.