Night’s Nomenclature

"Gu Dong?"

Is it really you who killed that giant python? I've been fighting it in Forbidden Zone 40 for two years and couldn't defeat it, yet you killed it?

Gu Dong was still dubious. He sat on the bear's back, looking up and down at Qing Chen. The once slender figure now exuded an air of mystery.

Knight is truly amazing!

Even a young Knight is this powerful!

Gu Dong finally stopped mentioning anything about joining forces to rule the world and became much calmer.

No wonder Gu Dong backed down.

The creature in Forbidden Zone 40 had been toying with him for almost two years. It seemed his journey of conquest was going to be stuck in Forbidden Zone 40, but then the creature unexpectedly died.

It was too unexpected.

When Gu Dong first saw the giant python's corpse, he couldn't believe his eyes.

Moreover, when he thought about where the python's wound was, his gaze towards Qing Chen became filled with more confusion and awe.

So cruel.

At this time, not only did Gu Dong feel awe, even the murderous bear he was riding was a little scared. It had just fought Gu Dong and lost. Yet, the opponent that Gu Dong hadn't been able to defeat in two years was instantly killed by the other person on its back?

No, I have to behave.

"What happened to the giant python's corpse afterward?" Qing Chen asked. "I didn't bother with it after I killed it."

"Gu Dong!"

Later, the creatures in Forbidden Zone 40 and I divided the giant python. All the animals ate until they were plump and round before finishing it.

This is why Gu Dong is a meter taller than Ding Dong. He grew that meter during that time, gaining a meter in just a few days.

The Giants were born in the Forbidden Zone. They were accustomed to the logic that eating other animals would make them stronger.

Just like how the giant whale, after swallowing the Yuan Clan Patriarch, embarked on an extraordinary path.

Just like how after the giant whale died, other fish swallowed its body, turning the entire ocean into a Forbidden Sea.

Gu Dong also grew stronger by eating animals.

"Gu Dong?" Gu Dong curiously asked.

Why did you kill it?

Qing Chen calmly said, "Of course, it's because I knew you'd been stuck there for two years. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I helped you out."

Gu Dong scratched his head, seeming a little embarrassed, and actually spoke in human language, "Thank you."

Qing Chen noticed the change in his attitude and smiled inwardly but didn't say anything.

He chuckled, "You're welcome. I'm a Knight; helping you is what I should do."

Yang Yang rolled her eyes.

Gu Dong scratched his head again. It seemed to make sense. Weren't Knights the leaders of all the creatures in Forbidden Zone 00? Anyway, that's what the old-timers said.

And he was a creature born in Forbidden Zone 00. It seemed perfectly fine for a Knight to help him.

Qing Chen asked, "Why did you leave Forbidden Zone 00?"

From the moment Gu Dong began to awe Qing Chen, he stopped speaking in Gu Dong language, started speaking human language, and explained to Qing Chen why he left.

Gu Dong had originally set out to conquer, but his older brother couldn't bear to see him slaughtering small animals in Forbidden Zone 00. Qingshan Falcon was also annoyed by him stealing eggs and chased him whenever they met.

So, Gu Dong went out to find food—he ran away from home!

In Gu Dong's eyes, if you don't let me eat my own small animals, then I can eat other people's, right? I can't eat them in Forbidden Zone 00, so I'll go and eat my way through all the Forbidden Zones!

Today I'll go to Forbidden Zone 004 to eat, tomorrow to Forbidden Zone 119, wherever I want to eat, I'll go!

This was Gu Dong's initial intention for leaving Forbidden Zone 00.

Zard listened, his eyes turning red, "Ahhhhh, so pitiful! I didn't expect you to have been raised on the kindness of strangers."

Gu Dong: "?"

What kind of kindness of strangers?

The giant looked at Qing Chen and pointed at his head, meaning: Is your friend a little bit problematic?

Qing Chen silently nodded, "Continue."

"What was I saying?" Gu Dong forgot the topic.

Zard: "Raised on the kindness of strangers."

Gu Dong: "Yeah, I was eating others'…No! I started going outside Forbidden Zone 00 to find food, stop interrupting me!"

Qing Chen looked at Zard expressionlessly, "Don't speak."

Gu Dong: "At first, I wasn't as strong as I am now, so I could only catch small animals. Of course, these animals had to surpass the threshold of extraordinariness, otherwise it was useless. When I first arrived in other Forbidden Zones, I was always beaten and chased by various creatures. It was only later that I slowly became stronger, and my tastes became more refined. I could eat all sorts of small animals."

Zard chuckled, "You're quite kind, you love small animals so much."

Gu Dong: "?"

Qing Chen fell silent. Initially, he felt a little sorry for Gu Dong, after all, he was bullied when he went out alone without anyone to help.

But when he heard the last sentence, it turned out that for Gu Dong, the initial meaning of becoming stronger was to improve the taste of his food?

At this moment, Qing Chen was thinking of something.

Ding Dong doesn't eat animals, only strange flowers and plants, so he wasn't as strong as Gu Dong.

Gu Dong, because he ate many animals, gradually became stronger.

The giant python in Forbidden Zone 40 also ate and ate, making itself so enormous.

Humans could actually become stronger by continuously eating animals. In the past, there weren't the conditions, but now with Gu Dong, the conditions are available!

It's a pity that Zard, this arms dealer from another time and space, cannot carry living creatures through time, otherwise, the Agricultural Academy could add new species.

Qing Chen thought for a moment, "If there's ever an unconquerable Forbidden Zone, you can find me to think of a solution together, I can accompany you."

"Really?" Gu Dong was stunned for a moment, then became reserved again. "Now that I have the Murderous Bear, there are few Forbidden Zones I can't conquer."

"What about Forbidden Zone 001?" Qing Chen asked.

Gu Dong said, "That place is strange. Lifeforms born in the Forbidden Zone are not bound by rules, but Forbidden Zone 001 is different. Even we have to abide by its rules, unless we're born in Forbidden Zone 001. In that forest, there seems to be something very powerful. They don't come out, only constantly pushing the boundaries of Forbidden Zone 001, wanting to bring the whole world under those rules. Such a pity, there must be a lot of delicious things there."

Qing Chen couldn't help but laugh. How did it come back to food again?

At this time, the Murderous Bear entered the Forbidden Zone. Strangely enough, when Qing Chen entered other Forbidden Zones, he would be swept by a gust of cold wind.

Everyone in the Federation knows this is a sign of entering a Forbidden Zone.

However, when Qing Chen came to Forbidden Zone 00, he felt a warm breeze.

Maybe this is what it feels like to come home.

As he pondered, Gu Dong patted the Murderous Bear, signaling it to stop.

Qing Chen looked up, where an unknown creature used its fluffy, white-haired tail to roll over a dozen yellow fruits and extend them from the tree canopy.

Ding Dong smiled and touched the tail, holding all the fruits in his hands. The fluffy tail retracted, a rustling sound came from the tree canopy, and the small animal seemed to have run away.

From beginning to end, Qing Chen never saw what it was.

Ding Dong handed the fruit to Qing Chen: "Ding Dong!"

Let your friends eat!

Qing Chen was puzzled, "What is this?"

Gu Dong explained, "These are fruits unique to Forbidden Zone 00. Eating one allows you to be unbound by rules for a day. When we were born here, we didn't even know that Forbidden Zones had rules. It was only after we went out and met other humans that we learned about them."

Qing Chen looked at the yellow fruit, like small yellow tomatoes, "Can this be taken away? If you eat this fruit, wouldn't you be able to go to Forbidden Zone 001?"

Gu Dong shook his head, "This only works in Forbidden Zone 00. It's like how you humans say that there's always an antidote near poisonous snakes; each Forbidden Zone should have a special food that can make you immune to the rules. In Zone 00, it's this banana fruit, but other places, who knows. It could be a blade of grass, some kind of ant, or even dirt, or some strange little animal. It's hard to guess."

Qing Chen understood. If each Forbidden Zone is a puzzle, then eating this special fruit is one of the answers.

A one-day answer.

While the Murderous Bear stopped, Qing Chen jumped to the ground and picked a bunch of flowers before returning to the bear's back.

The Murderous Bear continued to move forward, curiously looking around Forbidden Zone 00.

After six hours, the sky gradually brightened.

Gu Dong said, "We're almost to the World Tree."

"World Tree?" Qing Chen asked, "Is that what you call it?"

Gu Dong explained, "That's what the old-timers call it."

Slowly, they could see the trunk of the World Tree. It was just a trunk, yet it gave Qing Chen and the others the feeling of facing an endless, towering wall.

It was the spring rain season. The towering trees…

There were two rows in total. The first row was slightly larger, and the second row was slightly smaller.

The huts were like small green houses, neatly arranged together.

As the heavy footsteps of the Murderous Bear approached, Qing Chen saw countless small animals running out from inside, scattering in panic.

Raccoons, rabbits, bats, weasels, monkeys, wild boars, badgers…

These small animals were all running around in panic. The group of monkeys were still holding a pile of fruits stolen from Ding Dong.

Several small green snakes, preparing to escape, were ruthlessly trampled by a group of rabbits, making them angrily hiss.

Qing Chen laughed. It turned out that the creatures in the Forbidden Zone weren't all aggressive or ferocious carnivores and poisonous insects.

Under Ding Dong's influence, even the carnivores had started eating the fruit.

Under the World Tree, it was like an independent animal kingdom, like a fairy tale.

"Ding Dong!"

Don't run, they're all friends! And Knight!

Only when Ding Dong spoke did they one by one stop in their tracks, cautiously observing their guests.

Qing Chen said, "Ding Dong, they trust you."

"Ding Dong!" Ding Dong said proudly and happily.

A matter of course!

At this time, a warm breeze blew from the cemetery beside the World Tree, and the old-timers chattered, "Hey, the little girl next to him is pretty good. We must let him leave a child behind!"

"Yes, Knights are all risk-takers. Today there are so many people attacking him, maybe tomorrow he'll die outside. He must have a child before he leaves, the Knights can't die out!"

"This kid isn't even a Demi-God yet, he's made more of a commotion than his master. It's really necessary for him to leave a child!"

"No, one is not enough to share, there must be two, one for the radicals and one for the conservatives!"

"Gu Dong, Ding Dong, tie him and that girl up!"

Qing Chen was speechless.

What the heck is this?

Can Knights be any more serious?!

Fortunately, Yang Yang didn't understand what the old-timers were saying, otherwise, the two of them would have been stuck in awkward silence.

Qing Chen ignored the old-timers and jumped off the bear's back, gently placing the flowers in front of Li Xiurui's grave.

Now, the old-timers erupted, "Why give him flowers, not us? You brat, you're biased!"

"We've been so kind to you, and you can't even treat us fairly!"

"Ahhhhh, I'm so sad, I just helped you fight, and you'd do this to us?"

"That kid Li is not a Knight, he won't have consciousness here, you giving him flowers he won't even know ah."

"Go, get us each a bouquet!"

Qing Chen took a deep breath and looked at the hundreds of tombstones. How long would it take to pick these?

At this time, a deep voice appeared, "Quiet, I have something to ask him."

In an instant, Qing Chen's world suddenly became quiet. He couldn't hear any more noise.

Someone had something serious to say.

Qing Chen curiously asked, "Who are you?"

"Qin Sheng."

Qing Chen was silent.

In the history of the Knight Order, there were three people who were absolutely unavoidable: Ren He, Ren Xiaosu, and Qin Sheng.

There could be other Knights, but not these three people. The first two need no explanation, one is the founder, and the other is a god.

Qin Sheng, on the other hand, was the one who opened up a new era with his Breathing Technique when the Knights were at their wit's end. Without him, the path of the Knights would have been cut short by the appearance of the Forbidden Sea.

This is the true leader of the post-Knight era.

"What do you want to ask?" Qing Chen asked. Finally, a serious person appeared, and he could finally have a proper chat with the old-timers.

Qin Sheng's voice carried on the wind, "How many disciples do you have now?"

Qing Chen answered honestly, "Li Ke, Hu Xiaoniu, Shinguji Maki, Qing Yi. Strictly speaking, there are only these four, but Qing Yi is not a Knight, and cannot become one, he hasn't passed the Trial of Heart."

"Li Ke passed the Trial of Heart. A while ago, he reportedly challenged the second Trials of Life and Death, and is currently challenging the third, progressing rapidly."

"Hu Xiaoniu has just completed the fourth Trials of Life and Death, but he is taking a path without the Breathing Technique. He has to complete all of them before he can be promoted to A-Class."

Currently, the Hu Family Group is fully supporting Hu Xiaoniu's challenge, pouring enormous financial and material resources into serving him alone.

If he wants to practice diving, they'll buy an entire diving center. If he wants to practice skydiving, they'll buy an entire training base.

The world's best coaches have been gathered around Hu Xiaoniu by the Hu family. He doesn't need to worry about anything, and people will naturally take care of everything for him.

Each of these coaches earns an annual salary of 10 million, but unfortunately, they will be living under the surveillance of the Hu family from now on, because the Hu family needs to ensure that they will not leak secrets.

The confidentiality period is 5 years, which was set by Qing Chen.

This is like the question often asked on Douyin and Zhihu: If you are given an annual salary of 10 million for five consecutive years, but the condition is that you cannot use your mobile phone and cannot contact the outside world, would you be willing?

Whether others are willing or not is hard to say, but these coaches are willing. They even feel a little embarrassed. Some people have asked the Hu Family Group if this condition includes eating some shit or being chased by snails and mosquitoes?

If no one is chasing them, they feel a little uneasy about taking this money.

The answer, of course, is no.

For Qing Chen, the path Hu Xiaoniu is taking will also be taken by the successful challengers of the future Time Traveler Academy. The resources purchased by Hu Xiaoniu's family will eventually be shared with his younger brothers and sisters.

It can be said that Hu Xiaoniu is a pioneer of the Outer World Knight path. He is to pave a fast promotion path for his younger brothers and sisters, summarizing all the experiences.

Just as in the Inner World, the previous Knights found Qingshan Cliff, so the first challenge for all Knights starts here.

The predecessors found that the Southwest Snowy Mountains were suitable for completing ice consolidation, so all Knights would go there to complete this Trials of Life and Death, saving time searching for suitable environments.

For example, where in the Outer World is suitable for skydiving and wingsuit flying, these are all tasks that Qing Chen has given to Hu Xiaoniu.

Qin Sheng asked, "What about Shinguji Maki? Why is it a name from Shendai? You need to remember, the Knight Order and Shendai have no possibility of reconciliation. It must be a fight to the death."

"I understand. Three Knight predecessors died at the hands of Shendai," Qing Chen nodded, "Shinguji Maki is quite special…"

"Why is she special?" An old-timer asked.

Qing Chen sorted out his thoughts and told the story of Shinguji Maki.

Descendant of the Yuan Clan, a natural Yin-Yang Master, her blood can restrain the Shikigami of Yin-Yang Masters, passed the Trial of Heart.

At this time, the old-timers were all silent.

After a long time, someone suddenly said, "Passed the Trial of Heart, and can still have Shikigami, doesn't that mean that the Knight Order will have another Demi-God level Yin-Yang Master Knight? The biggest weakness of Yin-Yang Masters is their weak bodies, but our Knights are the strongest warriors among all Metahumans. Moreover, her blood can also suppress Shikigami!"

Qin Sheng suddenly said, "Shendai is finished."

These four words were earth-shattering.

The old-timers beside the World Tree suddenly shouted, "Hahaha, Shendai is finally done for! Quickly bring the little girl to see us, we want to teach her personally!"

Qing Chen stood there expressionlessly, thinking to himself that these old-timers had existed for hundreds of years, yet they still had no composure.

Or perhaps, they had simply been without contact with people outside the Forbidden Zone for too long.

After Li Shutong and Qing Chen left, they could only wait for Qing Chen or Li Shutong to return, like parents waiting for their children to come home for winter vacation.

They had been lonely for too long, so they had all become talkative.

Qing Chen suddenly said, "Ahem, don't get too excited, she's not a Time Traveler."

"What do you mean?"

"You're being dramatic here?"

Qin Sheng asked, "Why hasn't she become a Time Traveler?"

Qing Chen explained, "It was the senior surnamed Yan who sent her to the Outer World to become a beta tester. Judging from the clues, it seems she only needs to go to Osaka to become a Time Traveler, but she's too young. I don't want her to be involved in conflicts now."

The old-timers were stunned.

So it's Yan Liuyuan's chosen one?

"You're right," Qin Sheng responded calmly, "Let her grow up slowly in the Outer World. The Knight Order doesn't need a little girl to fight."

Qing Chen could feel the pride and principles of the former leader of the Knights.

No, let's cross out the word 'principles.'

It was this person who abducted the Buddha Master, wasn't it?

Knights don't need principles.

Qin Sheng asked, "What about Qing Yi?"

Qing Chen explained, "He cultivates the Zhunti Method, the inheritance you snatched from the Buddha Master…"

Qin Sheng patiently explained, "How can you call it snatching? He gave it to us, and we said no, but he insisted on giving it to us by threatening his own life. Later, we thought, we're all friends, how can we make a friend feel embarrassed?"

Qing Chen was stunned for a long time. This is the legendary sworn brotherhood.

You're not serious either.

So, there aren't any serious people in our Knight Order?

At this moment, Qin Sheng said, "It seems that you are indeed much stronger than your master. He spent so many years and only found one disciple, but you found three in a few months, including someone like Shinguji Maki, which is quite remarkable. Of course, don't be proud. During our most glorious times, twelve Knights fought together. You only have three now, which is still a long way off. So, it's best to leave a child for us, lest…"

Qing Chen raised his eyebrows. Why did the style change suddenly?

He took a deep breath and said, "I have another plan."

"What plan?"

"To cultivate a batch of Knights," Qing Chen said calmly.

"A batch? You're quite ambitious!" Someone said.

"Are you going to cultivate five or six at once?"

"If he can really cultivate five or six, it's almost the same as our most glorious era. You shouldn't be too harsh on him."

"That's right, if it really happens, there will be nine Knights, including several Demi-Gods. It's definitely enough to destroy Shendai."

Qing Chen remained silent for a long time before suddenly saying, "It's not five or six, it could be fifty or sixty…"

Forbidden Zone 00 fell silent.