Slime Immortal.

Chapter 180 Knight's Trial
Above the swamp forest, a pair of green-scaled wings spread out, gliding smoothly with the help of rising air currents.

Chen Yu rode comfortably on Xiao Ka's back, passing the already taking shape Gray Mist Lake Fortress below. He wasn't in a hurry to travel, but instead had Xiao Ka slow down, and they flew leisurely westward.

Meanwhile, on the forest path below that connects the Rockbreaker Fortress and the Treant Fortress, a peculiar group is making its way.

A group of slime scholars, their soft, gelatinous hands tightly clutching various kinds of luggage—mainly small mortars, pestles, and sealed herbal samples—sat steadily on their beetle mounts, making their way towards the Splitstone Fortress.

When the escorting slimes saw the familiar figure flying across the sky, they became excited.

They waved their tiny gel hands with great effort, expressing their warmest and most sincere greetings to their king.

"It's the king! The king has come to see us!"

"Wow, flying in the sky is so cool!"

"We will definitely work hard to learn alchemy."

As the second cohort of students carefully selected by the Slime Academy, and also the first pioneers in the kingdom to explore the mysteries of alchemy, they shoulder an important mission—to follow in the king's footsteps and relocate to the obsidian mine beneath the Riftstone Fortress, a place teeming with magma.

They will be there, using the active magma as a stable heat source, to begin their exploration of alchemy in the Slime Kingdom.

In order to produce more and better quality pills for the territory in the future, overcome the problem of erysipelas, and develop the Spirit Opening Pill, so as to support the future development of the kingdom.

As a pioneer of this entirely new path, Chen Yu naturally made thorough preparations for them.

Each selected Slime Scholar is equipped with "Flame Affinity" and "Energy Storage" at level Lv.4.

This makes their ability to manipulate flames and sense the heat as instinctive, making their alchemy practice far easier than that of the cultivators in the Void Profound Heaven who need years of hard work to master fire control.

Looking down at the energetic little creatures, Chen Yu's round, gel-like body swayed contentedly.

Yes, what a reliable next generation.

Speaking of alchemy, he couldn't help but think of the lizardmen of the Rotten Moss Tribe.

They will need some time to integrate into the kingdom and work together. To become a qualified kingdom knight, brute force alone is not enough; discipline, cooperation, and faith are all indispensable.

Let them practice martial arts for now.

Now, it's time to go see how Arno's preparations are going.

The trial of shadows is just around the corner, so don't let things fall apart at the crucial moment.

He planned to take this opportunity to "observe" the so-called Knight Trial process, so he could learn from it and prepare for building his own knight order in the future Slime Kingdom.

……

In the secluded courtyard of Shiyi Village in the town of Shibao.

Arno, his upper body bare and muscular, was repeatedly swinging a heavy broadsword in the center of the courtyard.

Sweat seeped and slid down his bronze skin, and some of the beads of sweat even evaporated into white vapor the moment they left his skin due to the surging heat within him, drifting away in wisps.

Each seemingly ordinary slash actually contained astonishing power; as the heavy broadsword cut through the air, it even emitted a restless, low hum.

Not far away, under a poplar tree whose branches and leaves shimmered with soft blue light, Nelly yawned lazily and then stretched like a cat.

She appeared nonchalant on the surface, but was inwardly somewhat surprised.

This junior of mine, who hasn't even passed the orthodox knight's trial yet, has already surpassed the limits of an ordinary warrior simply by relying on that strange crystal ball.

Judging from the sheer force of their sword practice, they seemed to be no different from those formal knights who had undergone years of rigorous training.

Her gaze involuntarily drifted to the little slime on the steps, which was sleeping like a puddle of water.

My heart was itching with curiosity; I wondered what those glowing crystals that the little thing had fed Arno before were, that they could have such an effect.

Just then, Arno, who was swinging his sword in the center of the courtyard, suddenly stopped.

He clearly felt as if an invisible barrier had been broken through inside his body with a "crack," and an even hotter warm current surged out from his heart, quickly flowing to his limbs and bones, nourishing every muscle and bone.

He vaguely sensed that his strength, speed, and even reaction time had reached a whole new level.

You've mastered it, reaching the fourth realm of swordsmanship!

Feeling the transformation of his physical body, Arno's face became extremely excited.

The boss giving away the mysterious book and crystal ball is truly amazing!

Compared to a few days ago, he now seems like a completely different person. Even the fine steel broadsword that he used to be so comfortable with now feels light in his hand, and he swings it like a toy.

"Could it be that... my current physical abilities are no less than, and may even surpass, those of some official knights?"

He still finds it somewhat unbelievable when he thinks about it.

He not only successfully summited the mountain that once seemed unattainable to him, but he has even easily crossed it.

As expected of the boss.

It can always pull out all sorts of unexpected Pokémon from its huge belly that seems to hold the whole world.

Arno finished his stance, put the broadsword back on the sword rack beside him, and picked up a coarse cloth to wipe the sweat off his body.

Nelly, as if she had just woken up, rubbed her sleepy eyes, flicked away the unidentified particles that had accidentally gotten stuck on her eyelashes, and got up and walked over.

"The Shadow Trial starts tomorrow. Are you sure you want to take the Knight Trial at this crucial moment?"

"If you're in such a hurry, be careful not to fall off the backs of those aggressive lizards. If you break your leg, tomorrow's trial will be ruined."

"Those mounts used for trials are not as docile and obedient as you might imagine."

Arno said speechlessly, "Can't you wish me well for once? What do you mean by breaking my leg? With my current strength, those lizard mounts are probably not as strong as me."

Unlike trials for other professions, the Knight Trials test a warrior's overall qualities, including skills, techniques, strength, and physique.

The trials must be held in a proper knightly training ground. Before they begin, one must solemnly swear an oath to the kingdom or lord to whom one is to be loyal, and pass tests of horsemanship, swordsmanship, and pure strength.

As one of the advanced paths for the basic warrior class, the knight's trial process is undeniably complicated.

However, once you successfully advance, you can become a widely recognized professional.

Moreover, this path is compatible with the family traditions of many human nobles, with a clear and definite path to advancement, and even theoretically, there is an opportunity to advance all the way to the legendary level.

It is a profession with extremely high potential and a bright future.

“That seems true.” Nelly tilted her head, recalling Arno’s stance when he was practicing his sword earlier. “Never mind you, if you want to do the trial, come with me. Kahn should already be waiting for you at the training ground.”

She paused, then glanced at the steps again.

"By the way, isn't your little boss coming to see you?"

Arno explained while wiping his sweaty hair with a towel, "The kingdom is very busy, and the boss isn't always available."

"Busy with work?" Nelly raised an eyebrow, taking it as a perfunctory response.

What national affairs can a slime be busy with?

Are you busy eating, or busy sleeping?
Arno went back inside, quickly showered, and changed into a dry, crisp leather corset.

He then carefully placed the sleeping little slime on his broad shoulders and followed Nelly out of the cabin.

Nelly swaggered ahead, her mouth never stopping: "You've seen the cavemen, haven't you? These guys used to live in the underground city over Gray Mist Lake, but they were driven out of their homes by those vampires and became their slaves."

"When Castor conquered the Underdark, he liberated them along the way. These cave dwellers, in order to repay the Stoneborn's kindness and to seek refuge, settled here with us."

"The cave dwellers in the town now are mostly descendants of those who fled back then. Although they no longer have to worry about safety under the protection of us Stoneborn, there are always some guys who still harbor anxieties about the vampires' return."

"Therefore, guided by their ancient traditions, some cave dwellers chose the path of becoming 'cave knights' to protect their new home."

"Kahn is the first dungeon knight born in this stone fortress town. Passing the trial under him is not as easy as you think."

Even in the major kingdoms, there aren't many nobles of the knightly class, so Arno himself felt it was quite a coincidence to encounter such an unconventional knight here.

The reason why there are so few knights is primarily because the training costs are too high.

Just practicing riding skills requires raising expensive horses and building and maintaining costly training grounds.

Moreover, the daily strength training and sword practice consume a lot of the knight's physical strength. Every apprentice knight participating in the knight training camp has an amazing appetite and needs to consume a lot of meat.

The cost of food was exorbitant, and even some lords might not be able to afford it.

Secondly, the trial itself requires a special "instructor" or a strong person with profound knightly experience to serve as a witness and examiner.

The challenger needs to undergo a transformation through targeted sparring with this veteran knight, a process that is both demanding and subtle.

If Nellie hadn't informed Arno of the contents of the trial beforehand, he wouldn't have known it would be so troublesome.

Fortunately, his swordsmanship and strength are not bad now; in fact, they can be described as formidable.

The only thing that made him a little uneasy was his riding skills. He hadn't practiced properly for a while and didn't know how rusty he had become.

Just as Arno was feeling uneasy, the little slime on his shoulder suddenly twitched slightly and opened its eyes.

"Good afternoon, little sleepyhead." Nelly, who was walking ahead, didn't even turn around. As if she had eyes in the back of her head, she casually raised her hand and waved to him as a greeting.

"Good afternoon, boss," Arno said.

Chen Yu's gel body swayed slightly as a nod in response, and he soon learned that Arno was going to the training ground for the Knight Trial.

However, he seemed unusually calm about it, simply squatting quietly on Arno's broad shoulders, his gel-like body swaying slightly with each step, as if he wasn't worried at all.

Nelly lagged half a step behind, her gaze fixed curiously on Chen Yu. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Hey, little guy, this kid's going to get a beating, aren't you worried at all?"

Chen Yu remained calm: "It's just a formality."

Upon hearing this, Nelly became intrigued: "Oh ho, so confident?"

"Since you're so sure, how about we make a bet? I personally think Kahn can beat this kid to a pulp."

Arno, standing to the side, couldn't help but cough lightly, his expression somewhat helpless.

Nelly waved her hand dismissively, "Don't take it to heart, it's just a game. If you win, your aunt will tell you a useful tip for finding shadow creatures for free. How about that, isn't it a good deal?"

Chen Yu jumped up and down, "Okay, what if I lose?"

Free tips are always welcome, so I'll agree to them first.

Nelly chuckled, rubbing her hands together like a merchant eyeing a fat sheep: "Simple, if you lose, just give me a few of those glowing crystal balls."

Chen Yu stared at her suspiciously, even beginning to suspect that this was her purpose from the very beginning.

However, even if I gave her the pills, I wouldn't be able to figure them out, so it wouldn't make much difference.

"Deal." Chen Yu readily agreed.

He even extended his gel hand, and Nelly grinned and extended a finger as well; the two shook hands "friendly."

They could see absolute confidence in each other's eyes, but deep down they both thought the other was a fool who had come to them unwittingly.

The knight training grounds of Stone Castle are situated outside a vast expanse of farmland.

From a distance, one can see a circular area roughly enclosed by natural boulders, with several simple watchtowers and small fortresses built of rock and hardwood standing along the edge, and lizard stables enclosed by wooden fences next to it.

This simple defense system ensures that if any monsters enter the town, the caveman knights stationed there can detect them immediately and issue a warning.

It is worth mentioning that cave dwellers are born with excellent dark vision, and can easily see their surroundings in the dark, without needing torches for lighting.

If they weren't coming, these cave-dwelling knights, who were used to operating in the dark, would never have wasted precious lighting resin to light torches.

As soon as they stepped out of the town and into the training ground, they saw cavemen warriors busily passing lit torches through a small fortress ahead, illuminating the entrance and main passageway of the training ground to welcome their arrival.

A well-equipped group of caveman knights, led by Kahn and riding lizard mounts, calmly emerged from the shadows to greet them.

"Lady Nelly, Mr. Arno, and this distinguished envoy, welcome to the training ground."

"The place is a bit simple, please don't mind."

Kahn nimbly dismounted from his lizard mount and led the three into the training field.

Despite being called a training ground for the Knights, it was indeed as rudimentary as Kahn had described.

The main body is a rammed earth surface so hard that not even a blade of grass can grow there, with a few rattan targets for sprinting practice and hardwood training dummies covered with knife and sword marks scattered around the edges.

On one side of the field stood several sturdy stone weapon racks, on which were neatly arranged practice broadswords, spears, and several wooden shields.

That's all.

(End of this chapter)