Chapter 51

However, General Kalon smiled.

"Good, it’s been a long time since anyone has questioned my command on the battlefield. Perhaps, we can spar a bit?"

His smile was terrible. Long Yi looked at General Kalon’s smile, which was like a cheap robot with a dry, fake mask. It seemed that General Kalon hadn’t smiled in a long time, and this smile was truly ghastly.

Long Yi said, "I wouldn’t dare to question your command skills, but you’re challenging me with your expertise in command? Let’s try a non-magical, unarmed combat instead. I’ll only use my right hand, and you won’t stand a chance."

"Is that so?"

General Kalon sneered.

"Absolutely."

Long Yi chuckled.

Bang!

Without warning, General Kalon threw a punch. Long Yi sidestepped, spun around, and swung a hook punch straight at Kalon’s face! Kalon remained calm, kicked out with his leg, but Long Yi retreated instead of advancing. Before Kalon’s kick could gain full force, Long Yi had already pinned it down. At the same time, he raised his hand and grabbed toward General Kalon. Kalon suddenly stepped back, trying to use Long Yi’s body to retreat, but Long Yi stepped back first, causing Kalon to miss his step and stagger. Immediately, Long Yi’s fist was already in front of Kalon’s face!

"See, you’re no match for me."

General Kalon bent over, his fist stopped in front of his face, but his palm slowly opened.

"Very good."

General Kalon sincerely praised, holding Long Yi’s hand and straightening his body. As he straightened up, he heard two clicks from his back.

"As an elder, your skills are impressive. I thought I could end the fight with one punch."

Long Yi smiled.

General Kalon was speechless. As a general, praising him was giving him face. How could a mere youngster turn around and praise him?

This kid really doesn’t know his place.

"Everyone, leave."

General Kalon said.

The two guards turned and left. Aileen gave Long Yi a worried look but also left the dormitory, closing the door.

"Do you know why I came to see you?"

General Kalon asked.

"You see me as a talent and plan to promote me to deputy general."

Long Yi immediately started talking nonsense.

"Nonsense!"

General Kalon laughed and scolded.

"Alright, if it’s not that, it can’t be the emperor asking you to avenge him. So, it must be related to your granddaughter, Aileen. But let me make it clear, our relationship is still purely that of classmates. I have a girlfriend, and I can’t even beat her."

Long Yi said seriously.

General Kalon was at a loss. Long Yi’s girlfriend was Elsa, which he had heard from Aileen. At first, he found it hard to believe. Elsa was one of the Four White Dragon Knights, the strongest among the young generation of the empire, a pride of the empire with an unlimited future. She could even surpass dimensions and become a higher-level power. Long Yi, on the other hand, was just someone who could beat a prince in front of the emperor. How could he be with Elsa?

Moreover, he was very concerned about Aileen’s relationship with Long Yi. If Long Yi were incredibly handsome, it would be understandable. But up close, Long Yi had an honest face, a body of muscles that might not even soften after ten days of stewing, and came from a blacksmith family.

He lacked all the qualities that attract modern girls. So, what did Elsa and Aileen see in him?

Was it his confidence from head to toe?

Or his violent tendencies that seeped through his skin?

However, through simple exchanges and Aileen’s descriptions, General Kalon knew that Long Yi was a very righteous person, as evident from his first day helping Aileen. He was also very selfless. Without Long Yi’s help, Aileen might never have regained her strength. Of course, Long Yi hadn’t told them what caused Aileen’s loss of power.

General Kalon hesitated several times, wanting to speak but not knowing how to start. Finally, Long Yi spoke first.

"If you think I’m not suitable for Aileen, you can rest assured, I’m not pursuing your granddaughter."

General Kalon suddenly laughed, sighed, and then slowly said:

"My four sons all died in battle. My eldest and second sons died on the southern border. My third son was killed by a monster, and my fourth son was betrayed by a traitor and publicly executed by the enemy. But I never regretted serving my country. Now, I’m sending my grandsons to the battlefield..."

"So, you actually don’t want Aileen to go to the battlefield—wait, is Aileen’s loss of power your doing?" Long Yi seemed to have discovered a significant secret.

"Yes, it was me!" General Kalon admitted. "At first, when I discovered her talent, I was overjoyed. But as she grew, I became more and more reluctant to let her go. Aileen has always been obedient and never made me angry. One day, I realized I couldn’t bear to send her to the battlefield! So, I asked an old dragon friend to help me come up with this plan. He transformed the Mithril Dragon into a hybrid of Mithril and Adamantine, making its scales and body gradually turn into Adamantine, ultimately preventing it from releasing any dragon power. I thought she would give up, but she never did."

Long Yi looked at General Kalon’s expression and knew he was telling the truth, but it was still hard to accept.

"General Kalon, at first, I thought you were a decent person, but why do I now feel like you’re just an old bastard?"

"I’m a general, but I’m also a grandfather. Can’t I keep my little granddaughter in the safest place in the country?"

Long Yi suddenly laughed, "In this world, where is the safest place besides one’s own dragon’s back?"

This was a direct statement. Without strength, who could guarantee absolute safety in this world?

General Kalon also laughed, looking at Long Yi from head to toe. He suddenly understood why Aileen and Elsa liked him. They were the same kind of people, yearning for power and greatness, disliking constraints, and wanting to control everything!

General Kalon patted Long Yi’s shoulder, "Kid, are you interested in joining any legion? I can recommend you."

Legion?

Long Yi pulled out the emblem of the Third Legion’s Bonecrusher Squad from his pocket.

"I already have one."

General Kalon’s expression changed when he saw the Bonecrusher Squad emblem. He couldn’t imagine his granddaughter joining the Bonecrusher Squad. But he could almost foresee that when Aileen saw Long Yi with this emblem, she wouldn’t be left behind.

"Kid, promise me, don’t let her see this until she has the strength you acknowledge."

General Kalon instructed.

"Don’t worry!"

Long Yi put the emblem away, his expression strange. Why did General Kalon sound like he was about to marry off his daughter? They were just classmates, right? Even if he had seen something, it wasn’t intentional.

General Kalon left, as he came, without bringing any gifts, and fortunately, without taking any clouds with him.

Soon, Aileen ran back.

"What did Grandpa say to you?"

Aileen asked curiously, a bit nervous.

"Basically, I don’t know what he said, but I can confirm that the old man definitely loves and cares for you."

Long Yi said.

"Of course, he’s my grandpa, he must love and care for me!"

Aileen said happily.

"When you first mentioned your grandpa, I thought he was a terrifying figure."

"Grandpa can be scary when he’s angry, but he’s never been angry with me. I’m afraid of disappointing him, but he’s usually very gentle with me!"

Well, it seems I’ve read too many novels. The portrayal of family leaders as cold-blooded and ruthless is too deeply ingrained.

Long Yi decided to advance. The first-year curriculum was no longer helpful to him. The only subject, Dragon Language, which Long Yi learned slowly, he had already mastered the necessary knowledge.

The first year mainly focused on building a foundation, with no practical combat content. The second year would introduce real combat courses. Generally, entering the second year required a dragon knight to evolve their dragon to a juvenile stage. But Long Yi’s situation was special. He had an astonishing seven layers of martial energy and two dragons.

The academy issued a special advancement order signed by the Dean, allowing Long Yi to advance early. The condition was that he must pass the Dragon Language exam in two weeks.

Now, Long Yi was preparing for the advancement. Under the strange gaze of the elf instructor, Long Yi focused on catching up with Dragon Language. For some reason, he found learning Dragon Language extremely difficult. At least, Long Yi felt that if he were to take the exam now, he would most likely fail.

Although he had memorized the writing of Dragon Language through rote learning, the oral part of the exam was a significant scoring point.

Unfortunately, his tongue was very uncooperative.

The elf instructor almost pressed her face against Long Yi’s, her small mouth opening and closing gently in front of him, beautiful Dragon Language flowing from her lips. Long Yi felt like crying. The elf’s small mouth produced such beautiful Dragon Language. Did he have such a big mouth just for eating?