Walking along the path of the Canon Law School, Li Xin's steps were light and brisk. Simmons was still cleaning the ground, ensuring all traces of blood were wiped clean. This kind of minor task could certainly be handled by their overseas friend.

Regarding the honor of the Knightly Path, there is finally some substantial content; honor is just honor because it exists to be won. For instance, in this four-nation tournament, the audience's recognition, the desire of the four teams to fight, all determined the value of honor. The ultimate victor would gain "honor", but if some among them were merely acting, then the value of honor itself would be significantly diminished. Simply put, the more intense the desire, the stronger the "Wish Power" accumulated.

It is said that such accumulation is crucial for enhancing Divine Relics, increasingly so as time goes on. But Simmons was not sure what actual effect this would have, and sometimes even winning could result in failure. Each great family had its own understanding of the path, all accumulated from long-term exploration.

Apart from that, Simmons was mainly here to trade with Zhao Qing. The Zhao Family offered two hundred of the latest Hex Demon-Sealing Spear at an almost give-away price, inviting Saint Grace Canon Law School to perform a play to help Zhao Qing rise to power.

...

In the distant Moncalleta Royal Capital, within the Royal Palace, King Ola was troubled; even his crown felt heavier than usual. A group of Grand Scholars and scholars were obsessed, and their core discussion was surprisingly about what constitutes productivity.

Productivity is just labor, isn't it? What's there to analyze? Let slaves handle the work. Of course, he only thought this to himself without saying it out loud, otherwise those old men would debate indefinitely.

In academic discussions, there was no age or status distinction. Vladimir, as the leader of the Celestial Principle School, was being fiercely criticized by a few scholars. One by one, their faces were flushed and necks bulging, each adamant in their stance, unable to persuade the others. Everyone wanted to contribute their part to this great theory, an opportunity to be recorded in history; thus, no one would yield. Any theoretical loophole would be mercilessly attacked.

However, everyone's theories were either too superficial or too verbose. One person even expounded on productivity with tens of thousands of words, utterly unworthy of the Princess's words of truth.

"Your Majesty, we feel Princess should enlighten us," Vladimir said, his beard twisted in anger. His approach was the most concise, yet he couldn't convince others, nor could they convince him.

Of course, he himself acknowledged some flaws; otherwise, he wouldn't need others' approval. His Divine Relic would respond, providing such powerful force that could extend his life by decades.

King Ola secretly rejoiced but maintained a neutral expression, "All of you are pillars of the Kingdom. What does Estella know? She herself admitted it wasn't her idea, but advice from a tutor in her dreams."

"Your Majesty, this dream tutor must be the Earth Mother Goddess incarnate. This is a divine revelation through dreams," Vladimir said. "The Princess is deeply favored by the divine. Should she pray to the deity, it's highly possible to receive a response."

Everyone requested eagerly. They craved that straightforward, enlightening summary, a thought-provoking clarity, as now they all saw each other in disdain.

"I can ask Estella to give it a try, but I hope you all don't have high expectations, as she is still young," King Ola stated. Given everyone's insistence, it wouldn't be fitting to refuse.

The room was then filled with sincere praises of the King's wisdom, much more genuine than the usual flattering ditties.

In the distant Wanku Mystery City.

In the West District's garbage factory area, the Golden Bull Cantona now resembled a sick bull in an urn. A few Black Knights lay on the ground; his injuries hadn't healed, and the recent siege caused a relapse, blood splattering across the place. He barely stood, facing the traitor before him.

Leading the hunt against him was Aili, deputy head of the Wind and Fire Travel Group, a protégé Cantona groomed himself. Aili no longer wore the subordinate's attire of the Travel Group but donned luxuriant Baron's Attire from the Black Meteor Empire, encircled by imperial Black Knights. He had become a noble of the Empire, a man on top.

The only unresolved matter was failing to capture Cantona, and now finally cornering him, Aili felt triumphant satisfaction, a grin involuntarily forming at the corner of his mouth.

Glancing around, Cantona decided not to flee further, aware there was no escape route. He was merely out to buy medicine; within ten minutes, he was surrounded, meaning the other side had already pinpointed his general area and set up an inescapable trap. Be seen, and he'd be exposed immediately; remain hidden, and his injuries wouldn't heal.

"I judged you wouldn't sit idly by with your personality, and sure enough, I caught you. Will you surrender peacefully, or shall I take action myself?" Aili said excitedly.

Capturing him alive was twice as valuable as killing him. Cantona possessed the Holy Relic of the Nether God, highly advanced, an unworthy owner. Delivering him to the Church Court to extract the Divine Relic would grant a chance to match it, and even if unmatched, wealth and nobility were within grasp.

Long periods on the run had left Cantona filthy and disheveled, a stark contrast to his former imposing presence, struggling to maintain the last bits of dignity.

"I've always believed anyone could betray, but never imagined it would be you. I wasn't unkind to you," Cantona's voice was slightly hoarse.

Aili gave a cold snort, "Here you go again. Do you know what I detest the most? Every time I see you, it's like a reminder that you saved me, taught me skills, and I'm indebted to you for life. The Travel Group felt the same way. My thoughts never mattered; everyone assumed I was reliant on you, that without you, I was nothing. Everything I accomplished over the years was dismissed. Without me, where would the Wind and Fire Travel Group be today? Constantly saying this and that, and you were the most arrogant. A mere lie-detection ability, utterly pointless, yet you believed you controlled everything. Your biggest mistake was betraying the Empire, betraying the Nether God. Today's outcome is your own doing."

Aili grew more heated, his face flushed, unleashing years of bottled frustration, "The Wind and Fire Travel Group's success is attributed to my organization, planning, intelligence gathering, life-and-death ventures. It's what I deserve!"

Seeing the undisguised hatred in Aili, Cantona understood clearly. For every great favor comes great enmity; it's human nature.

"Then let's settle this," Cantona said calmly, maintaining an unruffled demeanor.

Aili sneered, what he loathed most was that attitude, "You and the Lancer Knight fought to mutual destruction, don't bluff here. This head credit, I'll claim!"

As he spoke, Aili's eyes turned pale, activating the Eyes of Insight. Despite lacking a Divine Relic, his innate talents bestowed him with the extraordinary Ashen Eyes, offering boundless potential. How could he be confined to a thief band, hiding and skulking?

Under the Ashen Eyes, Cantona's physical state was fully revealed, grave and severe. His Spiritual Ability was in disarray. What had once seemed to recover slightly now appeared as nothing more than a facade.

Aili's sword struck like lightning, directly piercing Cantona's chest without hesitation. Blood splattered; Aili's expression showed surprise, quickly replaced by a grim, excited look. Just then, a strange foreboding appeared, resembling a flash of a dark blade.

Suddenly, pain and a wound manifested, visibly inflicted on Cantona but appearing on himself instead. Moreover, his own Spiritual Ability seemed on the verge of collapse, while opposite him, Cantona's aura revived, though externally still looking haggard, yet brimming with formidable power.

Everyone had mistaken Cantona's ability; it was never lie-detection. He had once been a member of the Cardinal Hall of the Nether God's Court, capable of discerning lies through expression, speech, heartbeat details. Naturally, it was a probabilistic skill, never a certainty. During his time with the Travel Group, he'd selectively employ this skill in certain situations, as no one could stare with Ashen Eyes perpetually. At the Round Table Conference, it was even simpler. The term "deception" carried a vagueness—there, people loved starting half-true tales.

His true ability was damage displacement, courtesy of his Divine Relic from the Nether God's Court, one of the Seven Gods.

Its function was shifting injuries inflicted on him onto others. At his current level, the ability came with many limitations.

Aili perfectly met the trigger conditions.

Given Aili's Spiritual Ability realm, it merely restored him about seventy to eighty percent, sustaining a few hours. This force sufficed for the weaklings before him.

Soon enough, the entire squad of Black Knights lay dead at Cantona's hands.

Even the injuries Cantona struggled with were transferred to Aili, who lay dying.

Cantona looked at Aili's eyes, brimming with astonishment, regret, anger, and resentment as he lay limp, slowly approaching, "In life, who hasn't encountered a few ingrates? You're not the first, hence a bit unlucky."

His blade swept across, the head rolling aside, Aili's eyes still wide open in the last moment.

Cantona felt little emotion, raising his right hand, thumb, index, and middle fingers upright, the other two fingers bent against his chest, performing the Nether Court "Three-Finger Salute", "Death is also a return."

Before long, Cantona had changed into clean clothes, scavenged some Lira, filling a heavy sack, and swiftly left.

He knew Aili's penchant for coveting sole credit; only those presenting him could earn the chance to match a Divine Relic. Cantona knew Aili wouldn't miss such a chance.

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