[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces":3,"chapter-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-218":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dragon of a Thousand Faces",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2269864,4431,"Chapter 218: Advancement","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-218",218,"\u003Cp>The civilian homes were engulfed in flames, surrounded by panicked and terrified ordinary people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three-story building burned fiercer by the second; its old wooden structure, packed with books, was now fully consumed by fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone had summoned the fire brigade, and kindhearted neighbors arrived with buckets of water—but none could approach the building, only standing helplessly outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black-armored knight sat on the stairs before the building’s entrance, his longsword resting on his knees, still stained with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every firefighter had frozen in place before even reaching him, paralyzed by his aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was clearly no pious soul—the original occupants of the building lay scattered across the ground, well-known local intellectuals and students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wept or begged, their anguish beyond words, yet still could not draw near the fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who ignored warnings were cut down in an instant by the knight’s blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“City Guard is here! The Constable is coming!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, when the local Constable arrived, he brought along a patrol squad; bystanders thought a turning point had come—then\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black knight rose to his feet, yet didn’t even bother drawing his sword, nor did he strike first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than ten seconds later, he sat back down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An entire squad of officers and a full patrol unit collapsed before the black knight, felled in an instant by his sheathed blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unlucky men lay sprawled across the stairs—deeply humiliating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most absurd of all, the black knight never once left the stairs he sat on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having dealt with the intruders, he sat back, pulled out an oilcloth, and quietly wiped and oiled his blade, all while watching the building behind him continue to burn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fallen officers stared in stunned disbelief—what kind of monster would burn down civilian homes, attack the police, and refuse to flee?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he dare openly defy the Kingdom’s authority? Was he waiting for the Radiant Guard to hunt him down?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could he be the infamous cultist rumored to be active lately? The black armor, the black dragon scales—it was unmistakably evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Move aside! Make way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, a group of young knights in silver armor arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They bore the insignia of sword and fist—followers of the God of War Kandela, a strange church that appointed sword-wielding warriors as priests; their leader was even a Holy Knight faintly wreathed in silver light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet all wore white robes and light armor, armed only with simple swords; their shields were small wooden rounds, not tower or large shields—they were clearly only knight apprentices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was there a temple of the God of War nearby? Hmm, perhaps—it was said this deity cared little for nobility, so a presence in this ordinary neighborhood made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Detect Evil!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the divine light suddenly descended, Li En sighed—he knew his bait had failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The building was already fully ablaze, yet no other cultists had come to rescue this branch—this was odd. Such a large-scale cult shouldn’t have only a few members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scale of the underground altar couldn’t have been built by one or two core cultists—could they really abandon such a vast operation so easily?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch. So this is what it feels like to be targeted by Detect Evil?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when the divine spell of Detect Evil struck, every bystander froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The brutal arsonist—the black knight who had just crushed the police—emitted not a single trace of red evil aura, nor the white glow of innocence or the pale silver of goodness. Instead:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Golden light?! What is golden light?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, I’ve never seen it before either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En sighed, raised his sword, and gave a gentle swing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same hue of radiant damage—the mark of a Holy Knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Knights, young knights…” The voice of the black knight, surprisingly young, addressed the warriors of Kandela with a teasing tone reserved for juniors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gold is the recognition granted by the Divine when you serve pure goodness to a sufficient degree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint glow spread as he removed his black dragon-winged helm, revealing a face even younger than the knight apprentices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Holy Knight Li En Sudar. I just dismantled a hidden cult of a false god. There were dangerous artifacts inside—ensure they are burned completely clean.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A false god? A cult? In this civilian neighborhood? In this old museum where people came to relax and read?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been here for decades!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone else claimed this, they’d be publicly scolded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was a noble Holy Knight—his words deserved trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet for all these years, this place had been nothing but an ordinary market—what purpose could a cult possibly serve here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doubt and unease spread; the scene remained painfully awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one side lay the unfortunate officers; on the other, the weeping “Whisperers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En sighed and tugged at a large burlap sack resting on the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled the opening slightly open, and a chaotic heap tumbled out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bloodstained scrolls, a sinister black chalice, and dozens of human-skin books bound with faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These nightmare objects rolled across the ground, most still smeared with fresh blood—clearly recent “loot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These items must be handled properly. I don’t know how many remain—none can be left. Burn them utterly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En gave a brief explanation, but the knights hadn’t even heard him—they were staring fixedly at one object that had rolled out: a “sphere,” seemingly the skull of a demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had three eyes and four pupils, even strands of human hair—slightly odd. But what bewildered the young apprentices was the aura radiating from the skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.It’s pure black in Detect Evil?! Aren’t evil beings always red?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look—there’s a bit of red at the edges—is that red turned black? I heard seniors say this is the first time they’ve seen such evil!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s been here? Beneath our neighborhood? We never noticed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demons were mid-tier monsters, but this one—clearly supernatural—was no ordinary demon. Just its skull, three times the size of a human’s, hinted at how monstrous its full form must have been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the most terrifying object was the broken clock—it radiated pure black light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm. It was alive. Recently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En gave a brief explanation, glanced back at the fire, then casually summoned a flame and added more fuel—right before everyone’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um, Knight Li En, could we exchange information? Whose hand is this? The One-Eyed Butcher? The Gray Parrot? Or the Crimson…?” The lead Holy Knight apprentice asked whose evil this was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knights were already moving—helping the fallen officers to their feet, and detaining the wailing “Whisperers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En had gained some fame in certain circles, but among the 99% of commoners and low-to-mid-tier warriors, he remained a relatively unknown newcomer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most commoners didn’t care which knight the Princess had recently knighted, nor did they understand the difference between classical knights and Holy Knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t say.” Li En replied calmly, leaving the other speechless—You don’t even trust your fellow Holy Knight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not distrust. When you graduate, you’ll understand: some evils, their names and information themselves, are corruption. Keeping the world ignorant of them is part of our duty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En gathered his loot and wrapped it securely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With him guarding it, and the knights offering no objections, the fire was destined to burn without end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En acted with precision—the firefighters he helped up were unharmed; with his aid, they dismantled nearby structures to create firebreaks and prevent the blaze from spreading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crack!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the building collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unlike the expected collapse, after a thunderous roar, it began to sink inward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The central section gradually caved in, showering the ground with wood shavings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first-floor floor had been burned through; the immense weight had crushed it, revealing a vast hollow beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, even the “Whisperers” were stunned—they had no idea the place they’d read and chatted in for years hid such a cavern below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is this possible!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, the crowd erupted in cries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The collapsed underground passage exposed countless unburned bones and rotting corpses!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many had already undergone undeath in the negative-energy zone—lowly ghouls, zombies, and skeletons stirred to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They thrashed blindly in the flames, slowly turning to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most absurd of all, spirits appeared in midair—ghostly entities that could only form through black magic, extreme hatred, or negative-energy zones—exceedingly rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, seeing one would be enough to spark tales of a haunted mansion—yet tonight, dozens, perhaps hundreds, filled this stretch of land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet they showed little hatred toward the living—only wandered, moaned, and sang mournful songs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arriving knights were stunned—how many dead had been needed to create such a realm of tormented souls?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If left unchecked, these undead would multiply uncontrollably; within days, this entire district would be abandoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-armored knight sighed, then snapped his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From him as the center, orange-red radiance spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warm light resembled a miniature sun descending to the mortal world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under this sunlight, each ghost gradually faded into nothingness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some let out desperate wails before evaporating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others regained fleeting clarity, offering the black knight grateful smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some bowed, some waved farewell, then vanished into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En sighed, continuing to sustain the holy radiance, offering these wretched souls one final mercy and absolution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But suddenly, his expression turned to shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Did I just advance as a Holy Knight? Third tier? Why does this two-headed monster hate the world so much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1559,"2026-06-19T21:45:42.084Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","20f00258fb0b3c9836195ea2e2b0a45ffd3564e086618d19699dda5c5c8b418d","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-219","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-217",362,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-cover.jpg"]