[{"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-68":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},2269714,4431,"Chapter 68: The Beginning of Change","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-68",68,"\u003Cp>It seems nothing has changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shouldering his sword again, Li En walked through the docks district streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowds were still noisy, the pedestrians still numb and dangerous in their gazes, the streets still barren with no shops at all. Oh, a few shops had been added, under repair—still not bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smiling, Li En began his routine patrol again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clenched his fist and felt the difference since the Heroic Soul had departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, his eyes no longer instinctively scanned for criminals, nor could he instinctively “sniff out” evil, ready to draw his sword at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even seeing a pickpocket, he could treat it as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En kicked out directly, his sheathed sword sweeping sideways to knock the accomplice’s dagger flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seconds later, both pickpockets were pinned to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they recognized Li En, they wisely gave up resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En, having effortlessly completed today’s daily purge of evil, merely sighed—somewhat disappointed, yet somewhat pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems some things remain, and some things have changed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t because Li En thought himself wrong, but at the moment he acted, he hesitated—for the first time, he thought more than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he considered whether he should show mercy, whether the opponent might have a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The greatest change: he actually considered whether his own enforcement was appropriate, whether it was lawful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the past, facing evil, I just drew my sword and struck. Why think at all?” The true old Holy Knight never thought so much—kill first, clean up later; in most cases, there was never any problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think too much on the battlefield? Too eager to die? Or do you think those cunning villains’ tricks and deceptions are too few?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those “seemingly innocent” red-flagged scum could pull out a poisoned dagger and slit your throat the next instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch, I must be thinking too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holy Knights eliminating evil was only natural—but in truth, they had no legal authority to enforce justice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet both they themselves and the common people everywhere believed they did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most Holy Knights’ righteousness and legitimacy were determined by the true gods’ churches they served.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good deities granted knights oaths of “Virtue,” the very source of why most Holy Knights could not lie or commit evil—losing “Virtue” meant losing power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But why should a true god hold enforcement rights within a kingdom? This, perhaps, was a question hard to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reality was, everyone felt it was fine—only Li En, come from another world, thought about it more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh!” Li En decided not to overthink it—better to adapt to the times. Detecting evil and judging punishment could resolve most issues; his only task was to avoid excessive enforcement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En lowered his sword; around him lay a pile of unlucky fools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He eradicated evil thoroughly, and on the way, he destroyed the hideout of this newly emerged pickpocket gang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he truly wanted to develop anything, the docks district’s security needed a major boost—for Li En, it was merely a slight pause before acting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I need to adapt to the changes. No need to overthink.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Chameleon” Li En felt Sul’s approach was more reliable—why think so much on the battlefield? Too eager to die?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crude! Reckless! Unreasonable Holy Knight!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Satisfaction -23%]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En was numb—go ahead and deduct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, Li En understood why Kuku truly disliked Holy Knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the natural servants of evil dragons and threats to towns, ninety-nine percent of goblins were aggressive, evil creatures—so being hunted down by Holy Knights was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he’d been charged into a mage tower by some reckless knight, smashed everything up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he simply walked into the city doing nothing, he might still be suspected of some plot, watched by knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, so, Lord Kuku, what do you think of this place? How should we improve it?” Li En sought the elder’s wisdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“None! It’s rotten, this place—a trash heap.” Kuku, seemingly uninterested, replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En had come today specifically to patrol, partly to signal to Dimon and his new faction that he still supported them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, to let Kuku, this sage, see if anything here was worth saving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Li En’s mind, if there was any shortcut to development, “knowledge” might be the most likely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, it seemed there wasn’t any.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—Li En noticed Kuku often observed intently; he was still thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A good new era. Good.” Suddenly, from the pet’s soul link, Kuku spoke out of nowhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? This is good?!” Li En was instantly at a loss—throughout this patrol, his Purge of Evil had never stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The slave market unrest had made things worse; clearly, heavy-handed measures were still needed in this transitional period.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good! Herbivore orcs and carnivore orcs together! They can coexist!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was utterly incomprehensible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go! Ask them! Do they have ‘Blood Frenzy Healing Potion’?” Passing a pharmacy, Kuku grew urgent, ordering Li En inside to inquire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the clerk had never heard of the potion, outright suspecting Li En had misremembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ask him—do they have ‘Calm Grass’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Kuku asked the name of a herb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Calm Grass? No.” Instantly, Li En felt despair and even hopelessness through the soul link.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Satisfaction -24%]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What?! He said no, and you deduct my satisfaction?! You, mighty Heroic Soul, arbitrarily take out your anger?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Calm Grass isn’t valuable—it grows everywhere on the city outskirts. If you want it, go pick some yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Satisfaction -10%]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Satisfaction surged instantly! The increase was dramatic—Kuku was ecstatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li En grew more confused; no matter how he asked after that, Kuku gave no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as they walked, Kuku began pushing Li En to run everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Check this out—strike down evil; touch that—strike down evil again; visit Dimon’s place—while you’re at it, strike down evil again. There was no choice; the docks district was simply too chaotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En still had a bounty on his head (small amount—the slave market had lifted its reward)—along the way, he faced several attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is this possible? Didn’t you lose your power?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone says you’re faking—you’re a useless wreck—how are you still this strong?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>News of Li En’s loss of knightly power had spread—he had to come and prove he could still fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, Dimon, without his backing, would face unavoidable troubles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with Larry and Saliman’s covert protection, in the chaos, only the more brutal killers, judges, and avengers could truly threaten those third-rate scum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All along, Li En had deterred many local gangs and bastards because of his distinctly “classical Holy Knight” demeanor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!” For attackers and assassins trying to kill him, Li En showed no mercy—finishing them off was basic courtesy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grew more certain of his change: before the Heroic Soul’s possession, he could never have killed so casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the target was a confirmed evil-doer proven by Detect Evil, past Li En would never have felt so calm after killing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch, I’ve grown weaker—but what’s that got to do with you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En had indeed grown subtly weaker—losing the infinite holy power from the Heroic Soul’s possession was one thing, but the greatest loss was the absence of Sul’s combat instincts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Li En could truly be seen as an ordinary Holy Knight novice, merely possessing vast combat experience and the Heroic Soul’s arcane sword techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His drastically reduced soul power was now barely noticeable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because opponents still fell to one strike—armor-piercing, sword-breaking—no difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this didn’t mean Li En had become weak—even if he couldn’t cast a single spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry, Kuku will protect you! When necessary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t nonsense—Li En had tested it; his “pet” was far stronger than himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Kuku could now only use first-tier spells and cantrips, even though he could barely cast a few spells using Li En’s mana pool, he was still absurdly powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This “historical” gap in ability couldn’t be compared to mere stat panels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A battle-hardened veteran could kill a fully armored man with a pencil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this “awakening” of the Heroic Soul brought many instabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go to that cave! Check it out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What this elder wanted to do, Li En truly couldn’t stop—his only apparent limit was that he couldn’t stray too far from Li En.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if Kuku truly wanted to do something, he could easily knock Li En unconscious or hypnotize him and carry him off—this “limit” was practically nonexistent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Heroic Soul’s external activity made his satisfaction levels fluctuate wildly—Kuku’s personality was childlike, emotions obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En frowned; that place was still sealed off—previously, he could have handled it, but now he’d likely trouble Saliman again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He really didn’t have the face to go to Saliman now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I’m hungry—let’s go eat grilled fish at that shop in the docks district. It’s delicious…” Li En strained to recall the taste of the grilled fish, transmitting his hunger through the soul link.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go! Hurry!” Kuku opened his mouth wide, suddenly eager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Heroic Soul acting like a child was, in a way, good—it made him easier to appease and trick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, Li En noticed another change in himself—he’d become quite curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While chasing after the “child,” he felt genuinely happy—even passing a gang’s warehouse, he’d kick the door open to see if there was contraband inside. This spread rumors through the docks district: “Mad Knight Li En” hadn’t lost his power—he’d grown even madder and stronger, and was now on a revenge spree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, pressure on Dimon lessened further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, Li En spent the entire time walking with the “child,” completing the side quest—preparing for Awakening Dragon Tongue Magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also collected many herbs along the way, spending a lot of money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dragon Vein Awakening Potion! Mine! The best!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En bought a set of crucibles and alchemical tools and had them help prepare the required potions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>{Satisfaction -5%} A child’s temperament has its own advantages: it’s easier to raise satisfaction, and it’s genuinely effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After returning, Kuku began stirring the crucible and started brewing the magic potion. The main ingredient was Li En’s own blood—just do as the alchemical master said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Kuku said that if one wasn’t willing to draw blood to extract Dragon Blood, the materials would cost at least five thousand gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only this Heroic Soul-level alchemical master could, despite most materials being lacking, forcibly substitute inferior materials and produce a potion with nearly identical effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That evening, Li En, who had planned to take the potion and sleep, unexpectedly received an invitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Princess is to award us medals? Hmm, and some noble has specifically requested to meet me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1766,"2026-06-19T21:45:41.002Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b2c273712b96e9486dca979e19afe179d5076fe6a0a81078308dfe668de8174c","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-69","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-67",362,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-cover.jpg"]