Chapter 79 Bet
On the more than a hundred meters high clifftops, Headmaster Jackson and Huang Lin were standing side by side, observing the competition together with Kirst's City Lord, the Finance Minister, the Tax Minister and other characters with important standing in Kirst.
They had all been invited to view this month's inter-class competition of the Knight Academy.
Kirst's City Lord was a shrewd, experienced middle-aged man. He smiled at Headmaster Jackson and said, "Congratulations, Headmaster, for taking in such a good student. He is the fourth Windstorm Sword Hero since the beginnings of the Empire. It goes to show how much influence and credit Headmaster has in training the younger generations of our Kirst. I heard that His Majesty had also gave you much praise in the Imperial Capital."
Jackson, all smiles, replied, "It's all thanks to His Majesty’s great ruling. I'm only sharing his glory."
The City Lord pointed in the southern direction, towards the fortress and the seven people in front of it, saying, "Is Fang Xingjian there?" Hearing that, everyone also turned their heads, as if they wanted to see for themselves if that rumored Windstorm Sword Hero really had three heads and six arms, or if he had a terrifying appearance, long teeth and a pale countenance.
In fact, as Kirst's important figures, it was impossible for them to attend every single round of the academy's inter-class competition. The only reason they had all come to watch today was only because they wanted to see how powerful the rumored Windstorm Sword Hero was.
The Headmaster cast a glance towards the southern fortress, saying, "Mmm, Fang Xingjian seems to not have appeared yet."
They City Lord observed, "Haha, I heard that it has only been a month since Fang Xingjian completed his transition. Although the Windstorm Sword Hero's speed is unrivalled, is it alright to have him participate in the competition right away like this?
"What's happens if he accidentally gets hurt? Weapons don't have eyes. After all, so many resources have been invested in him." The Windstorm Sword Hero. As a legendary first transition job, to have such a Knight appearing in the area under his jurisdiction, was an achievement even for him, as City Lord.
The reason why he was saying this was obviously because he was worried that people from the academy would forcefully exert pressure on the Knight, in the hope of him achieving success sooner. In case any harm came to Fang Xingjian, it would be bad.
With the mention of the word 'resources', he felt like clenching his teeth. It was obvious that he still remembered that the Headmaster had forcefully taken away the Wind Hawks which he had personally reared in order to provide Fang Xingjian with additional nourishment.
The Headmaster waved his hand, proudly answering, "Haha, this fellow is slow-witted in what concerns other things, but in sword arts, he is a true genius.
"I'm afraid that even normal Knights would not necessarily be his match."
"Oh?" The City Lord's eyes gleamed. "Headmaster is that confident?
"Then how about we have a bet?"
Hearing the words 'have a bet', the Secretariat broke into a bitter smile. He was well aware of how their City Lord loved gambling, and wanted to give him a reminder, when Huang Lin's eyes suddenly lit up.
Huang Lin stole a march on him and said, "Then let's have a bet. I bet that Xingjian's team will win." The Headmaster and himself had seen for themselves how easily had Fang Xingjian defeated the Weaponry's great master, Griffin.
Despite the fact that Griffin's strength lay in forging weapons, and that his combat abilities could only be considered middle-ranged amongst those in the first transition, the victory still proved Fang Xingjian's abilities.
Moreover, Huang Lin had gone through combat training with Fang Xingjian many times, and had a greater understanding of his abilities. Therefore, he was fully confident that Fang Xingjian's class would be able to win.
As long as their class did not commit any major blunders, the rest of the students staying behind to defend the fortress while Fang Xingjian relied on the Windstorm Sword Hero's high-speed guerrilla warfare to defeat the opposing team, then victory would be easily theirs.
Hearing Huang Lin's words, everyone was surprised, especially Kirst's City Lord. He broke out into a delighted expression.
"Those in Fang Xingjian's class have only completed their transition one or two months ago, on average. Other than Robert, they're all beginners at the Knight level, not to mention that they are now short of one person. If they are able to win over ten experienced Knights just like that, wouldn't it be too exaggerated?" The City Lord gave it some thought and said, "If that's the case, I'll bet that Fang Xingjian's team will lose."
Huang Lin replied, "Alright. If I were to win, then can I request of the City Lord to part with that treasured Knight's remains which you bought last year?"
The City Lord was stunned for a second, grudgingly thinking to himself, 'This old chap. He's still unsatisfied after taking away my Wind Hawks? Now he has his eyes set on those remains I got?'
The remains were a treasure which the City Lord had gone to great lengths to acquire from overseas. They consisted of the arm of a Conferred Knight who had gone through the second transition. He had planned to find an opportunity to get the masters from the Weaponry to work with it and to forge an equipment which he could leave behind for his descendents.
The Headmaster smiled widely as he looked at the scene, making it difficult for people to tell what he was thinking about.
It also made Kirst's City Lord hesitate.
Huang Lin asked, "Is the City Lord unwilling to part with the treasure?
"Then let me add on to the bet. I'll bet that Fang Xingjian's team will be able to win over their opponents within half an hour. And if I were to lose, this longsword I have will be yours."
As he said that, he drew out the black metallic longsword at his waist, streams of ether particles flowing out unceasingly from it..
As Huang Lin's personal weapon which he always had on him, this longsword was also an Empire's Divine Weapon forged by the Royal Weaponry. Although it was not made from remains, the materials were worth a consistent sum of money as well. They were materials such as mithril and pure gold, which could communicate with ether particles, forming a force field that increased one's agility and strength. As a result, it could raise the user's strength and agility by about 10%.
This was obviously a top notch Empire's Divine Weapon. In many instances, a 10% difference in strength and agility would be able to change the flow of a battle.
Hearing Huang Lin's words, temptation flashed across Kirst's City Lord's eyes. He rubbed his chin and suddenly smiled, "Alright, I'll take the bet. However, it's too little for just the two of us to join this. Do anyone else want to join us?"
In an ordinary inter-class competition, each round would take forty-five minutes on average. To finish it within thirty minutes... it would have to be a one-sided crushing. Kirst's City Lord reckoned that the Windstorm Sword Hero would indeed be very strong, but he still found it hard to believe that a Knight who had transitioned just a month before would be able to one-sidedly crush those who had transitioned three years before.
Hearing this, Huang Lin let out a long sigh in his heart, 'Xingjian, whether or not you can get this great gift will all be up to you.'
At that moment, another person stood up and said, "How about counting me in?" That man had neatly combed white hair and wore a smart cocktail suit. It was Tresia Clan's clan’s head, Kaunitz's father.
He nodded at the City Lord and Huang Lin, smiling and said, "Fang Xingjian is Kirst's pride, but he's still too young after all, having only transitioned a month ago. Although the Windstorm Sword Hero is very powerful, he's still too young. I'll bet that he can only win after forty minutes, and I'll bet one year’s worth of our Tresia Clan's Body Tempering Ointment."
Huang Lin's eyebrows twitched. He knew that Tresia Clan's Body Tempering Ointment was good stuff. It incorporated various medicinal herbs and ferocious beasts' essences, and it was Tresia Clan's undivulged family secret. The reason why Kaunitz had attributes which far exceeded others even though he was only sixteen years old, and why Rebecca had been able to achieve over 100 points in her attributes while still being level 19, first transition for so many years, was precisely due to this Body Tempering Ointment.
And Tresia Clan's clan head, seeing Huang Lin's confidence, obviously wanted to help him. He did not want to make an enemy out of Fang Xingjian and Huang Lin, and wanted to make peace.
At that moment, another person walked out. It was a middle-aged lady with a crescent tattoo on her face, scantily dressed. She cast a glance towards Huang Lin and said, "Old Huang, aren't you looking down too much on our people from Netherworld Valley?"
The Prefectural Champion in Class 253, the class which was up against Fang Xingjian's class, was a disciple from Netherworld Valley.
Huang Lin said in disdain, "Claude was not all that highly regarded back when he was in Netherworld Valley. His specialty wasn’t poison either."
Tina yelled, "But it's still our Netherworld Valley who set his foundations!
"Do you know how much we have invested for him to achieve that physique, akin to a ferocious beast’s?"
Looking at this woman from Netherworld Valley, everyone unconsciously took one step back. It was because the Netherworld Valley specialized in hands-on combat and the use of poison. One could never know when they would poison the air, the water, or their weapons. It was the most horrible and terrifying worry.
This woman, Tina, was an Elder from the Netherworld Valley, and a well-known pain in the neck.
She continued yelling, "I don't care about the Windstorm Sword Hero or whatever it is. I'm betting that Fang Xingjian's team will lose after an hour!
"I'll bet one hundred of our Netherworld Valley's antidote vials. Our antidote is able to detoxify 90% of the poisons in this world."
A pale and gloomy-looking elder at the side spoke up, "Tina, you appear to be so confident. Yet you're betting on just one hour?"
She grinned replying, "I know he can run fast, so its forty minutes to defeat him, and another twenty minutes to let him run."
"Hmm hmmm," The pale-faced elderly man was Kirst Aristocrat Academy's founder, and Ferdinand's teacher when he was still attending the academy, as well as a senior representative figure amongst Kirst's aristocrats – Houston.
He said, "My favorite disciple, Ferdinand, is aso in Fang Xingjian's team. Of course I'd wish for them to win.
After all, they are still young. Even if they have a Windstorm Sword Hero, it'll still be tough for them to win.
"I'll bet that it'll be a draw then.
"I'll bet my manor in the northern area of the city."
Draw?
Tina immediately reacted and shouted, "You crafty old man! The Windstorm Sword Hero runs fast, so as long as Fang Xingjian focuses on causing a disturbance, there'll be a good chance of them getting a draw!"
Houston smiled, looking at Kirst's City Lord, and asked, "I wonder what the City Lord will choose as wager?"
Just then, Fang Xingjian appeared from the southern end of the terrain.
"Oh, is that Fang Xingjian?"
"What is he carrying on his back?"
They were too far away from Fang Xingjian and the others, and so they were unable to hear what the students were saying at all. They could only see Fang Xingjian thrusting all his longswords into the ground, and then seemingly having a confrontation with his teammates.
Fang Xingjian shook his head, waved his hand at the others, smiled and said, "Come, I'll bring you guys down first, then move on to the competition."
The next moment, light rose sharply and all of a sudden, the ground below his feet collapsing under his enormous strength, as he appeared before Barbara in a flash.
Barbara only had time to slightly turn her body, reaching for her bow and arrow on her back. But at the next moment, she was already knocked unconscious because of a jolt to the neck from Fang Xingjian's sword handle.
"Stop it!"
"Fang Xingjian!"
"You're crazy!"
Ferdinand, Jack, Robert and the others all shouted together, and everyone but Jack, Anthony and Robert attacked with their spears, punches, palms, and swords, surrounding Fang Xingjian from all corners.