Chapter 133: You’re the One I’m Hitting

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It turned out that the wandering illusionists who had gathered to watch still held a considerable grudge against Shen Duo. Yet now that this young woman was willing to risk her life to prove her innocence, they could not help feeling stirred and impressed.

“Accept it! Accept it!” the onlookers began shouting of their own accord.

“Zhou Long, if you don’t dare accept the challenge today, you’re nothing but a coward!” someone shouted from the back of the crowd.

Although Zhou Long sensed that something was off about the girl before him, he could only brace himself and step forward. “Fine. Since you’re determined to die, I’ll grant your wish! When I beat you until you’re crawling around looking for your teeth, don’t come begging me for mercy!”

In an instant, the crowd cleared a space in the middle of the square, turning it into a makeshift fighting arena.

Shen Duo walked up to Wei Dong. “Brother Wei, lend me your greatsword for a moment.”

Without a word, Wei Dong removed the enormous black sword from his back and handed it to her.

The wandering illusionists nearby stared in astonishment. The slender young girl had picked up the heavy black sword as though it weighed nothing.

Shen Duo gripped the sword with both hands. Wei Dong wielded a heavy blade, and while it did not look unusual in the hands of his burly frame, it seemed extraordinarily awkward in Shen Duo’s grasp.

A delicate, frail-looking girl held an ancient black sword that stood nearly two-thirds as tall as she was. Its blade was broad and thick, and a faint murderous aura seemed to seep from it. Quite a few people nearby began to worry that, given enough time, Shen Duo might not even be able to keep the sword raised—let alone fight with it.

Zhou Long burst out laughing at the sight. “You probably can’t even lift the sword properly. I’ll give you a chance. Admit defeat now, and I’ll spare your life!”

The smile vanished from Shen Duo’s face. Her delicate features turned cold and severe.

“Stop wasting your breath. Make your move.”

Before Zhou Long could answer, a flood of azure sword aura surged into the black greatsword in her hands. The shimmering energy coiled around the blade, so dense that it nearly concealed the sword’s original blackness.

The smug expression on Zhou Long’s face disappeared completely. His complexion even paled slightly. His pupils widened as he stared at the sword in Shen Duo’s hands, and in an instant he seemed to lose his mind, muttering over and over, “Impossible. Impossible.”

The wandering illusionists watching were just as stunned. Had they all gone blind? The girl who moments ago had been unable to absorb even the slightest trace of spirit illusion energy was actually a Sword King!

Zhou Long was only a low-level Spirit Illusionist to begin with. He was a full level beneath Shen Duo, so the battle ended without question in his utter defeat.

Now covered in bruises and bumps, Zhou Long was filled with regret for provoking such a calamity.

For the past two years at Josselin Academy, he had always gotten whatever he wanted. Today, however, he had carelessly kicked an iron plate.

Seeing how thoroughly he had been beaten, many of the wandering illusionists nearby cheered. Among them were several who had once suffered at Zhou Long’s hands at Josselin Academy.

Shen Duo held the sword in one hand, its tip aimed at Zhou Long’s heart. She asked coldly, “Tell me. With my strength, am I qualified to enter Josselin Academy?”

Zhou Long lay sprawled on his back, battered and disheveled. How could he possibly dare say no? He was genuinely afraid that Shen Duo might lose her grip on the greatsword. If it slipped and landed on his chest, the impact alone could cost him half his life.

“Yes! Yes, you are! If someone with the strength of a Sword King cannot enter Josselin Academy, then the academy might as well stop accepting new students.”

After saying this, Zhou Long was drenched in cold sweat. But when he caught the warning in Shen Duo’s eyes, he did not dare move.

Shen Duo snorted, withdrew the black sword, and returned it to Wei Dong before leaving without looking back.

Lei Hang glanced at Zhou Long’s pitiful state. The corners of his mouth lifted in mockery, and he too left the enrollment square.

Soon, the crowd that had gathered for the spectacle dispersed, while the enrollment continued.

Zhou Hu and Zhou Bao helped Zhou Long to his feet. The woman who had just promised them a substantial reward took one look at Zhou Long’s battered appearance and regarded him with undisguised disdain. She then took her son and left in a carriage.

For a moment, Zhou Long felt the bitter desolation of being abandoned once the excitement was over. The resentment he had been suppressing surged up inside him. He turned toward the direction in which Shen Duo had departed and gritted his teeth, only to pull at the split corner of his mouth. Pain made him hiss repeatedly through his teeth.

At a nearby street corner, a man dressed in a dark crimson illusionist’s robe narrowed his eyes.

“Who was that girl just now?”

“Senior Zuo, she arrived at the academy last night. I heard that Teacher Linghu brought her here.”

“A Sword King?” The man concealed in the shadows raised an eyebrow. “Go investigate her identity, as well as the identities of the two young men beside her.”

“Yes, Senior.”

“So what if she is a Sword King? No one is allowed to bully a member of the Zhou family—not even a child from a collateral branch.”

As he spoke, a cold light flashed in the man’s eyes, making the person beside him shudder involuntarily.

Shen Duo and the others left the enrollment square. Their good mood for the day had been thoroughly ruined, and they no longer felt like wandering around.

When they returned to the dormitory, Shen Duo had not yet settled down when Wei Dong came to find her. He said that Linghu Yu wanted to see her.

Linghu Yu lived in a rather quaint little courtyard within the Ziyuan Branch of Josselin Academy.

When Shen Duo entered, she saw Linghu Yu, Ji Qingxue, Eleanor, and Luo Hui all present. After a moment of surprise, she bowed slightly.

“Why have you summoned me, Lord Linghu?”

Linghu Yu’s eyes shone as he looked at her, as though he were gazing at a walking mountain of gold. Shen Duo could not help feeling embarrassed. Even Ji Qingxue, who was usually composed and indifferent, regarded her with unusual warmth.

“Ahem.” Linghu Yu coughed twice to cover his embarrassment before saying, “Little Duo, Little Duo, I never imagined you could tame beasts as well. If Eleanor hadn’t told me, were you planning to keep it hidden from us for the rest of your life?”

Linghu Yu was far too familiar. When had he started calling her that?

Shen Duo glanced at him and replied calmly, “I never hid anything from you.”

Linghu Yu was momentarily speechless. Shen Duo indeed had never claimed that she could not tame beasts. They had simply taken it for granted that, since she was a Sword King, she could not possibly also be a beast tamer.

When Eleanor had first told him, he too had been puzzled. If Shen Duo was a swordswoman, how could she also know how to tame beasts?

But when he had taken that question to the old man for advice, he had learned the answer.

In ancient times, the path of the swordsman had not fallen into decline as it had today. Back then, swordsmen were involved in every field, from beast taming to alchemy. Among the great beast tamers and alchemists, there had been no shortage of swordsmen. It was only after tens of thousands of years of change, when the swordsman’s path declined, that swordsmen who practiced beast taming and alchemy gradually disappeared from sight.

Over time, this gave rise to the misconception that swordsmen could not tame beasts or practice alchemy.

“The enrollment season will end in a few days. By then, a new group of students will enter the academy. Although I personally brought you here, my specialty is illusion arts rather than swordsmanship. Josselin Academy has a dedicated swordsman branch, as you surely knew from the beginning. I had originally planned to place you directly in the elite swordsman training class. However, since you are also a beast tamer, and the academy has a specialized beast-taming branch whose dean is a Grandmaster Beast Tamer, he may be able to teach you something. That is why I summoned you today—to ask what you yourself would prefer. Of course, even if you enroll in the beast-taming branch, you can still attend the swordsman branch for training and experience.”

Shen Duo’s brows drew together. Along the path of swordsmanship, she truly did need an experienced teacher to guide her. But as for beast taming—she knew perfectly well what was going on.

She alone understood whether she could truly tame beasts. Rather than saying that she herself possessed the ability, it would be more accurate to say that the Sacred Radiance within her did. Her method of taming beasts was completely different from everyone else’s. Even if she went to the beast-taming branch, she would learn nothing useful there.

With that thought, Shen Duo looked up at Linghu Yu. He too appeared deep in thought.

Linghu Yu was caught in a dilemma. With Shen Duo’s extraordinary talent for swordsmanship, she ought to enter the swordsman branch. Yet Eleanor had told him that Shen Duo’s skill in beast taming surpassed even hers, making Shen Duo a once-in-a-century genius.

Just imagine it: if Josselin Academy were someday to produce a peak Grandmaster Beast Tamer or even an Emperor Beast Tamer, the academy’s reputation would surely rise another level across the continent. They would be able to boast about it wherever they went, bringing glory to Josselin Academy.

However, Josselin Academy had a rule: each student could acknowledge only one teacher. If Shen Duo entered the beast-taming branch, she could only take its dean as her master. That was why Linghu Yu found himself so conflicted.

After some thought, Shen Duo raised her head. “Lord Linghu, could you give me some time to consider it? May I give you my answer tomorrow?”

Linghu Yu readily agreed. “Of course. Come to my residence first thing tomorrow morning and tell me your decision.”

Shen Duo nodded.

She was just about to take her leave when Ji Qingxue called out to her. Ji Qingxue’s expression was gentle, and her gaze held a warm affection.

“There is one more piece of wonderful news to tell you. Lord Luo Hui has come this time in response to Lord Wei Lan’s invitation. He will be teaching at Josselin Academy for three years. The students in our academy’s alchemy division are going to go wild with excitement.”

Old Luo Hui raised an eyebrow at Shen Duo after Ji Qingxue finished speaking.

Shen Duo stared at him in surprise, then smiled as well. “Welcome to Josselin Academy, Lord Luo Hui. If there is anything I do not understand in the future, may I come and ask for your guidance?”

“Certainly, certainly!” Old Luo Hui replied with a hearty laugh.

As his beloved disciple’s little sweetheart, Luo Hui was quite pleased with this young girl. Not only was she exceptionally powerful, she was also a beast tamer. As long as his disciple managed to hold on to her, what kind of magical beast could he possibly fail to obtain in the future?

Shen Duo bowed once more to Old Luo Hui before leaving.

The moment she stepped out of Linghu Yu’s residence, she hurried straight toward the dormitory. She wanted to tell Lei Hang that Old Luo Hui would be staying at Josselin Academy as a teacher.

Lei Hang looked astonished when he heard the news. Clearly, he too could not make sense of his teacher’s decision. But he had always respected his teacher’s choices. Besides, Luo Hui was a renowned alchemist whom even Weil Academy could not restrain. Wherever the old man chose to teach, so long as he was happy, that was all that mattered.

Before long, Lei Hang was at peace with the decision.

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