Chapter 161: And So It Begins!


    Whoosh!


    Two figures shot down from the sky andnded gracefully without making any noise right near therge iron walls that surrounded the Royal Academy.


    The Royal Academy Campus had an incredible amount of area under its name, and the ce where the two figures hadnded was the Grevanny Forest, which was a small forest within the campus where the students could get a first hand experience on how to fight within a forest, without worrying about actually fighting a beast animal.


    The Grevanny forest did not contain any wild beasts, but was used as a training ground for students. Disciples are encouraged to battle against each other in a friendly match while making use of the terrain, in order to gain more experience. Although the Grevanny forest had no wild animals, it was an extremelyrge training ground, which was spread all around the campus.


    "Finally, we''ve found a ce to enter," One of the figures whispered softly as he quickly hid behind a tree. The unknown figure slowly popped his head out from behind the tree and looked at his surroundings. He could see a guard near the giant wall, walking towards them, and the figure immediately turned around and signalled the other figure before disappearing up into the tree.


    The other unknown figure also caught a glimpse of the guard approaching their vicinity, and climbed up into another tree within seconds.


    The guard reached the spot where the two mysterious men were standing previously, looked around for a few seconds, before turning around and walking back in the direction he came from.


    "Goddamn security guards!" Up above the tree, on one of the tree branches, sat one of the mysterious men, who cursed the guard under his breath. The two men were, of course, Gaston, and his aplice, Barris, who were after the White Dragon''s teeth and ude, the one who took it.


    Once they made sure that the guard had left the spot, the two men appeared under the tree and began moving towards the inner disciple division.


    "Gaston" Barris whispered softly as they were in the middle of dashing. "Is this.. good idea?"


    Tsk! Gaston clicked his tongue, annoyed by Barris''s words. Good idea? What does this dumb fool know about what''s good and what''s bad?


    "It''s a good idea, Barris. Trust me." He turned his head and said with an annoyed expression on his face.


    "But Gaston security strict. Might get caught!" Barris said.


    "Yeah, I know, Barris." Gaston shook his head. As if he didn''t know that already, he thought to himself. Of course he knew that the Royal Academy would be heavily guarded.


    "But you see Barris. Today, there is a sparring contest happening within the training grounds." Gaston was trying to exin the situation to Barris, who looked at him with a confused expression on his face. Gaston continued, "We might not be able to get the thief who was responsible for taking the White Dragon''s teeth, but using this opportunity, we just might get back the teeth itself!"


    ---------------------


    "You want to ce a bet on yourself?" Senior Beldon asked. ude nodded his head. "How on earth did you know?" He asked. "Because" Senior Beldon shrugged. "That''s exactly what I was nning to do as well."


    "Confident that I''ll win?" ude raised his eyebrows. "No," Senior Beldon shook his head. "I''m not confident. But I do like gambling." ude chuckled. "Well then" His eyes turned towards Senior Russell Davies, who was walking towards the infirmary in order to tend to his wounds. He had turned around just as ude was looking at him, and the two locked eyes. "Don''t forget to go all in." He said with a confident expression as he nodded his head for Russell Davies to see. Russell Davies smirked in response, and nodded his head as well.


    "Next match" Elder Keh''s voice echoed throughout the arena, and everyone''s eyes were on him as he announced the final round. "ude Rayforth vs Russell Davies!"


    "It''s happening, Headmaster!" The Elder who was standing next to the Headmaster spoke softly, and the Headmaster nodded his head, but didn''t reply. His eyes were fixated on the arena.


    This was the moment that he had been waiting for. This was why he had created this friendlypetition in the first ce.


    To most disciples, this was just an opportunity for them to make their presence known to the Headmaster, or to get famous and to appear cool. But to ude and the Headmaster, thepetition was so much more.


    This entirepetition was a chance for ude Rayforth to showcase his strength to the martial world. If he wins this fight against Russell Davies, his senior, then he''ll definitely be someone who''d be revered by almost everyone who has respect for the art of cultivation.


    The victory of ude Rayforth would be a promation; by ude himself as well as the Royal Academy, that this was the birth of someone who could shake up the martial world! And that person was a student of the Royal Academy!


    That was the bold promation that the Headmaster and ude Rayforth were going for!


    "Come on, ude Rayforth." He whispered softly under his breath. "Show everyone in the academy what you are truly capable of.


    Although most people would undoubtedly dere Russell Davies as the victor even before the fight, in the eyes of the Headmaster, there was only one winner; and that was ude Rayforth!


    He was the diamond that the Headmaster had identally found, and he intended to polish the diamond as much as he could.


    "Looks like it''s time for the final fight!" ude stared at the arena from the spectators stand and let out a long sigh.


    "Nervous?" Senior Beldon turned to look at ude. "I don''t know. Maybe it is," ude shook his head. "I didn''t think I would feel nervous, but I guess I was wrong."


    He turned around and continued, "It''s not a bad nervousness though. It''s a feeling of excited nervousness."


    "Good luck." Senior Beldon said as he patted ude''s shoulder. "You''ve got this."


    "Thanks." ude nodded his head, and then turned back around and began walked towards the arena.


    As ude began walking, everyone''s eyes were on him. Some were excited, some seemed unimpressed, and some were even aggressive. But to ude, it didn''t matter. To him, they were nobodies. They could shout all they want, but at the end of the day, they weren''t worthy of being on the field on the final round. They weren''t people who could challenge him. They were simply people.


    "Well, well, well I guess it''s finally time, huh?" Russell Davies, who was sitting on the sideline bench, had a wide smile appear on his face as he saw ude Rayforth approaching the arena.


    He then got up from the bench and stood up, staring straight at ude, who nodded his head in response.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    ude stopped right in front of Russell Davies, and the two locked eyes, neither of them looking away even for a split second.


    "I told you, didn''t I, junior brother ude?" Russell Davies said with a wide grin on his face. "That you''ll end up facing me."


    "I guess you''re predictions were correct," ude said with a smile.


    "You did well, junior brother ude." Russell said as he scratched his chin, and his devilish grin had still not disappeared. "You''ve sessfully reached the finals. I''m impressed."


    "I''m impressed as well," ude replied almost immediately. "You beat Senior Javier Banderas, who was said to be an absolute monster when ites to cultivation."


    "I guess I got lucky this time," Russell shrugged his shoulders, and ude nodded his head. "You sure did."


    Senior Russell Davies raised his eyebrows, but before he could ask more, he was interrupted by the voice of the Elder, "May the contestants please enter the arena?"


    Both ude and Russell Davies turned their heads to see Elder Keh standing in the middle of the field with a serious expression on his face, which meant that he was in a bad mood.


    The two looked at each other for a brief second before moving to their respective entry sides of the arena, and entered the field to the thundering cheers of an excited audience.


    "Hell yes! The fight is finally starting! I''m so d I ced a bet on Senior Russell Davies!"


    "I didn''t even bother with the bet! Why on earth would I ce a bet which doesn''t even guarantee a good profit?"


    "You''re missing the point! It''s not about the prize, but the feeling of victory! You wouldn''t get it until you try betting!"


    As people whispered amongst each other, the two contestants had already stepped foot into the arena, and walked towards the centre, until they stood face to face in front of each other, with Elder Keh beside them.


    "Cutivators, bow your heads!" Elder Keh yelled loudly, and the two cultivators, who were ring at each other until now, immediately lowered their heads as soon as the Elder spoke, after which they headed to the two ends of the arena, as the Elder yelled out, "Warriors, step back!"


    The two contestants arrived at the two ends of the arena in a few seconds. Elder Keh looked at the two, and after making sure that they were both in the correct spot, he nodded his head, satisfied, and yelled out, "Contestants! Assume your battle stance!"


    BZZZZZ!


    As soon as Elder Keh finished speaking, a long saber appeared in Russell Davies'' hand, and ude summoned his katana.


    Elder Keh looked at both of the contestants and yelled out, "Start!"