Chapter 37

Support, please support, the number of favorites, clicks, and recommendations is really heartbreaking...

————————————————————————————

"Magic weapon?" Juan glanced at the bone blade sword, his eyes narrowing.

In this world, magic weapons are considered high-end, prestigious items. However, as a member of a noble family in the Ere Empire, Juan had certainly seen magic weapons before.

As a sixth-level warrior, he already owned a magic weapon. But if he were to use this magic weapon as a bet, he would feel a bit reluctant.

Lai smiled slightly and raised the bone blade sword in his hand: "This is not an ordinary magic weapon. This is a magic weapon that can be used from the Bronze stage and will still be useful up to the High Silver stage! Its value far exceeds that of ordinary magic weapons!"

If it were just an ordinary magic weapon, Juan wouldn't have cared much; he could afford it. But if it were as Lai described, the value would be extraordinary.

As Juan's expression fluctuated, a male student in the uniform of the Azure Wind Academy suddenly appeared, a fawning smile on his face, and approached Lai.

"Sir, could you let me examine the magic weapon in your hand? I am a member of the Student Council of the Azure Wind Academy, here to maintain order during the entrance exam. However, I have a hobby of identifying the attributes of magic items. If you let me appraise this magic weapon, I am willing to guarantee your bet!"

This sudden appearance startled everyone, but when they looked up, they saw that a circle of people had already gathered around, including several students in the Azure Wind uniform.

The four of them had been arguing for so long that others had already heard. Those who enjoyed the spectacle had gathered around, and the crowd grew larger, attracting the Azure Wind students responsible for maintaining order.

"Letting you examine it is not a problem, but how do you prove that you are a member of the Azure Wind Student Council? Is your guarantee reliable?" Lai looked at the student.

The student, who looked to be under twenty, had a smooth and slick appearance. After hearing Lai's words, he rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a thin metal student ID.

"Custom-made student ID of the Azure Wind Academy, with a magic array inscribed by a Gold-stage professor, impossible to fake. This should be credible, right? And there are so many of my classmates over there!"

He turned and waved to the students in uniform, who then walked over.

"Our guarantee is certainly reliable. If they get into the academy, we will be their seniors. As Student Council members, we have the authority to evaluate students' character. We can't control the two of you, but we do have some influence over the students. If you try to renege on the bet, you should consider the consequences."

Lai took the student ID, feeling the steady pulse within it, confirming it was genuine. In fact, in a situation like today, it was unlikely that anyone would impersonate an Azure Wind student—those helping out were all Student Council members, and they would certainly know each other.

"Rex?" Lai glanced at the student ID. The young male student smiled and bowed: "That's me."

Rex had a likable appearance, with small but lively eyes. He treated Lai and Juan with respect, without any favoritism.

After some thought, Lai handed the bone blade sword over. The value of this bone blade sword was enough to make Azure Wind students envious, but it depended on the situation... In this case, he wasn't afraid of what they might do.

"Hmm... Indeed, it is a Bronze-stage magic weapon. A two-handed longsword, widely used, generally quite expensive. The enhancement... is over thirty percent! With this, saying that this weapon can be used up to the High Silver stage is not an exaggeration! Additionally, this magic weapon has some enhancements for the human body and even a few special functions... Yes, there is an active skill! It should be a group attack type... An excellent Bronze-stage magic weapon! Market value, over two thousand gold coins!"

Rex took the bone blade sword and hurriedly pulled out a monocle, placed it over his eye, and recited a spell to make it glow before carefully examining the bone blade sword. The more he looked, the more surprised he became, and he eventually became quite excited.

Magic weapons are not too unusual for university students; senior students often have the means to acquire a magic item, mostly weapons. But a magic weapon that can be used from the Bronze stage all the way to the High Silver stage is a different matter entirely.

You see, the price of a Silver-stage magic weapon is completely different from a Bronze-stage one. An ordinary Bronze-stage magic weapon might cost five or six hundred gold coins, but a Silver-stage one starts at a thousand!

This weapon, which can be used from the Bronze stage to the Silver stage, is estimated at two thousand gold coins, which is actually an underestimate. If you need to sell it quickly, that would be about the price.

"Two thousand gold coins?" Juan sucked in a cold breath. Two thousand gold coins was a huge sum for him!

Lai was right; his talent was limited, and he had spent a lot of family resources to force himself to the sixth level. Now, it was difficult for him to get money from home unless there was a legitimate reason. For this trip to bring his nephew to the Azure Wind Academy, he had only managed to get a thousand gold coins from home.

Actually, a thousand gold coins was enough. This year, he had only planned to leave his nephew five hundred gold coins. One hundred gold coins for tuition, four hundred for living expenses, which was enough for a comfortable life in the academy... Of course, if you wanted to show off, a thousand gold coins wouldn't be enough.

Now, that damn Lai had pulled out a magic weapon worth two thousand gold coins... Was he trying to scare me off?

Juan gritted his teeth, finally made up his mind, and took out his longsword.

"This one is a Silver-stage magic weapon, worth at least two thousand gold coins, right!"

Juan's longsword looked quite impressive, with fine threads wrapped around the hilt and a magic crystal embedded. Rex took the longsword, drew it from the scabbard, and continued to examine it with the monocle.

"A Silver-stage magic weapon, not bad... about thirty percent enhancement. Hard and durable, with fire attribute damage. It also has an active skill, probably the Sharpening Spell... This is a good Silver-stage weapon, worth about two thousand gold coins."

Rex was fair, and his appraisals of both magic weapons were in line with market prices.

The bone blade sword was a good sword, but its price was similar to the magic longsword, which couldn't be helped. The bone blade sword's attributes were not inferior to the Silver-stage magic longsword and even had a few more. However, the bone blade sword was still a Bronze-stage weapon, with significant material defects. The Silver-stage magic longsword, even with fewer attributes, had superior material. In comparison, their values were indeed similar.

"Great! Then let's bet on this! The loser not only has to kneel and admit fault but also give the magic weapon to the winner! Now, the magic weapons are in Rex's hands to prevent anyone from cheating!" Juan shouted. He felt confident he would win and just wanted to make sure Lai didn't renege.

Lai and Ji Ran's expressions were uncertain, and they moved to the side to whisper to each other. It seemed they had no confidence in themselves either.

On the other side, Rex, with the two magic weapons, was setting up a betting pool with the other students.

"The black-haired youth has odds of 1:2, and the noble young master has odds of 1:1.3. Those who want to join in can place their bets here!" Rex enthusiastically invited the surrounding people, while the other students helped maintain order.

A parent accompanying a candidate, curious about Rex's open betting, asked, "Doesn't the Azure Wind Academy prohibit gambling? Won't you be violating school rules by setting up a betting pool here?"

School rules are very important in a university, and the worst outcome of violating them could be expulsion.

"No problem, the Student Council has the authority to do this. Of course, gambling based on luck is not allowed, but we are betting on your judgment. If you think a certain youth will win the bet, feel free to place your bet. The Azure Wind Academy does not prohibit making money through your own abilities," Rex replied with a smile.

There was a chorus of amazement. Truly, the Azure Wind Academy, known for its free-spirited style, allowed such things!

But upon closer thought, it made sense. This wasn't about luck but judgment. In a contest between two people, you bet on who you think will win. If you lose, you can't blame anyone but yourself for poor judgment.

Then, a group of people placed their bets.

"I bet on the noble young master! Ten gold coins!"

"I also bet on the noble young master! Fifteen gold coins!"

Indeed, the majority of people bet on the noble young master, Oudi. It couldn't be helped; everyone could see that Oudi's aura was clearly higher than the black-haired youth. Juan had also mentioned that Oudi was a third-level swordsman, while the black-haired youth was only second-level!

A difference of one level, and the distinction between a noble young master and a commoner. The difference in swordsmanship skills was undoubtedly significant. Not betting on the noble young master would be waiting to lose.

At this moment, Lai walked over.

"I bet on our Ji Ran, one hundred gold coins!"

Lai's face was a mix of anger and determination. The others, seeing his expression, understood his thoughts.

If no one bet on his side, he would bet on himself! Even if he lost more, he couldn't lose face!

In the silent atmosphere, Lai walked back to Ji Ran's side. Then, in a position where no one else could see, he smiled slightly: "It all depends on you. If you lose, Uncle Lai will be out in the cold."

Ji Ran also smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I won't let you down!"