Chapter 71

A five-meter-tall black stone stele stood on the ground, inscribed with the five red characters "Seven Radiant Martial Academy," the strokes powerful and penetrating the stone.

Wang Shenglei, his face ashen, took out five red banknotes, each worth ten thousand, from his chest and handed them to Chen Zong. This was most of the money he had brought from home, and the days ahead would likely be tough.

But, he had to accept the loss of the bet.

After receiving the banknotes, Chen Zong gave one to each person and kept one for himself, stunning the others.

Behind the black stone stele, a path led up the mountain, winding and twisting.

After walking about a thousand meters, the path turned into a staircase made of bluestone, with 188 steps. Further up was a large circular training ground made of bluestone, known as the Eight Directions Training Ground.

There were paths leading off in different directions around the training ground, each marked with a sign.

"Chen Zong, I practice boxing, and the Martial Radiance Hall is the best for me," Chen Chong said, his voice tinged with excitement.

"I'll go to the Sword Radiance Hall," Chen Zong said.

Tang Junluo chose the Weapon Radiance Hall.

The Seven Radiant Martial Academy had seven halls in total: Heaven Radiance Hall, Earth Radiance Hall, Punishment Radiance Hall, Martial Radiance Hall, Weapon Radiance Hall, Sword Radiance Hall, and Blade Radiance Hall.

Martial artists who practiced swordsmanship were best suited for the Sword Radiance Hall, followed by the Weapon Radiance Hall. Those who practiced bladework were best suited for the Blade Radiance Hall, followed by the Weapon Radiance Hall. Martial artists who practiced with spears, staffs, axes, and other weapons besides swords and blades were best suited for the Weapon Radiance Hall.

Martial artists who practiced boxing, kicking, palm techniques, and finger techniques were best suited for the Martial Radiance Hall.

These four halls could be chosen freely, while the Heaven Radiance Hall, Earth Radiance Hall, and Punishment Radiance Hall had certain requirements.

The Li family's young masters all practiced swordsmanship and naturally all went to the Sword Radiance Hall. The Zhao family's young masters all went to the Blade Radiance Hall, and the Tang family's young masters all went to the Weapon Radiance Hall.

The path to the Sword Radiance Hall was paved with silver-colored gravel, straight and smooth like a sword, leading forward without hesitation.

Chen Zong, Chen Kaiyue, and Li Zhen Shi, among others, walked along the gravel path, joined by young masters from other martial cities besides Fengwu City.

After walking about a thousand meters and passing through a small bamboo grove, their view suddenly opened up. The first thing they saw was a three-meter-tall black stone stele shaped like a sword, inscribed with the red characters "Sword Radiance Hall."

The characters were like silver hooks and iron strokes, as if made of precious swords, sharp and piercing.

Looking around, rows of houses were arranged neatly.

"New disciples, go over there to register, and don't cut in line," a person in a uniformed martial outfit with a long sword at his waist waved them over.

Chen Zong and the others walked over and lined up neatly.

Soon, it was Chen Zong's turn.

He took out his admission certificate and handed it to the person for registration.

Chen Zong of the Chen family from Fengwu City.

Then, it was time to choose a place to live.

Admission to the Seven Radiant Martial Academy was free, but the living quarters were divided into three grades: lower, middle, and upper. The lower-grade quarters were rows of rooms, each person getting one, and they were free.

The middle-grade quarters were independent courtyards, not very large but private and undisturbed, costing one thousand white jade coins per month. If the payment was not made, one had to move out, and there was a limit of one hundred middle-grade courtyards in the Sword Radiance Hall.

The upper-grade quarters were expanded independent courtyards, twice the size and two stories high, with more refined and beautiful decorations, and a dedicated maid to handle daily life, saving time for better cultivation. However, the price of the upper-grade quarters was high, and there were only ten of them.

"One ten thousand white jade coins per month..." Chen Zong sucked in a cold breath. All his money combined was only a little over sixty thousand white jade coins. If he stayed in the upper-grade quarters, he could only afford six months, which was too expensive.

Moreover, the sixty thousand white jade coins included ten thousand from the bet with Wang Shenglei and fifty thousand from the reward for winning first place in the Fengwu City Talent Battle, neither of which was easily obtained.

"There are two upper-grade quarters left, one middle-grade courtyard left, and many lower-grade quarters. Which one do you choose?" the senior sister in charge of registration looked at Chen Zong and urged him to decide quickly.

"Middle-grade courtyard," Chen Zong said.

"How long do you want to stay?" The senior sister's eyes flashed with envy, and her tone softened.

"Wait, I'll take the middle-grade courtyard," Chen Zong had not yet answered when someone rushed over and interrupted, "I want to stay for three years."

This person wore a luxurious martial outfit woven from gold and silver silk, with a square green jade hanging from his waist, a proud look on his face, and a stack of banknotes in his hand, which he slapped heavily on the table.

Chen Zong did not speak but looked at the person in charge of registration, waiting for her response.

"Junior brother, the academy's rules are first come, first served," the senior sister's tone was even better, showing no impatience.

"I don't want to make it difficult for you," the person said, turning to Chen Zong, "Friend, I want the middle-grade courtyard. Do you have any objections?"

"If you have the money, why not stay in the upper-grade quarters?" Chen Zong responded calmly.

"You're mocking me," the young man in the luxurious martial outfit's eyes turned cold, like a sword being drawn, pointing at Chen Zong.

"I'll stay for one year," Chen Zong ignored him, took out a red banknote and two white banknotes, and handed them to the senior sister in charge of registration.

"I'll give you ten thousand white jade coins if you let me have the middle-grade courtyard," the young man in the luxurious martial outfit stared sharply at Chen Zong, speaking again.

"Ten thousand," Chen Zong named his price directly. The young man was taken aback, his eyes twitching, and his face turning ashen.

If he had to pay an extra ten thousand white jade coins to stay in the middle-grade courtyard, he might as well use that money to stay in the upper-grade quarters.

Of course, Chen Zong was not joking. If the young man was willing to pay ten thousand white jade coins, giving up the middle-grade courtyard would not be a problem.

"Remember, I'm Bai Yulou, from the Bai family of the Supreme Martial Main City. In the Seven Radiant Martial Academy, there are many of my Bai family members," the young man in the luxurious martial outfit's eyes turned even colder, his tone icy, and his words filled with threats.

"Supreme Martial Main City!" The others heard and their faces tightened.

The Eastern Continent had five main cities, and the Supreme Martial Main City was one of them, overseeing thirty-six martial cities. The seven martial cities of the Seven Radiant Martial Academy were less than a quarter of that.

Just as people from small towns had a natural reverence for those from martial cities, people from martial cities had a similar reverence for those from the main cities.

Chen Zong was also surprised that the young man was from the Supreme Martial Main City. He did not know how the Bai family stood in the Supreme Martial Main City, but he understood that a family that could establish itself in a main city would have at least one True Martial Realm expert as a guardian.

But, so what?

This was the Seven Radiant Martial Academy. If family influence could interfere, would the academy even exist?

After completing the registration, Chen Zong received a permit for a middle-grade courtyard, valid for one year. If he wanted to continue staying, he would have to pay again.

Taking the uniform and rules, Chen Zong turned and left.

Bai Yulou wanted to slam the table and shout for the upper-grade quarters, but it would cost 120,000 white jade coins for a year, which was too much. The Bai family was wealthy, but he was just one member of the family, and the entire Bai family did not revolve around him.

Staring fiercely at Chen Zong's back, as if trying to pierce him with his gaze.

...

"The last middle-grade courtyard is taken by you," Li Zhen Shi said with a bitter smile. With his financial means, he could afford a middle-grade courtyard, but the upper-grade quarters were too expensive.

"If the middle-grade courtyard wasn't so useful to me, I would have given it to you, Brother Li," Chen Zong said apologetically. He needed to cultivate his body-strengthening techniques and prepare ice-fire skin-quenching ointments, and an independent courtyard was undoubtedly better than the lower-grade quarters.

Li Zhen Shi smiled and then became serious, "Chen Zong, you just arrived and have already clashed with the Bai family. There will likely be trouble in the future."

"How is the Bai family?" Chen Zong asked, his heart stirring.

"From what I know, the Supreme Martial Main City has fewer factions than our Fengwu City. The strongest are nine, and the Bai family is one of them," Li Zhen Shi's tone was solemn. As the young master of the Li family, his understanding of the world exceeded Chen Zong's, especially in terms of family influence: "Every year, some of the Bai family's young masters enter the Seven Radiant Martial Academy, and some will likely be in the Sword Radiance Hall."

"I came here to cultivate better. If they seek trouble, I won't let them have their way," Chen Zong said firmly.

"Regardless, it's better to avoid trouble. Focus on cultivation," Li Zhen Shi smiled, "In a while, I'll challenge you again."

"Come on," Chen Zong smiled, and they parted ways.

The lower-grade quarters and middle-grade courtyards were in different directions.

The last middle-grade courtyard was number 88. Chen Zong found it, pushed the door open, and entered. The courtyard was neither too large nor too small, similar to the courtyard he had lived in at the clan hall, simple and clean.

There were three rooms: a bedroom, a bathroom with a toilet, and a small kitchen.

The bedding in the bedroom was all new.

The conditions were acceptable, and Chen Zong was quite satisfied. The price of one thousand white jade coins per month was high, but with the tens of thousands of white jade coins he had, he could afford it. For better cultivation, he had to do this.

After putting down his luggage and tidying up, Chen Zong changed into the uniform. The uniform for the Sword Radiance Hall was silver-gray, made of fine cloth better than coarse cloth, and it fit him perfectly.

He picked up the rules and began reading them carefully.

The rules detailed the regulations of the Seven Radiant Martial Academy and various matters related to the Sword Radiance Hall.

For example, the locations of the different halls.

For example, the locations of the upper-grade quarters, middle-grade courtyards, and lower-grade quarters.

For example, the location of the Sword Martial Tower, which housed various cultivation techniques and sword techniques, and other facilities.

For example, each disciple had one opportunity to choose a middle-grade human-level cultivation technique and a middle-grade human-level martial technique for free during their time at the academy.

For example, each disciple could receive one Blood Red Pill for free every month.

Chen Zong quickly finished reading the rules and memorized the content.

In the Sword Radiance Hall, besides the living quarters for the disciples, there were dining halls, the Sword Martial Tower, the Thousand Swords Tower, the Hundred Medicinal Tower, and the Hundred Affairs Pavilion, among others.

However, whether it was cultivation techniques, sword techniques, swords, or medicinal pills, obtaining them required paying a corresponding price, either in Seven Radiant Points or jade coins.

Very practical.

For example, a common iron sword cost twenty white jade coins, a refined iron sword cost two hundred white jade coins, a precious iron sword cost two thousand white jade coins, and a rare iron sword cost two hundred thousand white jade coins, which was about the same as outside.

Other items like cultivation techniques, martial techniques, medicinal herbs, and pills also had clear prices.

...