SWNOVELS Chapter 66: Assistance
Tom's expression was profound. When he agreed to the terms, he never even considered the possibility that he could lose. But as a Shaw, he will be responsible for his actions and said immediately, "Yes!"
Jacob nodded in satisfaction.
At this point, someone in the crowd shouted, "Well done, Tom! I'm proud to be a Shaw! We must remain dignified in defeat!"
Jacob looked towards the sound and saw a man with silver hair outside the pugilistic center. His hair was white but had a youthful complexion and dressed in white colored training attire. He even exuded a feeling of superior status.
After he showed himself, his image flickered and in the blink of an eye, he appeared on the fighting stage. All of the Shaw disciples held their breath when they saw this.
It was a Virtuoso-to-be of the Shaw family and the head of the family, Cornell Shaw. Normally the younger generation of the Shaw family would hardly have the opportunity to see him. Cornell was treated like a deity in the Shaw family.
No one could go against his will.
"Father!" Tom said in surprise, "You've completed your meditation?"
Cornell nodded and then looked towards Jacob, "This young friend is so young and possesses such powers. You'll have a huge future. Apart from those masters at the capital, no one can be a match for you!" Jacob did not explain anything when he heard this. The masters at the Capital? He must be referring to Boyce and others. But in Jacob's eyes, these were but chicken and dogs and couldn't be mentioned in the same sentence with him.
But Jacob didn't correct him.
This old man had given him a good feeling.
"Since you are willing to admit your defeat, I will still give these three Reinforcing Panaceas to you. Additionally, I will pay you rental!" Jacob said calmly.
Although the three Reinforcing Panaceas were priceless, they were insignificant to Jacob.
"Do you mean what you said?" Tom said excitedly.
The three top-quality Reinforcing Panaceas were the very reason why he accepted this challenge.
"What the Emperor of the Dark Realm says becomes the law. Of course, it's true!" Jacob said.
Tom skipped the first part of Jacob's response because he didn't understand it. But he focused on the last four words. They were like melody to his ears.
Having the three Reinforcing Panaceas meant that they could have three more highly skilled fighters. The prowess of the Shaw family will increase to the next level. This also meant that the Shaw family will have a higher chance of producing a Virtuoso-to-be!
"Friend, since Tom lost, you may select a piece of the Shaw village, but..." Cornell paused, sighed and then continued, "We agree to your terms but if the head of the Shaw family changed in a few days, then perhaps it wouldn't count by then."
"Oh?" Jacob grinned.
Cornell's eyes lit up and said, "Friend, you must be a Virtuoso?"
Jacob didn't answer.
He wasn't a Virtuoso and neither a Virtuoso-to-be. He was at the second stage of the Gasification Phase and was getting ready for stepping into the third stage Incarnation Phase relying on the Mana Collecting Matrix. It was totally different from the martial arts of the earth.
He never came across a Virtuoso but a Virtuoso-to-be was insignificant to him.
To Cornell and Tom, Jacob's silence was acceptance.
Cornell had seen those more evil than Jacob and hence was not surprised to see that Jacob was a Virtuoso at twenty something years old. He was already mentally prepared for that.
But Tom was extremely unsettled as he continued to look at Jacob.
He was considered highly skilled in the Shaw family and was the most promising to become a Virtuoso-to-be. But he was already forty something years old. He had to practice tirelessly for forty years to get to his current abilities.
Jacob, a twenty something young man was already a Virtuoso, which had greatly exceeded his expectations. There was really no comparison.
Cornell continued to say, "I won't keep this from you, my friend. Recently a problem happened in my Shaw family. Twenty years ago, a trouble maker was expelled from the Shaw family. Now he had become a Virtuoso-to-be and he came back to reclaim the Shaw family. I hope that you can help my Shaw family. If you are willing to intervene, then apart from the Shaw family ancestral hall, you may have any part of the territory. Along with that, I will endeavor to satisfy your other demands!"
When he was certain that Jacob was a twenty something year old Virtuoso-to-be, Cornell' attitude became more polite.
A twenty something Virtuoso-to-be would have a chance to have the same achievements as Boyce of the Goldsmith family in the Capital. When he becomes a Virtuoso before thirty years old then Jacob will become famous regardless of how unknown he was now.
Regardless of what's happening to the Shaw family now or the future of the Shaw family, Cornell hoped to have Jacob on their side.
"I don't have other demands. I'm not picky of the location as long as you are willing to rent me a piece of your territory as agreed. As for the rental, I can give you a Reinforcing Panacea each month!" Jacob gently said and smiled.
As for the changing of the head of the Shaw family, although his current impression of them was not bad, that didn't give him a reason to interfere with their family matters.
As long as Cornell was willing to abide by the terms of the contract and release a piece of territory to him, even if the head of the family changed, with the rental payment of one Reinforcing Panacea per month he didn't believe that he would be driven out of that place. Furthermore, once the territory was in his hands, who can force him to leave if he refused to?
Cornell was disappointed when he heard Jacob's reply.
Jacob had rejected his proposal. But even when Jacob rejected him, Cornell didn't intend to renege on his agreement. The Reinforcing Panaceas were definitely sufficient as a payment. Furthermore, they were top quality Reinforcing Panaceas which to them were rare and priceless.
Additionally, how were they to renege on an agreement with a Virtuoso-to-be?
As long as Jacob was in the Shaw village, Cornell believed that Jacob would lend a hand if something were to happen to them.
"Okay, you can choose wherever is unoccupied in the village!" Cornell said.
Once this condition was said, Jacob went around the village and selected an eastern part of the village which was barren.
After selecting the place, Jacob left the Shaw village with the Lecherous Demon and Grizzly Bear.
After leaving the Shaw family, Jacob and the others returned to Riverside City.
Then Jacob gathered the Hansen and Bell families to begin gathering and storing energy to prepare for a large-scale Mana collecting matrix jade.
Jacob intended for all of those practitioners to go to the Shaw village and train within the Mana collecting matrix. When that happened, they would gain tremendously during their training. Only then will they be able to keep in pace with Jacob and can be of service to Jacob in the future.
Even with the powers of the Hansen and Bell family, it took them three days to prepare to Jacob's satisfaction and prepare the materials for the large-scale Mana collecting matrix jade.
Once the materials were gathered, Jacob did not procrastinate and instructed the Lecherous Demon Edwin, Grizzly Bear, and Tekken to take the jade and go with him to the Riverside City Shaw Village. When Jacob arrived at the village entrance, there was no longer the guard.
Not only that, even as Jacob and the rest entered the Shaw Village, they realized that there wasn't a single person. The last time when they came, they met a lot of the Shaw family members along the way to the pugilistic center,
This time, all of the Shaw family members had disappeared.
When Grizzly bear saw the situation, he asked, "Master, could it be that all the Shaw family members were killed by the person mentioned by Cornell?"
Jacob shook his head and laughed, "But, the Shaw family must be in some troubles!"