Nobilis of War

"Well, in my opinion, the schools will do everything they can to fight for Nelson and Darren. They will offer the most precious resources to draw their attention and win their selection.".

Darren caught the disciple's words and understood their meaning. Though he was inclined to choose the School of Sword Skill for now, he could still wait and see what other schools were going to offer. This way, he could have more resources for his cultivation in the future if there was a school that would offer him a better deal.

A little later, the elders of the School of Spear Skill, the School of Arrow Skill, the School of Boxing Skill and the School of Blade Skill all showed their skills. Only the School of Sword Skill remained.

"Look! That's Elsa!"

Darren looked up at the stage and didn't find Elder Thomas there. Standing on the stage instead was Elsa Gongsun, who he had met at the Barren Wasteland the other day.

"Everyone, my father is in a closed-door cultivation right now, and he will be out in a day or two. So I, Elsa Gongsun, will recruit new disciples for him this time." With these words, Elsa walked a step up. The look on her face was still cold and indifferent like before.

"Wow! She's the daughter of Elder Thomas. She is so pretty! I've decided to join the School of Sword Skill and become her fellow disciple."

"You are clearly cultivating the boxing skill! How could you give up your future just for a pretty girl? I'll be the one to join the School of Sword Skill and win her heart! Hahaha!"

"Damn you! You just told me that you would join the School of Spear Skill!".

The appearance of Elsa caused much excitement. Many disciples were attracted by her beauty and her cold persona.

"My sword skill can't compare to other elders' skills, so I won't show it," Elsa said in an efficient manner. "Everyone, you can start choosing a school of martial arts skill now." Hearing her words, the disciples all started moving, going to the school they wanted to join.

On the stage, the elders told their disciples to welcome the talents who wanted to become their new fellow disciples and to give an introduction of the resources they would enjoy after joining them. "Calum, your talent is at the eighth stage of the Yellow Degree. If you join our School of Blade Skill, we will offer you a superior spiritual herb each month. And you will be allowed one trip to the Mysterious Spiritual Pool for meridian refining after three years. What do you think?"

"Of course! Thank you for giving me the opportunity!"

Some disciples were hesitant between two schools.

"Please join the School of Boxing Skill! We can offer you two superior spiritual herbs a month, and you can go to the Mysterious Spiritual Pool every three years. What do you say?"

"Don't listen to him! Join the School of Spear Skill! We can give you three superior spiritual herbs every month, and..."

The disciple they were fighting for had a talent at the ninth stage of the Yellow Degree. One could tell that the schools all wanted the best talents for themselves.

In the yard, only Darren and a young man dressed in blue didn't move.

The gazes of the elders standing on the stage fell on them.

"I heard that Darren is good at the blade skill. It seems that he will surely join my school! Ha-ha!" The elder of the School of Blade Skill had already heard that Darren had fought with a pretty boy with a blade on the way here.

"Elder Alan, you can't be certain. In my opinion, Darren is even better at the sword skill. I have a feeling that he will choose the School of Sword Skill," Elsa said confidently.

In fact, she felt happily surprised to see Darren here. She didn't expect the talented young man was the one she had met in the Barren Wasteland the other day. No wonder he seemed so talented that day. "Uh-huh, you are being ridiculous, Elsa. You know that one can't cultivate the sword skill and the blade skill at the same time. Now that he's good at the blade skill, how can he even cultivate the sword skill?" Elder Alan retorted in a tone matching Elsa's confidence.

"Ha-ha, Elder Alan, there's no conflict between the two before he cultivates the blade intent or the sword intent." It was not that easy for Elsa to back down.

Hearing Elsa's words, a faint cold smirk climbed up Alan Mo's face.

"Alright, you two. Maybe he will choose the School of Spear Skill. I came here prepared. No one will refuse my generous offer. So be careful," another elder interrupted.

"Let's wait and see," said the elder of the School of Boxing Skill, Ezra, joining their conversation. "Then the other talented young man Nelson must join my School of Boxing Skill. I stake my claim on him.". The selection process moved along speedily. Soon, more than half of the disciples had chosen the school they wanted to join. But Darren still hadn't moved yet.

In the corner of the yard, a pretty boy with wounds all over his body was watching the people in the yard with another handsome and calm young man.

"It's him! He's Darren, who scarred my face! How am I supposed to go outside looking like this?" the pretty boy wailed to his brother.

"I see. All right, bring the little boy here!"

Responding to the order, one of his subordinates brought a young boy who also had wounds over his body. The eyes of the boy were dull and unintelligent. There was also another man who was with him. "Jimmy, think wisely if you are going to do as I say. If you refuse me, your foolish brother will die!"

"You evil bastards!" Jimmy shouted, his fury showing in the tightened, white knuckles of his fist.

"What? Are you going to disobey us? Don't forget that he's at the third stage of the Spirit Realm. You don't want to get yourself hurt, do you?" another man threatened.

"What are you waiting for, Jimmy? Give me your answer! Will you do as I ask?" With these words, the man stepped on the hand of the foolish young boy. The bones in his hand shattered with a gruesome crack.

"Brother, it hurts! It hurts so much!" The young boy cried out, holding the broken hand to his chest.

"Let go of my brother!" Jimmy ran towards them but was fought back by the man.

"If you don't go, I will chop off your brother's head!" With the threatening words, the young man held the boy's head in his hand. He could easily kill the boy with little strength.

"Wait!" Jimmy called, half kneeling in front of William Wang, "Please don't hurt my brother, William! I will go immediately."

"Ha-ha. That's right. This is a sword intent seed and a blade intent seed. You have to watch him cultivate them, do you hear me? And, act naturally. If Darren finds out what we're up to, you will lose your dear little brother!"

After this, the man called William Wang gave Jimmy two crystals, one was green, and one was purple. Then he gestured for him to go and find Darren immediately.

Jimmy had a painful look on his face. He thought for a short moment before making up his mind finally. Then he mumbled to himself, "I am sorry, Darren. But I really have to save my little brother." He walked straight up to Darren, his resolve for his task hardening as he went.

"Well, Darren, you still haven't chosen a school?" Jimmy asked in a cool tone, his true intentions masked behind a calm demeanor.

Darren smiled after seeing him, then said, "Yeah. I want to wait for a bit and see."

"All the schools will be fighting for a talented young man like you." Then Jimmy changed the subject. "Oh right, Darren, I heard that you are cultivating both the sword skill and the blade skill. This is for you," Jimmy said, extending his hand with the two seeds on it. "This is a blade intent seed and a sword intent seed. They are priceless. The elders asked me to give them to you in secret. Even Nelson doesn't have them. Go on, cultivate them quickly!"

Darren stared at the two shining crystals, feeling a sudden curiosity.☐☐