Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Imperial Sword Saint, Fierce Battle
[Location: Outside Tino City]
Louis, riding his horse, saw Beatrice welcoming him at the city gate.
To avoid blocking the passersby entering and exiting the city, Beatrice deliberately stood to the spacious side of the road.
Passersby naturally cast their gaze toward Beatrice, who was escorted by the Royal Guard.
Some had faces filled with awe.
Others whispered, wondering who required the princess to wait here.
Some recalled something, and their expressions subtly changed.
Suddenly, a commotion arose from afar.
The somewhat uneasy Beatrice instinctively looked up towards the distance.
Amidst the thundering of hooves, she saw a long procession of horses slowly approaching, the raised flags faintly revealing the emblem of a roaring lion.
—it was the crest of Saint Louis Academy.
Beatrice lowered her head in disappointment.
It was not the person she was waiting for.
Clearly, although Beatrice agreed to Louis going to the Burning Smoke Mountain Range, she was anxious inside.
After all, one cannot underestimate a legend.
And legendary dragons, even more so.
Her heart was unwilling for Louis to take risks for her.
But she still agreed.
Louis’s background was already turbulent, and walking with her would inevitably bring tremendous pressure.
Now he had a chance to gain significant prestige, and he strongly demanded to try it, she had no reason not to support him.
Safeguarding his dignity was Beatrice’s restraint.
So no matter how worried, she could only prepare him with means to cope.
"Louis, why haven’t you come back yet?"
At this moment, the carriage procession from Saint Louis Academy gradually approached the city gate.
Beatrice and her group were so conspicuous that the academy’s group veered towards the fully armed Royal Guard.
"Halt."
A guardsman said coldly.
Beatrice waved her hand: "It’s fine, don’t stop them; it’s Master Kulin’s team."
Only then did the Royal Guard lower their long spears, step back, and make way.
Kulin Yodel.
The head of the Sword King Department at Saint Louis Academy, the renowned Imperial Sword Saint.
Though not legendary, he was a top-tier level 20 professional warrior.
In terms of swordsmanship alone, he was unparalleled beneath the legendary warriors of the empire.
His exquisite combat techniques were a perfect embodiment of power combined with beauty.
Even ordinary legends would bow their heads in artistry and call him "teacher."
Over the years, he nurtured many elites, including the Captain of the Royal Guard, Jino.
Even Beatrice was his student.
"Your Highness, the Princess."
The leader, a middle-aged man with graying hair, dismounted and knelt on one knee.
Beatrice nodded, signaling him to rise.
During her time at the academy, Beatrice would respectfully address Kulin as a teacher.
But outside the academy, Beatrice’s identity was more of the princess regent, the imperial heir, and the Minister of the Seal.
She fully deserved such a salute.
Beatrice asked, "Lord Kulin, why have you brought students out of the city today?"
Kulin, wearing a tailcoat, had neat hair and a meticulously groomed beard.
The students behind him were peering around curiously.
A young man clad in armor stepped forward and said:
"Master Kulin is taking us to the Dragonbone Prairie to eliminate scattered undead."
Kulin snorted, shaking his head with a sigh.
Young people these days really are... clueless.
He didn’t give the young man a chance to speak further and said directly:
"A message came from the Adventurer Guild, identifying traces of undead on the prairie."
"I thought instead of always training the students within the academy, we might as well test the secrets of the Nine Swords in practice, so I brought them out for a trip."
She, clad in half-armor and sitting imposingly on her horse, said aloud:
"It truly is hard on you, Lord Kulin."
Then she looked towards those students, her smile as warm as a spring breeze, and said softly:
"Students of Saint Louis are the pillars of our Ense. Such trials surely broadened your horizons.
"Having braved the elements, you must be tired. I won’t delay you further; go back and rest; there’s an early class tomorrow."
The students behind her involuntarily stood straight, trying to show expressions of pride.
Yet, the smiles creeping up the corners of their mouths revealed their mood.
Some even courageously approached Beatrice to converse.
Beatrice was not one to refuse conversation; she had no choice but to interact with these junior students.
The young man who earlier tried to speak to Beatrice now also desired to join the conversation.
Suddenly, someone noticed Master Kulin’s face had slightly changed.
The next moment, a shadow eerily appeared before Kulin.
"Master~"
A voice, like a roaring demon, was heard.
The next moment, the metallic clash resonated, tilting those around off-balance.
Kulin, holding a one-handed sword, deftly deflected the impact of a sudden swing from a two-handed sword.
He adjusted his tailcoat, saying elegantly:
"Rascal, your attack is too wide and lacks finesse. When faced with an opponent suppressing you, it will be difficult to summon a miracle."
A student exclaimed: "It’s Lord Jino Kaichen!"
Beatrice slapped her hand on her face:
"Should’ve sent Master Kulin off earlier and not forgotten that Jino was with Louis."
Yes, the one currently engaging in a heated exchange with Kulin was indeed Jino, who had gone with Louis for negotiations.
As Kulin’s most outstanding student in recent years, conflicts often arose between him and Jino.
Primarily, they were theoretical disputes.
Kulin believed in the aesthetics of swordsmanship, blending strength with beauty, naturally reaching the Sword Saint’s realm.
—Manifested in combat as precise as a scalpel, excelling in swift counterstrikes.
Jino, who learned much of the Nine Swords secrets under Kulin, was known for being exceptionally rebellious.
—He always believed his inability to defeat his master was solely due to insufficient professional level.
Even more damning, in recent years, Master Kulin started losing control over this rebellious disciple during their sparrings.
"When standing at a high level, all technical difficulties will be easily resolved."
This was Jino’s line.
Thus, these two often engaged in battles whenever they met over the past two years.
Of course, it wasn’t a bloody duel to the death, but rather an exchange of techniques between two battle monsters with differing philosophies.
"You still have a long way to go, Jino!"
Despite his words, when Kulin fought, he showed no mercy.
Without the amplification of bloodlust, purely relying on physical fitness and superb technique, they whipped up a whirlwind that was hard for ordinary people to approach.
The female officer beside Beatrice frowned and stepped forward slightly.
A blue barrier directly confined their battle within a range that didn’t affect others.
"Master! Tell me now, who is the true Imperial Sword Saint!"
"Rascal, your forehand is unrefined, your backhand is weak, none of your moves are decent, and you intend to defeat me like this?"
As the two fought more and more fervently, Beatrice’s gaze was already captured by another figure in the distance.
The group of students was immersed in the aesthetic of combat between teacher and student, unaware that the passing vehicles and onlookers had stopped somewhere unbeknownst to them.
Their expressions were somewhat dazed, their throats emitting strange sounds like "Oh my God," their eyes drawn to the main road behind.
In the distance, a procession of horses approached everyone.
The afternoon sun transformed behind the procession into a halo of light, concealing the figures of the oncomers.
But they saw the towering giant beast horn, with some mages even sensing a faint dragon presence on that giant entity.
The students, regaining their senses, also looked towards the rear.
The massive main road was now silent.