Monarch Night
Chapter 49 - 14 I, Fang Che, Am Taciturn and Reticent

Chapter 49: Chapter 14 I, Fang Che, Am Taciturn and Reticent

Great Training Ground.

A battle platform rose from the ground.

The place was already buzzing with excitement, crowded with people.

From fifth-year students to first-year freshmen, countless people came to watch.

Points!

They were too important.

And too hard to obtain.

The channels for obtaining Points were: first, contributing to the Martial Arts Academy; second, completing Martial Arts Academy tasks; third, creating one’s own techniques to deposit in the school’s Martial Library; fourth, personally hunting down criminals wanted by the government; fifth, personally hunting bounties from the Guardian Hall; sixth, personally killing any felons from the Wei Wo Zheng Sect; seventh, personally obtaining Heavenly Treasures of all levels and submitting them; eighth, personally hunting down the Demon Beast Cores of all levels (starting from fifth level) and submitting them; ninth, ranking within the top hundred in the quarterly competition for four consecutive seasons (no Points rewarded after the top ten); and tenth, advancing in rank during each assessment.

Basically, it was like telling the students: fight for your life!

To gain Points, one had to fight for their life!

However, consuming Points was very simple, whether for food, clothing, Cultivation, or even... if you did something wrong, damaged Martial Arts Academy facilities, Points would be deducted.

Therefore, Points at Baiyun Martial Academy were always a pain in the heart of every generation of students!

Not just difficult.

But truly difficult.

How could they not seize an opportunity to gain without toil?

Especially the losers from the previous years.

They were rubbing their hands together in eagerness.

Amid the astonishment and regular gaze of the freshmen and old students, a dozen Martial Arts Academy instructors carried out tables, swiftly setting up the betting station.

Moreover, there were various introductions outside for the top one hundred freshmen, complete with illustrations and text.

To help students decide who to bet on.

However, it was very brief.

Fang Che, Huo Churan, Ding Jie Ran...

Age, background, entrance ranking, how much Points they had this time.

But, there was no introduction to their cultivation, Weapons, or Martial Arts.

In other words, it was all up to luck.

But countless analyzers had already begun to assess, with most people’s gazes lingering around the top ten or top three.

But there were those who eyed the top twenty, hoping for a dark horse?

Placing bets on the top three gave odds of three to one; but betting on those beyond the tenth place offered odds of ten to one.

Could they be the same?

What if you bet on a dark horse and hit the jackpot? Then you wouldn’t have to worry about Points for your entire time at the Martial Arts Academy.

You could strike it rich in an instant!

The Martial Arts Academy hosted the betting itself, overseeing the gambling.

——Seeing this, Fang Che truly opened his eyes.

He saw his own name prominently at number one, circled in red, seemingly the hot favorite.

But, surprisingly, not many bet on him.

He couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.

It seemed his reputation for ’playing tricks and cheating’ had already spread.

While he was looking at this, he felt someone approach him.

He turned his head and saw it was Deputy Mountain Master Huang Yifan.

"Greetings, Mountain Master."

Huang Yifan patted his shoulder with a meaningful look and said, "Take it easy."

Then he disappeared into the crowd.

???

Fang Che was puzzled.

Take it easy? What did he mean?

Remembering Huang Yifan’s meaningful expression, Fang Che soon understood a bit.

These leaders of the Martial Arts Academy... were somewhat insidious.

As an old hand, Fang Che instantly figured out the leaders’ ulterior motives.

But what felt more profound to him was... why would a big figure like Huang Yifan always hover around him?

Fang Che instantly understood.

This Deputy Mountain Master Huang Yifan must know something.

The first day, Fang Che was doubtful and had confirmed 70 percent of his suspicions. Today, with Huang Yifan’s behavior, Fang Che became completely certain!

Below the platform.

With Fang Che’s arrival, a torrent of gazes converged upon him.

The looks were complicated.

As the gong sounded, the grand competition officially began.

Drawing lots.

All those with odd numbers drew lots for their opponents simultaneously.

Fang Che got his opponent’s number, looked up and saw:

Number seventy-six.

Then, the rules were announced.

There were no resurrection matches. That is to say, everything depended on luck; if you had the strength to strive for second place, but you faced the champion in the first round, then you would be eliminated in that round.

You wouldn’t have any chance to compete for a place.

Eliminated in one round!

Simple, rough, and brisk, it was rather perfunctory.

...

As the number one seed, Fang Che was, of course, the first to fight in the first round.

"First match, Fang Che vs. Lin Ziqing. Platform champion Fang Che, please enter the stage!"

With his high ranking, Fang Che naturally became the platform champion.

The referee’s loud chant echoed throughout the Great Training Ground.

"Yes!"

Fang Che didn’t say much. With a flash of shadow under the sunlight, dark golden light sparkled like stars, as though a swath of the night sky suddenly flickered in the air.

Fang Che moved with ethereal elegance and was already standing on the platform.

The sun was rising, the sky filled with dazzling light.

The young man stood tall and upright, radiant like jade.

The glow of the dawn seemed to drape over him. Or rather, it was as if he strode out from the radiance itself.

His eyebrows were like swords, his eyes like knives, his face sharply defined, stern and aloof, his presence otherworldly.

His body was like a noble orchid rising above a jade tree, as if a celestial being had descended from the moon.

All the students craned their necks in anticipation, and at the moment Fang Che ascended the stage, all eyes were truly upon him.

Amidst the fluttering of his black robe, the moment Fang Che stood on the platform,

Suddenly, there was silence throughout the arena.

Even the instructors acting as referees couldn’t help but inwardly compliment: What elegance! What spirit!

Countless girls below felt as though their hearts were heavily thumped upon laying eyes on Fang Che.

It was as if he had crashed straight from their vision into their hearts.

In that instant, their hearts fluttered uncontrollably.

The moon in the sky is the moon in the eyes; the person before you is the one in the dreams.

It seemed as if all their fantasies had suddenly become reality.

Fang Che, upon the stage, first scanned the crowd in search of familiar faces.

He hadn’t expected Kang Zijian to make it into the top one hundred.

But after sweeping his gaze across, he didn’t spot Kang Zijian. Instead, he saw Wei Zihao.

He couldn’t help but pause for a moment.

Wei Zihao now looked much more spirited, evidently having lost some weight, but Fang Che faintly felt that he also seemed darker? A shade of dark energy seemed to hover over his face.

Fang Che had a deep memory of Wei Zihao, since he was a target Fang Che intended to bully for a long time in the Martial Arts Academy. With just one glance, he immediately noted the difference.

Darker, thinner.

But his observation was brief, as there was no time for further thought.

Because he was about to introduce himself.

"Dear instructors, senior brothers, senior sisters, and fellow classmates,"

Fang Che, with an easy grace, clasped his fists in greeting, standing tall and straight: "My name is Fang Che; ’Fang’ as in upright and honest, ’Che’ as in thorough. My family chose this name with the hope that I would become an upright gentleman, one who follows through to the end."

He seemed slightly embarrassed as he chuckled, "Unfortunately, I’m not that much of a gentleman. In our future interactions, don’t be deceived by my name."

Instantly, a wave of good-natured laughter erupted from below, mostly from the girls.

One voice even shouted out loud, "I’d be willing to be deceived by you!"

"Hahaha..."

There were even more laughs.

Fang Che on the stage smiled shyly, "I have many faults, a bad temper, and some character defects—I can only take advantage, never suffer a loss..."

After listing many of his own flaws, he earnestly continued, "Moreover, I’m usually quiet and reserved, valuing words like gold, a bit of a lone wolf, so I hope my fellow senior brothers and sisters and classmates... won’t take offense in the future."

Quiet and reserved? Valuing words like gold? A lone wolf?!

Laughter erupted from the crowd below.

They felt this guy was handsome, poised, and had a great temperament.

And he was also quite humorous.

Indeed, he was a rare find.

But as they interacted with Fang Che over the next five years, they slowly realized, recalling his self-introduction today, they shockingly found out that what he had said was all true!

The feeling was indescribable.

On the other side.

Lin Ziqing too had leapt onto the stage, dressed in green, another tall and handsome youth.

Quite dashing indeed.

But standing next to Fang Che, just as he was about to introduce himself, he felt damn uncomfortable...

It was like a brick placed beside a glowing pearl.

The contrast was too striking.

Therefore, he silently moved three zhang away from Fang Che, still feeling too close, and took another two steps out.

Then realizing he was on the edge of the stage.

"Dear instructors, and everyone..."

Before he could finish, a burst of laughter suddenly erupted from below.

Some people laughed until they cried.

Mainly because Lin Ziqing’s earlier reaction was so obvious.

Everyone understood why.

Overwhelmed by the laughter, Lin Ziqing became utterly flustered, his face flushed as he stood on the stage, unable to speak.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of anger rush up, abruptly turning to look at Fang Che, his eyes blazing with fury, his teeth clenched.

It’s all because of you!

Fang Che was momentarily stunned.

Well, that was a quick shift in anger...

Lin Ziqing, with an angry face, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

Fang Che simply stepped aside, stretching out a hand, "Please, Classmate Lin."

Lin Ziqing, abruptly unable to get his words out, glared furiously.

At the same time, he drew his sword and yelled angrily, "Fang Che, you low and despicable cheat, winning first place by trickery, today I, Lin Ziqing, will expose your true colors!"

Fang Che’s face showed a look of helplessness as he tried to reason, "Don’t be so loud, Classmate Lin, being right doesn’t depend on being loud. And, don’t be so angry. Even without me, you would still only be rank seventy-five. This anger seems a bit unfounded, as if without me, you could have won the championship."

These words were like a sharp needle piercing into Lin Ziqing’s heart.

In a flash, he felt as if his insides were ablaze.

Whoosh!

Enraged by Fang Che’s words, Lin Ziqing’s vision went dark as he swung his sword towards him.

Fang Che dodged deftly, seriously saying, "If you are not satisfied, Classmate Lin, then I apologize to you, I’m sorry that I won first place and blocked your path. Without me, you would have been seventy-five. I truly am very sorry."

"I’ll kill you!"

Lin Ziqing roared loudly, veins throbbing on his face, utilizing his full strength.

"Sigh... Classmate Lin is a bit too impulsive; we classmates should have love for each other, we shouldn’t use the word ’kill,’ you should go down and rest. It’s not worth it to harm your health at such a young age."

He spun around, and somehow ended up behind Lin Ziqing, giving a light push.

Lin Ziqing, already at the edge of the stage, couldn’t stop his momentum and involuntarily flew off the stage, his sword held high, unable to change direction, stabbing towards a fifth-level senior student below.

That senior seemed to be the leader of a group, surrounded by many, standing out like a crane amongst chickens.

Seeing Lin Ziqing coming at him, he frowned slightly but made no move.

A smack sounded.

Someone at his side, eager to show off, slapped Lin Ziqing away, wiping his hands in anger, "How dare you attempt to assassinate my boss!"

Lin Ziqing had already fainted.

The audience below was again thrown into commotion.

On stage, the announcement came: Victory for contestant number one!

Fang Che bowed meticulously, expressed his thanks all around, and descended from the stage with graceful deportment.

He vanished in an instant.

His battle for this round was over, waiting for the next fight among the top fifty participants.

There was a certain calmness on and off the stage.

Because there was too much to ponder on after this battle.

Lin Ziqing was perhaps a bit weak.

But Fang Che also didn’t seem all that much stronger.

Many even felt that the gap in martial strength wasn’t that big, the biggest damage wasn’t from Fang Che’s push.

The force of Fang Che’s words was more than ten times the damage of the physical fight!

Regardless of whether they were new or senior students, male or female, they all thought the same thing: This guy might not have displayed much of his strength yet.

But needless to say, his mouth was truly venomous.