Chapitre 12: Chapter 12: Finally arrived!
"Are we getting out here?" asked Duan Li.
"Nope, we will continue to ride for another one stop before reaching the capital city." replied Ling Yu.
"This Triding River town is technically the first line of defense for the Jiu Empire. Thus, there are many stores out here that sells numerous necessities for martial artists going on an adventure including armors, weapons, manuals and the sorts. You can come here next time to take a look." she said with a smile.
"Ahh, I see.. But why is it considered the first line of defense?" asked Duan Li curiously.
This is because the numerous surrounding villages on the outskirts were also part of the Jiu Empire. Then, why are they not the first line of defense?
Hearing this, Wang Guozhi turned to answer as he pulled out a paper and pen from the void. This seems to be that 'Inventory space' magic that was imbued usually on rings. These rings are made up from the sack of a rare monster called 'Three striped Fanged-Snake' by which its tail has the properties of an alternate dimensional space, although the inner space would varies on random.
Ling Yu had told him about this before when they were travelling through the air as she took a sip from a water bottle that came out of nowhere.
"Well, imagine it like this, the capital city of Nine Lotuses is the center of the Jiu Empire. It is surrounded by eight towns including the Triding river town. There are two towns infront of the capital city in each four of the cardinal directions, and they are all connected together by town walls as their border." said Wang Guozhi as he draw a single circular shape which he divides them in a sectorial manner on the paper.
Although Duan Li loved reading, and he knew there are towns surrounding the capital city. He wasn't sure before how each were situated as the book he bought at a very cheap price had only stated as much roughly without going into the details.
Duan Li cupped his chin with his fingers as he found this positioning of towns around the capital to be quite interesting. Still, he did not understand the relationship of these towns with the 'first-line of defense' thingy.
'Ttak ttak!' the airtrain began to move and accelerate slowly.
Noticing Duan Li's expression, Wang Guozhi smiled as he continued.
"I mentioned that there are two towns in each cardinal direction right? Well, each of the first town after the capital are called the 'Production' town where they produce many stuff that is crucial for the prosperity and advancement of the empire. Thus, technically, they are the backbone of the Jiu Empire and where the majority of the people of the empire work." he said while labelling the middle sector shape as 'production town'.
"Therefore, each of the town after that, where the majority of the people lived and commute from protects the inner town and the capital city, which is the heart of the empire! Thus, my fellow senior teacher Ling Yu here, used the term 'first-line of defense' to make it simpler!" he said while crossing his arms together and giving side glances towards Ling Yu with a wink and smile.
He seemed to hint, 'Did you see that? I'm also quite knowledgable as well other than my manly figure and suave looks!'
Ling Yu giggled a little bit as she shook her head slowly.
While Wang Guozhi had explained how the towns were located and their functions, he seemed to fail to explain the crux of the matter.
"Senior teacher Wang Guozhi is correct. Also, the reason why it is called the first line of defense of the empire is because whenever there are threats, such as the seasonal monster stampede, these towns will be the first to dispatch official Knights from the academy to protect the surrounding villages!" she explained while emphasizing the 'Also' in her first sentence.
As the other party had already explained to the best of his ability, it is only right for her to just add on to the explanation rather than pointing out which one he was missing in his explanation.
Hearing this, Duan Li seemed to come to a better understanding now.
"No wonder everyone still respect the students from the Jixue Knights Academy eventhough some of them are quite the bully.. it turns out that they will eventually become a full-fledged knights to protect villages against monster attacks... " thought Duan Li.
It wasn't that he didn't know that Knights had protected them from the numerous monster attacks before. But that he didn't know the responsibility they held. Now, he had a more positive outlook towards the academy as a whole.
'Perhaps only that Li Feng is the most degenerate fella out of all the bunch of people..'
'Ting Tong!'
"Next stop, Capital City, Nine Lotuses city! Please remember to take your belongings with you and to exit with orderly manner. Thank you for your patronage."
"We have arrived, let's go quickly. The airtrain will only stop for a minute." said Ling Yu as she gestured for Duan Li and the rest to move.
...
Capital city, Nine Lotuses city..
"What size.. what exquisite buildings.. how many floor is that? Perhaps ten or more?" said Duan Li to himself as he swallowed his saliva.
When he first stepped out from the airtrain, he was quickly mesmerized by the tall buildings and orderly street view. Even the air seemed to be very clean and has a certain aroma to it that make one's body to relax. Not only that, this city seemed to be in harmony with nature as trees were everywhere at the correct places and angle.
This is truly a marvel in engineering and architecture!
"Surprised eh? Well that look on your face doesn't seem all that far from when I first step into this city as well! HAHAHA!" laughed Wang Guozhi.
Duan Li's face turned red in embarrassment.
Ling Yu just stood there to look at the both of them with a smile. In her heart, she chuckled as she remembered when Wang Guozhi had first arrived as well.
He came from a very far away place, up in the mountains bordering the Liu Empire. Thus, when he first saw the city, he had been entirely flabbergasted with every single thing he saw.
He had even put on his guard against the approaching airtrain before as he thought it was the ancestor snake looming up upon them.
What not that different from his?
Duan Li's reaction right now could be considered quite mild compared to him before.
"Umm.. senior teacher Ling Yu, I guess.. we should hurry up.. the gate will close soon.. " reminded Xiahou Yu as she approached.
Realizing this, Ling Yu quickly woke up from her stupor as she beckoned towards the two men in front of her.
"Let us go quickly! Otherwise the gate will close!" she said in a panic.
"Crap! Let's go boy!" said Wang Guozhi as he lifted Duan Li with his arms like a maiden in distress and shot forward with haste.
"W-what's going on?" said Duan Li feeling shocked with the sudden event.
Ling Yu also carried Xiahou Yu in her arms as they followed suit closely from the back.
"No one is allowed to be late in the academy! Not even us the senior teachers! Lest the principal himself might personally punish us!" replied Wang Guozhi with hoarse voice, seemingly afraid of something.
Ling Yu swallowed down her saliva as she also explained, "The principal is a scary and savage man, he wouldn't let even the tiny small ants crawling on the ground to be late!"
'Pu!'
Hearing this, Duan Li almost chocked himself to death.
Not letting even the ants crawling on the ground to be late? Was ants also part of the enrolled students of the academy or something?
What kind of principal to not even let some innocent ants off?
Noticing the bizarre look on Duan Li's face from the front. Ling Yu coughed as she could imagine what the former was thinking in his head.
"It's like this, a few years ago, when the principal had just taken office to replace the previous principal, the first thing he did was making rounds at the academy. He then discovered some fingernail-sized ants called 'Keeper Ants' walking around the compound..." she said with an awkward smile.
"That's right. So he decided to follow the trail of this keeper ants back to their nest with some senior teachers including us following him at the back. We were curious why he did that, but when we have finally arrived.." continued Wang Guozhi as he stopped talking for a while, seeming to reminisce that moment as he shuddered.
"He.. he spoke in the language of the ants!"
'Pu!'
Duan Li chocked himself again.
He spoke with the ants in their language? Is he part of the species?
"When he first spoke in such a language, coincidentally, one of the senior teachers at that time could also roughly understand their language as the latter mastered in linguistic field. Thus, he translated what the principal had said to us.." said Ling Yu.
"The principal said, starting tomorrow no one is allowed to be late, even you. So come before the gate closes. Otherwise I will punish you." Wang Guozhi recalled every word that he remembered from that time.
"At first, we thought the principal was just being strict and didn't actually meant what he said.. " he continued.
"But the next day, we saw the principal standing near the gate observing the students and teachers. We bowed and greeted him as he smiled gently to each of us. When the bell rang and the gate closes, no one came late. But then, he was still observing the closed gate as the Keeper Ants are passing through the gaps leisurely.. " he said as his body started to shudder again.
"The next moment, everyone saw the most horrifying scene that we have ever witnessed. Using locking spells, he sealed the movements of the keeper ants and pinned them on the walls as he pulled out a whip the size of several hairs combed together.. " he muttered in a small voice, seemingly to talk in whispers, afraid of getting heard.
"He then started to whip the ants like a madman! And that was while laughing eerily too! Not only that, he didn't even let the queen of the keeper ants off, as he somehow summoned the queen out of nowhere and pinned her against the wall too to start whipping her!"
'prik!'
Duan Li was closing his lips tight so he wouldn't get chocked if he got surprised, but now, he had bitten his own lips!
What savagery! The principal is a maniac!
They were leaping atop buildings with great speeds as the gate of the academy could finally be seen. Numerous people were rushing in like soldiers that had finally collapsed the gate of the enemy in a rush.
It seems like they would be the last one.
'Ding dong!'
The chime of bells suddenly resounded through the area as the gate slowly moved to close itself..
"Damn it!"
Both Ling Yu and Wang Guozhi cursed as they clenched their teeths together.
A burst of wild aura suddenly emanated out of them as their speeds increased by many folds and speeded even faster like a shooting bullet.
Like the gale of a strong wind, they passed through the gate on the last second before it closes tightly.
'Thud!'
They fell to the ground as both Wang Guozi and Ling Yu wiped the sweat off their forehead as they said simultaneously, "We made it.." with faces as if they had just won a tough battle.
Duan Li chuckled for a bit as he turned to look at that vast building in front of them, standing tall and majestic.
"I.. have finally arrived.."
...
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
_Ram_
_Ram_ So if i get at least five comments on today's chapter, ill publish the next chapter in the evening! huehuehue. and dont forget to review on the main page! that will motivate me alot! :)
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone