"William Carter... the matter of you dueling with Samuel Grant can't possibly be true, right? Samuel Grant is a mid-level swordsman, an advanced swordsman who has already surpassed the rank of official swordsman, and one of the core seed students of our Xuan Zhong Advanced Swordsman Academy. Many of the other seed students in the academy aren't even his match. Did you really accept his challenge? Because of that Helen Clark?"

William Carter had already browsed through some of this body's memories and nodded silently. "Yes."

"This is bad."

Quinn Harris frowned deeply, looking at this junior with clear worry in her expression. "Samuel Grant is of noble birth and has the right to inherit his family's viscount title. In the special circumstances of a duel, if he defeats you—even if he accidentally kills you—he won't be punished at all... I think you..."

"I won't lose."

Before Quinn Harris could finish, William Carter had already spoken.

"A mid-level swordsman is not qualified to block my path forward."

"William Carter..."

Quinn Harris was about to say something...

"The instructor is here."

As William Carter finished speaking, his gaze had already fallen on a young woman wearing an instructor's badge, walking in from outside the hall.

Chapter 3 Jane Howard

"Good morning, students."

The young woman walked up to the podium and smiled. "I am your instructor for this advanced swordsmanship introductory course, 'Ten Thousand Streams Dueling Swordsmanship.' My name is Jane Howard. If you are interested in this swordsmanship, you will be studying with me for quite some time."

As soon as Jane Howard finished speaking, a wave of excitement swept through the students below.

Many hadn't expected that the instructor for this swordsmanship course would be a woman in her twenties, and a beautiful one at that. Just seeing her stride into the hall with a sword, exuding heroic spirit, was enough to make many students cheer and shout.

"Since everyone is here to study at the academy, I won't waste your precious time. After all, just two years ago, I was a student here at Xuan Zhong Advanced Swordsman Academy, just like you. I understand how eager you all are to learn advanced swordsmanship."

"Jane Howard Instructor, you were a student here two years ago? Does that mean you're only twenty-four now?"

A young student in his twenties immediately asked, seeming more interested in Jane Howard's age than in the swordsmanship she was teaching.

"And what is your name, student?"

"Jerry Yang, my name is Jerry Yang, son of Sir Wendy Young, the great swordsman."

"Very well, student Jerry Yang. If you can perform the Ten Thousand Streams Dueling Swordsmanship smoothly and fully master its basic applications within three days, I will answer your question." As she spoke, Jane Howard's gaze swept over the assembled students. "If you have any questions, let me first see your effort. In three days, master the basics of this swordsmanship. I believe that for you talented students from all over the kingdom, this shouldn't be difficult, right?"

The students cheered, feeling that this instructor was approachable, and each of them was determined to train hard in this swordsmanship, not wanting to be looked down upon by this beautiful instructor.

"The Ten Thousand Streams Dueling Swordsmanship is one of the eight most famous sword techniques of our Xuan Zhong Advanced Swordsman Academy. It is also the foundation for our academy's place among the top five academies in the kingdom. Across the entire kingdom, there are thousands upon thousands of warriors who train in this swordsmanship, but those who truly master it and reach the introductory level are very few. Once you master the basics, it will be your pride before you become an official swordsman. If you become proficient and skilled, even as a mid-level swordsman, it can be your trump card to defeat your enemies. If you train it to perfection, to its peak, even as an advanced swordsman, this technique will allow you to fully unleash your strength."

"Jane Howard Instructor, as the instructor for this swordsmanship, have you trained it to the peak as an advanced swordsman?"

The one who asked this was Quinn Harris, standing beside William Carter.

Her question drew quite a few looks.

"Although I am an advanced swordsman, I have only trained this swordsmanship to the mastery stage. But give me another five or six years, and I am confident I can reach its peak."

"Wow!"

As soon as Jane Howard finished speaking, a wave of astonishment swept through the students—not for anything else, but for Jane Howard's level of skill.

Advanced swordsman.

Having graduated from Xuan Zhong Advanced Swordsman Academy just two years ago, and at only about twenty-four years old, to already be an advanced swordsman—such talent is truly outstanding. Even in the entire Xuan Zhong Advanced Swordsman Academy, this instructor must be considered one of the geniuses.

"Who would have thought that Instructor Jane Howard is actually an advanced swordsman? No wonder she became an instructor at such a young age."