262 – Recruiting a Sacred Swordsman
The villa that could house all of Yang Feng’s subordinates in the St. Tulan City had already been bought by him from Bousso.
Inside the villa, in a luxuriously decorated room, Yang Feng sat on a sofa covered in tiger fur. Opposite to him sat 2 people, namelu Ca.s.sius and his daughter.
Yang Feng smiled faintly, saying: “When Girón challenged me, he was accidentally hurt by me. From the perspective of the empire’s law, I have no obligation to treat him. However, I have always been generous. I’ll cure him if you give me 6 million gold coins.”
Becky was shocked, and then yelled: “6 million gold coins!! There is no way we can come up with such a big sum!!”
Ca.s.sius couldn’t help but wrinkle his eyebrows.
Human Sacred Swordsmen were also people of the secular world, unlike G.o.ds who dwelt in their divine countries high among the stars and didn’t have to worry over gold coins.
A human Sacred Swordsman also had to work or own a property to make money. Generally, Sacred Swordsmen would open martial arts schools to recruit the children of greater aristocrats as disciples or side with the court and serve as the court’s hunting dogs. Among the 5 Legend rank powerhouses of the sword of justice, 2 were Sacred Swordsmen who sided with the court later in life.
Ca.s.sius also made a living via a martial arts school. His family had more than 1 million gold coins in a.s.sets, yet the liquid capital was merely over 100,000 gold coins. Although he didn’t lack money, but there was no way he could come up with such a huge sum as 6 million gold coins.
Yang Feng said faintly: “That is a precious potion that can allow people heal their damaged dantian and restore their qi. Naturally, the price can’t be low. If you aren’t willing, you can invite a Pope from one of the temples to help you. So long as they cast the level-4 divine spell Great Praise of Life, they can also heal Girón’s injuries.”
The level-4 divine spell Great Praise of Life was one of the strongest healing divine spells of the temples. This divine spell could heal any injury within a day’s time. Even people at the brink of death would be pulled away from the white light
Only peak powerhouses of the temples, such as Popes or Cardinals, could conjure such a divine spell. Moreover, you had to pay a huge price to cast such a powerful healing divine spell. No one would cast such a powerful divine spell for a trifling Star Knight.
Becky was immediately rendered speechless. The Popes and Cardinals of churches were very n.o.ble characters. Even if Ca.s.sius went to beg, there was no way he could get one such individual cast such a powerful healing divine spell.
Ca.s.sius, who had went through countless storms and tribulations, said plainly: “Earl Ian, since you had us come here, you must be intent on treating Girón. Please tell me your conditions!”
Yang Feng smiled and revealed his real intentions: “I can cure Girón. However, I want for you to become my retainer and serve me, Ca.s.sius!”
Ca.s.sius asked meaningfully: “Earl Ian, do you know how many greater aristocrats have come to recruit me?”
Yang Feng shook his head.
Ca.s.sius said faintly: “A total of 137 greater aristocrats have come to recruit me to serve them. However, I didn’t agree. I can’t think of any reason why I should serve you.”
Yang Feng replied unhurriedly: “They just failed to come up with something that would entice you. Ca.s.sius, I can make you an aristocrat!”
Ca.s.sius just smiled without saying anything. If he was willing to join the court of the Morrince Empire and become a hunting dog of the court, he could easily get the t.i.tle of a life peer earl, become a life peer aristocrat, and enjoy all the rights of the aristocracy.
Yang Feng raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and then went on to say: “I can make you a hereditary peer aristocrat.”
Ca.s.sius’ eyelids jumped up slightly and his eyes flashed with a trace of graveness. Hereditary peer aristocrats could pa.s.s on their t.i.tle from generation to generation and had a fief of their own. Even the t.i.tle of a small-time hereditary peer knight was considered to be a genuine step into the aristocratic cla.s.s.
Yang Feng continued with a smile: “If you side with me, I can grant you a chevalierdom, recommend you to the empire, and have you become a member of the hereditary peer aristocracy!”
Ca.s.sius’ heart throbbed, and ripples went off in his originally tranquil eyes. He, who lived all his life in the Morrince Empire, understood how difficult it was to get the t.i.tle of a hereditary peer chevalier.
A hereditary peer chevalier was like an emperor in their fief. They only had to offer a certain amount of gold coins to the royal family, and then could do whatever they pleased. Besides, they could legally set up a 200-strong private army to protect their fief.
An aristocrat with the t.i.tle of a hereditary peer chevalier was qualified to join the circle of first-cla.s.s aristocrats and become a member of the exclusive aristocracy.
As the Lightning Sacred Swordsman, Ca.s.sius had very strong martial prowess. Greater aristocrats have come to recruit him. However, he understood that they wanted to get a strong henchman or bodyguard rather than a partner of the same social cla.s.s as them.
One of the reasons that Ca.s.sius was unwilling to become a henchman of those greater aristocrats was that once he got old and his strength declined to a certain extent, his master might very likely abandon or even eliminate him.
Yang Feng smiled and said: “If you render enough merits, I can even help you become a hereditary peer baron and make you a member of the real aristocracy. As you may know, the Red Earth Wasteland is exceedingly vast, so bestowing you with a barondom isn’t worth mentioning!”
“Hereditary peer baron!!” Ca.s.sius’ eyes erupted with a scorching light, his heart rate sped up, and his blood circulated wildly.
Only if they rendered extraordinary achievements, might Sacred Swordsmen that sided with the court of the Morrince Empire be able to get 1 or 2 knightdoms and become part of the aristocratic cla.s.s after serving the empire for a lifetime. With a bit of luck, they might even get a chevalierdom and have their offsprings step into the aristocratic cla.s.s.
Hereditary peer baron, such a reward could only be seen during the founding years of the Morrince Empire or during the most critical battles of the empire, such as a large scale battle against the old enemy the t.i.tan Empire, or during a democalypse or seapocalypse.
Yang Feng went on to say lightly: “Let’s do it like this. If you are willing to side with me and fight for me wholeheartedly, then even if you die, I will ensure that your son or daughter can becoming a hereditary peer baron. Of course, a hereditary peer baron isn’t the limit. If you render enough merits, you can even take a step further and become a hereditary peer viscount. We can go to the Temple of Contracts and have this notarized!”
Ca.s.sius suddenly felt his mouth become dry, and his eyes flashed with ecstasy: “Hereditary peer viscount!”
In the Morrince Empire, hereditary peer earl aristocrats and upwards were called greater aristocrats, and had huge power; hereditary peer baron aristocrats and upwards were considered to be real aristocrats. Hereditary peer viscounts were considered to be quasi greater aristocrats. Some powerful viscounts could even be admitted into the circle of the greater aristocracy and become real members of the greater aristocracy.
Ca.s.sius could not resist such a huge temptation, at all. In the Morrince Empire, apart from the emperor and some top-notch big shots with long and ancient heritages, no one could come up with a barondom to recruit a Sacred Swordsman.
After contemplating for a while, Ca.s.sius’ eyes flashed with resolve, and he said solemnly: “Earl Ian, if you can really fulfill your promise, then I am willing to join you as a retainer!”
“This is the contract, have a look.” Yang Feng smiled, took out a contract doc.u.ment, and handed it to Ca.s.sius.
Ca.s.sius took the contract doc.u.ment and looked at it carefully for a while. His eyes flashed with a complex feeling, and he said faintly: “Sir Earl, it seems that you have prepared the contract doc.u.ment beforehand. Was the misunderstanding between you and my daughter also part of your plan?”
Becky was shocked, and looked at Yang Feng with some fear in her beautiful eyes.
Yang Feng smiled and said: “No, it was just me taking advantage of the situation, that’s all. Of course, if you hadn’t come, I had other choices, such as the Storm Sacred Swordsman, Gale Sacred Swordsman, Flame Sacred Swordsman, Wind-Fire Sacred Swordsman, and the like. There are dozens of Sacred Swordsmen in the St. Tulan City who are yet to be recruited by others. I can pay them a visit and, eventually, am bound to recruit 2 or 3 Sacred Swordsmen.”
Ca.s.sius contemplated for a while before nodding eventually.
To gain a chevalierdom and advance to a hereditary peer chevalier by siding with Yang Feng, this deal was a great enticement to Sacred Swordsmen of the St. Tulan City.
Compared to Legend Wizards, who dedicated themselves to knowledge heart and soul and possessed great wealth, Sacred Swordsmen were more vulnerable to the temptation of power and wealth. Legend rank powerhouses were also just people with friends and family, who wanted to lead good lives and rise head and shoulders above others.
There were also Sacred Swordsmen who pursued the pinnacle of martial arts. However, even more Sacred Swordsmen pursued fame, and joined the court of the Morrince Empire or some greater aristocratic families.
The G.o.ds of the Feisuo Plane were aloof beings who looked down at the common ma.s.ses from high above. Royal families, greater aristocrats, aristocrats, and churches jointly controlled the world and the hierarchical social system.
Even though Sacred Swordsmen had strong martial prowess, but they could only climb this hierarchical social system step by step. People with strong martial prowess didn’t necessarily have a high social status and lead better lives. However, the social status of hereditary peer aristocrats was certainly very high, and, so long as they weren’t too foolish, they could lead very good lives.
Yang Feng said with a smile: “Then let’s go to the Temple of Contracts to sign a fair contract with the G.o.d of Contracts as witness!”
Ca.s.sius got up impatiently, then smiled embarra.s.sedly and, while hiding his anxiety, replied: “Very well!”