Kane Patton's Challenge

Kane Patton's Challenge

Wood glanced anxiously at his brother and called out in alarm, "Brother!"

"Eight hundred and fifty thousand gold coins!"

As soon as Kane finished calling out, a voice came from a room on the second floor: "Nine hundred thousand gold coins."

"Brother!"

"Nine hundred and ten thousand gold coins!"

A light laugh came from a room on the second floor. "This painting contains the power of heaven and earth. It's such a fine painting—it must be worth at least a million gold coins!"

Wood still wanted to persuade his brother to raise the bid, but Kane said, "That's Lord Cassie, a Saint Realm powerhouse from the Rem Family."

As a top noble of the Furio Empire, an ally of the Divine Beast Empire, Wood naturally knew how powerful the Rem Family was. Lord Cassie was as powerful as their own ancestor, so Wood wisely chose to keep quiet.

In the end, Matthews's Blood Lion Thunder Cloud Painting sold for a million gold coins. After finishing the handover with the auction house, Matthews left with Mia and the others. Outside, they ran into Wood and his brother, Kane.

Kane looked at Matthews and loudly declared, "One month from now, I'll challenge you at Mount Dadong in the Imperial Capital!"

Matthews looked at the man who had challenged him, confirmed he didn't know him, then glanced at Wood, who stood behind him with a malicious look on his face. He immediately understood. To be honest, he had once felt hatred toward them, but his mindset had changed over the years, and he had long since forgotten about that trivial matter.

"Who are you?"

"Hmph, I'm Kane Patton. I challenge you in the name of the Patton Family's eldest son!"

Matthews wasn't a naive novice anymore. He also understood that he had to accept a challenge issued in the name of a family.

"Fine. I'll see you at Mount Dadong in a month!"

After Matthews accepted, Kane led his younger brother away. Mia asked worriedly, "Brother, are you sure you'll be all right? Kane has been at the ninth level for many years!"

"Don't worry. Reaching the ninth level earlier doesn't make someone stronger."

As soon as Matthews finished speaking, a loud laugh rang out.

"Hahaha, this young man is right."

Then the man said to Mia, "Don't worry. Kane is no match for your brother."

Mia asked, puzzled, "Why?"

"Hahaha, your brother has comprehended the power of heaven and earth."

Seeing that Mia still looked confused, Matthews had no choice but to interrupt. "Greetings, my lord!"

"Don't be so formal, young friend. You've already comprehended the power of heaven and earth. Reaching the Saint Realm is now a certainty. You can call me Cassie."

Looking at the courteous old man before him, Matthews replied respectfully, "I'll still call you Lord Cassie."

"Hahaha, very well! Come visit me sometime!"

After Cassie walked away, Mia still looked puzzled. "Brother, what did that old man mean by the power of heaven and earth?"

As they walked, Matthews explained, "The power of heaven and earth is a realm that anyone at the ninth level must comprehend to advance to the Saint Realm. It comes from perceiving the mysteries of nature and the world!"

"Then how should I comprehend it?"

"Uh, I only know how warriors do it."

Matthews then explained common methods of comprehension, such as being able to lift something heavy with ease or making something light feel heavy. After thinking for a moment, he continued, "I don't know how mages comprehend the power of heaven and earth, but it's a quality that exists everywhere in all things."

"Like the three forms of water, for example!"

After Matthews finished explaining, he saw that they still looked confused, so he didn't say anything more.

Afterward, Matthews shut himself away in his little workshop to cultivate and develop some moves for the upcoming match. You could look down on your enemy strategically, but you had to take them seriously tactically. Matthews wasn't about to fight without being prepared. After all, this wasn't some playful contest with friends like in his previous world.

Challenges in this world could be fatal, so Matthews had to make preparations. Besides, he was a warrior, and his opponent this time was a mage. His top priority was to use his mobility to close in on his target. If he let the mage put distance between them, the warrior would become a moving target for the mage's magical trials.

The electromagnetic device that let Matthews fly had been destroyed by the angel Lyriel during their last battle. Now that he had gained new insight into the Laws of Lightning Elements, he could use his knowledge of electromagnetism to try to comprehend the Electromagnetic Profundity of the Lightning Element.

Somehow, word had gotten out that Matthews was busy comprehending the laws in his ironworks.

Mia rushed in and said anxiously, "Brother, everyone in the Imperial Capital is talking about it now. They're saying Kane Patton vowed to defeat you and show you the difference between an early-stage ninth-level warrior and a peak ninth-level warrior."

"Who cares? Don't let gossip affect your state of mind."

"But, but—"

Seeing Mia's troubled expression, Matthews ran a finger over the tip of her nose. "Why are you stammering?"

"But, brother, people are saying Kane is going to teach you a lesson on behalf of his younger brother! And they're also saying—"

Matthews understood as soon as he heard that. The Imperial Capital had no television or other forms of entertainment, so this kind of gossip would spread quickly. He already knew what version of the story it would turn into without Mia needing to say more.

"All right, this has nothing to do with us. We just need to cultivate and grow stronger. Once we do, all these rumors will turn into words of praise for you!"

Things unfolded just as Matthews had expected. People were discussing all kinds of versions of the story. A duel between ninth-level warriors hadn't taken place in the Imperial Capital for a long time, so the nobles, with nothing better to do, were freely gossiping about it.

Perhaps with the Patton Family fanning the flames, word of the duel spread through the areas surrounding the Imperial Capital at an astonishing speed. The people nearby calculated when it would take place and began making their way to Mount Dadong.

"Kelly, who do you hope will win this match?"

Nina asked Kelly, who was sitting at the table, lost in thought. Nina still remembered how badly she had offended Matthews back then, so naturally, she didn't want him to win.

"I don't know!"

Kelly and Wood's marriage had also been arranged for political reasons, and they had little affection for each other. Back then, her family had chosen Wood because of the power behind him. He also had an ancestor at the Saint Realm, and his older brother Kane had a chance of reaching the Saint Realm as well. So at first, her family had wanted to marry her to Kane.

But Kane had never shown any intention of getting married, so her family had arranged for her to marry his younger brother, Wood. Now she didn't know who she wanted to win.

"I still hope Kane wins. After all, he was taught by a Saint Realm ancestor, so he's sure to be much stronger than that country bumpkin!"