Kane Patton's Challenge

Chapter 48: The Duel Challenge of Kane Patton

Wood looked at his brother in a panic, shouting anxiously, "Brother!"

"Eight hundred and fifty thousand gold coins!"

Just as Kane finished his bid, a voice rang out from a room on the second floor: "Nine hundred thousand gold coins."

"Brother!"

"Nine hundred and ten thousand gold coins!"

A light chuckle drifted from the room on the second floor: "This is a painting that contains the momentum of heaven and earth. Such a fine piece is surely worth at least one million gold coins!"

Wood still wanted to persuade his brother to keep raising the price, but his brother Kane said, "That is Lord Cassie, a Saint Realm powerhouse of the Rem Family."

As a member of the top nobility in the Furio Empire, an ally of the Divine Beast Empire, Wood naturally knew of the Rem Family's power. Lord Cassie of their family was an existence as formidable as their own ancestor, so he wisely chose to shut his mouth.

In the end, Matthews' Blood Lion Thunder Cloud Painting was sold for one million. After Matthews finished the handover with the auction house staff, he walked out with Mia and the others, only to run straight into Wood and his brother Kane.

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

Matthews looked at the man who had issued such a challenge, and upon confirming he didn't recognize him, he glanced at the malicious-looking Wood behind him and immediately understood. To be honest, he had felt resentment back then, but his state of mind had changed over the years, and he had long since forgotten such trivial matters.

"Who are you?"

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

Matthews was no longer a novice; he understood that a challenge issued in the name of a family could not be refused.

"Fine, see you at Mount Dadong in a month!"

Seeing that Matthews had agreed, Kane took his brother and left. Mia asked worriedly, "Brother, will it be alright? This Kane has already reached the ninth rank for many years!"

"Don't worry, the ninth rank isn't about who has been at that level longer, but who is stronger!"

No sooner had Matthews finished speaking than a loud, hearty laugh rang out.

"Hahaha, this little brother is right."

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

Mia asked, puzzled, "Why!"

"Hahaha, your brother has grasped the momentum of heaven and earth."

Seeing Mia's confusion, Matthews interrupted, "Greetings, my lord!"

"No need for formalities, young friend. You have already grasped the momentum of heaven and earth. Advancing to the Saint Realm is a certainty. You may call me Cassie."

Looking at the courteous old man before him, Matthews replied respectfully, "I think I will stick with Lord Cassie."

"Hahaha, very well! Feel free to visit my home when you have time!"

After Cassie walked away, Mia still asked in confusion, "Brother, what is this momentum of heaven and earth that the old gentleman spoke of?"

Matthews walked along as he explained, "The momentum of heaven and earth is a realm that one must grasp to advance from the ninth rank to the Saint Realm. It is an insight gained from perceiving the mysteries of heaven, earth, and nature!"

"Then how should I perceive it!"

"Uh, I only know the path of perception for warriors."

Matthews then explained the general methods of perception, such as making the heavy feel light and the light feel heavy. After a moment of contemplation, Matthews added, "I don't know how mages perceive the momentum of heaven and earth, but the momentum of heaven and earth is a characteristic present in all things."

"Just like the three states of water, and so on!"

After Matthews finished explaining, he saw their blank expressions and decided not to say anything more!

Afterward, Matthews went into seclusion in his small house to develop some techniques for the duel in a month. Although one can despise the enemy strategically, one must take them seriously tactically. Matthews did not intend to fight a battle he wasn't prepared for; after all, this wasn't the petty squabbling he had with friends in his previous world.

Challenges in this world could be fatal, so Matthews had to prepare. Since he was a warrior and his opponent was a mage, his primary task was to rely on mobility to close the distance; otherwise, if a mage created space, a warrior would be nothing more than a mobile target for the mage's spells.

Matthews' flight-capable magic device, the electromagnetic equipment, had been destroyed by that angel Lyriel during their last fight. Now that he had newly grasped the Laws of Thunder Elements, it meant he could use his previous knowledge of electromagnetism to attempt to grasp the Electromagnetic Profundity of the thunder element.

It was unclear who leaked the news, but Matthews was busy in his ironworks shop, focused on grasping the laws.

Mia rushed in, saying anxiously to Matthews, "Brother, the whole Imperial Capital is talking about it. They say Kane Patton has vowed to defeat you and make you realize the gap between a low-level ninth rank and a peak ninth rank."

"Why bother with him? Don't let such news affect your state of mind."

"But, but—"

Seeing Mia's troubled expression, Matthews scraped her nose with his finger and said, "What are you stammering about?"

"But, brother. People are saying that Kane is teaching you a lesson on behalf of his brother! And they are also saying—"

Matthews understood immediately. In this Imperial Capital, which lacked television or other forms of entertainment, such gossip would spread like wildfire. He didn't even need Mia to tell him; he already knew what versions it would evolve into.

"Enough, this is none of our business. We only need to cultivate and grow stronger. Once we do, all these rumors will turn into praises and well-wishes!"

Things were indeed as Matthews had anticipated; people were discussing various versions of the story. A duel between ninth-rank warriors hadn't occurred in the Imperial Capital for a long time, so the restless nobles were discussing the matter with great fervor.

Perhaps with the Patton Family fanning the flames, news of the duel spread to the outskirts of the Imperial Capital at a rapid pace. People in the surrounding areas had also calculated the time, and everyone began to head toward Mount Dadong.

"Kelly, who do you hope wins this duel?"

Nina looked at Kelly, who was sitting at the table in a daze, and asked the question she cared about. Nina still remembered that she had deeply offended Matthews back then, so she naturally didn't want Matthews to be the one to win.

"I don't know!"

Kelly and Wood were in a political marriage, and there wasn't much affection between them to begin with. Her family had originally set their sights on the power behind Wood, as he had an ancestor at the Saint Realm. Plus, his brother Kane also had the potential to advance to the Saint Realm, so the family had originally wanted to arrange a marriage between her and Kane.

However, Kane had no intention of getting married, so the family chose his younger brother Wood for her instead. She didn't know who she wanted to win now.

"I hope Kane wins. After all, he has the guidance of a Saint Realm ancestor; he must be much stronger than that country bumpkin!"