Chapter 102: The Honor of the Strong

The honor of a powerhouse of Collins!? Hmph! Chu Tian narrowed his eyes and smiled. On the Beast Continent, Chu Tian could be considered a man of consequence; as the Right Chancellor of the Caesar Empire, a position beneath one but above ten thousand, a supreme powerhouse of the continent, and a Ninth-Rank Ancient Sacred Priest, Chu Tian was well-qualified to possess his own honor as a powerhouse!

To think that someone would dare to threaten Young Master Chu! That was nothing short of seeking death! The nickname "Chu the Butcher" was not earned for nothing. "Knight Collins, I refuse your attempt to concede!" With that, Chu Tian drew Dracula’s Fury and pointed it at Collins. "Pick up your lance; the duel continues!" Although, according to the rules, Chu Tian could dispose of Collins as he pleased, Collins was, after all, the Deputy Commander of the Rhys army. Chu Tian could not blatantly allow Collins to commit suicide—forcing a defeated opponent to do so was not an honorable act and might even damage the glorious image of His Highness Vladino! Therefore, Chu Tian chose to continue the duel.

As Chu Tian declared the continuation, Apache unfolded his arms, which had been crossed behind his back, and various magical energies began to swirl around his palms. Meanwhile, NMD began to circle Chu Tian in a frenzied, hovering dance.

"Your Highness Vladino!" Prince Zapland could no longer restrain himself. If Chu Tian refused to let Collins concede, it was equivalent to forcing him onto a path of certain death! A Sacred Dragon Knight without his mount and without fighting spirit was absolutely no match for Chu Tian. Riding his warhorse to the edge of the arena, Zapland shouted at Chu Tian, "Your Highness, do not forget, Collins is a Sacred Dragon Knight personally appointed by His Majesty the Dragon Emperor!"

The Dragon Emperor? Chu Tian sneered inwardly. What business was it of that old lizard? "Prince Zapland! I respect His Majesty the Dragon Emperor’s choice, but hundreds of thousands of soldiers are witnesses. Between Collins and me, this is a fair duel. According to the rules, I have the right to continue!" Using the Dragon Emperor to threaten him? Hmph! That old lizard who had tried to brush him off with a useless book he couldn't even read only made Young Master Chu even angrier!

"Your Highness, thank you for your concern!" Collins suddenly picked up his lance and said to Zapland, "Since His Highness Vladino wishes to continue the duel, I shall accompany him to the end!" After speaking, Collins looked at Chu Tian with an icy gaze. "Hmph! To die at the hands of a Sacred Priest will not tarnish my honor!"

"Praise the Goddess of Life!" Chu Tian smiled happily. "Let us begin! Apache!" This outcome was exactly what Chu Tian had hoped for; in a moment, he could have Apache 'accidentally' finish off the guy who dared to call him a coward.

"Who dares to act!?" Suddenly, the Rhys army parted like a tide. All the soldiers lowered their swords and spears, bowing respectfully to welcome an old man walking slowly toward them.

"Mr. Brown, you have finally arrived." Prince Zapland actually dismounted from his horse and hurried to the old man's side. "Haha, when I heard you were coming, I was so excited I couldn't sleep for several nights. By the way, was your journey smooth?"

"Fortunately, no one dared to trouble me," Brown said with a playful tone toward Zapland. "Otherwise, there wouldn't be much left of these old bones. Haha..."

"Uncle Brown? Why are you here?" Collins was stunned. He immediately abandoned his hostility toward Chu Tian, hurried out of the arena, and knelt before Brown. He said dejectedly, "I am sorry, I have disgraced you, Master..."

Praise the Goddess of Life! Now there was trouble. Chu Tian squinted, sizing up old man Brown. He compared him to the images of Anthony and the Beast Prophet Ron, finally reaching a conclusion: this old guy must be extremely powerful! Powerful enough that Collins would rather violate the rules of the duel and leave the arena just to pay his respects!

He had a hunched frame and leaned on an exquisite white jade cane, but strangely, the soft armor and boots he wore were merely those of a knight's attendant! In Chu Tian's view, on the Beast Continent, the more ridiculous an old man dressed, the more powerful he was. Furthermore, Brown carried a rustic, ancient longsword on his back!

Since Collins had already left the arena, the rules of the duel had been shattered beyond repair. Yet, apart from Chu Tian, no one dared to say a word! "Vladino! Be careful!" Damar suddenly ran to Chu Tian’s side and whispered, "Stop the duel, quickly allow Collins to concede!"

"Who is this old man?" Chu Tian looked at the panicked Damar, lowering his voice as well. "What is his profession? What rank is he?"

"Brown is a Second-Rank Knight Attendant," Damar replied solemnly. "He is not someone we can afford to offend."

Praise the Goddess of Life! Chu Tian was nearly infuriated to the point of fainting by Damar! A Second-Rank Knight Attendant? And one that couldn't be offended? What kind of logic was that!? One had to remember that Chu Tian was a Ninth-Rank Sacred Priest; how could he be unable to offend a second-rank professional? "Brother, are you joking? What rank is he, really?" Chu Tian still thought Damar was pulling his leg.

"Oh, brother, I am not joking. He is truly only second-rank, but we really cannot afford to offend him!" Damar was so anxious his face turned red, and he gripped Chu Tian's shoulders tightly. "Hurry and allow Collins to concede, otherwise it will be too late!" Having said this, Damar hurriedly pointed to the longsword on Brown's back. "You... look at what that is!"

What was it? Chu Tian followed Damar's finger. It was just a very ordinary sword. Chu Tian pursed his lips; besides the red crescent moon on the hilt which was somewhat eye-catching, there was nothing special about it.

"Boss, don't fight!" Even Apache, who was always aggressive and combative, was trying to dissuade Chu Tian. Seeing that his boss didn't understand what was happening, he leaned in and whispered, "That old man is too terrifying. You can only play dirty with him!"

"Apache, how could even you..." Chu Tian asked in surprise. His Apache was the type who dared to scold the Dragon Emperor, so why was he afraid now? However, the phrase 'play dirty' satisfied Young Master Chu; it seemed his education had been quite successful.

"I don't know either!" Apache frowned. "I scouted him, and his battle aura is indeed only second-rank, but for some reason, I just feel he is extremely dangerous!" Magical beasts possessed a much stronger perception of danger than humans, and this was even more true for the modified Apache!

"Vladino, I order you as the Marshal of the Caesar Empire: this duel is over!" Makori walked into the arena with a heavy expression. After signaling for Chu Tian to step aside, he said loudly yet politely, "Mr. Brown, may I ask why you have appeared here?"

"Haha, so it is you, kid!" Brown’s opening words shocked Chu Tian. The eighty-year-old Makori, Minister of Military Affairs and commander of three hundred thousand Caesar heavy cavalry, was being called a kid? And Makori actually accepted it as a matter of course? "Rest assured, I am only here for a private matter and will not interfere with you!"

"So that is the case, haha!" Hearing that Brown was only there for a private matter, Makori’s expression visibly relaxed. "Old Sir, after you finish your business, I must properly host you. Haha, come to think of it, we haven't seen each other in over fifty years!"

"Indeed! It has been over fifty years..." Brown sighed. "When I first met you, you were only a centurion. I never expected you to be a Marshal now." With a wave of his hand, indicating to Makori that he had business to attend to, Brown walked up to Chu Tian. "Heh, you are Vladino?"

Why was he coming for him? Chu Tian narrowed his eyes. "Praise the Goddess of Life! Heh, Old Sir, I am indeed Vladino." Young Master Chu was clever; if even Makori didn't dare to lose his temper with this old man, then he certainly couldn't afford to offend him either. Consequently, Chu Tian became significantly more polite.

"Hmm, not bad! Anthony has taken in a good student!" Brown looked Chu Tian up and down.

"You know my teacher?" Chu Tian’s eyes lit up, as if another big fish were waiting for him to catch. "You and Teacher Anthony must be old friends, then!"

"Vladino! Do not speak nonsense!" Makori scolded Chu Tian harshly. "Mr. Brown is much older than His Highness Anthony."

"Haha, Makori, don't frighten the child," Brown laughed. "It is perfectly normal that he doesn't know me." Turning back to Chu Tian, he added, "When Anthony was born, I was already two hundred years old!"

An old monster! Chu Tian was shocked to his core. Although Anthony had never mentioned it, his age was certainly no more than a hundred. If that were the case, didn't that mean Brown was already over three hundred years old? Although Chu Tian knew that powerful beings on the Beast Continent could live for hundreds of years with sufficient strength, the actual appearance of a three-hundred-year-old man still gave Young Master Chu a fright!

"Hehe," Chu Tian laughed awkwardly and then fell silent. Dealing with such an old monster, it was better to be cautious.

"Vladino, I am here to ask you one thing." Chu Tian remained quiet, but Brown did not intend to let him off. "Pray tell, do you know the whereabouts of Mackenzie?"

Dammit! Why was it Mackenzie again!? Chu Tian was on the verge of a breakdown. Last time, that guy Mofite had also been looking for Mackenzie, nearly causing Chu Tian to meet the Goddess of Life. Now Brown was asking the same thing. Why did it seem like the entire continent was looking for that damn Mackenzie!?

"I am sorry, Old Sir, I do not know any Mackenzie at all." Chu Tian told the honest truth, though whether anyone would believe him was another matter.

"Oh? Is that so?" Brown smiled slightly. "Lying to someone who has once helped you is not something a Sacred Priest should do."

You helped me? Chu Tian was stunned. At that moment, Brown hinted, "Dirk..."

So it was you who knocked out Dirk!? Chu Tian suddenly felt a chill down his spine. When he was dealing with Andor, the Sword God Dirk had suddenly been knocked out by someone and became a plaything for Hummer. Chu Tian had never been able to find the reason for this, and it had troubled him for a long time.

Although Chu Tian now knew the reason, it made things even more troublesome. Dirk was a Ninth-Rank Sword God, a supreme powerhouse of the continent. What kind of strength was required to silently neutralize a Sword God? Could this Brown be a Tenth-Rank Magical Beast!