Chapter Fifteen: Trouble Ahead

Good times always seem to pass quickly. In the blink of an eye, half a year had gone by since Chu Tian arrived on the Beast Continent, and he had served as the chief court priest for over three months. Three months was already a considerable span, and in that time, Chu Tian had fully integrated into the aristocratic life of the Caesar Empire.

Everything proceeded so smoothly. At the academy, Dio had stepped fully into his role; the students had gradually forgotten about Chu Tian the instructor, remembering only the talented and brilliant Dio. At first, nearly all the students were dissatisfied with Dio standing in as their teacher, but he soon won over the dissenters with his remarkable gifts. Some still harbored resentment toward what seemed like Dio’s heretical research, but whenever the students voiced their doubts, Dio would righteously produce that book of Anthony’s priestly reflections, solemnly declaring: “These are the theories of the Holy Priest!” At once, the classroom would fall silent.

Initially, Chu Tian had felt some unease and had secretly observed several lessons. But after a few rounds of debates between Dio and the students, he was reassured and, with peace of mind, set about earnestly pursuing Princess Selina.

As for Princess Selina, although he faced the resistance of Anderson and other young nobles, Chu Tian’s careful planning yielded gratifying results. Fully aware that rarity lends value, Chu Tian carefully sorted through the not-so-abundant poetry and verses he remembered, never using them carelessly. Only in the most romantic moments—beneath the flowers, by the moonlight, at dusk when lovers meet—would he ‘casually’ recite a line or two. The enchanting setting, paired with classic and mesmerizing lines of poetry, greatly endeared him to Princess Selina.

Moreover, Chu Tian discovered something else that thrilled him: classic love stories, no matter the world, always held immense sway over women. So, after once recounting a love story from Earth, he began adapting familiar tales—Butterfly Lovers, The Return of the Condor Heroes, Romeo and Juliet—into fantastical versions for this world.

With each passing day, the gaze Selina cast upon Chu Tian grew sweeter, and his happiness deepened. The only regret was that Little White seemed unimpressed by Princess Selina. Whenever Chu Tian appeared hand in hand with the princess, Little White would droop its head, lengthen its face, and sashay away with an air of disdain.

During this period, Chu Tian also resolved an issue that had long troubled him: his professional rank. Upon arriving in the imperial capital, with credentials that didn’t even qualify him as a first-level priest apprentice, Chu Tian deliberately downplayed people’s impressions of his professional status. He tore off the rank insignia from his priestly robe and replaced it with a magical portrait of Princess Selina, publicly declaring: “My devotion to the Goddess of Life pales in comparison to my love for Selina!” When Selina heard this, she made no comment, but the next day personally prepared a bowl of soup for him, which Chu Tian drank with immense delight.

Yet the matter of professional rank could not be avoided indefinitely, especially for a chief court priest, for whom rank was a perpetual topic of discussion. Moreover, every profession on the continent had a unified guild, and professional assessment was solely the guild’s domain—the imperial government could not interfere. In such circumstances, Chu Tian’s influence was of little use.

However, this small issue was no match for Chu Tian. He called upon Damar and Canas, brought along his loyal friend Reggie, and borrowed a large contingent of guards from the Imperial Guard. The four of them headed to the Priests’ Guild.

Four marquises: an eighth-level Grand Magus, an eighth-level Dragon Knight, the heir to the empire’s greatest fortune, and the official head priest of Caesar. This splendid lineup was enough to terrify the poor seventh-level priest—head of the Caesar Priests’ Guild—into a state of panic. Before the man could utter a word, Chu Tian showered him with gold coins, saying it was to show his respect for the Goddess of Life, and then launched into a lengthy conversation about her glorious deeds.

A series of wholly fabricated tales flowed from Chu Tian’s lips, confounding the head of the guild, who, fearing Chu Tian would see through him, dared not admit he’d never heard these legends of the Goddess of Life. At last, as they were about to part, Chu Tian took the reluctant man by the hand and gently explained: the Holy Priest had, through a moment of oversight, forgotten to assess his rank. Thoroughly bamboozled, the priest, under the veiled threat in the eyes of the four dignitaries, beat his chest and declared: “Anthony is a legend among all priests! Marquis Vladino is the pride of priests across the continent! Chu Tian, having rendered meritorious service for Caesar time and again, has proven himself to be every bit the equal of the Holy Priest!”

Afterwards, the impassioned head of the guild tactfully added that only the headquarters in Elson Kingdom could confer a ninth-level title, and he himself could only bestow upon Chu Tian the title of eighth-level Grand Priest. With profuse apologies, he handed Chu Tian a professional certificate.

Armed with his credential and a new title—Pride of the Continent’s Priests—Chu Tian returned to the court priests’ office in full legitimacy. He summoned his deputy, Bacon, who was also an eighth-level Grand Priest, and with sincere words explained: “For the sake of training my subordinates, I’m entrusting all affairs here to you from now on.” He then hinted obliquely to Bacon: Damar was soon to be dismissed, and His Majesty intended for Chu Tian to succeed him, leaving the chief court priest position vacant for someone capable…

Bacon’s eyes lit up as he eagerly accepted the opportunity for “training.”

After that, Bacon’s attitude toward Chu Tian became excessively enthusiastic, which brought Chu Tian an unexpected benefit. The continent’s priests were highly skilled in healing humans and races with similar anatomy, but their knowledge of magical beasts was far less advanced—after all, the age of magical beasts had only dawned a few centuries ago. Otherwise, the court priests would not have been helpless before the Red Flame and the Unicorn, leaving Chu Tian room to seize advantage.

On occasion, when the magical beasts of the empire’s great figures encountered medical issues beyond the abilities of ordinary priests, these dignitaries would think of Marquis Vladino. In every case, Chu Tian pushed the matter onto Bacon, under the pretense of “testing your abilities.” And Bacon, the Grand Priest, never disappointed Chu Tian, helping him avert several crises where his lack of expertise might have been exposed.

Free from cares and burdens—this was the perfect description of Chu Tian’s present life.

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Pompeii City. Deep night. In a small alley on the southern edge of the city, Chu Tian staggered home, hugging a jar of Foster—the continent’s most famous wine, and Little White’s favorite drink—tipsy and searching for his way back.

Today, Chu Tian had spent the whole day shopping with Selina, spending his very last coin and exhausting every ounce of his strength. Seeing the energetic princess, the near-collapse Chu Tian could not help but marvel at the terrifying stamina of women. He had only just escorted Her Highness back to the palace when, unexpectedly, the capital’s notorious playboy Reggie appeared, dragging Chu Tian off to a restaurant without giving him a chance to object, insisting on introducing him to a few “kindred spirits.”

After a night of carousing with Reggie’s gang of dissolute friends, Chu Tian suddenly remembered, before going home, that Little White was waiting alone at home. If he returned empty-handed, he would certainly face a bout of troublemaking. So, he grabbed a jar of the very best Foster from the restaurant and, swaying unsteadily, parted ways with the other drunkards.

After walking some distance, Chu Tian, still muddled, finally wondered: Why did I take such a big jar? Was I out of my mind? Moreover, Foster was such a strong spirit that ordinary jars couldn’t mask its scent at all. That’s why it was always sold in specially reinforced containers. The premium Foster he carried was stored in a thick crystal jar; the weight of the wine and the crystal together nearly brought Chu Tian to his knees.

He wrinkled his nose at the pungent fumes in his mouth, muttering inwardly: Why does Little White like this stuff? It’s so strong—and so heavy!

Clang! Unaware, Chu Tian tripped and fell to the ground. Exhaling a boozy breath, he struggled to his feet, his drunken eyes taking in his surroundings. The alley was pitch-black, not a soul in sight. A chilly wind whispered through, rustling the trees by the path and lending the night an eerie undertone.

He nudged the fallen wine jar with his foot, bent to inspect it, and found not a single crack. “Heh, it didn’t break even after that! Really sturdy.”

Another wave of dizziness crashed over him, and Chu Tian shook his head sharply to clear his mind.

Still unsure about the jar’s durability, he grasped it tightly, raising it shakily to his eyes for a closer look. But he was far too drunk, his trembling hands unable to hold the heavy jar aloft; his grip loosened, and the jar fell once more.

Just as the jar dropped to the level of his chest, without warning, as if from another world, a cold gleam split the night and shot straight toward Chu Tian…