2594 Better Than You

"Didn't the commander mention that anyone who manages to retrieve the felled captain's identity token would officially take over the position of a Captain of the Black Dragon Army?"

"This means this purple-clad young man will be our new captain, right?"

"However, all our captains are Golden Celestials. Do you think this purple-clad young man is that strong?"

"Well, it doesn't matter if he's a powerful Golden Celestial or not. We have to honor our commander's words. Since he brought back the identity token of a fallen Captain of the Black Dragon Army, he'll be given the position of a captain!"

"I guess you're right. Our commander is not someone who goes back on his words!"

During the journey to the army camp, the soldiers trailing behind Duan Ling Tian and the decurion discussed this among themselves through Voice Transmission. Their discussion, naturally, revolved around Duan Ling Tian.

"However, this isn't just about what the commander thinks, right? Even if he's recognized as the new Captain of the Black Dragon Army, the other nine captains aren't likely to acknowledge him."

"Well, I don't know about the other six captains, but at least three of them aren't going to be happy about a stranger taking up the position so easily. After all, they had each trained a centurion who's a Scarlet Sun Golden Celestial after all!"

"That's right. It's only natural that they want their own subordinates who are Golden Celestials to succeed the previous captain who died."

"In other words, our commander will probably give him the position of captain, but it's not certain if he'll be able to hold onto the position for long. It'll all depend on his skills."

"That's right. After all, there's an unspoken rule among us that centurions who have become Golden Celestials have the right to challenge any of the ten captains to a duel. If the centurion won, he would take over the position of captain while the loser will be demoted to a centurion…"

The ten soldiers of the Black Dragon Army watched Duan Ling Tian's back with shining eyes, wondering if this man would be able to hold onto his position as a Captain of the Black Dragon Army.

The decurion did not bring Duan Ling Tian to meet the Commander of the Black Dragon Army directly due to his low rank. For this reason, he had brought Duan Ling Tian to his superior, a centurion. "Centurion, sir!"

The centurion looked old but was filled with vigor. He said to Duan Ling Tian, "Please wait for a moment while I report to my captain. He'll be bringing you to our commander." Similarly, the centurion's rank was too low for him to bring Duan Ling Tian directly to meet the commander. After he finished speaking, he left Duan Ling Tian with the decurion who escorted him here and rushed off.

"So the commander will definitely make me a captain after he sees the identity token since he's a man of his word. However, based on your words, among the ten captains, three of them will definitely feel dissatisfied since they want their respective subordinates, who are Scarlet Sun Golden Celestials, to take over the position instead. They will probably order their subordinates to challenge me for the position so they can take over the position? If I lose, I'll be demoted to a centurion. However, decurions can also challenge centurions. And if I lose again, I'll be further demoted? Interesting, even foot soldiers can challenge a decurion." After a pause, he said, "Honestly, I'm not terribly in need of this information. However, I supposed I'm grateful that you took the time to fill me in." He nodded to the decurion as a sign of thanks.

The decurion replied with a smile, "You're welcome, sir."

At this moment, a voice that was filled with arrogance and contempt rang in the distance. "Oh, so you're the one who picked up Captain Huang Ji Bing's identity token, huh?" The tone was akin to a master speaking to his servants.

A few moments later, two figures appeared before Duan Ling Tian. The man who was standing slightly farther away was the centurion from earlier. The other figure belonged to a middle-aged man clad in black armor.

The middle-aged man possessed a rather average build and even less interesting physical features. And yet, he managed to carry himself with such arrogance as though he was looking down on everyone.

'He must be one of the Captains of the Black Dragon Army,' Duan Ling Tian thought to himself when he saw the badge on the middle-aged man's chest. He, naturally, knew Huang Ji Bing was the captain who had died in the Little World and the former owner of the identity token that he currently possessed.

"This is my superior, Captain Jian Qiu Ping," the decurion explained through Voice Transmission, "He's also one of the three captains who's likely to be dissatisfied with you being made captain. In fact, among the ten, now nine, captains, he's the weakest. It's likely that he'll soon be replaced by a Scarlet Sun Golden Celestial centurion. I heard that one of his subordinates has recently become a Scarlet Sun Golden Celestial after going into closed-door cultivation. That man is planning to challenge a captain soon, and he'll probably win the duel. For this reason, I believe he would hate to see you being made captain."

"Wait a minute. Isn't this man your direct superior? Isn't it unfitting for a subordinate to expose him so thoroughly to me?" Duan Ling Tian asked via Voice Transmission as he looked at the decurion. He completely ignored Jian Qiu Ping and his patronizing gaze.

"Sir…?" Seeing the accusatory look in Duan Ling Tian's eyes instead of replying to Jian Qiu Ping's question, the decurion broke into cold sweat. Upon listening to Duan Ling Tian's words, he felt a gnawing in his conscience. He lowered his head, avoiding Duan Ling Tian's gaze. He was only trying to ingratiate himself to Duan Ling Tian, but it seemed like Duan Ling Tian did not appreciate it.

Little did the decurion know that the moment he exposed his superior to Duan Ling Tian, it had caused Duan Ling Tian to despise him. He would never trust someone like that. After all, this person might do the same thing to him in the future.

"Oy, didn't you hear me?!" Jian Qiu Ping bellowed as he looked at the purple-clad young man in front of him with a steely gaze. He managed to look calm, but he was seething inwardly! He was a Captain of the Black Dragon Army! How dare a youngster ignore him? He said tauntingly, "What? Do you really think you'll be made captain just because you found the identity token?" His expression turned unsightly as though Duan Ling Tian was his enemy.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Duan Ling Tian said as he sized Jian Qiu Ping up slowly, "A mere captain doesn't have a say in whether I'll be made captain or not, right? Or are you implying your authority is as high as the commander?" He looked at Jian Qiu Ping dismissively.

Upon seeing this, Jian Qiu Ping's expression darkened immediately. He was thoroughly angered by Duan Ling Tian's words.

"You're seeking death!" Jian Qiu Ping roared in anger as Celestial Origin Energy surged out of his body and shrouded him. It seemed as though he had lost control after being provoked and planned to fight Duan Ling Tian now.

The centurion standing behind Jian Qiu Ping cried out in an attempt to stop him, "Captain Jian!" He quickly added, "The Commander will be furious if you attack the person who returns Captain Huang's identity token!"

Jian Qiu Ping withdrew his Celestial Origin Energy and glared at Duan Ling Tian pointedly. He sneered. "Listen up, punk. Even if the commander honors his words and makes you a captain, you better worry about holding on to your position."

"I don't know about the other captains," Duan Ling Tian replied flatly. "However, using you as a comparison, I don't think there's much I have to worry about. Even if I get replaced, it'll definitely happen after you're replaced."