Accompanied by two extremely swift figures that crossed paths each other, two sword howls echoed out at practically the same timeā¦
And at almost the exact same time.
Clang!
Two extremely swift swords collided together before splitting apart abruptly. Duan Ling Tian and Su Li exchanged positions before once again facing each other.
Their first engagement was actually a tie!
Seeing this scene caused Tian Hu to mutter, "Two freaks!" Even Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun were moved.
Xiao Yu didnāt know that Duan Ling Tianās was already this strong. Xiao Xun was even more surprised; he could almost completely be certain that among their Xiao Clanās younger generation, there was absolutely no seventh level Core Formation martial artist that was a match for the two that were currently locked in combat.
Their swords were just too swift!
All he could see was a violet sword light and a red sword light flashing by followed by a clang sound, and nothing more after that.
Duan Ling Tian gazed fixedly at Su Li as he asked, "Su Li, since your sword is a spirit weapon, why donāt you use the amplification of it?"
"Didnāt you not use it as well?" Su Li asked rhetorically.
Duan Ling Tianās gaze focused as he slowly said, "I want to experience you at your strongest!"
"I understand." Su Li nodded, then his legs jerked and his entire body was suffused with Origin Energy. He seemed to once again transform into a swift sword as he whistled out, kicking up dust all over the air.
A strand of red sword light moved like a shadow, flashing straight towards Duan Ling Tianās chest!
In the blink of the eye, 11 ancient mammoth silhouettes condensed into form above Su Li. The extra ancient mammoth was precisely the amplification from the grade nine spirit weapon in Su Liās hand!
Spirit Serpent Movement Technique!
Duan Ling Tian focused his gaze as he flashed out. The strength of 10 ancient mammoths exploded forth as he instantly went to intercept Su Li, and his flexible and agile body seemed like a spirit serpent!
At the moment he intercepted Su Li, an extra ancient mammoth silhouette appeared out of thin air above Duan Ling Tianā¦. 11 ancient mammoth silhouettes dashed out in tow!
Clang!
Their swords collided.
Bang!
At this exact instant, Su Liās other hand slapped out with a palm that was coiled in raging Origin Energy, descending onto Duan Ling Tianās body.
It was actually another high grade Profound Rank martial skill at the Perfection Stage!
Greater Teleportation!
Duan Ling Tian hurriedly circulated his defensive martial skill. He didnāt expect Su Li to have cultivated another martial skill that had extraordinary might.
Duan Ling Tianās defensive qi barrier shook, whereas Su Liās oncoming palm lightly trembled. The might of his attack was instantly reflected back to him by Duan Ling Tianās Greater Teleportation!
Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tianās defensive qi barrier shattered with a crash!
Whoosh!
And at this exact instant, Duan Ling Tianās other arm abruptly swung straight out like a raging python swinging its tail!
Bang!
Su Liās internal organs were already shaken by the counter-force from Duan Ling Tianās Greater Teleportation, and now that the sword in his right hand was stopped by Duan Ling Tian, he had no way of dodging Duan Ling Tianās arm that swept towards him, so he was blasted away.
Luckily, Duan Ling Tian was able to withdraw his force in time, and thus prevented him from being heavily injured.
Su Liās figure flew out, and when he finally stabilized himself with great difficulty, all he felt was the lifeblood within him roiling. He didnāt dare to hesitate to hurriedly withdraw a Grade Nine Gold Injury Pill and consume it. Only after doing so did he recover slightlyā¦
"Duan Ling Tian won?" Tian Hu was dumbstruck.
Earlier, he originally thought that Duan Ling Tian would at most battle to a draw with Su Li, and when he saw Su Liās palm slapping towards Duan Ling Tian, he thought that Duan Ling Tian was about to loseā¦. Never had he imagined that Su Li had always been concealing his strength, and besides his sword skill, heād cultivated another shocking martial skill.
But what occurred in the next instant caused his heart to be like a wagon passing a mountain road, continuously rising and falling. Duan Ling Tian executed his defensive martial skill to stop Su Liās palm strike, then he followed it up with a swing of his arm that blasted Su Li flying.
When he saw Su Liās current expression, he understood that Su Li had lost!
Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun glanced at each other and both saw a sense of fear within each otherās eyesā¦
"Duan Ling Tianās strength is actually so formidable." Xiao Xun sighed in admiration.
"I didnāt expect it either. Itās only been a year since I last saw him, but his strength has increased so much." Xiao Yuās gaze was complicated, as it could be said that he watched as Duan Ling Tian grew step by stepā¦
From the first time Duan Ling Tian stood out during the genius gathering and defeated him to become the top ranked on the Hidden Dragon List to when he was full of heroic spirit during the Genius Campā¦. Duan Ling Tian repeatedly created miracles and caused him to be practically numb to them!
Unknowingly, the youth that once had a strength merely a strand above his was now far beyond his reach.
"Duan Ling Tian, I didnāt think that Iād still be inferior to you after a year." Su Li lightly sighed but didnāt become dejected, and the battle intent within his eyes didnāt lessen one bit. "However, I will make you my targetā¦ I will defeat you one day!"
"Iāll be waiting to see!" Duan Ling Tian lightly nodded.
Su Li was the martial artist with the most indomitable and firm disposition heād seen in his lifetimeā¦. He did not discouraged by failure and would get more valiant as he battled!
Of course, there were many similar figures within the memories of Rebirth Martial Emperor, and all of those figures carved out a place for themselves in this world! They were all great figures whose names were known across the lands!
Duan Ling Tian was confident that as long as Su Liās indomitable and firm heart towards the Martial Dao didnāt perish, he would surely be able to become a powerhouse whose name is known across the lands in the future!
After putting away his Violet Myrtle Flexible Sword, Duan Ling Tian looked at Su Li and Tian Hu as he asked, "Whatās the plan for your Star General Department in the afternoon?"
Tian Hu slowly said, "Niu Mang said to be at the classroom on time. As for anything besides that, I donāt know for nowā¦. How about you all?"
"We have free personal activity time at the Martial Arts Practice Grounds in the afternoon, and once timeās up we can leave the academy." Xiao Yu laughed.
"Your Star Mastermind Department is so nice." Tian Hu had a face full of envy, but unfortunately he wasnāt made for that.
Duan Ling Tianās brows knitted. "Itās about time nowā¦. Letās go."
After walking out of the bamboo forest, Duan Ling Tian, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Xun walked towards the Martial Arts Practice Grounds. As for Su Li and Tian Hu, they instead walked towards the Star General Department classroom.
On arrival at the Martial Arts Practice Grounds, Duan Ling Tian noticed that there werenāt many people present. Besides their grade 1 Star Mastermind Department students, there seemed to only be the Star Mastermind Department Students of the other gradesā¦
For an entire afternoon, Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun discussed the Martial Dao and sparred with other people. Duan Ling Tian lied atop a large tree outside the Martial Arts Practice Grounds and slept soundly.
At the moment he woke up, he noticed that most of the people in the Martial Arts Practice Grounds had already left.
"Duan Ling Tian, you really are so carefree, sleeping the entire afternoonā¦. Letās go have a drink?" Unknowingly, Xiao Yu had arrived under the tree and raised his head to look at Duan Ling Tian.
"Another day. Iāve been out all day today, so my family is probably worried." Duan Ling Tian refused Xiao Yuās invitation. Before he came today, he wasnāt aware that Paladin Academy students werenāt allowed to leave the academy at noon and had to stay within the academy to have lunch. Thus, the young and old beauties at home would surely be extremely worried.
"OK." Xiao Yu didnāt insist. He left Paladin Academy with Xiao Xun to return to the Xiao Clan Estate.
Duan Ling Tian returned to his own courtyard house, and as expected, it was just as he had thought. The three women at home were extremely worried about him, and they started asking all sorts of questions the moment he entered the house.
Only after he explained the reason did the three woman heave a sigh of relief.
That night, after dinner, Duan Ling Tian continued to cultivate the Nine Dragons War Sovereign Technique. He kept having the feeling that he would break through soon, but it seemed like he lacked a certain critical element.
"Never mind, Iāll take it slowly. Thereās no rush! Maybe itās because of psychological reasons!"
After falling asleep, at dawn the next day, Duan Ling Tian, who was cultivating as usual, didnāt feel the resistance of breaking through within his heartā¦ And just at this moment, a scene that made Duan Ling Tian joyous appeared.
Bang!
His Origin Energy charged through the bottleneck as if being helped by the godsā¦. Instantly, his cultivation broke through to the fifth level of the Core Formation Stage!
"Is it possible to do it like this?" Needless to say, this was an extremely pleasant surprise to Duan Ling Tian.
At the same time, Duan Ling Tian could feel that a change occurred in his Spiritual Force as a consequence of the break through, and now when he sensed the objects in his surroundings, they seemed to be much clearerā¦
"Is this the Spiritual Force of a Nascent Soul martial artist?" Duan Ling Tian gaze abruptly shone.
"Young Master, itās time for breakfast." Ke Erās voice sounded from outside the room.
"Ke Er, you all eat first, Iāll come out once I get dressed." While Duan Ling Tian got dressed, the memories of Rebirth Martial Emperor unceasingly flashed within his mind. What he wanted to do now was choose an inscription from the boundless memories of Rebirth Martial Emperor, an inscription that could be inscribed with the Spiritual Force of a Nascent Soul martial artist.
There were many inscriptions at this level, but offensive inscriptions accounted for most of them. As for the other inscriptions, Duan Ling Tian didnāt study them, as the silver he had was at most enough to buy materials to inscribe three inscriptions that were sufficient to annihilate Nascent Soul martial artists.
He wouldnāt waste his silver on other inscriptions!
Only offensive inscriptions fundamental to preserving oneās life!
After getting dressed, Duan Ling Tian arrived at the rear courtyard. Normally, he, his mother, and the two girls would have their meals here.
As the owner of the courtyard house, Duan Ling Tian personally created a rule stating that besides his family members, only Xiong Quan and Jing Ru were allowed within the rear courtyard.
Li Rou noticed Duan Ling Tianās glowing face and curiously asked, "Tian, whatāre you so happy about?"
"Mom, itās nothing; itās only a breakthrough in my cultivation," Duan Ling Tian casually said.
What he cared about wasnāt the breakthrough of his cultivation, but the breakthrough of his Spiritual Force. The breakthrough of his cultivation would only be able to provide him an extra strength of one ancient mammoth, and this was nothing much. But the breakthrough of his Spiritual Force, on the other hand, was sufficient for him to inscribe inscriptions that were able to annihilate Nascent Soul martial artists!
"Scoundrel, I heard Xiong Quan say that thereās a piece of news thatās been spread around the entire inner city and gave rise to much discussion. The news said that two months ago, an 18-year-old Grade Nine Alchemist appeared in the Alchemist Guild. It was you, right?" Li Fei looked at Duan Ling Tian with a spurious smile.
She still remembered that Duan Ling Tian once left the house in disguise two months agoā¦. And that matter in the Alchemist Guild seemed to have occurred on that day.
"Since youāve already guessed it, why ask?" Duan Ling Tian rolled his eyes at Li Fei, then his gaze moved downward to descend upon Li Feiās pair of plump jade hills, and his lower region burned as it reacted.
In fact, it had been quite some time since heās doted on this little girlā¦
When Li Fei noticed Duan Ling Tianās gaze, her peerlessly beautiful face flushed and she glared at Duan Ling Tian.