Duan Ling Tianās gaze was incomparably calm when faced with Fan Jian begging for mercy. "Fan Jian, Iāve said it before. I gave you a chance, it was you yourself who didnāt cherish is properlyā¦ Since itās like that, then go to hell with Liu Shi Ge."
"No!" When he realized Duan Ling Tian wouldnāt let him off, Fan Jian revealed a savage expression as he shouted out explosively, then the Origin Energy beneath his feet skyrocketed as he charged to the other side, desiring to flee.
"Idiot!" Duan Ling Tianās expression was calm as he once again stomped out with Quake Energy on his feet, and his speed was so fast that he was even swifter than an ordinary first level Nascent Soul Stage martial artist.
In the blink of an eyes, heād caught up to Fan Jian.
Duan Ling Tianās gaze was slightly cold as the narrow sword he held in his hand lightly trembled.
Sword Drawing Arts!
The sword strike that was swift like lightning easily swept pass Fan Jianās throat, and fresh blood shot out to cover the sky.
Whoosh!
Fan Jianās body that was charging forward stopped halfway, then it was carried out by momentum to fiercely plunge down, tumbling on the ground to drag out a long trail of blood.
Dead!
Silent.
The scene was deadly silent.
The gazes of everyone couldnāt help but descend onto the young man that stood on the life and death arena.
This young man had created a miracle once again.
In a head-on confrontation, heād used a cultivation at the ninth level of the Origin Core Stage to kill a first level Nascent Soul Stage martial artist and a ninth level Origin Core Stage martial artistā¦ It was simply inconceivable!
Duan Ling Tian searched the corpses of Liu Shi Ge and Fan Jian for a moment, taking their Spatial Rings and spirit weapons before walking down from the life and death arena with satisfaction to rejoin Zheng Songās side.
Meanwhile, Zheng Song had recovered from his shock and he had a bitter smile on his face as he gazed at Duan Ling Tian. "Junior Brother Duan Ling Tian, you really amaze the world with a single brilliant feat!"
Duan Ling Tian smiled. "Senior Brother Zheng Song, is the Peak Master at Mizar Hall? I just happen to want to ask him for a cup of tea."
"Letās go." Zheng Song nodded with a smile, then called Duan Ling Tian before leaving the life and death arena.
Everywhere they passed, the crowd of inner court disciples respectfully opened up a pathā¦
Only when Duan Ling Tianās figure disappeared before their eyes did the deathly silent surroundings of the life and death arena recover its bustling state. The gazes of most people descended onto the two corpses atop the life and death arena.
"Liu Shi Ge and Fan Jian are truly unfortunate. They actually offended that malefic existenceā¦ According to my knowledge, it seems that very few disciple whoād offended that malefic existence are able to live."
"I really never imagined that after Duan Ling Tian broke through to the ninth level of the Origin Core Stage, he was even able to kill a first level Nascent Soul Stage martial artist!"
"Yeah, itās truly unbelievable! Even more shocking was that he actually possesses a grade six spirit sword. After all, even in our Seven Star Sword Sect, there arenāt many grade six spirit weapons, moreover, theyāre all in the control of the various Peak Masters and Guardian Elders."
"In the past, Duan Ling Tian was only a famous outer court discipleā¦ After today, his name is bound to spread throughout the inner court!"
ā¦
All the discussions of the inner court disciples were filled with shock towards Duan Ling Tianās strength.
On the way to Mizar Hall.
Zheng Song asked Duan Ling Tian. "Junior Brother Duan Ling Tian, when did you return?"
Duan Ling Tian smiled. "I just returned."
"Just returned?" Zheng Song couldnāt help but be startled when he heard this. "You just returned and you went to look for Liu Shi Ge?"
Duan Ling Tian nodded.
"Looks like you really werenāt willing to wait for even a momentā¦ But your improvement is too shocking! One year ago, you werenāt even able to fight back against Liu Shi Geā¦ One year later, you killed him on the life and death arena in only one move!" As he finished speaking, slight fear couldnāt help but arise within the eyes of Zheng Song, this third level Nascent Soul Stage martial artist.
Duan Ling Tianās ability was truly too strange!
It was difficult to fathom!
Duan Ling Tian smiled. "Itās not bad, I barely improved slightly."
Barely? Improved slightly?
The corners of Zheng Songās mouth twitched when he heard this.
This Junior Brother Duan Ling Tian will really not stop until his words astonish someone.
In next to no time, Duan Ling Tian and Zheng Song had arrived at Mizar Hall.
Atop the pavilion in Mizar Hall.
"Peak Master." Duan Ling Tian lightly smiled as he greeted the Peak Master of Mizar Peak, Zheng Fan. Amongst the higher-ups of the Seven Star Sword Sect, only Zheng Fan was close to him.
"When did you return, kid?" Zheng Fan laughed heartily.
"I returned today, and I came to ask for a cup of tea from Peak Master." Duan Ling Tian laughed slyly.
Zheng Fanās brows knit. As he started to get busy preparing the tea set, he asked curiously. "Where did you go during this year?"
Duan Ling Tian didnāt hold back and said straightforwardly, "The Ancient City of Everlast!"
"The Ancient City of Everlast?" Zheng Fan was surprised. "You actually went to such a faraway placeā¦ That place is extremely chaotic. Kid, youāre really too brave to even dare to go there." Zheng Fang didnāt know that Duan Ling Tian had had the protection of a seventh level Void Prying Stage martial artist when he went there, and when Duan Ling Tian returned, he even had the protection of a Void Initiation Stage expert.
Otherwise he wouldnāt be so alarmed about it.
Zheng Fen poured a cup of tea for Duan Ling Tian, then he glanced deeply at Duan Ling Tian as he asked. "Your cultivation has increased again during this year, right?"
Duan Ling Tian hadnāt even spoken.
"Father, Junior Brother Duan Ling Tian is already a ninth level Origin Core Stage martial artistā¦ Not only that, he already ascended the life and death arena as soon as he returned today and killed Liu Shi Ge there!"
Meanwhile, Zheng Song had walked into the pavilion as well and sat by Duan Ling Tianās side as he said with a smile.
Zheng Fan couldnāt help but be stunned when he heart Zheng Song.
Zheng Fan looked at Duan Ling Tian with an astonished expression. "Youāre currently able to kill a first level Nascent Soul Stage martial artist with a cultivation at the ninth level of the Origin Core Stage?"
Duan Ling Tian laughed. "Itās just that my luck was good."
Luck?
As the Peak Master of the Seven Star Sword Sectās Mizar Peak, Zheng Fan naturally knew that it was impossible that this was luck. "Duan Ling Tian, youāre too modestā¦ Although I know of your ability to defeat an opponent stronger than yourself, I never imagined that youāre actually even able to kill a first level Nascent Soul Stage martial artist!"
Ninth level Origin Core Stage martial artist killed a first level Nascent Soul Stage martial artist.
If it was in the past, he would entirely not believe it.
But now, he wasnāt surprised in the slightest when all this happened to Duan Ling Tian, as the mysteriousness of Duan Ling Tian was something heād experienced for a long time now.
Duan Ling Tian lightly smiled, then he picked up the tea cup and savored the fragrant tea.
After a short moment, Zheng Fan looked at Duan Ling Tian and said slowly, "Duan Ling Tian, what conflict do you have with Zhao Lin?"
Zhan Lin!
Duan Ling Tianās brows knit as he asked in a low voice. "Peak Master, when I left one year ago, could it be that Zhao Lin really did chase after me?"
Zheng Fan nodded. "Exactly, but at the critical moment, he was stopped by me. In the end, he could only obediently return to the Seven Star Sword Sectā¦ His appearance at that time seemed as if he wouldnāt stop until he killed you."
Duan Ling Tian eyes flickered with a cold light.
Zhao Lin!
You really donāt learn.
Zheng Fan continued. "Duan Ling Tian, if the matter between you and Zhao Lin is difficult to disclose, itās alright if you donāt speak of it. But I still want to remind you, Zhao Lin is not to be trifled with." As he spoke up to this point, Zheng Fanās tone contained slight fear.
"Isnāt he just an outer court disciple of Megrez Peak?" Duan Ling Tian frowned and was slightly puzzled.
"How could it be so simple?" Zheng Fan shook his head. "Do you think a mere Megrez Peak outer court elder is capable of making the outer court martial competition I presided over become a life and death battle?"
Duan Ling Tian was stunned. "The changing of the outer court martial competition to a life and death battle that time was related to Zhao Lin?"
Zheng Fan nodded.
"He has such great capability?" Duan Ling Tian frowned. When he recalled the outer court martial competition from that day, he remembered that Zhao Lin was indeed present at that time.
Zhao Lin and Shi Hao had come together, and Zhao Lin only left after Shi Hao was killed by himā¦
"Looks like Zhao Lin ought to have colluded with Shi Hao that time and had achieved some sort of agreement against me." In next to no time, Duan Ling Tian had guessed many things.
Some of his past questions had been completely revealed.
Zheng Fan shook his head. "If Zhao Lin is only an outer court elder, he naturally doesnāt have such capabilityā¦ But the existence behind him isnāt simple."
Duan Ling Tian was able to notice that when Zheng Fan spoke up to this point, his expression had become serious.
"Could it be that the Sect Leader is behind him?" Duan Ling Tian took a deep breath as he asked.
In the Seven Star Sword Sect, there wasnāt many people that was able to make Zheng Fan feel afraid.
"It isnāt the Sect Leader." Zheng Fan shook his head, and at the same time that Duan Ling Tian heaved a sigh of relief, he continued. "But, there isnāt much difference between that existence and the Sect Leader."
Duan Ling Tianās mood that had just eased up was once again agitated and he said with a bitter smile, "Peak Master, stop beating around the bush and speak frankly."
"Iām not beating around the bush, I just want you to understand the existence behind Zhao Lin." As he finished speaking, Zheng Fan glanced deeply at Duan Ling Tian. "I wonder if you have heard of the two Guardian Elders of our Seven Star Sword Sect."
Guardian Elders?
Instantly, Duan Ling Tianās eyes squinted as his face sank. "Peak Master, you wouldnāt be wanting to tell me that Zhao Lin is related to the Guardian Elder, right?"
Duan Ling Tian had heart Lu Qiu mention the two Guardian Elders of the Seven Star Sword Sect some time ago.
Although he didnāt know much about the Guardian Elders, he knew that the place the two Guardian Elders cultivated was respectively one of the nine Spirit Points in the Seven Star Sword Sect.
Not only that, the status of the Guardian Elders was special within the Seven Star Sword Sect, and to a certain extent they were equal to the Sect Leader.
Moreover, because of their seniority, even the Seven Star Sword Sectās Leader had to respectfully address them as Martial Uncle when he met them.
"Exactly." Zheng Fan nodded. "Zhao Lin is the grandson of one of the two Guardian Elders of our Seven Star Sword Sect, Elder Ming! The son of Elder Ming died long ago, so heās especially doting on this only grandson of his."
"Just like the sudden change of rules of the outer court martial competition, it was precisely because Zhao Lin had gone to ask Elder Mingā¦ Of course, he didnāt tell Elder Ming that all this was directed at you, and he only said that he hoped that the outer court martial competition was able to stimulate the potential and survival instinct of the outer court disciples in this way."
Stimulate the potential and survival instinct of the outer court disciples?
The corners of Duan Ling Tianās mouth curled into a sneer when he heard of Zhao Linās excuse.
The excuse of that Zhao Lin in indeed honorable.
"I never expected that Zhao Lin would have such a backgroundā¦ I still thought that he was only an ordinary outer court elder." Duan Ling Tianās heart slightly sank.