Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Was Duan Ling Tian the kind of person who would knowingly put his friends in danger? Duan Ling Tian instantly made up his mind.
“Elder Teng Shan, if you have any acquaintances among the six elders in the other three Sanctums, please ask them if they can take my two companions in? I don’t wish for them to stay in the Black Turtle Sanctum with me.” Duan Ling Tian immediately transmitted his voice to Teng Shan after he made up his mind since Teng Shan was the only one he could rely on now.
Duan Ling Tian wanted the elders from the other three Sanctums to take Gu Li and Zhu Lu Qi in before Li An remembered them. Gu Li and Zhu Lu Qi were always looking out for him, it was only natural that he wanted to repay them.
“You do not wish to implicate them?” Teng Shan asked through Voice Transmission. A hint of praise could be seen in his eyes.
Naturally gifted, powerful, and considerate toward his comrades. It was rare for a person to possess all three qualities. Teng Shan’s impression of Duan Ling Tian rose even higher.
“Yes.” Duan Ling Tian nodded.
“This is something I’m happy to help you with!” Teng Shan replied Duan Ling Tian through Voice Transmission.
Duan Ling Tian relaxed and thanked Teng Shan after he heard Teng Shan’s reply.
Gu Li and Zhu Lu Qi look at Teng Shan hopefully. Although Teng Shan looked at them for a moment, he did not pick them. Instead, an elder from the White Tiger Sanctum and an elder from the Vermillion Bird Sanctum picked them at the same time. If they were selected at different times, Gu Li and Zhu Lu Qi would not have suspected anything. However, they were instantly suspicious when they were selected at the same time.
“Junior Brother Ling Tian, did you ask Elder Teng Shan to request the elder of Vermillion Bird Sanctum to pick me?” Gu Li asked Duan Ling Tian through Voice Transmission with a grim expression on his face as he stood behind the two elders from the Vermillion Bird Sanctum. He suspected this was Duan Ling Tian’s doing, but he was not entirely certain.
“Is it you?” Zhu Lu Qi also transmitted his voice to Duan Ling Tian while he stood behind the two elders from the White Tiger Sanctum.
Their words were filled with dissatisfaction because Duan Ling Tian had made such a decision without consulting them.
“Don’t worry! I can look out for myself. On the contrary, it would be more difficult for me to deal with things if both of you are around.” Duan Ling Tian had expected both of them to question him so he gave them an answer he had prepared beforehand.
“You are afraid that I’ll be a burden to you?” Gu Li said discontentedly. Although Zhu Lu Qi did not say anything, it was obvious he felt dissatisfied from the expression on his face.
However, they knew it was futile to continue questioning Duan Ling Tian’s decision since everything was set in stone now.
“Eh?” Li An suddenly realized the elders from the White Tiger Sanctum and Vermillion Bird Sanctum whom Teng Shan was close to had selected both of Duan Ling Tian’s companions.
‘Damn it! How could I have forgotten about them… They are Duan Ling Tian’s companions. Duan Ling Tian will suffer even more if I torture them!’ Li An felt regretful when he recalled this. Li An regretted that he did not think of this sooner.
Earlier, he was overwhelmed with happiness and excitement from being able to make Duan Ling Tian stay in the Black Turtle Sanctum that it led to him forgetting about Duan Ling Tian’s two companions. However, it was too late for him to do anything now. Everything had been decided. Not only were Gu Li and Zhu Lu Qi unable to change the result, but even Li An was unable to bring Gu Li and Zhu Lu Qi to the Black Turtle Sanctum. Moreover, both elders from the White Tiger Sanctum and the Vermillion Bird Sanctum were friends of Teng Shan. Naturally, they would not let him take Gu Li and Zhu Lu Qi away just like that.
‘It’s fine… They’re not important. It’s enough as long as Duan Ling Tian is in the Black Turtle Sanctum!’ Li An consoled himself inwardly. Since he was a Saint Celestial Stage powerhouse, it was only natural that he had good self-control. He came to terms with this fact very quickly.
As time passed, those people that came for the Four Symbols Sanctums’ assessments were slowly divided among the Azure Dragon Sanctum, White Tiger Sanctum, Vermillion Bird Sanctum, and Black Turtle Sanctum. There were about a thousand people in each Sanctum after the selection.
“The assessment of the Four Symbols Sanctums in the Fire Worship Sect will eliminate everyone until about a hundred people remain in each Sanctum. In other words, the Black Turtle Sanctum will have to eliminate almost a thousand people after this?” Duan Ling Tian noticed there were about a thousand people around him after he looked around.
Soon after, the six elders from the other three Sanctums bade farewell to Teng Shan and Li An and left with their followers.
“Be extra careful, Junior Brother Ling Tian.”
“Duan Ling Tian, stay calm, and don’t act impulsively!”
Gu Li and Zhu Lu Qi transmitted their voices to him through Voice Transmission before they left with the elders from the Vermillion Bird Sanctum and White Tiger Sanctum respectively. They were both headed to different Sanctums and could not be of any help to Duan Ling Tian for the time being.
“Don’t worry.” Duan Ling Tian nodded and gave them a reassuring look.
The elders of the three other Sanctums led those they have selected back to their respective Sanctums in just a blink of an eye.
There were only Teng Shan, Li An, and a thousand people they had selected, including Duan Ling Tian, left on the scene.
“The assessment will begin tomorrow… Since you’re not disciples of the Black Turtle Sanctum yet, you’ll have to camp out here tonight! Only the hundred people who successfully pass the assessment will have their own places to cultivate in the Black Turtle Sanctum!” Teng Shan said in his booming voice as he faced Duan Ling Tian and the others.
Instantly, apart from Duan Ling Tian and a few others who remained calm, the others became excited. It was as though they could already see themselves passing the assessment from the Black Turtle Sanctum and becoming a disciple with their own cultivation place in the Sanctum!
Teng Shan looked at Duan Ling Tian after he finished his speech and said through Voice Transmission, “Duan Ling Tian, apart from assessing your strength, the assessment tomorrow places more importance on your innate talent! Remember to display your innate talent tomorrow. As long you’re able to show that you have a high innate talent, you’ll be able to catch the attention of the Sanctum Leader. If you’re able to catch the Sanctum Leader’s attention, Li An won’t be able to look for trouble with you so easily in the future!”
“Understood,” Duan Ling Tian replied through Voice Transmission as he nodded.
Teng Shan left after speaking to Duan Ling Tian. It seemed as though he did not care that Li An was still there. Teng Shan knew that as long as Duan Ling Tian did not provoke Li An, Li An would not dare to blindlessly attack Duan Ling Tian. If he had attacked Duan Ling Tian without a reason, he would be punished. He might even be expelled from the Fire Worship Sect!
As one of the three strongest sects in the Upper Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land, there were strict rules in the Fire Worship Sect. The three strongest sects were able to stay in power for such a long time because they adhered to the saying, ‘Rules make the world go round’.
Sure enough, Li An left shortly after Teng Shan’s departure. However, before Li An left, he looked at Duan Ling Tian coldly. It sent chills up Duan Ling Tian’s spine. He could feel the determination and killing intent in Li An’s gaze.
“You’re intent on killing me? It’ll test your patience and determination!” Duan Ling Tian said with a sneer on his face. He knew very well that Li An could kill him easily like an ant. However, Li An could be expelled for violating the rules in the Fire Worship Sect if he killed Duan Ling Tian here.
Duan Ling Tian was confident Li An did not have the determination needed to kill him since he would not allow himself to be expelled from the Fire Worship Sect. Otherwise, Duan Ling Tian would have died earlier.
The attention of everyone left on the scene quickly shifted to Duan Ling Tian once Li An left. Most of the people’s eyes were filled with pity as they looked at him.
‘Duan Ling Tian has offended Elder Li An. He will suffer in the Black Turtle Sanctum even if he doesn’t die!’
Most people shared the same thought. Duan Ling Tian ignored all their stares and crossed his legs and sat in the air and began to cultivate with his eyes closed.
‘One last step to Divine Saint Stage… It’s taking me too long to get past this last step.’ Duan Ling Tian sighed as he began to cultivate.
Duan Ling Tian cultivated as usual since he did not expect to make a breakthrough. However, a miracle could happen at any moment.
As the Sun True Origin breached the bottleneck and broke the shackles that stopped him from breaking through to the Divine Saint Stage from the Eminent Saint Stage, Duan Ling Tian discovered the True Origin in his body had transformed into a new energy.
‘This is the Saint Energy?’ Duan Ling Tian thought to himself as he felt the new power coursing in his body. ‘I’ve broken through just like this?’
The breakthrough had taken Duan Ling Tian by surprise since he did not expect it.
‘No wonder people say that pressure is a form of motivation… It seems like the threat from a Saint Celestial Stage powerhouse pressures me and unconsciously improves my cultivation efficiency,’ Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.
Duan Ling Tian devoted all his attention to the new energy in his body. The energy was no longer the True Origin Energy. Instead, it was Saint Energy that was unique to cultivators at the Divine Saint Stage and above. Saint Energy was a lot stronger than True Origin Energy. It felt majestic. Even more so because it had transformed into the Sun Saint Energy. It was far superior to the Sun True Origin.
“The Sun Saint Energy is very powerful!” Duan Ling Tian said excitedly as he felt the Sun Saint Energy coursing through the 99 Saint Veins in his body.
“If I transform into a Nine-clawed Dragon Warrior and unleash all my techniques, I might be able to defeat a powerhouse at the peak of the Exemplary Saint Stage with my current cultivation base!”
“Eh? This is…” Duan Ling Tian narrowed his eyes, and he frowned when he discovered something.
