Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The newcomer looked around in amazement. It was obvious it was his first time here at the outer court of Moon Illumination Sect.
The group of outer court disciples swarmed out and asked in unison, “Hey! Peng Jia, is the one next to you one of the outer court disciples who just passed the entrance exam and joined the sect?”
“All of you are…” The outer court disciple called Peng Jia was in a daze when he saw more than a dozen people crowding him that he did not answer their question.
It was only natural that he was stunned by the scene before him, even the young man next to him had stopped moving.
“Greetings to all Senior Brothers. I’m Luo Kang. I just passed the entrance exam and joined the sect. Any advice given would be greatly appreciated,” the young man answered politely after he took a deep breath and forced a smile on his face when he heard their question.
“Haha! Indeed, he’s one of them.” Instantly, many people smiled.
One outer court disciple took the lead and asked, “Luo Kang, let me ask you this. Do you know Duan Ling Tian who passed the entrance exam and joined the sect before you?”
The other outer court disciples stared at Luo Kang intently, waiting for his answer.
“I know Senior Brother Duan, but he might not know me,” Luo Kang said with a bitter smile on his face.
Luo Kang could not help but feel respect for the purple-clad young man when he thought about him.
He was the young prodigy before him who defeated someone at the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage even though his cultivation base was at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage… Moreover, he had defeated the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage cultivator quickly and in an outrageous manner.
Although Luo Kang had also defeated a prodigy at the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage with his Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage cultivation base, his opponent had just broken through to the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage last month. Moreover, he had spent a lot of effort just to defeat his opponent. The entire process took almost an hour.
The eyes of the group of Moon Illumination Sect’s outer court disciples lit up when they heard Luo Kang knew Duan Ling Tian. A few of them were impatient and asked urgently, “So you know Duan Ling Tian… Do you know his cultivation base?”
“Yes.” Although Luo Kang did not know why these outer court disciples were interested in this matter, he still nodded. It was not a secret anyway. Almost everyone at the entrance exam knew about Duan Ling Tian’s cultivation base.
“What’s his cultivation base?” The group of outer court disciples stared at Luo Kang expectantly, it made him feel a little uncomfortable.
At this moment, Luo Kang felt as though he would be committing a crime if he did not tell what he knew.
“Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage,” Luo Kang said honestly under the weight of more than a dozen eyes.
When Luo Kang finished his sentence, the dozen or so outer court disciples instantly froze. It seemed as though they had all turned into statues as they stood there, motionless.
“This…” Luo Kang was shocked by the scene before him.
Did his sentence hold such great power?
“What are all of you doing?” Peng Jia who was standing at the side asked with a frown.
He began to curse them in his heart, ‘These fellows! They’re making such a big fuss in front of the new outer court disciple, aren’t they embarrassed?’ Naturally, he only dared to curse them inwardly.
Half of the dozen or so outer court disciples in front of him were stronger than him. They were not people he could afford to offend.
The first outer court disciple regained his senses. He stared at Luo Kang with eyes as sharp as a goshawk as he asked in a shaky voice, “You… Are you sure he’s at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage?”
“I’m sure.” Luo Kang nodded.
He had a feeling the strange behavior of the group of outer court disciples in front of him was related to Senior Brother Duan. “Senior Brother Duan is the first one before me to defeat a Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage young prodigy with a Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage cultivation base and join the sect.”
“I know about that. Duan Ling Tian is indeed powerful. He appeared behind that Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage young prodigy and defeated him before he even managed to react,” Peng Jia could not help but exclaim.
At that time, he had seen everything clearly even though he was quite far away.
“He’s really at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage!”
“Yang He wasn’t lying!”
“Oh, God! What kind of freak is Duan Ling Tian?!”
…
After getting the confirmation from both Luo Kang and Peng Jia, the group of outer court disciples no longer had any doubts. They were finally certain Duan Ling Tian was indeed a mere Martial Cultivator at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage.
For a time, they stared at each other with hints of shock and disbelief in their eyes.
“What happened?” Peng Jia asked. He felt that something was not right.
Luo Kang was also puzzled.
Shortly after, Peng Jia and Luo Kang finally learned about what had transpired when one of the outer court disciples recounted what happened.
Duan Ling Tian had defeated an outer court disciple as soon as he entered the outer court. That outer court disciple’s name was Ceng Zhi!
Initially, Luo Kang did not think anything was amiss. After all, it took Duan Ling Tian just an instant to defeat a young prodigy at the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage.
He would not be surprised even if Duan Ling Tian could defeat an outer disciple at the peak of the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage.
Luo Kang had only reacted like that because he did not know Ceng Zhi.
Luo Kang did not know Ceng Zhi, but Peng Jia knew him. It took him a while before he regained his senses. He shouted as soon as he came to his senses, “What?! He defeated Ceng Zhi?!”
“Not only did he defeat Ceng Zhi, but he also thoroughly crushed him… From the beginning to the end, Ceng Zhi couldn’t strike back at all,” one of the outer court disciples added.
“What?!” Peng Jia was shocked again.
Luo Kang also felt a little shocked.
After today’s entrance exam, he had gained a certain understanding of the general strength of Moon Illumination Sect’s outer court disciples.
Apart from those who joined today, the most recent Moon Illumination Sect’s outer court disciples had joined the sect five years ago.
Five years ago, those people were either at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage or the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage. Some of them were at the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage.
Naturally, a large number of them were at the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage.
Therefore, the weakest among the senior outer court disciples would be at the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage. Most of them were at the peak of the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage.
‘If that Ceng Zhi is at the peak of the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage, then Senior Brother Duan is too powerful! Thoroughly crushed him?” Luo Kang gasped inwardly.
‘No! Maybe that Ceng Zhi is ranked at the end among the senior outer court disciples… Perhaps he’s just an ordinary cultivator at the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage.’ Luo Kang comforted himself.
“Are… Are you sure you’re not mistaken? Duan Ling Tian thoroughly crushed Ceng Zhi, and he couldn’t even strike back?” Peng Jia asked hesitantly as he looked at that outer court disciple who told them about this.
“I’m certain.” That outer court disciple nodded. “All of us personally witnessed it. Besides, Duan Ling Tian is currently residing in Ceng Zhi’s independent courtyard. He’s the first outer disciple in Moon Illumination Sect’s history to reside in an independent courtyard so soon after joining the sect.”
“Independent… Independent courtyard?” Luo Kang could not but help but gasp while Peng Jia’s eyes widened as he trembled in shock.
During the journey to the outer court, Luo Kang had learned about the living environment of the outer court from Peng Jia. He knew there were only 100 of the best independent courtyards.
Those people residing in the independent courtyards were the top 100 strongest people in the outer court.
It should be noted that the Moon Illumination Sect had nearly 1,000 outer court disciples!
According to Peng Jia, the weakest among the 100 outer court disciples living in the independent courtyards was at the peak of the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage. They were the backbone of the Moon Illumination Sect’s outer court.
“Duan… Senior Brother Duan defeated someone who resided in an independent courtyard? And he thoroughly crushed him?” Luo Kang’s eyes widened as he shuddered. His legs gave way, and he almost fell to the ground.
While the horror on the faces of the dozen or so outer court disciples faded, the entire outer court, apart from those in closed-door cultivation, found out about Duan Ling Tian’s cultivation base.
A commotion broke out in the outer court again.
“Hey! Did you hear? That Duan Ling Tian who thoroughly crushed and defeated Ceng Zhi is merely a Martial Cultivator at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage!”
“Monstrous! That Duan Ling Tian is simply monstrous!”
“It’s already extremely shocking to be able to defeat an opponent who’s a higher level, but he defeated an opponent who’s two levels higher than him. That’s terrifying!”
…
The outer court that was original like a pool of stagnant water had turned lively.
Apart from those outer court disciples in closed-door cultivation, every outer court disciple knew a monstrous person who could defeat an opponent two levels higher than him had joined the sect.
However, no matter how lively it was outside, Duan Ling Tian remained unaware.
The Moon Illumination Sect had very strict rules that were different from the Latent Dragon Camp in the City Governor’s Estate of Mound Hill City… In the Moon Illumination Sect, no one was allowed to disturb those who were in closed-door cultivation unless they had enmity between them.
Naturally, Moon Illumination Sect also had rules to prevent people from avoiding difficulties and setbacks. While it was prohibited to disturb those who were in closed-door cultivation, it was possible to challenge someone to a duel outside of the place where they cultivated.
One would have to apply for a duel invitation at the outer court elders’ office. An outer court elder would have to give their thumbprint if the application was successful.
Naturally, if they could not find an outer court elder, they could go to the two outer court deacons and ask them for their thumbprints on the duel invitation in order to make it effective.
There were two types of duel invitation. The first type was an ordinary duel where no killing or crippling were allowed. The second type was a death duel.
If it was a death duel, they would need the thumbprints of two outer court elders on the death duel invitation.
Generally, no one would casually send out a death duel invitation unless there was great enmity involved.
Moreover, even if one sent the death duel invitation, the other party had to agree to it.
