In the testing ground of the Title Temple.
“20% left.”
At this time, Duan Ling Tian had been in the testing ground in the Title Temple for a year now. Apart from the obstacle Meng Hao Xuan discovered, he had discovered another three obstacles on his own. After refining the energy from the Pine Willow Divine Tree in the three obstacles, he had already refined roughly 80% of the energy. After completely refining the energy, he would be able to master the Godly Image Phenomenon, and his strength would improve to another level.
“Sister Water, what have you been teaching the Ning Dragons? Why do I feel that they’re becoming more and more similar?” Duan Ling Tian asked the World Cleansing Divine Water curiously. He discovered that the World Cleansing Divine Water had been educating the Ning Dragons. In the beginning, the Ning Dragons looked identical, but their auras were different. However, currently, even their auras were indistinguishable from one another.
“I’m teaching them the Joint Strike Techniques through a combination of Formations and the bloodline connection between them,” the World Cleansing Divine Water replied, “Thankfully their aptitude for it is rather good. Currently, their combined strength has risen to another level.”
Duan Ling Tian knew two people with a close bond would be even more powerful if they joined forces. For example, the leaders of the Gan Jiang Progeny and the Mo Xie Progeny in the Jade Emperor Heaven’s Thousand Tribulations Sword Sect who were fraternal twins. With their combined strength, they could easily kill an ordinary titled Celestial Emperor.
After a moment, Duan Ling Tian thought to himself, ‘It’s been a year now… I wonder how’s Huan’er doing? She should have already left the testing ground, right?’
In his opinion, it would not be difficult for Huan’er to kill nine people and leave the testing ground.
…
Duan Ling Tian was right. Out of the disciple from the Heavenly Pool Palace who had entered the Title Temple, he was the only one left in the testing ground. Huan’er, Hu Mei, Wen Wan’er, and even Nan Liu Feng, the disciple of the Copper Mountain Celestial Emperor, had left the testing ground. Not only that, but they had also obtained their titles from the Title Temple and became titled Celestial Lords.
Huan’er’s title was the Tian Huan Celestial Lord. The words ‘Tian’ and ‘Huan’ were derived from Duan Ling Tian and her name respectively.
Outside of the Title Temple.
After the Copper Mountain Celestial Emperor and his disciple left, Hu Mei wondered out loud with a frown on her face, “Why hasn’t Little Junior Brother come out yet?”
Hu Mei’s expression was one of confusion. In her opinion, Duan Ling Tian should have come out the earliest due to his strength. However, up until now, he was nowhere to be seen. She could not help but wonder if anything had happened to him. Since she had his Soul Pearl, she was not afraid that he had been killed. She only wondered if he was delayed by some difficult obstacles in the testing ground.
“Since Little Junior Brother’s Soul Pearl is intact, let’s just wait for him,” Wen Wan’er, who was more patient, said, “Maybe Little Junior Brother ran into a fortuitous encounter. After all, with his strength, it should be easy for him to pass the Title Temple’s test for Celestial Lord.”
On the other hand, Xu Lang stood at the side quietly with his eyes closed; he did not express his opinion. However, after a few moments, he opened his eyes and looked at Huan’er. He saw that there were no ripples in her eyes, and she looked very calm. He could not help but think to himself, ‘Either she’s really confident about the boy’s strength or she knows the reason why he isn’t out yet…’
…
Another three months passed before the group from the Heavenly Pool Palace received a message from Duan Ling Tian.
“I’ll be coming out soon. I’m following the elders of the Title Temple to record my title.”
Upon receiving this message, Hu Mei and Wen Wan Er heaved a sigh of relief.
In the Celestial Lord’s training ground, Celestial Weapons were allowed but Celestial Talismans, including Communication Celestial Talismans, were prohibited. Therefore, those who were in the testing ground would not be able to communicate with those who were outside and vice versa.
…
After leaving the testing ground, Duan Ling Tian followed an elder of the Title Temple to the main hall.
The Title Temple elder was cloaked from head to toe in black. His face was barely visible.
At this moment, the elder’s raspy voice rang in Duan Ling Tian’s ears. “Think about the title you want so I can record it for you once we arrive at the main hall…”
Upon hearing this, Duan Ling Tian replied, “I already have a title in mind. It’s Fog Rain.”
When Duan Ling Tian entered the main hall of the Title Temple, he looked around and discovered the pillars, the walls, and even the ceilings were densely packed with names and titles. Clearly, the Title Temple had been around for a long time.
Intrigued, Duan Ling Tian asked, “Elder, are all of these the names of titled Celestial Lords in the Boundless Heaven?”
While waiting for the elder, who was engraving his name and title on the ceiling, to reply, Duan Ling Tian suddenly saw Huan’er name next to where his name was being engraved.
‘This little girl…’ Duan Ling Tian shook his head slightly. He, naturally, knew the meaning of Huan’er’s title.
“That’s right,” the elder replied indifferently. After he was done, he brought Duan Ling Tian away and left using another route.
While he was being led out of the Title Temple, Duan Ling Tian was lost in his thoughts.
‘When we return to the Heavenly Pool Palace, I must find out where the Thousands Chains Prison is located… According to Meng Hao Xuan, that’s where Huan’er’s father is imprisoned. As for her mother, if she’s in the Heavenly Pool Palace, she should be imprisoned in that place as well.’
Duan Ling Tian never forgot the reason they had joined the Heavenly Pool Palace was to rescue Huan’er parents.
…
Swoosh!
Duan Ling Tian left the Title Temple and joined Huan’er and the others.
Upon seeing Duan Ling Tian, Hu Mei sighed in relief before she asked, “Little Junior Brother, you finally came out! What happened in there? Why did you take so long?
“I came across some obstacles while I was in there. I only looked for Celestial Lords to kill after overcoming all the obstacles…” Duan Ling Tian had already thought of this excuse earlier. Moreover, he was telling the truth. He only withheld the reason he had intentionally looked for obstacles.
“You came across a few obstacles? How lucky!” Hu Mei said in shock. “The entire time in there, I only came across one obstacle. How did you manage to find so many obstacles?”
“Since I was in there for so long, it’s only natural that I’d come across more obstacles,” Duan Ling Tian said with a smile.
After giving it some thought, Hu Mei thought Duan Ling Tian had a point. Then, she asked, “How did they go?”
“Not bad.” Duan Ling Tian nodded.
“Since Old Seventh is out, let’s leave,” Xu Lang said at this moment before he began to lead the others away.
During their journey back, Duan Ling Tian sent a Voice Transmission to Huan’er. “Huan’er, did you gain anything in there?”
However, before Huan’er could reply, two figures suddenly appeared, blocking the path of the group from the Heavenly Pool Palace.
One of them looked like a teenager who had not even reached the age of 20 while the other person was an old man.
The teenager stepped forward and looked at Xu Lang before he said, “The Verdant Prairie Celestial Emperor.” Then, he shifted his gaze to Duan Ling Tian and asked, “You must be Duan Ling Tian, right?”
The killing intent flashing in the teenager’s eyes did not escape Duan Ling Tian’s notice. His expression turned grave immediately. These two people were undoubtedly hostile. These two people clearly knew his teacher was a titled Celestial Emperor, and yet, they still dared to block their path. This could only mean that they were not afraid of titled Celestial Emperors, or at the very least, they were not afraid of his teacher.
“Who are you?” Xu Lang furrowed his brows as he looked at the teenager in front of him who seemed like he had not even reached the age of 20. Nevertheless, the teenager’s aura and bearing were not that of someone who had not even reached the age of 100.
“Dugu Wen,” the teenager replied as a smirk appeared on his face.
‘Dugu Wen?!’ Xu Lang’s expression changed drastically upon hearing the teenager’s reply. A hint of fear could be seen in his eyes as he looked at the teenager and the old man standing behind the teenager. ‘If he’s Dugu Wen, then that old man must be Dugu Wu…’
Apart from Xu Lang, Hu Mei and Wen Wan’er’s expressions had turned grim as well when they heard the teenager’s reply. They had heard about Dugu Wen, after all.
Dugu Wen was a titled Celestial Emperor. His title was the Hundred Variant Celestial Emperor. His true form was a Hundred Colors Flower. His defenses were strong, and he could transform into many other forms.
‘Dugu Wu?’ The same thought appeared in Hu Mei and Wen Wan’er’s minds as they instinctively shifted their eyes from the teenager to the old man standing behind him.
