Chapter 139: Dire Straits
KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Lucas
In a spacious room, Duan Ling Tian lied on the soft bed as he looked at the ceiling with a flickering gaze.
What Jing Ru said earlier made him feel like he was awakening from a dream! He suddenly felt that many of his previous ways of thinking were too naïve. According to his previous thoughts, after he arrived at the Imperial City, he would directly go to the Duan Clan and challenge Duan Ling Xing before killing him...
In this way, the Duan Clan would suffer a loss but be unable to voice their grievances. But now it would seem that the matter was not as simple as he thought.
If he were to kill Duan Ling Xing in a fair and public match, he would surely need to face Duan Ru Lei’s frenzied secret attempts at revenge.... Duan Ru Lei’s status was extremely high in the Duan Clan, so that would be very troublesome.
He himself wasn’t afraid, but he had to consider the safety of his family.
"Looks like the matter of taking revenge on Duan Ling Xing needs to be planned carefully..." Duan Ling Tian took a deep breath before he closed his eyes and started thinking of a way to deal with the situation.
Besides Xiong Quan, there was only the two little pythons by his side that were strong. If the two little pythons were to work together and attack unexpectedly, killing a fifth level Nascent Soul martial artist shouldn’t be a problem, but if it was a sixth level Nascent Soul martial artist, then even if Xiong Quan and the two little pythons were to work together, they still might not be able to kill him!
"Duan Ru Lei has such a high status in the Duan Clan; not to mention a sixth level Nascent Soul martial artist, he probably can even order about a martial artist above the seventh level of the Nascent Soul stage.... The strength that I control is still too weak." Duan Ling Tian slowly opened his eyes, and a bright light flashed within.
Cultivate!
As long as he broke through to the Origin Core Stage, he would be able to condense a Grade Eight Pill Fire and become a Grade Eight Alchemist, and thus would be able to refine a Grade Eight Spirit Cleansing Pill for Xiong Quan.
At that time, Xiong Quan’s strength would recover by another one third.... And based on Duan Ling Tian’s estimations, his strength would be at the first level of the Void Prying Stage.
"I wouldn’t be so constrained if Xiong Quan was a first level Void Prying martial artist!" Duan Ling Tian’s eyes emitted a piercing cold glow before he closed them.
Nine Dragons War Sovereign Technique, Raging Python Form!
The Origin Energy within Duan Ling Tian’s body madly rushed at his fleshly body and unceasingly tempered it. If his fleshly body hadn’t completed its tempering, then he wouldn’t be able to break through to the fifth level of the Core Formation Stage!
It could be said that the Raging Python Form’s mental cultivation method slowed down Duan Ling Tian’s cultivation speed by a certain degree. This was precisely the reason it was difficult for him to catch up to Ke Er and Li Fei’s cultivation levels.
His cultivation had an extra step: the tempering of the fleshly body!
Duan Ling Tian cultivated the entire night until dawn the next day, but he noticed that he actually didn’t feel one bit exhausted. Although the fourth level Core Formation Stage tempering of the fleshly body hasn’t been completed, he still noticed some changes in himself...
"My Spiritual Force... seems to have advanced! Only a little bit more for it to be comparable to the Spiritual Force of a Nascent Soul martial artist." After noticing this, Duan Ling Tian was pleasantly surprised.
If he possessed a Spiritual Force comparable to a Nascent Soul martial artist, then it would also mean that he would be able to inscribe an inscription that was at an even higher grade than the Blood Crescent Inscription...
If activated unexpectedly, the Blood Crescent Inscription was capable of killing martial artists below the Nascent Soul Stage but posed no threat against any martial artist at the Nascent Soul Stage.
If he wanted to deal with a Nascent Soul martial artists, then he would have to use a higher grade offensive inscription.
"Scoundrel, you... broke through?" Duan Ling Tian walked out of the main building and arrived at the front courtyard. His appearance, which was full of spirits, caused Li Fei to be surprised.
"No." Duan Ling Tian shook his head. Only he knew what he was happy about.
Duan Ling Tian glanced at Ke Er, who was absorbed in her sword cultivation, and lightly smiled as he asked Li Fei, "Who’s stronger between you and Ke Er?"
Li Fei said, with a smile, "After Little sister Ke Er’s Freezing Sword stepped into the Perfection Stage, I wasn’t a match for her. Moreover, her cultivation should soon step into the sixth level of the Core Formation Stage."
Li Fei was not one bit envious of Ke Er’s cultivation surpassing hers, as she had gotten along well with Ke Er in these past two years, and they were like true sisters.
Of course, this was only limited to Ke Er. Maybe it was because Ke Er was with Duan Ling Tian at first and she came later on.... However, Li Fei was extremely vigilant towards any other woman that appeared near Duan Ling Tian, as she was unwilling to share Duan Ling Tian with a third woman.
"Ke Er..." Duan Ling Tian looked at the far-away beautiful figure with slight surprise, as he didn’t expect Ke Er to have such huge progress in her cultivation.
Ke Er currently was similar to him, already at the age of 18. Women changed quickly as they aged, and the current Ke Er was completely different from the immature little girl from three year ago!
Whoosh!
Ke Er’s sword that was suffused with Origin Energy flashed out, and with it, an icy cold aura swept out. The entire sword seemed to be covered in a layer of cold qi. This was precisely the Freezing Sword, a high grade Profound Rank sword skill! And it was also the sword skill within the top cultivation method, Frost God’s Sword Technique.
In the following month, the courtyard house was peaceful. Besides occasionally flirting with his two fiancées, Duan Ling Tian spent his time painstakingly cultivating. The facts proved that concentrating solely on cultivation made the process much faster than the cultivating while traveling in the wagon. After all, during the journey, he couldn’t help but be affected by some disturbances.
Duan Ling Tian completed the tempering of his fleshly body for the fourth level of the Core Formation Stage within half a month and started to charge towards the fifth level of the Core Formation Stage!
Something worth mentioning was that his Spirit Serpent Movement Technique that hadn’t broken through for a long time had finally stepped into the Perfection Stage during this one month’s time. Presently, the three high grade Profound Rank martial skills that he possessed had all stepped into the Perfection Stage in succession.
Whoosh!
In the front courtyard, Duan Ling Tian’s body was like a spirit serpent as it flashed out, seeming to transform into a violet bolt of lightning.
Above him, 12 ancient mammoth silhouettes condensed into form!
In terms of strength, the current him was comparable to a ninth level Core Formation martial artist. If he used the Grade Eight Spirit Weapon, Violet Myrtle Flexible Sword, he was confident that there weren’t many people under the Origin Core Stage that could withstand a single sword strike from him.
During this month, Ke Er smoothly stepped into the sixth level of the Core Formation Stage.
Compared to a month before, the peaceful house felt much more alive, as Jing Ru had found three servant girls and two chefs.
Everything in the house was on the right track, allowing Duan Ling Tian and his family to cultivate in peace.
"How’s the situation outside?" Duan Ling Tian asked Xiong Quan, who had just returned.
Xiong Quan respectfully said, "My liege, although that Duan Clan’s second master and the Fifth Prince’s people are still searching for your whereabouts, it isn’t so frequent anymore. They don’t know of your background and thus have no way of searching for you. However, according to my knowledge, the Fair Sun County’s County Governor’s daughter and the Duan Clan second master’s nephew, Duan Rong, seem to be students in the same year as you in Paladin Academy."
"There’s still two months before the end of the registration period of Paladin Academy and when the term begins. My liege, if you go to Paladin Academy, they’ll probably recognize you at the first possible moment, and at that time, the Duan Clan’s second master and the Fifth Prince will both target you." Xiong Quan spoke of his worries.
Both the Duan Clan’s second master and the Fifth Prince had a myriad of powerhouses under their command. Xiong Quan was self-aware and thus knew that with his current level of cultivation, it would be difficult for him to deal with them.
"They’re Paladin Academy students as well?" Duan Ling Tian was slightly surprised. After pondering for a moment, he nodded. "I understand. I’ll think of a way to handle this. Hereafter, continue to keep an eye on the surrounding circumstances. I don’t wish for the Duan Clan’s second master and Fifth Prince’s people to locate this place in the short term."
"Yes, my liege," Xiong Quan replied respectfully. He obeyed any of Duan Ling Tian’s orders unconditionally.
Duan Ling Tian looked at Xiong Quan and slowly said, "Besides that, don’t call me your liege in the future, call me Young Master like Jing Ru and the others."
"Yes, Young Master," Xiong Quan replied before leaving.
"Duan Clan’s second master, Fifth Prince..." Duan Ling Tian rubbed his temples. If the current him were to face them head on, he would undoubtedly be overestimating himself!
"My Spiritual Force is still slightly lacking.... I can only wait for some time." Duan Ling Tian took a deep breath as his eyes emitted a dense, cold light.
According to Rebirth Martial Emperor’s memories, there was no way to cultivate Spiritual Force, and one could only rely on the progression of one’s cultivation to continuously grow one’s Spiritual Force.
Duan Ling Tian had a feeling that as long as he broke through to the fifth level of the Core Formation Stage, his Spiritual Force should be able to smoothly complete the final metamorphosis. At that time, his Spiritual Force, which was comparable to that of a martial artist at the Nascent Soul Stage, would be sufficient to inscribe a formidable inscription that could annihilate Nascent Soul martial artists.
"However, the higher the inscription, the more expensive the materials needed. Merely one inscription that could annihilate a Nascent Soul martial artist requires materials worth a few million silver..." Duan Ling Tian realized that he needed to find a way to make money.
Duan Ling Tian looked at the servant girl beside him and asked, "Xiao Lu, do you have some makeup?"
This servant girl was a clever girl named Xiao Lu. She was brought in by Jing Ru.
"Yes." Xiao Lu hurriedly nodded.
"Get it for me," Duan Ling Tian said.
Even though Xiao Lu was curious as to why Duan Ling Tian would want makeup, she still brought it over for Duan Ling Tian.
When she saw Duan Ling Tian putting makeup on to his own face, she was stunned. "Does Young Master’s face, which is so delicate and pretty that even a girl would be envious of, need make up?"
In next to no time, she was completely dumbstruck.
"How is it? Can you still recognize me?" Duan Ling Tian lightly smiled. The current him looked as if he had completely changed his face, and it was precisely the effects of the disguise from the makeup he used.
"Young Master, you’re too formidable... this is really too godly!" Xiao Lu had a face full of adoration as she looked at Duan Ling Tian. If she hadn’t seen it with her own two eyes, it would be extremely difficult for her to believe that this was real, because it was utterly impossible to notice that Duan Ling Tian had makeup on just by looking.
"Xiao Lu, what’re you so surprised about? You... who are you? Why are you wearing my scoundrel’s clothes!?" At an unknown time, Li Fei had come out of her room, and when she saw the disguised Duan Ling Tian, her expression went grim.
Duan Ling Tian glared at Li Fei and fiercely said, "Little girl, I’ve killed your scoundrel. This courtyard house is mine from now on. Hmm, you’re mine as well!"
"Scoundrel!" Li Fei was confused earlier due to being too concerned, but after a moment, she recognized Duan Ling Tian. "You... this... how did you do it?"
Duan Ling Tian wasn’t surprised that Li Fei was able to recognize him. After all, they had been together for such a long time.