Chapter 416: Cousins
Translator: KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Jay
"Hmph! If it wasn’t for someone acting on their own, that group of bandits wouldn’t have gone on a rampage."
"They’re both Seven Star Sword Sect disciples, but why is the difference so huge? Some people have no ability, but like to seek the limelight… If it wasn’t for the bandit leader’s cultivation being crippled by Elder Feng Ping, would someone dare to attack?"
"Fortunately, none of our brothers were killed, otherwise… Hmph!"
…
The group of guards discussed animatedly and their discussions seemed to point to something.
Zhao Lei’s face sank as he naturally knew that these guards were talking about him.
"Duan Ling Tian, are you really only at the fourth level of the Nascent Soul Stage?" On the other side, a voice transmission entered into Duan Ling Tian’s ears.
Duan Ling Tian was able to discern that this was the voice of Elder Feng Ping, and he instantly replied via voice transmission. "Yes."
Feng Ping’s pupils constricted when he obtained Duan Ling Tian’s confirmation.
"How did you comprehend Wind Force? According to my knowledge, a martial artist below the Void Prying Stage is at most able to comprehend a Force seed, and it’s impossible to comprehend genuine Force."
Feng Ping’s voice transmission entered into Duan Ling Tian’s ears again, and it was filled with wonder and bewilderment.
As far as he was concerned, everything he said was the iron law of the Cloud Continent and he’d never heard of anyone breaking it.
Duan Ling Tian being able to break this iron law had caused him to be inexplicably shocked.
"I don’t know either." Duan Ling Tian shook his head and replied via voice transmission. "I just… tried to comprehend it and comprehend it I did."
Feng Ping was dumbstruck.
What does tried to comprehend, and comprehend it I did, mean?
It’s simply like not saying anything!
But Feng Ping knew clearly that even if it was him, he wouldn’t easily speak of a secret like this.
Duan Ling Tian being unwilling to tell him was understandable.
The following leg of the journey could be considered to be peaceful.
After using almost a month of time, Duan Ling Tian had finally arrived near the destination along with the Ancient River Trading Company’s merchant group.
"We’ll reach there in another five or six days." Feng Ping looked at Duan Ling Tian and said with a slight smile.
After he’d witnesses Duan Ling Tian executing his shocking ability, Feng Ping’s attitude to Duan Ling Tian had changed.
In Cloud Continent, the strong were respected.
The strength Duan Ling Tian currently possessed might be inferior to him, but Duan Ling Tian’s natural talent could be called monstrous and unparalleled.
With Duan Ling Tian’s natural talent, catching up and even surpassing him was no difficult matter, and was extremely easy.
"We’ll be arriving soon?" Duan Ling Tian’s gaze shone.
As for the change of attitude in Feng Ping, he’d naturally noticed it.
It was like this in this world where the strong were respected. If you had the strength, you could obtain the high regard and respect of others.
Conversely, if you didn’t possess strength, then you would be lowly like grass and ants.
Seven Star Sword Sect, Megrez Peak.
Today, an unexpected guest had arrived at the cultivation location of the outer court elder, Zhao Lin, which was a gorge with sufficient sunlight.
"You’re Elder Zhao Lin?" The young man who was travel worn slightly respectfully bowed to Zhao Lin.
"You are… A member of the Ancient River Trading Company?" Zhao Lin’s gaze descended onto the symbol on the chest of the man and his brows raised. "Did my cousin brother send you?"
"Cousin brother?" The young man from the Ancient River Trading Company couldn’t help but be stunned when he heard Zhao Lin.
"My Cousin Brother is called Zhao Yu," said Zhao Lin.
"Exactly, exactly… It’s Elder Zhao Yu who sent me. Elder Zhao Lin, this is the letter Elder Zhao Yu asked me to give you a month ago." The young man from the Ancient River Trading Company withdrew a letter from his Spatial Ring and passed it to Zhao Lin.
"Letter?" Zhao Lin was slightly bewildered as he received the letter.
He was curious in his heart, why would his cousin brother who hadn’t contacted him for a few years suddenly send him a letter?
His cousin brother was the grandson of his grandfather’s brother, and amongst the Zhao Clan disciples of similar generation as him, Zhao Yu was the only other cousin besides him.
The Zhao Clan had already declined after being inherited down until today.
Besides his grandfather, only he and his cousin brother, and their respective only sons remained.
Zhao Lin opened the letter.
"Cousin brother Zhao Lin, it’s been a long time. Brother misses you and grandfather greatly… Today, an unexpected guest arrived in the Ancient River Trading Company’s branch in the Ancient City of Everlast that brother guards, and this person says he’s an inner court disciple of the Seven Star Sword Sect."
"But, his age is shocking as he’s actually only 22 years old! His strength surpasses Zhao Lei and is at the fourth level of the Nascent Soul Stage…"
Zhao Lin’s pupils constricted and his heartbeat quickened when he read up to here.
"Could it be…?" Zhao Lin took a deep breath and continued reading.
"This person called himself Duan Ling Tian! I wonder if such an outstanding disciple had appeared in the Seven Star Sword Sect in the recent years? Brother, please let me know via return letter, so that brother can confirm it."
Zhao Lin finished reading the balance in one go.
"HAHA… HAHAHAHA!"
Suddenly, after a short moment of silence, Zhao Lin burst out into loud laughter, as if he’d encountered a huge joyous occasion.
"The heavens assist me!" Zhao Lin was wildly happy in his heart.
"Duan Ling Tian, no wonder you vanished one month ago. So it turns out that you went to the Ancient City of Everlast… I’m afraid you never imagined that the External Affairs Elder of the Seven Star Sword Sect that’s guarding the Ancient River Trading Company’s branch there is my cousin brother!" When he thought up to this point, Zhao Lin’s mood surged and it wasn’t able to calm down for a long time.
Dense cold lights arose within Zhao Ling’s eyes. "Duan Ling Tian, you just had to ram at hell’s gates… This time, I’m going to make you die!"
"I’ll write a letter right away, pass it to Elder Zhao Yu." Zhao Lin looked at the young man from the Ancient River Trading Company.
"Yes." The latter replied respectfully.
Zhao Lin took out a brush and waved his hand, and a letter was completed smoothly without stopping.
"You must personally pass this letter to Elder Zhao Yu! This gold is my reward to you." Zhao Lin passed over the letter and took out a stack of gold bills at the same time, then passed them both over to the young man from the Ancient River Trading Company.
"Don’t worry Elder Zhao Lin, I’m alive if the letter is with me, and dead if it is destroyed!" The latter pledged sincerely, then beamed as he received the gold.
"Go!" Zhao Lin waved his hand.
"Yes." The latter turned around and left.
"Cousin brother, the future of our Zhao Clan is up to you… If you’re able to obtain the Muscle Meridian Rebirth Scroll from Duan Ling Tian, then our Zhao Clan will rise mightily." A bright light flickered in Zhao Lin’s eyes.
When he found out that Duan Ling Tian had gone to the Ancient City of Everlast, he wished for nothing more than to head there himself… But he knew clearly that if he were to leave, it would surely leave some tracks.
Once Duan Ling Tian died outside of the sect, others would very likely follow these tracks and find him.
This was something that he was unwilling to see happen.
"Cousin brother’s strength surpasses mine, so it isn’t difficult for him to kill Duan Ling Tian and seize the Muscle Meridian Rebirth Scroll." When he thought up to here, Zhao Lin’s face revealed a smile.
Six days later, Duan Ling Tian’s group finally walked out of the boundless desert and they’d only just entered an oasis when they saw a city standing in the distance.
Duan Ling Tian looked at Feng Ping who was beside him and asked curiously. "Elder Feng Ping, that’s the destination of our trip this time?"
"Exactly." Feng Ping nodded. "When we’ve arrived at the city ahead, the merchant group will put down the goods and change to another load of goods… At that time, we’ll go back the same way we came to the Ancient City of Everlast. During that time, we have some time to have a proper meal."
Duan Ling Tian’s eye lit up.
During this arduous journey of an entire one month of time, they’d never eaten a proper meal and now they could finally have one.
The merchant group entered the city.
The guard commander led the merchant group to unload their cargo. As for Duan Ling Tian, Feng Ping, and the other three Seven Star Sword Sect disciples, they found a restaurant to eat.
Their meal was calm and tranquil, as even Zhao Lei didn’t make trouble anymore.
Actually, since Duan Ling Tian exerted the strength of 800 ancient mammoths that day, Zhao Lei was completely terrified and didn’t dare be presumptuous before Duan Ling Tian. He was so well-behaved that it caused the other Seven Star Sword Sect inner court disciples to exclaim with admiration.
All felt that Zhao Lei had changed.
After they ate, Duan Ling Tian and the others gathered with the merchant group before leaving the city and headed back to the Ancient City of Everlast.
All along the way, Duan Ling Tian was still cultivating.
Time flew by.
Almost a month quickly passed by.
That day, Duan Ling Tian awoke from his cultivation and a bright light flickered in his eyes.
"Looks like you’ve improved." Duan Ling Tian had only just awoken from his cultivation when Feng Ping’s voice transmission entered into Duan Ling Tian’s ears in a timely manner.
Duan Ling Tian smiled lightly.
Presently, his cultivation was already at the breakthrough point between the fourth level of the Nascent Soul Stage and the fifth level of the Nascent Soul Stage.
He only lacked an opportunity to push his cultivation to smoothly break through to the fifth level of the Nascent Soul Stage!
At that time, his strength would increase once again.
"Once I break through to the fifth level of the Nascent Soul Stage, then even if I encounter that Saber Young Master once again and fight him head-on, I don’t have to be afraid of the strength from his Saber Force Seed any longer! Even if his strength reaches its peak with the fluctuation of the Saber Force Seed, I can still crush him head-on!" Duan Ling Tian thought in his heart and he was filled with confidence.
"Elder Feng Ping, how long before we arrive at the Ancient City of Everlast?" Duan Ling Tian asked Feng Ping.
Feng Ping lightly smiled. "We ought to arrive in another four or five days… Then people I and Elder Zhao Yu sent to the Seven Star Sword Sect ought to have already returned by now. We’ll be able to confirm your identity once we return." Duan Ling Tian nodded, then continued to close his eyes and meditate.
At almost the exact same time, within the Ancient River Trading Company’s branch in the Ancient City of Everlast.
"Elder Zhao Yu, this is the letter Elder Zhao Lin sent to you." The young man respectfully passed the sealed letter in his hands to Zhao Yu.
"Okay. You can leave." Zhao Yu waved his hand, and the latter withdrew himself.
Swish!
In next to no time, Zhao Yu had opened the letter.
His gaze descended onto the segment of words in the front and was slightly shocked.
"Duan Ling Tian is really an inner court disciple of our Seven Star Sword Sect? It would seem that Lei was indeed too rash." Zhao Yu sighed and continued reading.
"Duan Ling Tian had just entered the Seven Star Sword Sect for not even a year when he killed the number one disciple in the outer court, Shi Hao, and became the new number one disciple in the outer court at the age of 21?"
"One year later, he killed a first level Nascent Soul Stage inner court disciple, Liu Shi Ge, with a cultivation at the ninth level of the Origin Core Stage?
"Not long ago at the Martial Competition of the five great sects, he defeated the Demonic Lotusblade Sect’s Saber Young Master, Long Yun, and seized the supreme glory of first place in the Martial Competition for the Seven Star Sword Sect?"
Zhao Yu’s breathing became progressively hurried as his gaze went downwards…
He never imagined that Duan Ling Tian was not only an inner court disciple of the Seven Star Sword Sect, but he also had such shocking accomplishments!