2218 Reclusive Powerhouse

While the successors of the six Absolutes of the Seven Absolute Sect rejoined society, the western region of the Upper Province in the Dao Martial Saint Land was in a buzz.

News about Lang Qian Jin, the Supreme Elder of Black Kshetra Sect, leading a group of people to the Fire Worship Seek to seek revenge from the newly appointed Guardian of the sect, Duan Ling Tian, had begun to spread.

"Hey! Did you hear? People from the Black Kshetra Sect went to the Saint Sect to seek revenge from Guardian Ling Tian as soon as they learned about his return to the sect!"

"I heard about it! From what I heard, even the Supreme Elder of Black Kshetra Sect who's ranked second on the Supreme Saint Ranking had personally gone to the Saint Sect!"

"If he didn't come to the Saint Sect, it would be pointless regardless of how many men they sent. They would not be able to capture Guardian Ling Tian!"

Yes. Currently, our Lord Sect Leader has broken through to the Ninth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage. The others wouldn't be able to do anything if the Supreme Elder of Black Kshetra Sect didn't come!"

"Based on the actions of the Sect Leader of Black Kshetra Sect, it's clear to see they're determined to capture Guardian Ling Tian!"

The western region was in chaos. Many people were worried about the western region's Saint Sect and the sect's Guardian, Duan Ling Tian. After all, the Supreme Elder of Black Kshetra Sect was no ordinary person. He was someone who was ranked second on the Supreme Saint Ranking. He was only ranked below Nie Wu Tian, the strongest person in the Dao Martial Saint Land.

Everyone in the western region was still discussing this matter about Duan Ling Tian when another shocking news spread from the Fire Worship Sect!

People learned about how Tang Xuan, the Sect Leader of Fire Worship Sect, had led the five Guardians to meet with Lang Qian Jian, the Supreme Elder of Black Kshetra Sect, and the people he brought with him.

They learned that Tang Xuan had held his ground and refused to hand Duan Ling Tian over to the people from Black Kshetra Sect. The people from Fire Worship Sect would rather fight with the Black Kshetra Sect than to hand Duan Ling Tian over. In the end, the powerhouses at the Ninth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage had gotten into a fight and moved away from the Fire Worship Sect, leaving the Guardians with the Sect Leader of Black Kshetra Sect, the two Karmapas and other people from the sect.

Moreover, people also found out that Black Kshetra Sect had invited outside help. They had asked for help from Hao

Shuang who was ranked fifth on the Supreme Saint Ranking. He was widely acknowledged as the strongest person below the Ninth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage. He had even brought the Dharma Rod, one of the Super Saint Weapons on the Ten Great Super Saint Weapons Ranking! At that point, victory seemed imminent for the Black Kshetra Sect. However, Duan Ling Tian managed to defeat Hao Shuang with just one move!

News of this began to circulate quickly in the western region and caused another huge commotion.

"My goodness! Guardian Ling Tian from our Saint Sect is terrifying! He even defeated Hao Shuang even though Hao Shuang possessed the Dharma Rod, one of the Super Saint Weapons. Everyone knows Hao Shuang is the strongest person below the Ninth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage!"

"I heard that Hao Shuang would have died if Guardian Ling Tian didn't choose to spare him and didn't chase after him!"

"Apparently, Guardian Ling Tian didn't chase after Hao Shuang because he knows the Devil Clans are going to invade the Upper Province soon, and he didn't want to lose more human powerhouses!"

"I've decided that Guardian Ling Tian is my idol!"

"Guardian Ling Tian is going to become even more famous after this. After all, he has taken over Hao Shuang's place in the Supreme Saint Ranking and is currently the strongest person below the Ninth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage!"

Duan Ling Tian was already famous before this incident, but after this incident, people began to admire and respect him as well. Once news of this spread from the western region to other places in the Dao Martial Saint Land, he would only become even more famous. He would officially become one of the elites in the Upper Province of the Dao Martial Land Saint!

Prior to this, Duan Ling Tian had already caused quite a big commotion among the people in Dao Martial Saint Land. News of him returning to the Fire Worship Sect and being appointed as a Guardian had shaken the Upper Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land. Many sectless cultivators were shocked by this.

Rumors about Pei Si Hai who was widely acknowledged by sectless cultivators as the number one prodigy in the Dao Martial Saint Land began to lose its credibility.

There was a new number one prodigy in the Dao Martial Saint Land! It was none other than Duan Ling Tian, the newly appointed Guardian of Fire Worship Sect!

The sectless cultivators were no strangers to Duan Ling Tian. Previously, when the Super Saint Weapon, the Devilseal Tablet, appeared in the Lower Province, many people, including the sectless cultivators, had gone to the Lower Province. For this reason, they were all familiar with Duan Ling Tian's story. They knew he had not even reached fifty years of age.

To become a Guardian in the Fire Worship Sect, one's cultivation base had to be at the Seventh Form of the Saint Celestial Stage. Duan Ling Tian had become a Guardian before he even reached fifty years old!

"Rumor has it that the newly appointed Guardian, Duan Ling Tian, is not an ordinary powerhouse at the Seventh Form of the Saint Celestial Stage. Even Guardian Zi Feng who's the strongest among the original three Guardians has admitted that he's no match for Duan Ling Tian!"

"Guardian Zi Feng from the Fire Worship Sect is at the Eighth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage! Although he's weaker than Lord Pei Si Hai, he's still a powerhouse at the Eighth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage. He should be stronger than powerhouses at the Seventh Form of the Saint Celestial Stage!"

"Exactly! Based on that, you can tell that even if Duan Ling Tian isn't stronger than Lord Pei Si Hai, he's not much weaker than Lord Pei Si Hai. Moreover, we must remember that Duan Ling Tian is not even fifty years old!"

Even the sectless cultivators could not deny Duan Ling Tian's innate talent and strength. With all that Duan Ling Tian had accomplished, he was more than worthy of being the number one prodigy in the Dao Martial Saint Land even if Duan Ling Tian only managed to become strong due to a fortuitous encounter and Pei Si Hai did not have any fortuitous encounter.

However, at this time, the sectless cultivators were unaware that there was another shocking news waiting for them. Once they heard the news, they would know beyond a doubt that Duan Ling Tian, a Guardian of Fire Worship Sect, was much stronger than Pei Si Hai, the person whom they had always acknowledged as the number one prodigy in the Dao Martial Saint Land.

Somewhere in the northern region of Upper Province in the Dao Martial Saint Land.

It snowed all year long in the northern region. The lake was frozen and people could walk over it. A small wooden cabin stood on the of the lake that has frozen over. A man could be seen sitting cross-legged in the air in front of the wooden cabin.

It was a middle-aged man with a messy appearance. His hair was unkempt. Based on his appearance, it could be seen that he did not care much about how he looked.

All of sudden, the middle-aged man opened his eyes and looked at a spot in the distance.

A handsome and well-built young man who was dressed in a green robe stood in the distance. The aura he emitted was sharp as though he was a saber. The young man's hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He carried an unadorned sheathed saber on his back. The carvings on the sheath looked ancient as though they had many stories to tell.

Upon seeing the young man, the middle-aged man stood up immediately and moved toward the young man. In just a few moments, he arrived in front of the young man.

"Pei Si Hai!"

The young man was none other than Pei Si Hai who was ranked seventh on the Supreme Saint Ranking.

"Weng Zheng." Pei Si Hai looked at the middle-aged man solemnly. "I came to see if I can last for ten moves in a duel with you this time around!"

Based on Pei Si Hai's words, it was obvious he had fought with the middle-aged man in the past but had failed to endure for more than ten moves!

If word of this got around, it would definitely cause a commotion. After all, even Hao Shuang who was ranked fifth on the Supreme Saint Ranking did not dare to say he could defeat Pei Si Hai within ten moves.

This middle-aged man who managed to defeat Pei Si Hai within ten moves was not well-known in the Upper Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land. Let alone being in the top ten of the Supreme Saint Ranking, he was not even ranked in the top one thousand of the Supreme Saint Ranking. Based on this, one could see that he was a reclusive powerhouse.

Reclusive powerhouses kept to themselves and did not bother with showing their strength to the public.

Similarly, Pei Si Hai was also unknown in the past. However, once people learned of his strength, he was ranked seventh on the Supreme Saint Ranking!

The middle-aged man was in no hurry to fight with Pei Si Hai. Instead, he chose to tease Pei Si Hai. "Pei Si Hai, I heard there's a freak in the Fire Worship Sect. He's as strong as a powerhouse at the Eighth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage even though he hasn't even reached fifty years old. It seems like you're no longer the number one prodigy in the Dao Martial Saint Land."

Pei Si Hai scoffed when he heard Weng Zheng's words. "There's always someone better in the world... I've never thought of myself as the number one prodigy in the Dao Martial Saint Land!"

Weng Zheng shook his head and said with a smile, "Stop being so humble... Before that lad from the Fire Worship Sect appeared, you're, indeed, the number one prodigy in the Dao Martial Saint Land!"

Swish!

A faint noise sounded as Pei Si Hai pulled his saber out from the sheath and pointed it at Weng Zheng. Then, he said solemnly, "Let's begin!"