"Duan Ling Tian… If I don't kill you, I, Di Chen, swear that I'm not a dragon!" Although Di Chen had only spoken after he left the Fire Worship Sect's estate, everyone heard him clearly due to his thunderous voice.
When the high-ranking officials of the Fire Worship Sect heard Di Chen's words, they had a fearful expression on their faces as they whispered among themselves. All of them feared the imminent danger that would hit their sect.
"I-I don't think Di Chen is going to let the matter go after leaving the Fire Worship Sect!"
"I hope our sect won't become the scapegoat. It's not possible for us to bear the brunt of his anger after all!"
Some of the high-ranking officials from the Fire Worship Sect looked at Duan Ling Tian reproachfully even though none of them dared to express their displeasure. In their opinion, if Duan Ling Tian did not insist on Di Chen kneeling and kowtowing to him, Di Chen would not be so furious. Was he not putting the Fire Worship Sect in danger by acting this way? It seemed like they had forgotten that Di Chen was the one who requested Duan Ling Tian to kneel and kowtow to him first. Duan Ling Tian was only returning the favor to Di Chen by demanding Di Chen to kneel and kowtow.
Meanwhile, Gan Ru Yan and Chen Yi Ru had a worried expression on their faces as they looked at Duan Ling Tian. Perhaps, most people might think that Duan Ling Tian was far stronger than a Six Tribulation Bodiless Celestial since he did not seem afraid when Di Chen said his father was a Seven Tribulation Bodiless Celestial, but Gan Ru Yan and Chen Yi Ru knew very well that Duan Ling Tian's current strength was only comparable to Six Tribulation Bodiless Celestial. He was definitely not a match for Seven Tribulation Bodiless Celestial at this moment!
Duan Ling Tian replied calmly, "I'll wait for you!"
Duan Ling Tian's words did not seem loud to the people present. However, he had infused some energy in his voice, and it was transmitted to Di Chen who had flown east. When Di Chen heard this, he was further enraged.
'Duan Ling Tian, I want you dead! I want you dead!' Di Chen roared inwardly. Unknowingly, killing Duan Ling Tian slowly became Di Chen's obsession. This was not ideal for someone who was about to undergo the Bodiless Celestial Tribulation! Although he was aware of this, he could not help the way he felt. After all, the humiliation he had suffered today was unlike anything he had experienced. This was his first time having to kneel and kowtow to someone! There was no doubt he would become a laughingstock in the Upper Province if word about him kneeling and kowtowing to Duan Ling Tian were to spread!
When Di Chen left, the Three Tribulation Bodiless Celestial from the dragon clan, naturally, left as well. Before he left, he looked at Duan Ling Tian fearfully. He only heaved a sigh of relief when he realized Duan Ling Tian did not intend to make him stay.
Since Duan Ling Tian had already let Di Chen go, there was no reason for him to stop this Three Tribulation Bodiless Celestial from leaving.
After the high-ranking officials of the Fire Worship Sect left, there were only three people left on the scene; it was Duan Ling Tian, Chen Yi Ru, and Gan Ru Yan. Even the burly middle-aged man who followed Gan Ru Yan had retreated in fear of disturbing Duan Ling Tian.
"You shouldn't have done that… Di Chen's father won't let you go for humiliating his son!" Gan Ru Yan said with a sigh.
"He brought this humiliation upon himself!" Duan Ling Tian said indifferently, "I wouldn't have made things difficult if he didn't request for me to kneel and kowtow to him. Since he dared to say such words, he should take responsibility for it!"
Duan Ling Tian's eyes glinted coldly as he thought to himself, 'I won't look for trouble with you if you don't look for trouble with me. However, if you do, I won't let things go so easily!' This was one of his principles.
"But his father is a Seven Tribulation Bodiless Celestial!" Gan Ru Yan said anxiously.
"So what?" Duan Ling Tian's eyes turned colder. "Are you saying I should be a pushover and accept the humiliation just because his father is a Seven Tribulation Bodiless Celestial? Moreover, a Seven Tribulation Bodiless Celestial isn't qualified to make me bow!"
Gan Ru Yan's eyes widened in shock. "A-are you saying you're now as strong as a Seven Tribulation Bodiless Celestial?"
Chen Yi Ru's gaze was filled with shock and admiration when he looked at Duan Ling Tian.
"No, not yet." Duan Ling Tian shook his head. His eyes flashed as he slowly said, "However, it won't be long..."
Although Gan Ru Yan and Chen Yi Ru were curious about Duan Ling Tian's words, they did not question him further when they saw he had no intention of explaining himself.
"You should be worried about yourself instead." Duan Ling Tian's expression was grave as he looked at Gan Ru Yan. "Due to the relationship between the Fire Worship Sect and the dragon clan, it's impossible for Di Chen to destroy the sect. However, he can easily deal with the sect leader of the sect. After all, the Fire Worship Sect will still remain standing even if there's a different sect leader. I think it's best if you leave the Fire Worship Sect for now."
Gan Ru Yan was rather touched by Duan Ling Tian's concern. However, she laughed bitterly before she said, "Where can I go if I leave the Fire Worship Sect? Moreover, if I leave, I'll have to bring my master as well. If Di Chen discovers our relationship as master and disciple, he'll definitely vent his anger on my master when he returns and finds me missing!"
After a while, Duan Ling Tian finally said, "Why don't both of you follow me to the northern region? Moreover, Ke'er and Si Ling miss you quite a bit."
When Duan Ling Tian came to Fire Worship Sect, he had one companion with him. However, when he left the sect, he had four other companions. Apart from Gan Ru Yan and her master, Qing Huo, the burly middle-aged man who followed Gan Ru Yan tagged along as well.
...
While Duan Ling Tian journeyed back to the Seven Absolutes Sect in the northern region, the western region was in an uproar.
"Duan Ling Tian returned to the Fire Worship Sect and defeated Di Chen, a Seven-Clawed Golden Dragon who's also a Five Tribulation Bodiless Celestial! Moreover, Di Chen had to kneel and kowtow to apologize to Duan Ling Tian!"
"Duan Ling Tian's strength is comparable to a Six Tribulation Bodiless Celestial at the very least. In fact, there's a possibility that he's even stronger than that!"
"The current successor of the Fog Rain Progeny, the First Absolute of the Seven Absolutes Sect, is certainly outstanding. He's not inferior to Sword Saint Feng Qing Yang, the predecessor of the Fog Rain Progeny!"
It did not take long before this news swept out of the western region to the other parts of the Upper Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land like a tornado! It took only half a month before everyone in the Upper Province had heard about this. The reason this news had spread so fast was due to Di Chen being a member of the dragon clan. Many reclusive Bodiless Celestials had also helped spread this news!
"Heavens! The successor of the Fog Rain Progeny, the First Absolute, is really heaven-defying!"
"I didn't expect the dragon clan to have Five Tribulation Bodiless Celestial… Three Tribulation Bodiless Celestials are already much stronger than Eminent Celestials. How strong are Five Tribulation Bodiless Celestials then?"
"So what if Five Tribulation Bodiless Celestials are very strong? Di Chen was still defeated by Duan Ling Tian in the end!"
"Duan Ling Tian is really terrifying! Previously, he killed a Four Tribulation Bodiless Celestial from the Fire Worship Sect. We've just gotten over the shock from that, but now, we find out he defeated a Five Tribulation Bodiless Celestial from the dragon clan!"
In the Upper Province of Dao Martial Saint Land, similar discussions such as these could be heard everywhere.
"The person that Duan Ling Tian defeated is called Di Chen, right?"
"Based on my knowledge, the surname Di is exclusive to the Imperial Family of the dragon clan!"
"I heard that Di Chen reverted to a Seven-clawed Golden Dragon during his fight with Duan Ling Tian!"
...
The Bodiless Celestials in the Upper Province of Dao Martial Saint Land were in an uproar as well.
"Duan Ling Tian, the Sect Leader of Seven Absolutes Sect, managed to make Di Chen kneel and kowtow to him?"
"Monster! He's a monster!"
"Indeed. Since he had appeared in the Upper Province, his strength had risen to where it's comparable to a Six Tribulation Bodiless Celestial in less than a century! After a few more years, is there anyone in the Dao Martial Saint Land who'll be able to suppress him?"
"Who knows if anyone is even able to suppress him now? How can we be sure that his strength is only comparable to a Six Tribulation Bodiless Celestial? Who's to say he's not stronger?"
"You're right. Previously, when he killed Li Bing, we thought his strength is comparable to a Five Tribulation Bodiless Celestial… Now that he defeated Di Chen, we assumed his strength is comparable to Six Tribulation Bodiless Celestial. He could be stronger than what we think!"
"Every time there's a battle, Duan Ling Tian never fails to surprise us. Who knows what his true strength is?"
"Well, he's the direct successor of Sword Saint Feng Qing Yang after all. Sword Saint Feng Qing Yang managed to kill an Eight Tribulation Bodiless Celestial when he was just an Eminent Celestial. As his successor, Duan Ling Tian will, naturally, be outstanding as well!"
"We really can't afford to offend Duan Ling Tian!"
Duan Ling Tian was, naturally, unaware that the group of Bodiless Celestials in the Upper Province of Dao Martial Saint Land had already regarded him as a tiger and was afraid of him.
...
In the 100,000 Towering Mountains in the eastern region. The dragon clan's estate.
"Five Tribulation Bodiless Celestial? We have Bodiless Celestials in our dragon clan?"
"Di Chen… Isn't he a Grand Elder of our dragon clan about 6,000 years ago? He… he's still alive? Moreover, he has even become a Bodiless Celestial?"