Zheng Jian was brought away by the Heavenly Harm Guardian to the Punishment Camp of the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City, and he never came back.
The situation kept changing in the Latent Dragon Camp.
Li Han, the first person Duan Ling Tian had defeated among the Thirteen Gangsters when he had just arrived at the Latent Dragon Camp, had successfully broken through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage.
He had intended to look for Duan Ling Tian to seek revenge the minute he came out of his closed-door cultivation. However, he completely dispelled that notion once he heard Zheng Jian had been defeated by Duan Ling Tian.
Nevertheless, he became one of the Thirteen Gangsters again with his strength, and the Thirteen Gangsters' rankings changed again.
Apart from the top four that remained unchanged, Duan Ling Tian had replaced Zheng Jian and moved into cottage no.5.
Zhang Ji Long moved into cottage no.6 while Guo Li moved into cottage no.7.
The owner of cottage no.8 wooden was Hou Lin, and cottage no.9 belonged to Li Han.
As for the owner of cottage no.10, it had changed ownership a few times within the month. It was only confirmed after another Latent Dragon Camp's member broke through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage.
At the same time, news of Duan Ling Tian becoming the disciple of the City Governor of Mound Hill City began to spread.
"As it turns out, Duan Ling Tian had already become a disciple of Lord City Governor."
"Since Duan Ling Tian has become the disciple of Lord City Governor after Xiong Hu and Jin Yuan Bao, this indicates his strength has surpassed Sun Ge who's ranked no.4 among the Thirteen Gangsters."
"If Zheng Jian knew Duan Ling Tian has become Lord City Governor's disciple, he wouldn't have dared to provoke Duan Ling Tian even if he was more courageous."
"Things change… Perhaps even Zheng Jian did not expect that he would be expelled from the Latent Dragon Camp and evicted from the City Governor's Estate for killing his distant cousin."
"I heard that Zheng Jian was only half alive when he was evicted from the City Governor's Estate. The Punishment Camp's way of doing things is so vicious."
"In my opinion, he's lucky to be alive."
The area of the dilapidated cottages in the Latent Dragon Camp was as lively as ever.
Since Duan Ling Tian had defeated Zheng Jian in one move, Hou Lin and Zhang Ji Long became much warier of Duan Ling Tian.
When they heard that Duan Ling Tian had become Lord City Governor's disciple, they had completely dispelled the notion of making an enemy out of Duan Ling Tian. Especially Hou Lin.
Although Duan Ling Tian had thrown him into the manure pit once and humiliated him, he did not harbor the slightest intention of avenging himself when faced with the current Duan Ling Tian.
After Zheng Jian was chased out of the Latent Dragon Camp and the City Governor's Estate, one month passed by quickly.
On this day, the person ranked no.1 among the Thirteen Gangsters, Ling Yun, left cottage no.1.
Everyone knew what he was going to do.
Ling Yun returned an hour later. Although his face remained cold, there was a hint of excitement in the depth of his eyes.
Duan Ling Tian walked out of the pavilion at the side of the high platform just in time to see the joy in Ling Yun's eyes. He thought to himself, 'It seems like Ling Yun passed teacher's test.'
He went to the pavilion to collect Saint Stones.
Now that he was ranked no.5 among the Thirteen Gangsters, he would be able to collect 900 grade-eight Saint Stones every month.
When Duan Ling Tian was looking at Ling Yun, Ling Yun was also looking at him. He sent him a message through True Energy Voice Transmission. "Duan Ling Tian... Although you're older than I am and became Master's disciple before I did, you'll have to defeat me first if you want me to address you as my Senior Brother."
Duan Ling Tian just smiled faintly before he returned to cottage no.5.
After returning to the cottage, he retrieved the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda and entered it with just a thought and headed straight to the second level. He continued cultivating after arriving there.
A layer of silver luster shrouded his body as though he was wearing a silver coat.
"My cultivation progress for the upgraded version of the Copper Shirt, the Silver Shirt, has been smooth sailing… I'm currently at the Competent Stage." A satisfied smile appeared on Duan Ling Tian's face.
A month had passed in the outside world even though three months had passed inside the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda… In within three months, Duan Ling Tian had successfully cultivated the Silver Shirt to the Competent Stage.
The Competent Stage was the third stage of a Saint Grade Martial Tactic.
The Silver Shirt that was cultivated to the Competent Stage was as strong as the Copper Shirt that had already been cultivated to the fifth stage, which is also the Impeccable Stage.
'I feel that once I exert the Silver Shirt, the strength of my physical body will be strengthened as well,' Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.
'In another month's time, it'll be half a year since I came to the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City.' Duan Ling Tian could not help but feel sentimental when he thought of this.
Naturally, the 'half a year' he meant was the time that had passed in the outside world. According to the time in the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda, it would be even longer.
"Right!" Duan Ling Tian seemed to have recalled something. He withdrew the Silver Shirt and descended from the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda to the first level.
Duan Ling Tian looked at Elder Huo who was seated cross-legged and called out, "Elder Huo."
"Yes?" Elder Huo said as he opened his eyes.
"Elder Huo, I'd like to ask… Will my growth rings grow according to the flow of time in the outside world or the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda?" This was what Duan Ling Tian had thought of earlier.
If his growth rings grew according to the flow of time inside the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda, he would be thirty-six years old now.
If it grew according to the flow of time in the outside world, he would still be thirty-five years old.
When he first met Lin Qin Rong and Guo Li, he had just turned thirty-five.
"Your growth rings grow according to the flow of time in the outside world…"
"The time outside is the default time. You can think of it this way, the extra time in the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda is equivalent to the time you've stolen. It won't affect your growth rings," Elder Huo said.
"Stolen? Elder Huo, you mean that my growth rings stay stagnant when I'm in the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda?" Duan Ling Tian took a deep breath, trying to suppress his emotion.
"Yes." Elder Huo nodded. "Ever since you've arrived at the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City, your growth rings have merely grown for half a month… That's the time you spent in the outside world for the past six months."
"I've been in the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City for half a year now… During this time, apart from the ten days when I went out, I've only gone out for five days. Indeed, I only spent half a month in the outside world."
Duan Ling Tian's eyes narrowed as he muttered, "If that's the case, does this mean my growth rings will be growing very slowly?"
"That's right." Elder Huo nodded. "Your growth rings grow according to the flow of time in the outside world… When you're in the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda, your growth rings will be stagnant."
"Based on the fact that you've only spent 15 days in the outside world during the past six months, at this rate, it'll take twelve years outside for your growth ring to grow a complete ring and grow a year older," Elder Huo continued saying.
Boom!
Elder Huo's word struck Duan Ling Tian like a bolt of lightning. It took him a while before he regained his senses.
Based on the time he spent in the outside world during the past six months, his growth ring would take twelve years to grow another ring?
"That… That's outrageous!" Duan Ling Tian muttered woodenly, "If we calculate it that way, my growth rings will only grow five rings after sixty years have passed in the outside world. At that time, I'll only be forty years old?"
The corner of Duan Ling Tian's mouth twitched when he thought of that.
It should be noted that people below the age of forty were considered young at the Dao Martial Saint Land.
Based on the time he had spent in the outside world during the past six months, he would need another 60 years to shed his youth?
At this moment, Duan Ling Tian deeply felt how extraordinary the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda was.
No wonder the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda was a top Celestial Supreme Treasure. It really had the good fortune of the heaven and earth, so much so that it could steal time.
"In the past six months, I've consumed ten Two Star Sensory Pills to enhance my sense toward the Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy to help with my cultivation… The egg-sized Qi Sea is almost full now."
"Although I don't have any more Two Star Sensory Pills, I should still be able to fill my Qi Sea and break through within a month with the help of the 32 Saint Veins in my body to absorb the Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy for cultivation," Duan Ling Tian continued muttering to himself.
The next step was to break through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage!
Once he broke through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage, his Qi Sea would undergo another transformation and increase in size… At that time, the transformed and enlarged Qi Sea would be able to accumulate even more True Energy.
Apart from that, after his Qi Sea had transformed and increased in size, he would be able to open up more Saint Veins.
The increment of Saint Veins would affect the speed of transportation of True Energy in his body, and in turn, it would affect his strength as well.
'With the True Energy in my Qi Sea now, if I fully unleash my strength with the 32 Saint Veins, I'm confident I can defeat any Martial or Dao Cultivators at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage without utilizing the Silver Shirt!' Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.
Currently, he was merely a Martial Cultivator at the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage.
"Once I break through to the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage, even if I've just broken through, I'm still confident in defeating most of the Martial and Dao Cultivators at the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage with the Silver Shirt!" Duan Ling Tian was filled with confidence.
After taking a deep breath to calm himself down, Duan Ling Tian sat cross-legged in the air and began to cultivate.
Nine Dragons War Sovereign Technique, Nine Dragons Form!
As he circulated it along his body per the cultivation method, the Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy in the air and Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy in the Saint Stones were constantly absorbed into his body.
After the Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy entered his body, it was transported by the nine dragons before it transformed into True Energy and integrated with his Qi Sea after circulating a great Qi circuit.
The amount of True Energy in his Qi Sea kept increasing as he kept circulating it.
One month inside the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda passed quickly… At this time, True Energy finally filled the Qi Sea deep between Duan Ling Tian's brows.
"It's filled with True Energy now… I can finally try to expand my Qi Sea!" Duan Ling Tian's eyes glinted when he opened them.
After that, he closed his eyes again and continued cultivating.
At the same time, the Qi Sea deep between his eyebrows was held up by the continuous influx of True Energy, and it continued expanding like a balloon.