1437 Duan Ling Tian Accepts the Duel Invitation

"I don't need you to teach him a lesson." Zhou Qi shook his head.

"You don't need me to teach him a lesson?" Lin Fu was puzzled. He did not understand what Zhou Qi was trying to do.

"I want you to test his strength... I'll find someone else to deal with him later," Zhou Qi replied nonchalantly.

"Understood." Lin Fu nodded. "This is simple."

It was indeed simple.

In his opinion, it was nothing more than issuing a duel invitation.

Even if he was not a match for Duan Ling Tian, he would be taught a lesson at the most.

With the sect's rules, he believed Duan Ling Tian would not cripple or kill him… If it was not a death duel invitation, they would have to repay with their own lives if they killed someone.

"I'll wait for the good news from you tomorrow." After Zhou Qi was done, he left the outer court under the cover of the night and returned to the inner court.

The next morning, Lin Fu looked for Dong Chong, an outer court elder. "Elder Dong Chong, I want to issue a duel invitation. Please stamp your fingerprint here."

As he was speaking, he took out a duel invitation that he had prepared beforehand.

Dong Chong took the duel invitation. Without even looking at it, he smiled and asked, "Lin Fu, who are you going to challenge this time?"

Lin Fu was ranked 47th in the Moon Illumination Sect's outer court. He had fought his way up there. Dong Chong thought Lin Fu wanted to challenge the outer court disciple above him when he said he wanted to issue a duel invitation.

"Elder Dong Chong, the person I want to challenge this time is a little special." Lin Fu smiled.

"Oh?" Curious, Dong Chong looked at the duel invitation in his hand. When he saw the three words 'Duan Ling Tian' written on it, he could not help but feel shocked for a moment. "Y-You want to challenge that new disciple?"

"Yes." Lin Fu nodded.

"Lin Fu, you must think this over carefully… Currently, Duan Ling Tian is only ranked 85th in the outer court. It's fine if you challenge him and win. However, if you lose, you'll fall a place behind, and he'll be ranked 47th thanks to you," Dong Chong reminded him with a complicated expression on his face.

Duan Ling Tian was the young genius he had taken a liking to during the entrance exam yesterday.

It was unfortunate Duan Ling Tian was unwilling to become his disciple.

After the entrance exam ended, he returned to the outer court and heard about the strength Duan Ling Tian had demonstrated when he defeated Ceng Zhi. He was bewildered after he heard the entire story.

In that instant, the anger that rose in his heart from Duan Ling Tian's rejection instantly vanished without a trace.

He knew very well that with Duan Ling Tian's innate talent and strength, he was unworthy to become his teacher.

Even if he had forcefully taken Duan Ling Tian as a disciple, he would only lead the young man astray.

"I've already made up mind," Lin Fu replied and nodded.

He was issuing the duel invitation to Duan Ling Tian to test his strength, not to defeat him. This was so Senior Brother Zhou Qi could find a way to deal with him.

Even if he was defeated, he would only fall by a place. It was not a big issue.

Moreover, if Duan Ling Tian was indeed more powerful than him, he would eventually move forward even if he did not challenge him. At that time, he would still fall a place.

"What do you think of Duan Ling Tian?" Dong Chong asked as he pressed a fingerprint on the duel invitation.

The duel invitation was made from a special kind of paper.

As long as one pressed on it with one's True Energy on the finger, the fingerprint would automatically appear.

"I suspect Duan Ling Tian must have broken through to the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage after he passed the first stage of the entrance exam," Lin Fu replied, "It's impossible for someone at the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage to defeat a person who's almost at the peak of the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage."

"I think so too. Since you're issuing a challenge to him, I can seize this opportunity to assess him as well." Dong Chong nodded before he returned the duel invitation to Lin Fu.

"Thank you, Elder Dong Chong." After Lin Fu received the duel invitation, he instantly went to the independent courtyard Duan Ling Tian was residing in. This independent courtyard originally belonged to Ceng Zhi so Lin Fu knew the way very well.

Standing outside the courtyard, Lin Fu raised a hand and sent the duel invitation out.

Using a secret force, he inserted the duel invitation at the crack between the shut door and its frame.

Lin Fu looked at the duel invitation and finally left after the scene before him was imprinted in his mind.

As long as Duan Ling Tian opened the door, the duel invitation would definitely fall. Even if he deliberately placed the duel invitation back to its original spot, he would not be able to place it at the exact same place that Lin Fu had placed it. At that time, even if he intended to go into closed-door cultivation, Lin Fu would be able to barge into his house without violating the sect's rules.

"Duel invitation?" Duan Ling Tian opened the door and walked out of the room before he picked up the duel invitation from the floor. A month had passed since then. Naturally, that meant he had spent three months inside the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.

"Lin Fu?" Duan Ling Tian saw the signature on the duel invitation as soon as he opened it.

Duan Ling Tian walked out of the courtyard as he casually put the duel invitation away.

"I originally came out to take a breath and see where Ling Yun and Xiong Hu are. I didn't expect someone is waiting for me to come out all this time." After looking at the duel invitation in his hands, Duan Ling Tian shook his head and smiled.

Duan Ling Tian stopped an outer court disciple who was passing by and asked with a smile, "Senior Brother, do you know Lin Fu?"

"Yes, I do." The outer court disciple nodded before asking with a smile, "You're a new disciple who entered the sect a month ago right?"

This outer court disciple happened to be in closed-door cultivation a month ago. Due to this reason, he did not recognize Duan Ling Tian even though he had heard of his name.

"Yes." Duan Ling Tian nodded.

He could guess the intention behind the outer court disciple's question.

He knew very well he would make a name for himself in the outer court from the moment he had defeated Ceng Zhi… All of the outer court disciples knew he was staying in the independent courtyard Ceng used to live in.

The person who issued the duel invitation could not be inferior to Ceng Zhi.

Such a person must be well-known in the outer court. Only those new disciples who had just entered the Moon Illumination Sect a month ago like him did not know who he was.

The outer court disciple whom Duan Ling Tian stopped warned him, "Junior Brother, next time you can't just address Senior Brother Lin Fu by his name… Senior Brother Lin Fu is ranked 47th in our outer court."

"He's ranked 47th in the outer court?" Duan Ling Tian finally understood. Just as he had expected, the person who issued the duel invitation was not just an ordinary outer court disciple.

'That Ceng Zhi was ranked 85th, and he's already close to the peak of the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage… There's no doubt this Lin Fu who issued the duel invitation must be at the peak of the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage,' Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.

"How timely! Although I'm still a step away from breaking through to the Perfection Mortal Shedding Stage, my body has undergone an earth-shattering transformation after fusing with the five-clawed Devil Dragon's blood essence… Since Lin Fu came knocking on my door, I can use him as a test!" Duan Ling Tian's battle intent rose up in his heart immediately.

Although his cultivation base had yet to break through, his body had already undergone a transformation. Due to this reason, his brute strength had also improved a lot.

Currently, he was confident he could suppress and defeat Ceng Zhi even if he did not use the Strange Pupil's energy.

He would not have been interested if that person was at the same level as Ceng Zhi. However, Lin Fu seemed to be at the peak of the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage.

"Senior Brother, have you heard of Duan Ling Tian?" Duan Ling Tian asked the outer court disciple as a light bulb suddenly went on in his mind.

"Of course, I have," the outer court disciple replied as though it was a matter of course. He said in one breath, "He's the most monstrous person among the new batch that entered the outer court. Moreover, he even made history by obtaining an independent courtyard to stay in as soon as he entered the sect. Let alone the outer court, I think even people in the inner court must have heard of his name now."

Duan Ling Tian nodded.

He was not surprised. He had only asked to be certain.

'With my fame in the outer court, that Lin Fu still dares to challenge me… In this case, he must be at the peak of the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage! It looks like I'll have another opportunity to crack my knuckles after these three months,' Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.

He looked at the outer court disciple again and asked with a smile, "Senior Brother, do you know which independent courtyard Lin Fu is staying in?"

"It's Senior Brother Duan Ling Tian!"

"It's really him!"

Before the outer court disciple had time to reply, two other outer court disciple who was just passing by exclaimed out loud. Their gaze was filled with hints of respect and fear when they looked at Duan Ling Tian.

"Duan Ling Tian?" The outer court disciple who was stopped by Duan Ling Tian was stunned when he heard the two outer court disciples' words.

This purple-clad young man standing in front of him was Duan Ling Tian?

"Senior Brother, I didn't intend to deliberately conceal this... It's just that I saw a duel invitation from Lin Fu as soon as I came out from my closed-door cultivation. I was just preparing to accept his challenge." Duan Ling Tian smiled apologetically before waving the duel invitation in his hand.

"S-Senior Brother Lin Fu issued a duel invitation t-to you?" Upon hearing this, the outer court disciple who stood in front of Duan Ling Tian narrowed his eyes immediately as a baffled expression appeared on his face.

After a long while, he finally regained his senses. Awkwardly, he smiled. "Senior Brother Duan, I'm sorry for not recognizing you earlier… In the world of martial artists, the strong ones always come first. From now on, just address me as Junior Brother please."

Duan Ling Tian shook his head and sighed inwardly. 'It's another person who's similar to Yang He.'

"Senior Brother Lin Fu issued a challenge to Senior Brother Duan Ling Tian?" The two outer court disciples who were passing by immediately spread the news.

In just 15 minutes, almost all the outer sect disciples — except for those who were in closed-door cultivation — heard of this shocking news.

Naturally, they knew who Lin Fu was.

He was ranked 47th in the outer court, and he was powerful. Moreover, he was also at the peak of the Paramount Mortal Shedding Stage.

However, they were also familiar with the name 'Duan Ling Tian'.

He had defeated the person who was ranked 85th and took over the spot as soon as he entered the sect.

Currently, Lin Fu had issued a challenge to Duan Ling Tian.

"Haha! I almost went into closed-door cultivation and missed this battle! Let's go! Let's join in and watch the fun!"

"Senior Brother Duan Ling Tian is just too awesome! He directly accepted the challenge! He's so manly!"

"I hope Senior Brother Lin Fu is not in closed-door cultivation so we can watch this fierce battle between a dragon and tiger today!"

…

All of the disciples in the outer court moved toward the training field.