"Are you sure he came from the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City and he's Fang Hui's disciple?" Liu Huan asked in his deep voice as his eyes gleamed brightly.
He found this hard to believe.
Not only did Fang Hui take Su Qi, an outstanding genius Martial Cultivator, as a disciple, but he had taken an even more extraordinary Martial Cultivator as a disciple after Su Qi?
What kind of luck was that?
Why did he, Liu Huan, not have such luck at all?
If that person named Duan Ling Tian had just entered the outer court two months ago, it meant that he must be younger than 40 years old. The fact that he managed to kill Feng Fan was more than enough to show his innate talent far surpassed Su Qi, his direct disciple whom he was very proud of.
If he had known about Duan Ling Tian's existence earlier, he would have taken him as a disciple and treat him like how he treated Su Qi. However, it was no longer possible. This was because he had killed Feng Fan, Elder Zhao's direct disciple!
Elder Zhao's strength could be considered as being in the top three among the inner court elders in the Moon Illumination Sect. He was someone that even Liu Huan had to flatter and please.
No matter how courageous he was, he still did not dare to accept the person who killed Elder Zhao's direct disciple as his own disciple.
"Master, I encountered him six months ago when I went to bring Junior Brother Su Qi back here… At that time, I was unaware his innate talent is even higher than Junior Brother Su Qi. Otherwise,I would've brought him back as well." Zhou Qi had been following Liu Huan for so many years, he, naturally, knew Liu Huan's thoughts very well and knew how to flatter him.
If he had known earlier that Duan Ling Tian was so gifted, he would have killed him six months ago when he went to the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City. He felt regret every time he thought about this. It was unfortunate there was no cure for regret in this world.
As expected, the instant Liu Huan heard Zhou Qi's words, his face softened a little. However, the look in his eyes turned sharper. "I really can't believe that Fang Hui is so lucky! He actually managed to find two disciples with such high innate talent. What good deeds did he do?"
The killing intent in Liu Huan's eyes intensified when he reached the end of his sentence. "Initially, I spared his life because I didn't think he would be able to make a comeback. However, it seems like I was sorely mistaken. If Duan Ling Tian grows any stronger, he'll definitely be a threat to my life!!"
"Master, do you need me to go to the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City and kill that Fang Hui?" Zhou Qi asked.
"No." Liu Huan shook his head. "Just leave that Fang Hui to Elder Zhao… Otherwise, where do you expect him to vent his anger when he comes out of his closed-door cultivation and finds out his disciple was killed? As for that Duan Ling Tian, we must get rid of him before Elder Zhao comes out of his closed-door cultivation. At that time, he could be considered as owing me a favor." Liu Huan's eyes shone brightly when he reached the end of his sentence.
Naturally, there was one thing he did not say out loud.
He wanted to kill Duan Ling Tian before Elder Zhao came out of his closed-door cultivation because he was worried Elder Zhao would take a liking to Duan Ling Tian and take him as his new direct disciple regardless of Feng Fan's death.
This was not something he was willing to see!
Duan Ling Tian came from the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City. If he became Elder Zhao's disciple, it would no doubt be a great calamity for Liu Huan's side.
"Teacher, don't worry. I'll try my best to kill Duan Ling Tian before Elder Zhao comes out of his closed-door cultivation," Zhou Qi said.
"You can't just try your best. You must kill him! Duan Ling Tian must die before Elder Zhao comes out of his closed-door cultivation. You have to make sure he dies even if you have to exchange your life for it! If you die, I'll remember you," Liu Huan slowly said as he looked at Zhou Qi. When he reached the end of his sentence, a hint of gentleness could be seen on his face.
Zhou Qi only felt chills running down his spine when he saw the gentle expression on his face.
In order to kill Duan Ling Tian and eliminate all future troubles, his master, Liu Huan, did not hesitate to sacrifice his life at all.
At this moment, in Zhou Qi's heart, the master and disciple relationship between Liu Huan and him had already vanished without a trace.
Previously, he was eager to kill Duan Ling Tian, but now, he wished Duan Ling Tian would survive so he could help Fang Hui kill Duan Ling Tian. At this moment, he made up his mind. He made a decision that would greatly affect his future.
"Master, I won't let you down." In the face of this seemingly kind Liu Huan, Zhou Qi responded politely to him even though he found him disgusting.
"Great, great!" Seeing how obedient Zhou Qi was, Liu Huan chuckled immediately. "Zhou Qi, you're my first disciple, and I think highly of you… Don't worry. I won't forget you even if you're sentenced to death after you kill Duan Ling Tian. I'll set up a memorial tablet for you behind the courtyard so you can accompany me for all time," Liu Huan said with a kind expression.
"Thanks, Master." Zhou Qi's heart was as cold as ice, but he did not show it on the surface. He must first deal with this.
"I want to receive the news of his death in within three days… You won't disappoint me, right?" Liu Huan looked at Zhou Qi as he gave him a deadline.
Three days!
The moment Zhou Qi heard Liu Huan's words, his heart jolted. However, he could only nod quietly.
"Very good. You can leave now to prepare for it," Liu Huan said.
"I'll take my leave then." After Zhou Qi turned around and retreated, his eyes gleamed coldly as he thought to himself, 'Liu Huan, you leave me with no choice... Since you treat my life like it's nothing, I've no need to stay by your side anymore. From today onward, the master and disciple relationship between us is severed!"
After Zhou Qi turned around, the kind expression on Liu Huan's face instantly disappeared without a trace. He merely glanced at Zhou Qi's silhouette coldly before he looked away.
Then, he went to look for Su Qi.
When he saw Su Qi, the kind expression appeared on his face again.
"Master, why did you look for me this late in the night?" Su Qi asked, confused.
"Su Qi, when you left the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City, do you know there's a disciple named Duan Ling Tian under Fang Hui?" Liu Huan asked bluntly.
"Yes, I do." Su Qi nodded. "However, that Duan Ling Tian's very arrogant! He's only willing to address Fang Hui as Teacher. However, he's still a Martial Cultivator from the Mortal Continent like me so his innate talent is in no way inferior to mine."
"He's from the Mortal Continent too?" Liu Huan narrowed his eyes as he asked, "Are you two from the same place on the Mortal Continent?"
"No." Su Qi shook his head, "We came from different places."
"It seems like the rumor is true… All the genius Martial Cultivators from the Mortal Continent are all extraordinarily gifted! The people from the Mortal Continent are either heaven-defying or trash. They're such polar opposites!" Liu Huan muttered to himself.
"Master, what's the matter? Why did you ask about him all of a sudden?" Su Qi asked, puzzled.
"He killed Feng Fan." Liu Hua did not conceal the truth and told Su Qi about the news he had received from Zhou Qi.
"What?" The moment Su Qi heard the name, his expression changed immediately. "How's that possible? Feng Fan is an Earth Ranking's powerhouse. How's it possible that Duan Ling Tian killed him?"
Upon seeing the sudden change of expression on Su Qi's face, Liu Huan could tell he did not expect Duan Ling Tian's innate talent to be so high.
"It's true. Currently, apart from the outer court, the news has most likely spread to the inner court as well," Liu Huan replied.
Upon hearing that, Su Qi's expression turned complicated. He suddenly realized the gap between him and Duan Ling Tian had widened even more.
In a pergola at the side of a front courtyard of a secluded mansion located in the outer court.
"Elder, Feng Fan is dead." A burly fellow whose face was filled with astonishment said in disbelief as he came forward.
"What an interesting little fellow." In the face of the burly fellow's report, an old man who was enjoying his tea in the pergola merely smiled indifferently. It was as though he was not surprised by the news at all.
"E-Elder, you're not surprised?" The burly fellow could not help but ask.
"There's nothing to be surprised about. That little fellow doesn't seem like someone who would dig his own grave." The old man was dressed in white. He had white hair, a ruddy complexion, and he looked like a sage. As he sat in the pergola, it seemed as though he was one with the world and the pergola. It was as though there was no distinction between him and his surrounding.
"Elder, that Feng Fan was Elder Zhao's favorite. When he comes out his closed-door cultivation and finds out Feng Fan is dead, he won't let this matter go," the burly fellow said.
"Yes, this is a problem." The old man nodded. After thinking for a moment, he just smiled indifferently again. "I don't know why, but, somehow, I have faith in him… I'm looking forward to seeing how he'll deal with Zhao Feng."
Zhao Feng was Feng Fan's master. He was a powerful inner court elder.
There were nearly twenty inner court elders in the Moon Illumination Sect's inner court.
Among these almost twenty inner court elders, Zhao Feng's strength was ranked in the top three. One could easily imagine just how powerful he was.
"Elder, aren't you afraid he would die?" The burly fellow asked.
"I've already said that I have faith in him… You may retreat," the white-clad old man said.
"Yes." Although the burly fellow had no idea why the old man would have faith in this outer court disciple whom he had only met once, he still retreated. After all, he did not dare to go against the old man's words.
After that burly fellow retreated, a Saint Stone appeared in the old man's hand. This Saint Stone appeared to be a higher grade than a sixth-grade Saint Stone.
"How can a person who easily took out a fourth-grade Saint Stone be an ordinary person? I wonder where did this little fellow come from? He actually took out a fourth-grade Saint Stone. However, the help from this fourth-grade Saint Stone is indeed much greater than a sixth-grade Saint Stone. At the very least, I don't have to suspend my closed-door cultivation to exchange for Saint Stones," the old man muttered to himself as he twirled the fourth-grade Saint Stone in his hand.
Boom!
In the middle of the night, Duan Ling Tian suddenly felt an intense pain in his entire body that was accompanied by a loud sound. As it turned out, he was expelled from the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.
After sleeping for half a day, Duan Ling Tian's Spiritual Energy had finally recovered a little. He instantly looked outside and snarled, "Who's that?!"