1503 Challenger

Duan Ling Tian only had two intentions of being at Han River City.

Firstly, he wanted to buy an Inscription pen.

Second, to find the materials he needed to repair the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.

He had already purchased an Inscription Pen, so all he needed to do now was to look for the materials needed to repair the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.

When he just arrived at Han River City, he was all alone, but now that he had come to the Nine Sect Alliances' headquarters and more specifically, to the Moon Illumination Sect's operation point, he managed to receive help from Dong Hui.

With the help of Dong Hui, he managed to get his hands on many materials that were needed to fix the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.

Of course, there were not many high-grade materials among them.

The Ouyang Clan, on the other hand, brought him an unexpected surprise. With Elder Huo's reminder, the materials to repair the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda that he had obtained from the Ouyang Clan were even more and better than what he obtained from Han River City.

"Thank you, Clan Leader Ouyang." Before Duan Ling Tian left the Ouyang Clan, he smiled and thanked Ouyang Ba.

Although Ouyang Ba's heart was bleeding and he hated Duan Ling Tian to his core, he did not reveal this at all. He did not dare show it at all too. All he could do was reply, "As long as you don't dislike them."

"I don't dislike them. Of course, I won't dislike them!" Duan Ling Tian shook his head. "If I have another chance next time, I'll come to the Ouyang Clan to pay a visit to you again, Clan Leader Ouyang."

Duan Ling Tian's words gave Ouyang a fright of his life.

Again?

In just this one time alone, the group of Ouyang Clan's elders had already formed an impressionable opinion of him. If he came again, those old men would most likely rip his skin off his bones straightaway.

However, the moment he recalled how he had already sent his trouble-making son away, Ouyang Ba breathed a sigh of relief again.

"Clan Leader Ouyang, I'll take my leave first." When Duan Ling Tian saw Ouyang's forced smile on his face, he was swept by a wave of joy right away. After bidding goodbye nonchalantly, he proceeded to leave the Ouyang Clan with Dong Hui.

Ouyang Ba, the Ouyang Clan Leader, also sent the two of them off at the great entrance personally.

Ouyang Ji, the steward of the Ouyang Clan, and Ouyang Ruo, the Second Young Miss of the Ouyang Clan, had also accompanied him to send Duan Ling Tian and Dong Hui off.

"He's actually Duan Ling Tian… How could he be Duan Ling Tian!?" Even after a few days had gone by, Ouyang Ruo still did not believe that the person who had rescued her at the JiuQu Mountain Range that time would turn out to be Duan Ling Tian, the Moon Illumination Sect disciple whose name had spread throughout the Nine Sect Alliances' district these few months.

However, the moment she recalled how his brother had been sent to the Nether Ridge due to Duan Ling Tian's sake, Ouyang Ruo's face turned frigid right away. Her eyes were filled with icy hatred. "Duan Ling Tian! It's all because of you! If it wasn't for you, my brother would've never been sent to the Nether Ridge at all!"

All of the people who entered the Nether Ridge only had a narrow chance to escape it.

Ouyang Ruo also felt that Ouyang Qing would not be able to walk out of that place alive.

She really itched to take revenge for her brother, but the moment she recalled Duan Ling Tian's innate talent, strength, and background, a wave of helplessness washed over her heart. She could not think of taking revenge at all and she could only bury the hatred deep in her heart.

After leaving the Ouyang Clan on the way home, Dong Hui heard Duan Ling Tian mention that he would go back to the Moon Illumination Sect in a few days and right away, he persuaded him to stay. "Junior Brother Duan, since you don't come to Han River City often, why don't you stay here a little longer? It's just for a few days. I haven't gotten the chance to perform the duty of hosting as a Senior Brother. If Senior Brother Bai Li Hong finds out that I didn't treat you well, he'll definitely be unhappy," Dong Hui told Duan Ling Tian.

"Senior Brother Duan, it's not like I'm going to leave immediately. Besides, I still have some things that I really need to do after going back to the sect these few days. I really can't stay for too long here in Han River City." Duan Ling Tian smiled. "When your shift is already over and you're finally back in the sect, let's have a fun gathering together."

"Since you're so persistent about this, I won't be persuading you anymore then, Junior Brother. However, you must let me take care of your schedule for the next few days. Let me perform my duty as your host in these few days," Dong Hui replied.

"Sure. I'll just go along with you, Senior Brother Hui," Duan Ling Tian agreed to it right away. He was also grateful to Dong Hui these few days. Otherwise, he would have never been able to obtain so many materials.

When they had just returned to the Moon Illumination Sect's operation point in the Nine Sect Alliances' headquarters, Duan Ling Tian already heard Dong Hui calling for him before he even got enough rest.

"Senior Brother Hui, what's up with finding me so anxiously?" He had just split ways with Dong Hui, but it had never crossed his mind that Dong Hui would come to find him this fast the moment they separated.

"Junior Brother Duan, I originally shouldn't disturb your rest, but according to the law of the Nine Sect Alliances' Earth Rankings, I have no other choice." Dong Hui smiled wryly.

"Earth Rankings? Could somebody be here to challenge me?" Duan Ling Tian lifted his brows and asked.

He could not think of any other plausible reason other than this.

"That's right," Dong Hui confirmed. "I've also heard that this man has been here since early morning, but it just so happened that we went out to the Ouyang Clan just now. Now that the man has heard that you're back, he's already been waiting outside our Moon Illumination Sect's operation point. Right now, many people from the other eight great sects are waiting for you to accept their challenges too. I think they more or less want to have a taste of battling you. Plus, the talented, handsome, young man is well-known in the Nine Sect Alliances' district," Dong Hui added.

"Since he's already here, I'll go meet him then!" Duan Ling Tian agreed before leaving the Moon Illumination Sect's operation point with Dong Hui and went outside.

When they reached outside of the Moon Illumination Sect's operation point, Duan Ling Tian was taken aback by surprise when they saw the crowds of dark mass in the surroundings.

Outside the Moon Illumination Sect's operation point, the crowds of dark mass made a shape of the moon as they surrounded an empty space.

In this empty space stood an ordinary middle-aged man whose face was covered in stubbles, looking extremely unkempt.

However, his eyes were brimming with radiating vigor, giving off an invincible spirit.

Duan Ling Tian was very clear that this person was the one who wanted to challenge him. However, he did not take this person to heart.

Even if he had yet to make a breakthrough, he would not fear any challenge from any Mortal Shedding Stage Martial or Dao Cultivator at all, especially since he had made a breakthrough to the Intermediate Saint Rudiment Stage now.

"It's Elder Hui from the Moon Illumination Sect!" Just as Duan Ling Tian and Dong Hui came out together, many people recognized Dong Hui right away.

"The one coming out with Dong Hui must be Duan Ling Tian, isn't it?"

"That's right! It's him! When I was on duty a few days ago, I personally witnessed him coming to our Nine Sect Alliances' headquarters."

"I thought that he would purposely dodge the challenge from this Earth Rankings powerhouse, but it has never crossed my mind that he would accept it straight away… Looks like he's pretty confident about his own strength."

…

When the other eight great sects buried their heads in discussions, their attention shifted towards Duan Ling Tian.

All of these people were inner court disciples from each great sect. All of them were on at least the Saint Rudiment Stage.

If it were just an ordinary person seeing so many powerhouses on the Saint Rudiment Stage and above studying him right now, he would become more or less anxious.

However, despite facing the attention of these people, Duan Ling Tian's face remained calm and from the beginning, he appeared to be unruffled by this at all. He was calm and without worldly passion like a monk.

When Liu Hai heard the other eight great sects, he snorted coldly and remarked disdainfully, "Hmph! He's only a person ranked 71th on the Earth Rankings… Our Junior Brother Duan could even defeat someone ranked 66th on the Earth Rankings, so how could he possibly fear someone who's ranked lower?"

"That's right! Our Junior Brother Duan's strength has been proven and is definitely not a groundless rumor." Many inner court disciples of the Moon Illumination Sect agreed one after another.

"Pssst!" When many of the other eight great sect members heard the group of inner court disciples from the Moon Illumination Sect, they could not help but burst out laughing. "The problem is, the person that he defeated was He Zhong who was ranked 66th on the Earth Rankings who's also your Moon Illumination Sect disciple."

"That's right! Who knows whether Zheng He has been coerced by the high-ranking official of your Moon Illumination Sect and had no choice but to lose to Duan Ling Tian deliberately?"

…

Even though the other eight great sects did not point out who the person was exactly, the group of inner court disciples from the Moon Illumination Sect knew that the high-ranking official that they were talking about was none other than Elder Bai Li Hong who had taken Duan Ling Tian as a Junior Brother.

"All of you are spouting rubbish!" Liu Hai scolded with a crimson face.

Many of the inner court disciples from the Moon Illumination Sect started to curse as well.

However, there was also a group of Moon Illumination Sect inner court disciples who started to have doubts in their eyes after hearing what the eight great sect disciples said as they stared at Duan Ling Tian who was walking slowly out of the Moon Illumination Sect's operation point.

It was apparent that doubt had started to rouse in their hearts.

Of course, Duan Ling Tian did not miss the discussions and the suspicious gazes coming from his surroundings. He had already noticed them.

However, he was not bothered by them at all because he knew that he would make the eight great sect disciples shut up very soon. In just a while, he would be able to erase the doubts in their eyes.

The middle-aged man, whose face was covered with stubbles and appeared to be particularly unkempt, stared at Duan Ling Tian and asked in an almost questioning tone, "Are you that Duan Ling Tian who defeated He Zhong and replaced him as 66th on the Earth Rankings?"

However, Duan Ling Tian merely cast an indifferent glance at him. "So what if I am?"

"If you are, I'm gonna defeat and replace you today!" A bright brilliance flashed across the middle-aged man's eyes. Arrogantly, he said, full of confidence, "Remember that the name of the man who defeated you is called…"

"Idiot!" Duan Ling Tian spat out, interrupting the middle-aged man. He was not fond of this guy who talked down to him at all.

Just make your move quickly if you want to challenge me. Why do you need to talk so much for?

"Hahahaha…" When Duan Ling Tian cut off the middle-aged man's words, the crowd who heard it burst out laughing right away.

This was because the word that Duan Ling Tian spat out just so happened to be able to connect the unfinished sentence that the middle-aged man uttered.

"Duan Ling Tian is really as proud as Lucifer. With just one word, he enraged the other party immediately." Many disciples from the eight great sects shook their heads, thinking that Duan Ling Tian was too rash.

"He has now taken the upper hand thanks to his sharp tongue, but he'll definitely suffer later." They chuckled and took pleasure in his misfortune.

Noticing the furious middle-aged man open his mouth to try to say something, Duan Ling Tian beat him to it and offered nonchalantly, "If you still want to introduce yourself, you can just skip that part already. I have no interest in knowing a loser's name."