'Did the Little World disappear?' After Duan Ling Tian regained his senses, he wandered around the alley. Although he was not sure if the Little World had disappeared, he had no doubt the entrance was gone.
"Ke'er, Little Fei'er, Tian Wu…" He murmured under his breath. Regret could be seen on his face as he thought about his two wives and Feng Tian Wu whom he already regarded as a wife as well. His women were all waiting for his rescue in the Divine Offering Land, and yet, he just had relations with another woman. He truly felt remorseful.
After wallowing in his remorse, Duan Ling Tian finally decided to leave the valley and return to the Bloody Specter City. He had barely mobilized his Celestial Origin Energy when something caught his attention. "Hmm?" It seemed like there had been a change in his Celestial Origin. Most importantly, it seemed to have risen a few levels!
"My cultivation base has risen four levels! What happened?" Duan Ling Tian inspected himself and discovered he was now a Blue Moon Heavenly Celestial. It was four ranks higher than a Crimson Moon Heavenly Celestial!
"I'm damn sure I was merely a Crimson Moon Heavenly Celestial before I blacked out. Since I used my Divine Consciousness at that time, I can confirm I was a Crimson Moon Heavenly Celestial," Duan Ling Tian reasoned, "Is it possible the sudden and strange improvement is due to the result of my…. Well, my encounter with her after losing control? Did the process help improve my cultivation?" This was the most logical explanation he could come up with. The strange improvement in his strength was likely related to that mysterious woman.
Upon thinking about that, the image of Murong Bing's voluptuous figure appeared in his mind. That woman was mysterious and tremendously strong. Duan Ling Tian muttered to himself, "Who is she? Someone with that strength couldn't have come from Bloody Specter City or the Nine Specters County!"
Bloody Specter City was a city under the governorship of the Nine Specters County. There were many cities like Bloody Specter City. There were nine major settlements, including Bloody Specter City, that encircled the county like fiefs guarding their kings. These cities were mandated to send an annual tribute of large numbers of Celestial Stones for protection and support from the county.
Duan Ling Tian had learned all these from the waiter in the restaurant in Bloody Specter City. For all these reasons, he concluded Murong Bing might not be from Nine Specters County.
'If only I was conscious back then. It would have helped me understand what happened during the process that allowed me to improve this much,' Duan Ling Tian mused to himself.
"There's no point speculating. Regardless of how it happened, it's still a good thing," Duan Ling Tian muttered to himself.
"I should go to the Black Dragon Army's camp. With the captain's identity token, it shouldn't be difficult for me to join their ranks and take up the position of captain. At that time, I'll be able to enjoy one of the best cultivation environments here. It's only second to the cultivation environment in the City Governor's estate! After my cultivation base improves, I'll leave Bloody Specter City and check out the Nine Specters County. Step by step, I'll look for even better places in the Spirit Overarching Heaven to cultivate." His eyes shone with determination and a sense of purpose.
Success would not come to those who did not plan. Duan Ling Tian who had gone through many trials and tribulations knew this very well. What he needed to do now was to find the best place to cultivate and resources for cultivation. He had to grow stronger as quickly as possible.
After all, Duan Ling Tian only had 1,000 years left to grow stronger. It seemed like a long time, but he knew many powerful beings in this realm could easily spend a few centuries to a few millennia in closed-door cultivation. 1,000 years were not long to the inhabitants of the Devata Realms.
A sharp screech ripped through the sky as Duan Ling Tian flew at top speed toward the Black Dragon Army's camp that was located northwest of Bloody Specter City. He was so eager that he had unleashed all his Divine Abilities and Celestial Methods so he could arrive faster. He even circulated his Celestial Origin Energy through his 99 Heavenly Veins and his most potent technique from the Sovereign Heart Sword. Moreover, he had also used the Devata Artifact, the Seven Orifices Exquisite Sword, that was hidden in his body and merged it with the Sword Formation he was riding on.
Duan Ling Tian was so fast that his speed eclipsed most Golden Celestials even if they used their Celestial Methods, Divine Abilities, and Celestial Weapons. Frankly, without these techniques, even the strongest Purple Moon Golden Celestial could not compare to his current speed.
"The Black Dragon Army's camp!" Duan Ling Tian cried out when he arrived at a long, undulating mountain range northwest of Bloody Specter City. The base was located in one of the two Celestial Stones mining reserves the city had owned.
The Black Dragon Army's camp was also located here to guard the reserve. Similarly, the Silverwyrm Army's camp was also located near a reserve to better guard them.
'This place is filled with Celestial Stones. I can feel how rich the Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy is," Duan Ling Tian exclaimed as he sensed the energy in the air around him. "If the energy is already rich here, how much richer would it be at the heart of the reserve where the Commander of the Black Dragon Army had set up his quarters?'
Upon thinking about this, Duan Ling Tian's eyes shone like the stars in the night sky.
All of a sudden, a bellow sounded from below. "Who are you? How dare you infiltrate our army base!"
This, naturally, attracted Duan Ling Tian's attention. He watched as eleven men clad in black armor ascended into the air from the distance. In a flash, they surrounded him, leaving him with no way to escape.
A middle-aged man with a fierce expression seemed to be their leader. After scanning the badge pinned to his chest plate, Duan Ling Tian narrowed his eyes. 'A decurion of the Black Dragon Army?' It was not difficult for him to guess since the badge was somewhat similar to the badge that belonged to the Decurions of the Silverwyrm Army. In addition, he had also gained information from the waiter in Bloody Specter City.
"Bring me to your commander," Duan Ling Tian said calmly despite being surrounded by 11 soldiers. He looked relaxed and unbothered as he met the eyes of the stern-looking man.
"The commander? Who are you? Do you know him personally?" The middle-aged man asked, his eyes widening slightly. Although he had spoken authoritatively earlier, his tone had softened considerably now. He was only a decurion, he did not want to risk offending a friend of the commander. After all, it was not only him, but even the centurions and captains would not risk offending a friend of the commander.
Duan Ling Tian did not deign to answer his question. Instead, he brought the identity token he found in the Little World out. He revealed it with a flair for dramatic purposes.
"That's the captain's identity token!"
Not only did the decurion's eyes widen, but the other ten men wore the same expression as well.
At this moment, the way the soldiers looked at Duan Ling Tian had changed as well.
"Sir, please follow me," the middle-aged decurion bowed and led him to the camp as the other trailed behind.
They began to whisper among themselves.
"Do you think the identity token belongs to the captain who died in the Little World north of Bloody Specter City?"
"It must be! All the other nine Captains still have their identity tokens. Who else do you think this identity token belonged to?"