As soon as Chen Xuan Ba finished speaking, Liu Feng Gu's eyes widened in surprise. "What? He's not weaker than you?"
"Yes." Chen Xuan Ba nodded and recounted everything that transpired in the Valley of Ares as he crushed a Celestial Talisman.
A small and crisp noise rang in the air as a projected screen appeared in the main hall. It was a mirror image that showed the duel between Duan Ling Tian and Jian Qiu Ping in the Valley of Ares today.
It showed Jian Qiu Ping's first failed attempt in attacking Duan Ling Tian. Then, it showed him unleashing all his strength out of anger to attack but to no avail as well. Soon after, the mirror image showed a purple-clad young man standing above a gigantic sword that emitted dazzling lights with his hands clasped on his back. It seemed as though he had remained motionless as the sword crushed Jian Qiu Ping and turned him into a blood mist!
Liu Feng Gu inhaled sharply after he watched the scenes in the mirror image. Although as the City Governor, he had seen and experienced a lot, he was still startled by the recording that Chen Xuan Ba had recorded using a Celestial Talisman. His expression was solemn as he said, "Indeed. He's not any weaker than you." He did not reveal all his thoughts to Chen Xuan Ba. He did not tell Chen Xuan Ba that it was highly probable that the purple-clad young man did not unleash his full strength. Moreover, the purple-clad young man did not even use a Celestial Weapon. He thought to himself, 'I wonder if I can best him in a battle...'
After a moment, Liu Feng Gu turned to look at Chen Xuan Ba and asked solemnly, "Xuan Ba, what do you think his reasons are for joining the Black Dragon Army?"
"I asked him about this directly. He said he just wanted a good cultivation location to cultivate in," Chen Xuan Ba replied.
"A good place to cultivate in?" Liu Feng Gu was startled.
...
In the Black Dragon Army's camp.
Duan Ling Tian was, naturally, unaware that Chen Xuan Ba had gone to see Liu Feng Gu, the City Governor of Bloody Specter City, because of him. After he left the Valley of Ares, he had returned to his tent to continue cultivating.
"Unfortunately, I don't have a graded cultivation method from the Devata Realms. Otherwise, the assist-type Divine Ability, the Elementary Devouring Tactic, that I cast would raise my Celestial Origin Energy higher than just two levels," Duan Ling Tian said with a sigh.
Previously, Elder Huo, the pagoda spirit of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda, had told him that the assist-type Divine Ability, the Elementary Devouring Tactic, was an extraordinary Divine Ability even in the Devata Realms. However, the assist-type Divine Ability would only be able to unleash its full potential after his Celestial Origin Energy had been tempered by a graded cultivation method from the Devata Realms.
Duan Ling Tian murmured to himself, "Previously, the young waiter from the restaurant in Bloody Specter City said the City Governor possesses a graded cultivation method. Apparently, there are only three people who cultivated it in the entire city. These people are the City Governor and the Commanders of the Black Dragon Army and the Silverwyrm Army. It's undoubtedly important to cultivate a graded cultivation method in the Devata Realms to temper one's Celestial Origin Energy, and most importantly, to increase one's cultivation speed. The higher the grade of the cultivation method, the faster one would be able to increase one's cultivation base. Perhaps, I should try and obtain that cultivation method from the City Governor." His eyes shone brightly at this moment. If he could get his hands on the cultivation method, he would be able to cultivate at a faster rate. Based on how only three people had cultivated the cultivation method, he knew it was not casually given to people to cultivate.
"With my current strength, I might not lose to the City Governor if I unleash my full strength. However, force doesn't seem to be the best way to obtain that cultivation method," Duan Ling Tian sighed.
After Duan Ling Tian had exited the Little World, he had discovered that after he had become a Blue Moon Heavenly Celestial, he might be capable of defeating the Commanders of the Black Dragon Army and Silverwyrm Army and even the City Governor of Bloody Specter City if he unleashed all his strength. However, he knew he would not necessarily be made a Commander of the Black Dragon Army or the Silverwyrm Army just because of his superior strength. After all, the City Governor's approval was needed for one to be appointed as a commander. Moreover, even if he was stronger than the City Governor, he could neither kill the City Governor to seize control of the city nor force him to appoint him as the Commander of the Black Dragon Army or the Silverwyrm Army. After all, Bloody Specter City was under the jurisdictions of the Nine Specters County. To become the City Governor, one would require approval from the county!
If Duan Ling Tian used force on the City Governor of Bloody Specter City, the City Governor was more than capable of sending a message to the Nine Specters County for help. If he were to kill the City Governor hastily, the Nine Specters County would definitely hunt him down. For this reason, he could only be content with the position of Captain of the Black Dragon Army in order to live in the Bloody Specter City safely.
Duan Ling Tian had thought about going to other bigger places in the Nine Specters County. However, he felt he was still too weak. In larger cities, there were definitely many more powerhouses. If he was unlucky, he might be killed by someone stronger. For this reason, he decided to stay in Bloody Specter City to improve his strength. He would only leave once he was certain he was able to protect himself. He had to play it safe. After all, the lives of his family and friends rested on his shoulders. Not only did he have to stay alive for his own sake, but he had to stay alive for his loved ones as well.
'Cultivation method… The cultivation method from Devata Realms...' Duan Ling Tian could not stop thinking about the cultivation methods from Devata Realms. Due to the distracting thoughts in his mind, he decided to stop cultivating and left his tent.
"Commander?" As soon as Duan Ling Tian left his tent, he saw Chen Xuan Ba who had just returned to camp.
Chen Xuan Ba approached Duan Ling Tian and greeted him politely, "Captain Duan." He did not treat Duan Ling Tian with the air of a superior but as an equal. Naturally, this was because he had determined Duan Ling Tian was in no way inferior to him.
"Commander, is it true that our Bloody Specter City has a yellow-grade cultivation method?" Duan Ling Tian asked bluntly as he looked at Chen Xuan Ba.
The yellow-grade cultivation method was the method the City Governor of Bloody Specter City possessed. Like Celestial Methods and Divine Abilities in the Devata Realms, there were also grades for cultivation methods in the Devata Realms. The lowest grade was yellow-grade cultivation methods. Regardless, it was still better than the cultivation methods that had no grades. For example, the Nine Dragons War Sovereign Technique that Duan Ling Tian cultivated was considered as an ungraded cultivation method in the Devata Realms. Although he could continue cultivating that method, his cultivation speed would be a lot slower compared to if he were to cultivate a graded cultivation method. Moreover, the Nine Dragons War Sovereign Technique could not temper his Celestial Origin Energy that would allow him to unleash his assist-type Divine Ability's full potential and raise his Celestial Origin Energy even higher!
"Yes. That method was given to our Lord City Governor by the County Chief of the Nine Specters County. In Bloody Specter City, only Lord City Governor, the Commander of Silverwyrm Army, the Golden Serpent Guards, and I have cultivated that method." Chen Xuan Ba nodded.
"Golden Serpent Guards?" Duan Ling Tian was slightly startled. He was unaware that the City Governor's Golden Serpent Guards also cultivated that method.
"Yes." Chen Xuan Ba nodded.
"So the reason why all of the 100 Golden Serpent Guards are Golden Celestials is mostly due to the yellow-grade cultivation method..." Realization dawned on Duan Ling Tian. Previously, he had been rather surprised when the young waiter had told him that each and every one of the 100 Golden Serpent Guards were Golden Celestials. After all, there were only about ten Golden Celestials in the Black Dragon Army and Silverwyrm Army.
When Chen Xuan Ba heard Duan Ling Tian's words, he shook his head. "100 Golden Serpent Guards? That's a misinformation. In truth, the City Governor only has 18 Golden Serpent Guards, and they're known as the Eighteen Golden Serpent Guards. Although there are only 18 of them, they're far stronger than any captains in the Black Dragon Army and Silverwyrm Army." He paused for a moment before he said, "Naturally, this doesn't include you, Captain Duan."
"Commander, if I want to cultivate that cultivation method, do you think the City Governor will be willing to impart it to me?" Duan Ling Tian asked bluntly.