Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
If Leng Ye did not meet Duan Ling Tian in the Jade Emperor Heaven, similar to Wang Qian Zhan, he would have assumed Duan Ling Tian was dead. However, he knew Duan Ling Tian was still alive. He only wanted Wang Qian Zhan to check on the Soul Pearl so that news about Duan Ling Tian’s Soul Pearl being intact would spread to the Blood Skull Gang. At that time, the Blood Skull Gang would carry on with the mission to assassinate Duan Ling Tian.
“My lord,” Wang Qian Zhan smiled wryly as he replied, “I’m afraid you aren’t aware that when Duan Ling Tian escaped from you after leaving the Simplicity Celestial Sect’s estate, I was expelled by the sect leader, Sun Liang Peng. If I was still the grand elder, it would be easy for me to check Duan Ling Tian’s Soul Pearl. However, there’s nothing I can do about it now.”
Upon hearing Wang Qian Zhan’s words, Leng Ye snorted coldly before saying, “Even if you aren’t the Grand Elder of the Simplicity Celestial Sect, shouldn’t you have loyal followers in the sect? It shouldn’t be difficult for you to ask them to check Duan Ling Tian’s Soul Pearl on your behalf, right?”
“My lord, I’ve offended many in the past. Since the day I left the Simplicity Celestial Sect, I’ve been on the run from my enemies… How could those people be loyal to me now that I’ve fallen to this state? Do you think they’d be open to doing me a favor?” Wang Qian Zhan said bitterly.
“If you manage to complete this task, I’ll recommend you to the Blood Skull Gang so you can become one of our assassins,” Leng Ye replied.
Upon hearing Leng Ye’s words, Wang Qian Zhan’s eyes widened in surprise as an excited expression appeared on his face. “My Lord, d-do you really mean it?”
“Complete this task, and we’ll discuss this later,” Leng Ye said.
“Rest assured, my lord, I’ll make sure to complete this task!” Wang Qian Zhan vowed. Although he was not lying to Leng Ye about not being able to check Duan Ling Tian’s Soul Pearl, it was not entirely impossible. Those people might not be willing to do him a favor now that he was no longer the Grand Elder of the Simplicity Celestial Sect, but it would be a different story if he could offer them benefits.
Wang Qian Zhan did not delay and instantly contacted the Third Elder of the Simplicity Celestial Sect. “Third elder.”
When the Third Elder of the Simplicity Celestial Sect received Wang Qian Zhan’s message, he was wary. “Grand Elder?”
“I’m no longer the grand elder… Third elder, I’ll be blunt with you. I need you to do me a favor. It’ll only require a little effort from you, but I’ll make it worthwhile for you…” Wang Qian Zhan said without beating around the bush. He told the third elder of the thing that would be given to him in exchange for the small favor.
The eyes of the Third Elder of the Simplicity Celestial Sect lit up immediately, clearly willing to do Wang Qian Zhan a favor. “Grand elder, are you sure? Are you really willing to pay such a high price for such a small favor?”
Wang Qian Zhan did not respond. In exchange for paying a high price, he had a chance to become an assassin in the Blood Skull Gang. With that chance, no price was too high for someone as desperate as him. All he needed was for the third elder to do him this favor.
…
About half an hour later, Wang Qian Zhan finally received a message from the third elder. Upon hearing the third elder’s words, he frowned, and his expression darkened. “Third elder, are you sure Duan Ling Tian’s Soul Pearl is intact?”
“Yes,” the third elder replied, “I saw his Soul Pearl with my own eyes. Moreover, I confirmed the Soul Pearl belongs to Duan Ling Tian.”
“Alright.” Wang Qian Zhan took in a deep breath, and his expression slightly eased. “I kept the thing I promised you in the…” He disclosed the location of a treasure he had hidden in one corner of the Simplicity Celestial Sect’s estate when he was still the Grand Elder of the Simplicity Celestial Sect. Since it would be highly difficult for him to return to collect that treasure, he did not feel reluctant to part with it.
After he was done talking to the third elder, he muttered to himself, “I didn’t expect Duan Ling Tian to survive after being tricked by a reincarnated Celestial Emperor and avoid the fate of becoming a sacrifice to the tree of the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruit…”
It was difficult for him to accept that Duan Ling Tian was still alive. His eyes flashed as he comforted himself. ‘The reincarnated Celestial Emperor might have failed to use Duan Ling Tian as a sacrifice… However, that doesn’t mean Duan Ling Tian won’t die in the future…’
With this thought in mind, he hurriedly contacted Leng Ye. “My lord, my source has confirmed that Duan Ling Tian’s Soul Pearl is intact. He’s still alive!”
“Very well.” After Leng Ye responded, he asked Wang Qian Zhan to take a Transporting Formation to travel to one of the Blood Skull Gang’s branches after giving his word he would recommend Wang Qian Zhan to the Blood Skull Gang.
Wang Qian Zhan did not waste time and quickly made his way to the Blood Skull Gang’s branch.
…
Leng Ye kept his promise and Wang Qian Zhan successfully became an assassin of the Blood Skull Gang. At the same time, under Leng Ye’s orders, he had to testify that Duan Ling Tian was still alive in front of the Blood Skull Gang’s higher-ups.
Naturally, Leng Ye had manipulated this series of events. He knew Wang Qian Zhan’s main value was to testify to the higher-ups in Blood Skull Gang that Duan Ling Tian was alive.
With Wang Qian Zhan’s testimony, the mission that had been set aside was active once again.
…
Meanwhile, Chen Li, the illegitimate son of the Vice Leader of the Blood Skull Gang, received news from his father as well. He was in disbelief, and his mood grew dark. “What?! The mission is active again?! Wasn’t he tricked by a reincarnated Celestial Emperor to become a sacrifice to the tree of the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruit? How’s he still alive?”
“So he’s alive,” Chen Yuan Shan said. “However, we don’t know for sure if he has escaped from the reincarnated Celestial Emperor. Maybe he just hasn’t been sacrificed yet. If that’s the case, it won’t be long before he dies anyway.”
“That must be it… A reincarnated Celestial Emperor must be powerful even if his strength is incomparable to the past. In terms of experience and knowledge, even ten Duan Ling Tians wouldn’t be able to compare to the reincarnated Celestial Emperor!” Chen Li nodded, readily accepting this theory.
However, before Chen Li could reassure himself further, Chen Yuan Shan, who had given Chen Li hope, dashed his hope by adding, “However, there’s also the possibility that Duan Ling Tian managed to escape from the reincarnated Celestial Emperor…”
…
In one of the cities under the Profound Nether Mansion in the Southern Heaven Territory of the Spirit Overarching Heaven, a figure had appeared in a Transportation Formation.
“Where am I?” This person was none other than Duan Ling Tian who had returned from Yan Mountain Mansion in the Equal Heaven Territory of the Jade Emperor Heaven through a Transportation Formation in Tianji City.
“The Red Mountain City?” After speaking to the locals, Duan Ling Tian discovered his location.
He had studied the maps of the Profound Nether Mansion’s territories while he was in the Simplicity Celestial Sect’s library so he remembered Red Mountain City was located south of Simplicity Celestial Sect. There was quite a distance between Red Mountain City and the Simplicity Celestial Sect’s estate. However, with his current speed, it would not take him long to arrive at his destination.
…
A few days later.
Duan Ling Tian finally arrived outside of the Simplicity Celestial Sect’s estate. He sighed as he stood outside the estate. “I’ve only left for a while, but it feels like an eternity has passed…”
Soon after, he entered the Simplicity Celestial Sect’s estate. As soon as he stepped foot inside, he was stopped by the patrolling disciples.
“A true disciple!” The patrolling disciples bowed and greeted Duan Ling Tian as soon as he presented his token.
Duan Ling Tian nodded slightly in response before he left.
The patrolling disciples whispered among themselves as they watched Duan Ling Tian leave.
“I haven’t seen him before. Since when did our sect gain a new true disciple?”
“You just returned to the sect a few days ago so you aren’t aware that the sect leader had chosen someone to take over the spot of the final true disciple. His name is Duan Ling Tian. He just joined the sect not too long ago.”
“That’s right. That purple-clad young man is Duan Ling Tian!”
“Didn’t they say he’s a peak Overarching Heavenly Supreme Celestial who has comprehended two profundities from a law? However, based on his speed and Celestial Origin Energy earlier, it seems comparable to a Celestial Duke, right?”
“Is it possible that he had a breakthrough and became a One Basic Celestial Duke?”
“A One Basic Celestial Duke under 100 years old?”
…
Duan Ling Tian was naturally unaware of the discussions that were going on between the patrolling disciples. Upon his return, he directly looked for Sun Liang Peng, the Sect Leader of the Simplicity Celestial Sect. After he entered the estate, Sun Liang Peng had already sent him a message telling him to meet in Sun Liang Peng’s residence.
Nobody stopped Duan Ling Tian when he entered Sun Liang Peng’s courtyard since Sun Liang Peng had already informed the patrolling disciples about Duan Ling Tian’s arrival.
Sun Liang Peng was already waiting for Duan Ling Tian in his residence’s courtyard.
“Sect leader.” Duan Ling Tian greeted Sun Liang Peng.
Sun Liang Peng did not waste time on pleasantries. His eyes were bright as he looked at Duan Ling Tian and asked eagerly, “How was it?”
Sun Liang Peng had heard rumors from his friends who were not from the Profound Nether Mansion that a reincarnated Celestial Emperor had schemed and successfully tricked peak Overarching Heaven Supreme Celestials into becoming a sacrifice to the tree of the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruit in the Jade Emperor Heaven. Moreover, before Duan Ling Tian left, he recalled Duan Ling Tian had mentioned something about the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruit. Therefore, it was not difficult for him to link the two matters together.
Whoosh!
Duan Ling Tian removed the Profound Divine Metal’s concealment on his soul and released his soul aura, exposing his strength to Sun Liang Peng.
“This…” When Sun Liang Peng sensed Duan Ling Tian’s soul aura, his eyes widened in shock. “Y-you managed to obtain the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruit?”
Sun Liang Peng could sense that Duan Ling Tian was now a Ten Directions Celestial Duke based on Duan Ling Tian’s soul aura, but he could not help but ask for confirmation, “You’ve become a Ten Directions Celestial Duke?”