1955 Li An’s Hesitation

"I thought after my Innate Spiritual Root changes my cultivation speed will increase much more than this… It seems that there are still limitations to the changes!" Duan Ling Tian understood the limitations after having two consecutive breakthroughs in his cultivation.

Before he broke through to the peak of the Divine Saint Stage, his cultivation had just entered the Mastery Divine Saint Stage and had a very unstable foundation. It was due to the instability of his foundation that caused obstacles in his recent cultivation.

'If it was not for the obstacles, I would've been able to save an additional thirty-three percent of my time!' Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.

If it was not for his unstable foundation, Duan Ling Tian was confident he would be able to break through to the peak of the Divine Saint Stage from the Mastery Divine Saint Stage in just a month. It was the reason why his breakthrough took an additional fortnight. This obviously referred to the time outside.

A year and three months had passed in the fourth level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda, but only a month and a half had passed outside. The difference between the time in the fourth level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda and the real world is approximately one to ten.

'I'll be able to break through to the Exemplary Saint Stage if I continue cultivating and spend time in here, but I should stop cultivating for the time being and focus on comprehending my Divine Abilities and learning the moves of the Sovereign Heart Sword.'

Duan Ling Tian stopped cultivating temporarily after giving it some thought. In fact, there was no need for him to put effort into stabilizing his foundation. As long as he gave it some time, his foundation would eventually stabilize on its own.

"There's one more month left before I need to go to the First Mine of the Four Symbols Sanctums to serve my sentence… A month outside is ten months in the fourth level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda. I'll try to master the Black Turtle Sanctum's most treasured Divine Ability, the Black Turtle's Barrier."

"I refuse to believe that my heart that has been tempered by the Sovereign Heart Sword can't master it!"

Soon after, Duan Ling Tian made up his mind to attempt to master the Black Turtle Sanctum's high-grade Divine Ability, the Black Turtle's Barrier, for the time being. At the same time, it would also allow his foundation to stabilize.

'Almost two months have passed outside, but there's no movement from Li An. It seems like the Saint Land's Enforcement Hall has rejected him!' Duan Ling Tian thought of the Black Turtle Sanctum's First Silver Flame Elder Li An before he attempted to master the Black Turtle Barrier.

He remembered when he killed the Yuan Brothers at the Vermilion Bird Sanctum two months ago, he was supposed to be sentenced to death. However, the Black Turtle Sanctum's Enforcement Elder Guo Xiong and the Vermilion Bird Sanctum's Enforcement Elder Wu Yi changed their mind when he showed them his Innate Spiritual Root.

A Martial Dao genius with a blue Innate Spiritual Root could be considered as a future star in the Fire Worship Sect. It was forgivable for such a person to kill one or two normal disciples.

After all, compared to the death of one or two normal disciples, sentencing a Martial Dao genius to death would incur more losses to the Fire Worship Sect.

It was only natural the Fire Worship Sect would choose to protect the genius since the deaths of normal disciples would not affect the sect much.

This is proof that the Dao Martial Saint Land was a world where the fittest survived and the strong reigned. Highly talented disciples with bright futures were exempted from following the rules and were given special treatment even in big sects with strict rules such as the Fire Worship Sect.

Duan Ling Tian managed to survive because he had shown the Enforcement Elders his worth. He had shown them his blue Innate Spiritual Root!

'Li An should've already found out about me possessing a blue Innate Spiritual Root!' Duan Ling Tian thought to himself.

Li An was not satisfied with Guo Xiong's verdict almost two months ago, and he had threatened that he would go to the Saint Land's Enforcement Hall to object to it.

However, two months had passed since then, and Li An had not made any move. This was proof enough that Li An failed to change Guo Xing's verdict.

"The report regarding my verdict that Elder Guo Xiong has submitted to the Saint Land's Enforcement Hall definitely states that I possess a blue Innate Spiritual Root. Otherwise, the Saint Land's Enforcement Hall would not let such a verdict stand!"

"After all, I can claim self-defense for killing Yuan Hong. However, there's no excuse for me to kill Yuan Kuang."

Duan Ling Tian dared to kill the Yuan Brothers because he knew he would possess the blue Innate Spiritual Root soon. At that time, before he killed Yuan Hong, he possessed a dark green Innate Spiritual Root. He was only a step away from possessing a blue Innate Spiritual Root.

As it turned out, Duan Ling Tian was right. After killing the Yuan Brothers and devouring their Innate Spiritual Roots, his Innate Spiritual Roots managed to change from dark green to blue.

The Black Turtle Sanctum's Enforcement Elder Guo Xiong and Wu Yi would not have such a drastic change in attitude if he did not show his blue Innate Spiritual Root. Their change was so drastic that they went from wanting to kill him to protecting him at all costs.

To protect Duan Ling Tian, Guo Xiong and Wu Yi cooked up a grand speech that would give them the justification to protect him.

Naturally, the justification was just a joke in the eyes of the Vermilion Bird Sanctum's disciples who were present at the time since everyone could tell the Enforcement Elders were just making excuses.

Even then, what could they do?

As long as Saint Land's Enforcement Hall decided to put the case to rest, the outcome of the incident had been decided.

"It seems that the outcome is already decided… As for my punishment, it won't affect my plan much to serve in the First Mine of the Four Symbols Sanctums."

"Based on the rules of the Four Symbols Sanctum, disciples who are sentenced to serve in the mines can still become Saint Land disciples as long as they obtain recognition from people in the Saint Land." Duan Ling Tian had heard about the Four Symbols Sanctums' disciples being sentenced to the mines for wrongdoings in the past.

Moreover, he knew that as long as the disciple was able to enter the Saint Land then he would be free from the punishment.

"It's not too hard for me to obtain recognition to enter the Fire Worship Sect's Saint Land... I can just participate in the Saint Land Assessment and become a disciple of the Saint Land with my own strength!

However, it would be some time before the next Saint Land Assessment is going to be held." Duan Ling Tian believed he would not have to serve in the First Mine of the Four Symbols Sanctums for a long time.

He would be able to leave the mine as soon as the Saint Land Assessment began. As long as he was able to pass the assessment and become a disciple, he would be free from his punishment of serving in the mines for ten years.

"I'll try to master the Black Turtle Sanctum's Divine Ability, the Black Turtle's Barrier, during the next ten months. I refuse to believe I can't master the best defensive high-grade Divine Ability in the Fire Worship Sect!"

Duan Ling Tian cleared his mind of all unnecessary thoughts and focused on mastering the Black Turtle's Barrier. All the information regarding Black Turtle's Barrier had been stored in his mind during his last visit to the Black Turtle Sanctum.

…

While Duan Ling Tian was busy mastering the Black Turtle's Barrier, Li An was extremely unhappy with his recent discovery.

"Does Duan Ling Tian really have a blue Innate Spiritual Root? But... I remember during the innate talent assessment, he only has a yellow Innate Spiritual Root! Is it possible that not only did he conceal his cultivation base, but he also concealed his Innate Spiritual Root?" Li An said as his expression changed.

Li An had gone to the Enforcement Hall in the Saint Land a month ago, intending to overturn Guo Xiong's verdict.

Duan Ling Tian had intentionally killed Yuan Kuang. Any of the Vermilion Bird Sanctum's disciples could attest to that. Therefore, Li An was very confident he could overturn Guo Xiong's verdict. In his opinion, as long as he raised objections to Guo Xiong's verdict, the Enforcement Hall would send another Enforcement Elder to investigate the matter. At that time, Duan Ling Tian would definitely die.

However, things did not go as he had expected them to. When Li An arrived at the Enforcement Hall in the Saint Land and read the report Guo Xiong had submitted, he was dumbfounded.

Guo Xiong had reported that there was a possibility that Duan Ling Tian had killed the Vermilion Bird Sanctum's disciple, Yuan Kuang, on purpose. Since Duan Ling Tian was a Martial Dao genius who possessed a blue Innate Spiritual Root, according to the unspoken rules that overruled the official rules and laws of the Fire Worship Sect, Duan Ling Tian should not be killed for the death of an ordinary disciple like Yuan Kuang. That was the reason why he had only sentenced Duan Ling Tian to serve in the First Mine of the Four Symbols Sanctums. The Enforcement Hall of Saint Land had agreed with his decision regarding this genius with a blue Innate Spiritual Root. Such a genius deserved to be given a chance.

"A blue Innate Spiritual Root? How's it possible?!" Li An felt as though a thousand horses in a frenzy were trampling on his heart after he read the report.

He immediately accused Guo Xiong of falsifying information in the report since he was certain that Duan Ling Tian possessed a yellow Innate Spiritual Root and not a blue Innate Spiritual Root.

However, the response from the elder on duty in the Saint Land's Enforcement Hall made him hesitate.

"Before you have sufficient evidence proving that the Black Turtle Sanctum's Enforcement Elder Guo Xiong falsified information in the report, the Enforcement Hall will not respond to your accusation based on hearsay! Naturally, if you insist on accusing him, you may do so! We'll send an Enforcement Elder from the Enforcement Hall to go along with you to verify the truth of your accusations… If your accusations are found to be false, we'll take it as you dishonoring the Enforcement Hall, and you will be severely punished!" The Enforcement Elder on duty said.

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This made Li An hesitate because dishonoring the Enforcement Hall was not a minor crime. Although it was not serious enough to be banished from Fire Worship Sect, the punishment would be extremely torturous.