Boom!
Zhang Ji Long’s body flew out like a shot arrow before he fell on the ground with a slam. He looked extremely disheveled as he kept vomiting blood.
“Nothing’s impossible,” Duan Ling Tian responded coldly when he heard Zhang Ji Long’s words the moment he flew back.
Zhang Ji Long’s face became more and more gloomy when he sensed everyone’s gaze on him. He did not have to look to know that those people were laughing at him.
“Such strength!” The surprise was apparent on the face of Jin Yuan Bao, the one who was ranked no.3 among the Thirteen Gangsters. His gaze was laced with wariness when he looked at Duan Ling Tian again.
He could see the strength Duan Ling Tian had demonstrated earlier was not as simple as someone who had just broken through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage… In fact, he felt that it was comparable to a powerhouse at the peak of the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage.
“Amazing!” When Guo Li saw Duan Ling Tian had defeated his opponent in one move even after his opponent had struck first, she could not help but marvel at the fact even though she was confident Duan Ling Tian would win from the very beginning.
“This Duan Ling Tian is so powerful even though he has just broken through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage?” In the pavilion, the Heavenly Harm Guardian was also shocked by Duan Ling Tian’s strength.
If he did not know Duan Ling Tian was merely a Martial Cultivator at the Intermediate Mortal Shedding Stage prior to this, he would not believe that he had just broken through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage not too long ago based on the strength he had demonstrated.
“Duan Ling Tian’s strength is terrifying!”
“He only needed one move to defeat Zhang Ji Long who has similarly broken through to the Mortal Shedding Stage… That’s incredible!”
“With Duan Ling Tian’s current strength, he’ll probably affect the positions of the top five Thirteen Gangsters.”
The onlookers discussed among themselves. A lot of them were eager to see Duan Ling Tian challenge the top five Thirteen Gangsters.
While the group of people was praising Duan Ling Tian’s strength, not many people noticed that Zhang Ji Long had returned to cottage no.7 after glaring at Duan Ling Tian.
His intention of challenging Duan Ling Tian today was to redeem himself.
He was filled with confidence after he had broken through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage. He thought he would be able to defeat Duan Ling Tian… Who knew he would be defeated by Duan Ling Tian in just one move.
If he knew it would end this way, he would not have embarrassed himself like this.
“How did Duan Ling Tian make such huge progress… Before we made a breakthrough, he won the previous battle due to the advantage provided by a long-range weapon, the archery set. However, earlier…” After returning to cottage No.7, Zhang Ji Long’s face looked gloomier than someone whose parents had died.
Earlier, most of the people present did not even know what was going on before they saw Zhang Ji Long being blasted away… Only Zhang Ji Long knew how terrifying the True Energy light blades from Duan Ling Tian’s bowstring were
Every True Energy light blade that struck his Saint Weapon Boots felt like a heavy hammer slamming against him.
In the beginning, he could still endure it, but the True Energy light blade had struck continuously. Eventually, he was blasted away because he could no longer endure it. Due to his resistance, he had sustained a serious internal injury.
‘A few days later, Master City Governor will come out from his closed-door cultivation… At that time, he’ll set a test to recruit two or three disciples.’ Zhang Ji Long’s heart sank when he remembered this.
‘I hope my injuries won’t affect my participation in the test… Otherwise, I’ll never let that Duan Ling Tian go!’ Zhang Ji Long thought to himself as he clenched his teeth.
He seemed to have forgotten again that he had lost to Duan Ling Tian.
“Guo Li, congratulations.” Duan Ling Tian looked at Guo Li and congratulated her for breaking through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage.
Guo Li responded with a smile.
After that, Duan Ling Tian looked at Jin Yuan Bao who was ranked No. 3 among the Thirteen Gangsters and nodded at him with a smile.
“Duan Ling Tian, do you want to try and challenge me?” Jin Yuan Bao asked with a smile.
Jin Yuan Bao also itched for a fight after he saw the strength Duan Ling Tian had demonstrated… As a person from the Latent Dragon Camp who was ranked No.3 among the Thirteen Gangsters, Jin Yuan Bao was someone who loved to spar.
“Maybe next time.” Duan Ling Tian was quite fond of Jin Yuan Bao so he did not want to embarrass him in public.
If it was him from a few days ago, he would not dare to say he could win Jin Yuan Bao who was ranked No.3 among the Thirteen Gangsters… However, things were different now that he possessed the Strange Pupil.
Strange Pupil was originally named Strange Eye by Duan Ling Tian.
In the end, he felt it did not sound good so he renamed it to Strange Pupil.
Strange Pupil referred to his current left eye, the one that had integrated with the refined One-eyed Devil Vulture’s eye and inherited its abilities.
“Next time then.” Jin Yuan Bao nodded and smiled. He did not intend to force Duan Ling Tian.
Following that, Duan Ling Tian returned to cottage No.6 after bidding Guo Li and Jin Yuan Bao goodbye.
After that, Guo Li also returned to cottage No.8.
If there were no accidents, the City Governor of Mound Hill City would come out from his closed-door cultivation in a few days’ time… Then, he would set a test and pick two to three people from the Latent Dragon Camp’s Thirteen Gangsters to be his disciples.
Guo Li really wanted to be a disciple of the City Governor of Mound Hill City.
If she became the disciple of the City Governor of Mound Hill City, she would no longer have to worry about all the assassination attempts anymore.
Although the two largest clans on Fuyu Island were enemies with her Guo Clan, they would not dare to offend the City Governor’s Estate of Mound Hill City… It was an eighth-rate force in the Dao Martial Saint Land, and they could not compare to it at all.
‘Once I become the disciple of Lord City Governor, not only will the two clans stop trying to assassinate me, they will even stop the others from doing so… After all, if I’m killed, the blame will definitely fall on them.”
Guo Li thought to herself, ‘At that time, it’s not impossible for Lord City Governor to destroy them in a fit of anger.’ It was undoubtedly dangerous for a mere ninth-rate force to kill a disciple of the leader of an eighth-rate force.
Put everything else aside, the eighth-rate force would not let the matter go because of their pride. They would definitely act harshly instead of showing leniency.
Due to this reason, Guo Li desperately hoped to pass the City Governor’s test and become a disciple of the City Governor of Mound Hill City.
“Although my chance is slim, I still have to try my best,” Guo Li murmured solemnly.
Indeed, she only had a slim chance.
Put aside the fact that she was not even comparable to the top five people in the Thirteen Gangsters, she was not even a match for Duan Ling Tian and Zhang Ji Long.
She was not a match for seven of the Thirteen Gangsters. It was only natural that she had a slim chance.
She could only hope for a miracle to happen.
After Guo Li returned to cottage No.8, Jin Yuan Bao did not stay outside for long. He returned to cottage no.3 and continued with his cultivation to prepare for the test by the City Governor of Mound Hill City.
The high platform fell silent after Jin Yuan Bao returned to his cottage.
However, it was still very lively under the high platform around the dilapidated cottages behind the manure pit.
Everyone was still discussing Duan Ling Tian’s strength.
Some people also brought up the matter of Duan Ling Tian rejecting Jin Yuan Bao’s challenge.
“Is Duan Ling Tian afraid? That’s why he rejected Jin Yuan Bao’s challenge?” Someone asked.
“That’s possible.” Someone else agreed.
“It’s more than possible… I think Duan Ling Tian knows he’s not Jin Yuan Bao’s match, that’s why he did not accept the challenge.”
“If he’s confident he can win Jin Yuan Bao, he’ll definitely want to take No.3 spot… After all, the third among the Thirteen Gangsters will receive more Saint Stones.”
“Yes. Tomorrow is the day we’ll receive Saint Stones… If Duan Ling Tian can defeat Jin Yuan Bao and rank third among the Thirteen Gangsters, he’ll be able to receive 1,100 grade-eight Saint Stones.”
“Now, he’s only ranked No.6 among the Thirteen Gangsters. That means he’ll only receive 800 grade-eight Saint Stones.”
…
The area around the dilapidated cottages became lively again as the people discussed this topic.
In the end, almost everyone agreed that Duan Ling Tian was not confident he could defeat Jin Yuan Bao.
A young man stood in front of a dilapidated cottage as he muttered to himself, “Duan Ling Tian and Guo Li are so powerful… They have broken through to the Mastery Mortal Shedding Stage. I don’t know when I’ll be able to break through.”
That young was none other than Zhu Lang, the prodigious Martial Cultivator who had joined the Latent Dragon Camp on the same day as Duan Ling Tian and Guo Li. He was a member of the Zhu Clan from Storm Town under Mound Hill City.
They had joined the Latent Dragon Camp on the same day, but Duan Ling Tian and Guo Li had fought their way into becoming one of the Thirteen Gangsters… That had shocked him.
Currently, Duan Ling Tian and Guo Li had become one of the top ranking people among the Thirteen Gangsters. He could not help but feel weird.
“I can’t slack anymore… Even if I can’t catch up to Duan Ling Tian and Guo Li, I also have to become one of the Thirteen Gangsters.” After taking a deep breath, Zhu Lang returned the dilapidated cottage and cultivated diligently.
One day later, inside the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.
“I’ve broken through!” Suddenly, an excited and joyous voice sounded on the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda. It was Duan Ling Tian.
Currently, Duan Ling Tian was hovering in the air in the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.
The interior of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda was not affected by Mound Hill City’s Flight Prohibiting Formation, therefore Duan Ling Tian could control the air and fly freely inside it.
Currently, Duan Ling Tian who was hovering in mid-air was emitting a copper light.
He was shirtless and was only wearing a pair of pants.
His muscles were more defined, and his lean upper body seemed to be covered in a layer of bronze cloth… It was the Human Rank Prominent Saint Grade Martial Tactic’s defensive move, Copper Shirt.
Duan Ling Tian was so excited because he had cultivated the Copper Shirt to the second stage of the Saint Grade Martial Tactic, the Elementary Stage.
“I feel… After cultivating the Copper Shirt, my body seems even stronger now.” Duan Ling Tian clenched his fists with an excited expression on his face.
Suddenly, he moved and punched out without utilizing his True Energy. It caused the air to stir, resulting in a shockwave that slammed into the wall.
Bang!
A loud bang reverberated in the air. Airwaves swept out, and a strong wind raged inside the second level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.