Chapter 362: Number One Under The Nascent Soul Stage
Translator: KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Jay
"Big Brother Liu, don’t listen to this Duan Ling Tian, you…" At the same time that Fan Jian’s face went ghastly pale, he was slightly panicked. Because, Fan Jian noticed that Liu Shi Ge seemed as if he’d resolved to make Fan Jian battle Duan Ling Tian on the life and death arena with him.
He knew his own limitations.
He was far from being a match for Duan Ling Tian!
If Duan Ling Tian wanted to kill him, a single sword strike would be enough.
But Fan Jian hadn’t even finished speaking when he was interrupted by Liu Shi Ge. "Fan Jian, don’t worry. With me, Liu Shi Ge, there, I guarantee that you won’t lose a single hair!" Liu Shi Ge’s speech was filled with strong confidence, the confidence of a Nascent Soul Stage martial artist.
"What? You don’t trust me?" When he saw Fan Jian’s expression was still unsightly and Fan Jian hadn’t answered him for a long time, Liu Shi Ge was in a slightly embarrassing situation and his face couldn’t help but sink.
"Big Brother Liu, I…" Fan Jian had a bitter expression, he wanted to tell Liu Shi Ge that since Duan Ling Tian wanted him to ascend the life and death arena, Duan Ling Tian would surely be confident.
But in the end, he didn’t continue to finish what he wanted to say, because he’d noticed the resoluteness in Liu Shi Ge’s eyes.
He’s known Liu Shi Ge since a long time ago, and knew of Liu She Ge’s behavior.
He knew clearly that no one was able to stop Liu Shi Ge from doing something he had already resolved to do, and saying any more was of no use.
"Don’t worry. I attacked Duan Ling Tian earlier precisely for the sake of sounding out his strength, and to see the advancement of his cultivation during this year… Since he hasn’t broken through to the Nascent Soul Stage, I naturally am unafraid of him." Right at this moment, Liu Shi Ge’s voice transmission entered into Fan Jian’s ears, causing Fan Jian’s heart to stabilize.
So it turns out that Big Brother Liu attacked earlier for the sake of sounding out Duan Ling Tian’s strength…
The worry in Fan Jian’s heart decreased slightly when he saw that Liu Shi Ge was so confident.
Suddenly, Fan Jian looked at Duan Ling Tian and said coldly, "Duan Ling Tian, I, Fan Jian, can agree to your conditions! I’ll ascend the life and death arena with Big Brother Liu to battle you!"
Duan Ling Tian’s face froze briefly when he heard Fan Jian and a strange expression appeared on his face.
As if it was difficult for him to believe that Fan Jian would agree to this condition.
But when his expression entered into the eyes of Liu Shi Ge and Fan Jian, they instead thought that Duan Ling Tian was afraid, and this caused their confidence to rise greatly.
Duan Ling Tian took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Fan Jian, you’re cowardly like a mouse, but you actually dared agree to battle me on the life and death arena. Truly unexpected."
"I hope you are true to your word. Otherwise, you, Duan Ling Tian, will become an untrustworthy person in the future, and it will be difficult for you to gain a foothold in the Seven Star Sword Sect." Fan Jian sneered, and he had a complacent expression.
When he saw Duan Ling Tian like this, he naturally thought that Duan Ling Tian had intentionally asked him to ascend the life and death arena as a condition, because Duan Ling Tian wanted him to retreat in the face of difficulties.
At that time, Duan Ling Tian could openly refuse Liu Shi Ge’s challenge.
At this moment, Fan Jian felt that he was so intelligent.
"Hmph!" Duan Ling Tian coldly swept Fan Jian with his gaze, and his mouth lightly moved. Duan Ling Tian’s Origin Energy that was condensed into sound broke through Fan Jian’s ear drums. "Fan Jian, even if I’m not a match for Liu Shi Ge, I’ll still kill you before he makes a move against me! After that, I’ll jump down the life and death arena. At that time, with the protection of Senior Brother Zheng Song, Liu Shi Ge is bound to be unable to kill me."
Fan Jian’s face went slightly grim when he heard Duan Ling Tian’s voice transmission, but he didn’t back down. "Then we’ll have to see if it’s you who kill me first, or Big Brother Liu who kills you first."
Subsequently, Fan Jian transmitted what Duan Ling Tian had said to Liu Shi Ge, and it caused Liu Shi Ge to be unable to refrain from squinting.
"Fan Jian, you can be at ease. He can’t kill you with me there." Liu Shi Ge replied to Fan Jian with a voice transmission, and his tone was filled with strong confidence.
"I believe Big Brother Liu." Fan Jian hurriedly replied.
Presently, Liu Shi Ge and Fan Jian weren’t suspicious of Duan Ling Tian’s actions this time of agreeing to the life and death arena battle any longer.
Duan Ling Tian wasn’t really confident, but instead wanted to take advantage of the battle.
Battling the two of them on the life and death arena was fake, and wanting to kill Fan Jian before fleeing was the truth.
"Junior Brother Duan Ling Tian, shouldn’t you consider it again?" Zheng Song frowned, and he wanted to try stop Duan Ling Tian again.
Zheng Song’s actions caused Liu Shi Ge and Fan Jian’s expression to become slightly unsightly. At this moment, they were really worried that this opportunity would be destroyed by Zheng Song.
"Senior Brother Zheng Song, when a man lives in the world, there are things he must do, and things he mustn’t! Today, since I, Duan Ling Tian, have said it, then I naturally will be true to my words." Duan Ling Tian shook his head and refused Zheng Song’s good intentions.
The surrounding crowd was in an uproar.
"This Duan Ling Tian is really going to battle Liu Shi Ge and Fan Jian on the life and death arena?"
"He’s simply gone mad!"
"Ninth level of the Origin Core Stage wants to battle a first level Nascent Soul Stage? Wishful thinking!"
…
No one within the surrounding crowd of Seven Star Sword Sect inner court disciples looked favorably on Duan Ling Tian.
"Let’s go to the life and death arena!" Liu Shi Ge swept Duan Ling Tian with his cold gaze, then called Fan Jian before walking to the other side of the peak.
The life and death arena of the Seven Star Sword Sect’s Dubhe Peak was at the peak of the mountain, and it was situated on the side of the precipice. It rose straight up from the ground and was covered with tiles that seemed as if they were completely tainted with blood.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
When they arrived at the life and death arena, Liu Shi Ge and Fan Jian’s figures flashed out to ascend the arena first.
Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian and Zheng Song walked shoulder to shoulder with the crowd of inner court disciples following behind them, and they slowly walked towards the life and death arena in a formidable array.
"Junior Brother Duan Ling Tian, are you really confident?"" Although Duan Ling Tian’s voice transmissions revealed strong confidence, Zheng Song still couldn’t help himself from being slightly worried.
He’d always been grateful to Duan Ling Tian.
It was Duan Ling Tian who allowed his father to break through to the Void Initiation Stage in one go!
This was a favor that was a high as the heavens! It was difficult to return.
"Senior Brother Zheng Song, it isn’t the first time I’ve ascended the Seven Star Sword Sect’s life and death arena, but it has always been my opponents that have perished on the life and death arena… Don’t worry, I’ll be fine." Duan Ling Tian had a carefree expression, as if he would remain unfazed even if Mt.Tai collapsed before him.
Zheng Song nodded and didn’t say anything further.
He chose to believe Duan Ling Tian.
Based on Duan Ling Tian’s past deeds, he wasn’t a rash person.
No one would look favorably upon him every time he ascended the life and death arena, but he would exceed everyone’s expectations every time and kill all of his opponents.
Duan Ling Tian had created too many miracles.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have the chance to see any with his own two eyes…
This time, it wasn’t easy to get this opportunity.
He anticipated it extremely.
In next to no time, Duan Ling Tian had arrived before the life and death arena, whereas the surroundings of the life and death arena were filled with people.
So long as it was someone that was at the top of Dubhe Peak, then no matter if it was an inner court disciple or inner court elder, they were all gathered here to watch the excitement now…
"What’s going on?" Some of the inner court disciples that had only just arrived couldn’t refrain from asking curiously.
Before long, they all came to understand what had happened after they heard the explanation of the other inner court disciples.
So it turns out that Duan Ling Tian is about to battle Liu Shi Ge and Fan Jian on the life and death arena.
Fighting two by himself!
"Duan Ling Tian has broken through to the Nascent Soul Stage?" This was their first thought when they heard of this matter, and they couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.
"No." Some of the inner court disciples who knew the facts shook their heads. "Duan Ling Tian hasn’t broken through to the Nascent Soul Stage yet and is only at the ninth level of the Origin Core Stage… The reason he’s willing to ascend the life and death arena is mostly because of Fan Jian."
"Exactly. At the bottom of it all, the conflict between him and Senior Brother Liu Shi Ge was because of Fan Jian. Perhaps, he wants to use this opportunity to kill Fan Jian!"
…
"Kill Fan Jian?"
"He wants to kill Fan Jian while Senior Brother Liu Shi Ge is present? It’s extremely difficult."
"It’s difficult indeed."
…
Regardless of how the inner court disciples discussed it, the life and death arena challenge had already been confirmed and was difficult to change.
On the life and death arena, Liu Shi Ge stood there and the inner court disciple attire on his body fluttered with the wind, seeming to possess a graceful bearing.
Whereas Fan Jian now stood behind Liu Shi Ge, as if he would only feel safe when he was hiding behind Liu Shi Ge’s back.
"Duan Ling Tian!" Liu Shi Ge’s fierce gaze descended onto Duan Ling Tian and was filled with ruthlessness and bloodthirst.
Duan Ling Tian nodded to Zheng Song, then his body flashed out, as if he’d transformed into a spirit serpent as he lightly descended onto the life and death arena to stand in confrontation with Liu Shi Ge.
Duan Ling Tian didn’t look at Liu Shi Ge when he ascended the life and death arena, and instead he looked at Fan Jian who was behind Liu Shi Ge as he asked indifferently. "Fan Jian, you plan to hide behind Liu Shi Ge’s back the whole time?"
Fan Jian’s expression flickered between a livid and ashen expression when he heard Duan Ling Tian.
"Haha… This Fan Jian is truly cowardly!"
"It’s not surprising. Although Fan Jian has broken through to the ninth level of the Origin Core Stage lately, when he is faced with Duan Ling Tian who possessed the strength to cripple an arm of the ninth level Origin Core Stage Wu Yong Qian one year ago, his strength is still not enough."
"Yeah, one year ago, Duan Ling Tian was only at the eighth level of the Origin Core Stage, and he was even able to cripple the arm of a ninth level Origin Core Stage inner court disciple… Now, he’s broken through to the ninth level of the Origin Core Stage, sweeping through the all the martial artists in the entire Origin Core Stage would be nothing difficult, and he can even be called the number one under the Nascent Soul Stage!"
…
At the same time that the crowd of inner court disciples that surrounded the life and death arena ridiculed Fan Jian, they weren’t the slightest bit stingy with their praise to Duan Ling Tian.
"Unfortunately, Duan Ling Tian is still too rash."
"Yeah, if it was in another two years, he might be able to surpass Senior Brother Liu Shi Ge."
"He was too impatient."
…
Before long, some of the inner court disciples couldn’t help but sigh, as they felt pity for Duan Ling Tian.
As far as they were concerned, even if Duan Ling Tian was able to kill Fan Jian today, it would still be difficult for Duan Ling Tian to survive.
After all, besides Fan Jian, Duan Ling Tian still had to face Liu Shi Ge who was an inner court disciple at the Nascent Soul Stage.
The corners of Liu Shi Ge’s mouth curled into a cold smile when he saw Duan Ling Tian ascend the life and death arena. "Duan Ling Tian, you’re really bold, actually daring to ascend the life and death arena… Today, I, Liu Shi Fe, will send you off!"
Duan Ling Tian glanced indifferently at Liu Shi Fe, then paid no attention to him and instead shot his gaze at Fan Jian who was behind Liu Shi Ge.
In the eyes of the spectators, Duan Ling Tian’s target wasn’t Liu Shi Ge but was Fan Jian instead!
Fan Jian’s face went pale when he noticed Duan Ling Tian’s burning gaze and his heart felt oppressed.
Before Duan Ling Tian who was similarly at the ninth level of the Origin Core Stage, he felt that his entire cultivation at the ninth level of the Origin Core Stage was a cultivation only in name.
"Fan Jian, that day, out of respect for Elder Lu Qiu, I intended to forgive and forget the grudges between us… Unfortunately, you didn’t cherish it properly. Today, I won’t be merciful again." Coldness arose within Duan Ling Tian’s eyes and his speech contained bone piercing icy coldness mixed within.