2043 An Unkempt Zhu Lu Qi

"I'm useless. I've embarrassed you, father." Dong Lin lowered his head in embarrassment when he heard Dong Yuan Jin's words. However, a hint of coldness flashed in the depths of his eyes. Naturally, this was directed at Duan Ling Tian, not his father. If it was not for Duan Ling Tian, would he have to ask his father for help to resolve this matter? Would he have to hear the disappointment in his father's voice if not for Duan Ling Tian?

Dong Lin blamed Duan Ling Tian for everything. He did not think about his own incompetence nor did he think that he was the one who had gone to look for trouble with Duan Ling Tian. It could be seen that he had no dignity at all. He could have diligently cultivated and avenge himself, but he chose to seek help from his father instead.

"Both of you possess blue Innate Spiritual Roots… I hope you'll be able to avenge yourself with your own strength and not ask me for help!" Dong Yuan Jin looked at Dong Lin solemnly and said, "Just this once, I'll ask Elder Yang to speak to Tian Dong. Go and look for Tian Dong tomorrow!"

"Elder Tian Dong?!" Dong Lin's eyes lit up instantly when he heard Dong Yuan Jin's words. He was delighted.

Tian Dong was the strongest Silver Flame Elder in the Enforcement Hall! Dong Yuan Jin had once helped him so he could be considered as under his father's command.

Dong Lin was, naturally, delighted when he heard his father said he was going to get Tian Dong to teach Duan Ling Tian a lesson.

Dong Yuan Jin seemed even more disappointed when he saw how delighted Dong Lin was. He shook his head as he turned to enter the mansion. Although he was disappointed, there was nothing he could do. Regardless of whether his son was capable or not, his son was the most important person in his life. Naturally, he could not bear it when someone else bullied his son. However, Duan Ling Tian did not cross the bottom line when he humiliated his son. Therefore, it was inconvenient for him to act against him.

"Take care, father!" Dong Lin said respectfully when he regained his senses and saw his father departing figure.

"Elder Yang, I'll take my leave first. Tomorrow, I'll look for Elder Tian Dong… Please remember to see Elder Tian Dong today!" Dong Lin reminded Elder Yang.

"I'll go see him now." Dong Lin nodded in satisfaction after he heard Elder Yang's answer.

Elder Yang sighed as he looked Dong Lin's departing figure. He muttered to himself, "Can't blame master for being disappointed with how this young master acts..."

Naturally, Duan Ling Tian was unaware that Dong Lin had gone to seek help from his father, Dong Yuan Jin, one of the Vice Hall Masters of the Enforcement Hall.

Currently, Duan Ling Tian was focused on cultivating in the fourth level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda. His goal was to break through to the Intermediate Exemplary Saint Stage! At that time, he could defeat an ordinary powerhouse at the Second Form of the Saint Celestial Stage without even using the Jasper Celestial Sword.

However, talented powerhouses at the Second Form of the Saint Celestial Stage like Wen Yan were not people he could deal with without the help of the Jasper Celestial Sword even after he broke through to the Intermediate Exemplary Saint Stage, let alone those on the same level as Gan Ru Yan.

The difference in strength between powerhouses at the Second Form Saint Celestial Stage was wide. There were powerhouses like Gan Ru Yan who were strong enough to be ranked on the Supreme Saint Ranking, and there were powerhouses who did not even qualify like Wen Yan and Liu Yun.

'After breaking through to the Intermediate Exemplary Saint Stage, I should be able to defeat Senior Brother Liu Yun without using the Jasper Celestial Sword… Once I break through to the Mastery Saint Stage, I should be able to defeat Wen Yan without using the Jasper Celestial Sword!' Duan Ling Tian thought to himself, 'As for people like Gan Ru Yan, I'm afraid I'll have to break through to the peak of the Exemplary Saint Stage to defeat her without the Jasper Celestial Sword!'

Duan Ling Tian had learned a lot during his stay in the Fire Worship Sect. Among the things he had learned was the strength of powerhouses at the Second Form of the Saint Celestial Stage.

"Gan Ru Yan can't even be considered as the strongest among those at the Second Form Saint Celestial Stage… If I want to defeat those powerhouses at the peak of the Second Form of the Saint Celestial Stage without using the Jasper Celestial Sword, my cultivation base would have to be at the Intermediate Quintessential Saint Stage at least!" Duan Ling Tian knew his own strength very well.

Although they were all at the Second Form of the Saint Celestial Stage, those at the peak of the Second Form of the Saint Celestial Stage were a lot stronger.

The difference between all Nine Forms of the Saint Celestial Stage was huge! It was comparable to the difference between a powerhouse at the Exemplary Saint Stage and a powerhouse at the Quintessential Saint Stage or a powerhouse at the Divine Saint Stage and a powerhouse at the Exemplary Saint Stage.

For this reason, Duan Ling Tian cultivated diligently. He knew he had to improve his cultivation base as fast he could if he wanted to save Ke'er and their daughter. He had to be strong enough to rescue them before the Sect Leader of the Fire Worship comes out of closed-door cultivation! Who knew what would happen once he came out of closed-door cultivation?

A day passed quickly.

To Duan Ling Tian, a day outside was equivalent to five days in the fourth level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda. He continued to cultivate as his cultivation base moved closer and closer to the Intermediate Exemplary Saint Stage.

...

While Duan Ling Tian prepared himself to leave his residence in the Main Hall and to report for duty, an extremely unkempt looking Zhu Lu Qi was at an unknown and dark location.

That's right! It was Zhu Lu Qi, the former Palace Master of Mystical Sky Mansion's Heaven Palace, a quasi third-rate force in the Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land. Previously, he had cultivated the Devouring Dark Devil Technique and was exiled by the people from Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land.

Somehow, he had followed Duan Ling Tian to the Upper Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land and joined one of the three great sects, the Fire Worship Sect. He had joined the White Tiger Sanctum.

Previously, before Duan Ling Tian entered the Fire Worship Sect's Saint Land, he had asked for help from the Black Turtle Sanctum's Enforcement Elder Guo Xiong to send Zhu Lu Qi back to the Lower Province using an Inter-province Transportation Formation.

Duan Ling Tian asked Zhu Lu Qi to return to the Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land to warn the Azure Cloud Mansion. After all, he had offended Li An from the Fire Worship Sect and Yang Chong, the fifth elder from a first-rate force, the Northern Plethora Sect. Since he had exposed his identity as a Nine-clawed Dragon Warrior, it was possible for Li An and Yang Chong to find out he was from the Lower Province. If Li An or Yang Chong sent someone to investigate him in the Lower Province, they would easily find out about his background. Duan Ling Tian's name was famous in the Lower Province. It would not be difficult for Li An or Yang Chong to find out he was from the quasi third-rate force, the Azure Cloud Mansion. If that happened, disaster would befall the Azure Cloud Mansion!

For this reason, Duan Ling Tian had asked Zhu Lu Qi to go to the Azure Cloud Mansion in the Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land to warn them of the impending danger. Duan Ling Tian believed that if his father learned of this, he would be able to make necessary arrangements to avoid the danger.

However, Duan Ling Tian would never expect that Zhu Lu Qi would meet with an accident after he entered the Inter-province Transportation Formation. He was not sent to the Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land. Instead, he was sent to an unknown creepy location.

The place was dark. There was no day nor night. Zhu Lu Qi very quickly got used to this.

"Where is this? It doesn't seem to be the Lower Province or the Upper Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land…"

Zhu Lu Qi looked up at the sky. A blood-red moon lit the sky. It looked extremely eerie.

"The Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy here is worse than the Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land… It feels like I've been here for a few months. However, I've not seen a beast here, let alone another human."

He walked aimlessly in the woods. Zhu Lu Qi felt extremely depressed. He felt he was going to go crazy.

Since there was no day or night, Zhu Lu Qi did not know how long he had been here. However, he felt as though a long time had passed.

Naturally, Zhu Lu Qi had not been there for long. Due to how eerie the place was and the lack of living things, it was only natural he felt he had been here for a long time. He was tired of this place, but he did not know how to return.

"What happened to the Inter-province Transportation Formation? Why was I sent to this hellhole… Where's this?" Zhu Lu Qi was extremely frustrated. He was on the brink of a breakdown. However, he forcefully calmed himself down and began to observe his surroundings.

After a while, Zhu Lu Qi discovered he had been walking endlessly in the same place as though he was trapped in a loop.

"Illusory formation?" Zhu Lu Qi was shocked. He stopped moving because he knew it was pointless. He would only end up in the same place.

"It seems like you finally noticed it." As soon as Zhu Lu Qi stopped moving, creepy laughter rang in the air.