Chapter 3673: The Prisoner on the Ninth Step of the Heavenly Stairs

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Duan Ling Tian’s reputation had long preceded him in the Hidden Fog Sect. Perhaps, only those who were in closed-door cultivation were the only ones who had yet to hear about him.

Moreover, over the past three months, Qi Yu, one of the top ten inner disciples in the Hidden Fog Sect, had repeatedly challenged Duan Ling Tian, causing Duan Ling Tian to become even more famous.

Many people were looking forward to Qi Yu and Duan Ling Tian’s fight, after all. Most of them were confident Qi Yu would win the fight. Although Duan Ling Tian had comprehended triple Fused Profundities from the law of space, Qi Yu had also comprehended triple Fused Profundities from the law of wind. Moreover, Qi Yu was already an advanced god while Duan Ling Tian was just an intermediate god. With that, even if Duan Ling Tian had comprehended one of the Four Supreme Laws, it would still be difficult for Duan Ling Tian to defeat Qi Yu.

Today, Duan Ling Tian stuck out even more since Tang Wu An had shown that she had a good relationship with him. Most importantly, his performance during the Heavenly Stairs Battle was too shocking. They did not expect him to make it to the eighth step. They would not have been surprised if he was an advanced god, but he was just an intermediate god. How was it possible for an intermediate god to reach the eighth step?

Similar to the others, Qi Yu was also shocked that Duan Ling Tian successfully climbed up to the eighth step. He thought to himself, ‘It’s already amazing that he managed to pass the seventh step and climb up to the eighth step. However, considering how long he took on the seventh step, it’s likely he won’t be able to hold out for long on the eighth step.’

However, not long after that, Qi Yu was shocked again.

After advancing to the eighth step, it did not take long before Duan Ling Tian advanced to the ninth step.

The difficulty on the eighth step far surpassed that of the seventh step. There was a reason why even the strongest inner disciples with the cultivation of god could not make it past the eighth step. To climb to the ninth step, they would have to kill or defeat their opponents.

Everyone was naturally shocked by Duan Ling Tian’s feat.

“Duan Ling Tian actually climbed up to the ninth step?! Heavens! He actually passed the eighth step!”

Tang Wu Yan wore a surprised expression on her pretty face. “H-he actually passed the eighth step?”

Although Tang Wu Yan had never been to the eighth step before, she had climbed up to the seventh step, after all. The opponents on the seventh step were very strong. She could not defeat her opponents at all, hence, she failed to advance to the eighth step. How could she not be shocked that Duan Ling Tian passed the eighth step and advanced to the ninth step?

At this time, many people began to speculate among themselves.

“Do you think the person who’s imprisoned on the eighth step went easy on him?”

“Went easy on him? Impossible! You know they’re prisoners of the Hidden Fog Sect who used to be inner disciples. With every win, their sentence would be reduced! How could they have gone easy on him?”

“Nonetheless, there have been cases where those prisoners went easy on the participants for various reasons. For example, some of them had lost the will to live or they were familiar with their opponents.”

Rumors, when repeated enough, would suddenly gain credibility. As the inner disciples continued to speculate, more and more people were convinced that Duan Ling Tian only managed to advance to the ninth step because the prisoner on the eighth step had gone easy on him.

Qi Yu sneered. “So what if he’s ranked first? No one believes in his strength anyway!”

Although Tang Wu Yan also thought it was likely that the prisoner on the eighth step went easy on Duan Ling Tian, she felt uncomfortable when she heard Qi Yu’s words. Hence, she said, “Senior Brother Qi Yu, you can’t say that. There’s a chance he defeated his opponent fair and square.”

Qi Yu said with a smile, “Junior Sister Wu Yan, he spent so much time on the seventh step. With that, do you really think he’d be able to defeat his opponent fair and square?”

Tang Wu Yan frowned as she said, “It’s possible that he had a breakthrough on the seventh step and spent time stabilizing his cultivation base before he advanced to the ninth step.”

“Breakthrough? How could there be such a coincidence?” Qi Yu shook his head. However, at the mention of a breakthrough, he felt slightly frightened. After all, he could still intimidate Duan Ling Tian if Duan Ling Tian was an intermediate god. However, once Duan Ling Tian broke through and become an advanced god, he would no longer be able to suppress or intimidate Duan Ling Tian anymore.

…

Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian successfully entered the small realm on the ninth step after Xue Hai Shan from the small realm on the eighth step activated the Teleportation Formation.

This time, Duan Ling Tian found himself above beautiful mountains and rivers. He saw an elegant figure dressed in a white robe standing at the peak of a mountain with his hands on his back. He was a middle-aged man who looked like a scholar. Although his appearance was ordinary, his temperament and bearing were extraordinary. One would not miss him even in a sea of people.

“Not bad. You managed to come here despite only being an advanced god,” the middle-aged scholar said tonelessly.

Before the middle-aged scholar finished speaking, Duan Ling Tian felt the other party’s Divine Consciousness sweep over him lightly. After reciprocating the action, he exclaimed in shock, “You’re an advanced god as well?”

Based on Xue Hai Shan’s earlier words, Duan Ling Tian knew he was lucky that his opponent on the ninth step was an advanced god. After all, most of the prisoners on the ninth step were Kings of Gods with just a few advanced gods.

‘Xue Hai Shan said that the advanced gods imprisoned on the ninth step have all comprehended at least two triple Fused Profundity… It seems like my opponent is such a person.’

Upon seeing the shock on Duan Ling Tian’s face, the middle-aged scholar asked expressionlessly, “Are you surprised?” Then, he said pridefully, “However, I’m different from the advanced gods you faced previously. If I’m not mistaken, your opponent on the eighth step is an advanced god who had comprehended a triple Fused Profundity, right? Let me tell you, I can kill that kind of person with just a strike.”

“I believe you,” Duan Ling Tian said as he nodded, “Since you’re imprisoned on the ninth step, you’re definitely stronger than those on the eighth step. However, I’m rather curious about something… Why did the Hidden Fog Sect imprison a powerful cultivator like you? You’re an advanced god who had comprehended two triple Fused Profundities. Someone like you is rare in the Hidden Fog Sect.”

After Duan Ling Tian finished speaking, he waited for the middle-aged scholar’s reply.

“It seems like you know quite a lot,” the middle-aged scholar said as he looked at Duan Ling Tian with a deep gaze, “Perhaps, if I had committed another crime, the sect might overlook it due to my talent. Do you know what crime I committed?”

“What?” Duan Ling Tian was startled.

“I killed my master, the former Sect Leader of the Hidden Fog Sect,” the middle-aged scholar replied with a grin, revealing two rows of white teeth.

Upon hearing these words, Duan Ling Tian trembled slightly. He was shocked his opponent had killed his master. Not only that, but his opponent master was the former Sect Leader of the Hidden Fog Sect. His gaze turned into one of disgust as he continued to look at the middle-aged scholar.

“What? Do you despise me?” the middle-aged man asked with a smirk, “Do you know why I killed him?”

The middle-aged scholar’s voice turned solemn as he said, “He ordered the annihilation of my clan and said he did it for me! Thousands of lives were lost because of him!”

At the same time, a ferocious cyan energy rose from the middle-aged scholar’s body.

“Could you be mistaken?” Duan Ling Tian frowned. He did not understand why the Sect Leader of the Hidden Fog Sect would annihilate his disciple’s clan.

“Mistaken? Of course not! When the assassin he sent to kill my family returned to report to him, I overheard their conversation! How could I be mistaken? Back then, I told him that I had no wish of becoming the next Sect Leader of the Hidden Fog Sect. I want to return to my clan and lead the clan to greater heights.. I had hoped that my clan would join the ranks of king-rank or lord-rank forces! He was unhappy with my decision. He did not want me to return to my clan so he killed everyone!”

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