Nie Fen looked at his grandfather as well, as he noticed that the atmosphere seemed off.
"Are you going to do it, or shall I?" The old man glanced at Duan Ling Tian with a profound expression. The corners of his mouth held a smile; it was as if he was controlling everything with his own two handsā¦.
Nie Yuan and his son were even more curious, as they wondered what mystery were Duan Ling Tian and the old man speaking about.
"Senior Marquis, why donāt you do it?" Duan Ling Tian was quite embarrassed for being exposed by a sly old fox like him.
"If it wasnāt for my senses that far surpass the ordinary personās, Iām afraid even I wouldnāt have been able to noticeā¦. Needless to say, your methods of disguise are truly brilliant, Brother Ling Tian." The old manās eyes narrowed, and he lightly smiled as if he were speaking of some unimportant matter.
Brother Ling Tian?
Disguise?
Nie Yuan and his son werenāt stupid, so they instantly reacted. There was only be one youth that could make the old man call him "brother," and that was the mysterious youth, Ling Tian, that arrived at the Divine Might Marquis Estate two months ago and refined the poison-curing medicinal pill for the old man.
"Little Tianā¦. the Brother Ling Tian of that day was actually you?!" Nie Yuan also noticed that this nephew of his had physical traits and a voice that was similar to the violet-clothed youth with an ordinary appearance from the other dayā¦. Instantly, a shocked expression appeared on his face.
"Is it really Brother Ling Tian?" Nie Yuan was stunned as well and was in slight disbelief.
"Uncle Nie, Big Brother Nie, itās me. I didnāt know of the relationship between Uncle Nie and my father before, and I hope you can forgive me for any offense it may have caused." Duan Ling Tian couldnāt help but smile apologetically. It was really like the saying of when the flood rushed past the Dragon Kingās Temple and their own family members didnāt recognize each other.
"Brother Ling Tian, whatāre you talking about? If it wasnāt for you, this old life of mine would probably be unable to hold on for much longer." The old man shook his head and sighed with a complicated gaze.
Never would he have imagined that the youth who refined the poison-curing medicinal pill for him was actually the son of his own sonās best friend, Duan Ru Feng, from long ago.
"Senior Marquis, Iām not worthy of being called brother by you." Duan Ling Tian had a bitter smile on his face. It was fine before because he hadnāt acknowledged the Senior Marquis as a relative prior to this, but now that he knew of the relationship between Nie Yuan and his deadbeat father, he didnāt dare be presumptuous anymore. If his mother were to know, she would certainly not let him off!
"Yes, Father, Little Tian is right." Nie Yuan returned to his senses and looked at Duan Ling Tian before laughing jubilantly.
The shock this nephew of his brought to him came in unceasing waves.
An 18-year-old ninth level Core Formation martial artist!
An 18-year-old Grade Nine Alchemist!
No matter which halo floated above him, they were each sufficient to cause his name to shock the entire Crimson Sky Kingdom and cause everyone to look up to himā¦. Moreover, both of these halos were now on this youth at the same time.
"Ru Feng, if you were still alive, youād probably laugh yourself awake from your sleep, right?" Nie Yuan sighed in his heart.
"Then Iāll call you Little Tian from now on, and you call me Grandfather Nie. How about it?" The old man smiled as he looked at Duan Ling Tian.
"Grandfather Nie." Duan Ling Tian heaved a sigh of relief and smiled at the old man.
Nie Fen stood at the side and gazed at Duan Ling Tian, unable to come back to his senses. The shock Duan Ling Tian gave him was too huge!
Under the invitation of the Marquisā family, Duan Ling Tian stayed at the Divine Might Marquis Estate to have a meal.
"Little Tian, is your mother in the Imperial City as well?" Nie Yuan asked.
"Yes." Duan Ling Tian nodded.
"Have you allā¦ returned to the Duan Clan?" Nie Yuan seemed to have thought of something as he asked this.
"No." Duan Ling Tian shook his head.
"Then you twoā¦" Nie Yuan was dazed.
"I bought a courtyard house in the inner city, and our family is staying there." Duan Ling Tian said, with a smile.
"You killed Duan Ling Xing and revealed a strength at the ninth level of the Core Formation Stage. With your current natural talent, the Duan Clan should have sent someone to invite you back, right?" Nie Yuanās gaze flickered, as he was extremely knowledgeable about the way those large clans worked.
The natural talent that Duan Ling Tian exhibited was sufficient for the Duan Clan to get off their high horse and rope him in.
"Uncle Nie, you predict like a prophet! The Duan Clan did indeed send someone to be an emissary, but I refused." Duan Ling Tian spoke in an extremely casual manner, and there was no fluctuation in his mood when he spoke of how he refused the Duan Clan.
"Itās good that you refused them, because that Duan Clan actually forced a widowed mother and her son to leave! Now let them go regret it!" Nie Yuan didnāt have a favorable impression of the Duan Clan. "My Divine Might Marquis Estate isnāt small; why donāt you and your mother move in? There arenāt many people within the Imperial City that would dare act rashly here!"
As he finished speaking, Nie Yuan had a face full of confidence.
"Uncle Nie, Iāve gotten used to my own courtyard house, and I donāt want to trouble you." Duan Ling Tian shook his head and smiled as he politely refused Nie Yuanās good intention.
"Little Tian, you killed Duan Ling Xing, so Duan Ru Lei wonāt let it go so easilyā¦. Are you and your mother safe at that courtyard house? Do you need me to send people to protect you?" Nie Yuan was slightly worried.
"Donāt worry, Uncle Nie, they arenāt capable of finding that house." Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian had finished eating his fill and stood up. "Uncle Nie, thank you for the dinnerā¦. Itās time for me to return home now; otherwise, my mother will be worried."
"Iāll send you out." Nie Yuan stood up as well and sent Duan Ling Tian out of the Divine Might Marquis Estate with Nie Fen.
The guard soldiers outside the Divine Might Marquis Estateās main gate couldnāt help their pupils from constricting. Who the heck was this youth? Heās actually able to make the Marquis and his son personally send him outā¦.
"Uncle Nie, Big Brother Nie, Iāll be leaving now." Duan Ling Tian bid his farewells to the two before his body moved out like a spirit serpent, scurrying into the end of the road before disappearing.
"Father, never had I imagined that Uncle Ru Fengās son would be even more heaven-defying than him!" Only when Duan Ling Tianās figure disappeared before him did Nie Fen sigh.
"An 18-year-old ninth level Core Formation martial artist, and a grade nine Alchemistā¦. Moreover, his disposition is even more tenacious than Brother Ru Fengās all those years ago! And most important of all, after knowing of the relationship between his father and I, he seemed wanting to avoid any ill will by being unwilling to accept my help, as if he was deeply afraid of owing me a favor." Nie Yuan laughed bitterly. "This child, these years have really been tough on him."
"Favor?" Nie Fenās face froze for a moment. "Heās helped grandfather cured his poison, so it seems we owe him more, rightā¦."
Duan Ling Tian made a few circles within the inner city, and only after he was sure that no one was following him did he return home.
He still sighed slightly with emotion as he recalled what happened today. He still had the heart to use the Divine Might Marquis Estate in the past, but now that he knew of the relationship between his deadbeat father and the Divine Might Marquis, he instead dispersed all thoughts of using the Divine Might Marquis Estate.
Although most of the difficulties he currently faced would be easily solved with the edge of a blade once he obtained the backing of the Divine Might Marquis Estate, he wasnāt willing to have it that way.
His gaze wasnāt limited to this tiny Crimson Sky Kingdom, and in the future he would leave the Crimson Sky Kingdom to head to a much vaster worldā¦
At that time, it would be impossible for him to have an existence like the Divine Might Marquis Estate to rely upon. So he now took all the difficulties he faced and made them a test for himselfā¦.
He would rely on himself to deal with everything! And not gain help from another! Only when he himself was strong would he be truly strong!
Of course, Duan Ling Tian wasnāt a headstrong person, and if he really needed to use his trump card, the Divine Might Marquis Estate, he would use it suitably.
Duan Ling Tian had only just returned when the three beauties in his home came to greet him with faces filled with worry. His mother was the first to question him. "Tian, why are you home so late today?"
Duan Ling Tian lightly smiled. "Mom, I was asked to dinner by Uncle Nie."
"Uncle Nie?" Li Rou didnāt react for a moment.
"The Divine Might Marquis of the Divine Might Marquis Estate, Nie Yuan," Duan Ling Tian said.
"Big Brother Nie Yuan?" Li Rou was shocked, then a light smile appeared on her face. "So many years have passed, and heās already inherited the title of Divine Might Marquisā¦. Itās great that he had the heart to invite you over the moment he heard of you."
Even Li Rou knew that this son of hers was now someone whose name had spread throughout the entire Crimson Sky Kingdomās Imperial City, to the extent it could be said that there wasnāt a single soul that didnāt know of him.
The following ten days went by peacefully.
Besides the Duan Clan sending people to wait outside Paladin Academy to convince Duan Ling Tian with countless promises and then being repeatedly refused by Duan Ling Tianā¦. Duan Ling Tian didnāt encounter any special occasion during these ten days.
The Duan Clanās second master, Duan Ru Lei, and the fifth prince of the Imperial Family seemed to have completely disappeared within a day.
At dusk, after bidding his farewells to Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun, Duan Ling Tian didnāt return home but instead walked towards the ās Estate.
He withdrew the invitation that the ordered someone to send to him and stuffed it into his pocket.
As he passed by a small alley.
Suddenly.
"Hiss hiss~"
"Hiss hiss~"
Two small heads protruded out of Duan Ling Tianās long sleeve. They were a little black python and a little white python. They were currently flicking their tongues as they moved their eyes to stare at Duan Ling Tian, and the gold and silver horns on their heads gleamed with a light lustreā¦.
"You two little fellows, be obedient!" Duan Ling Tian put the two little pythons back into his sleeve before continuing forward.
For safetyās sake, he especially brought Little White along when he left home today. Thus, it was equivalent to him having two fourth level Nascent Soul bodyguards. Moreover, with Little Whiteās and Little Blackās speed and tiny size, even a fifth level Nascent Soul martial artist would die at their hands if that martial artist was slightly careless.
Although vast, the ās estate seemed simple and unadorned from the outside.
The ās estate was already nearby whenā¦
"Go!" A loud shout echoed out from afar, followed by a deafening wave of horse hooves hitting the groundā¦.
Duan Ling Tian looked over, and what he saw was a blue-clothed young man whipping his Ferghana Horse as it flew over. Its destination was the ās estate as well.
"Hmm?" Duan Ling Tianās face sank, as he noticed that when this person noticed him, the person not only didnāt slow down, he instead fiercely whipped the Ferghana Horse to charge straight towards Duan Ling Tianā¦.