Chapter 158: Duan Clan
Translator: KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Lucas
Paladin Academy, Cafeteria.
Duan Ling Tian’s group was sitting at the table, and Duan Ling Tian was gulping down his food as if what happened earlier didn’t affect him in any way.
On the other hand, Xiao Yu, Xiao Xun and Tian Hu seemed to have lost their appetite, as the bloody scenes from before still flashed before their eyes and they still found it difficult to toss it out of their minds. Only Su Li was similar to Duan Ling Tian and was not affected in any way.
"Duan Ling Tian, you have concealed your ability too deeply! Ninth level of the Core Formation Stage, grade seven spirit weapon… If it wasn’t for the life and death battle between you and Duan Ling Xing, we probably would still be kept in the dark by you." Tian Hu sighed with a bitter smile on his face.
Before Duan Ling Tian, the natural talent that he had so much in pride didn’t even amount to trash! But he also knew that he couldn’t compare himself with this freak, or else he would only batter himself.
"Exactly, even I’ve been deceived all along." Xiao Yu’s gaze focused, and his gaze was extremely complicated. He originally thought that Duan Ling Tian was only slowly moving further away and that he still had the chance to catch up to Duan Ling Tian’s figure on the path towards the peak of the Martial Dao. But who would have known that Duan Ling Tian’s true strength had long since thrown him far off into the distance, causing him to be only capable of catching sight of Duan Ling Tian’s dust!
"What I never would have expected was your identity. You’re actually the son of Duan Ru Feng, a direct descendant of the Duan Clan." Xiao Xun’s pupils constricted as he looked at Duan Ling Tian. He was slightly surprised.
"I’m the son of Duan Ru Feng… but I have no relationship with the Duan Clan!" Duan Ling Tian’s gaze focused as he spoke indifferently. He was extremely disdainful of the Duan Clan and was unwilling to admit that he was a member of the Duan Clan.
Xiao Xun was stunned for a moment, then he glanced deeply at Duan Ling Tian and said no more.
He discerned that Duan Ling Tian had no favorable impression towards the Duan Clan.
At the same time that Duan Ling Tian was enjoying his food, Duan Rong had brought along Duan Ling Xing’s mangled body and returned to the Duan Clan Estate.
In the vast courtyard, Duan Ling Xing lied there; the blood within his body had long since run dry.
"Xing!" Tremors ran through the ground as a 300 plus pound married woman pounced over. Tears flowed down from her small, red eyes, and she was unwilling to believe that this was real.
A figure moved like lightning from outside the courtyard. As he swiftly walked in, his voice sounded like explosive thunder. "Son!"
This was a middle-aged man with an imposing appearance. He was obviously someone who has held a high position for a long period of time.
He arrived before the corpse within the courtyard, and his eyes were red as well. Dense hatred was budding within his heart at this moment…
"No matter who it is, I’ll surely burn your bones and scatter your ashes for killing my son!" Duan Ru Lei’s voice was filled with a sense of ruthlessness.
"Second brother, I heard that Duan Ling Xing…." Another figure dashed into the courtyard and was dumbstruck as he gazed at the corpse on the ground. He was precisely the fourth master of the Duan Clan, Duan Ru Hong.
Before long, three old men slowly walked into the courtyard. They were led by a middle-aged man who wore a white robe with gold lining.
This middle-aged man had a firm and resolute expression and an extraordinary disposition. Every movement of his emitted overbearing dignity, and his identity was easily discerned… the Duan Clan’s Patriarch, Duan Ru Huo!
"Second brother, sister-in-law, you have my condolences." Duan Ru Huo sighed as he gazed at Duan Ru Lei and his wife.
"Second brother, what happened?" Duan Ru Hong had a grim expression and his voice seemed constrained, and within it was a trace of dense fury….
"I just returned as well." Duan Ru Lei looked at the fat woman beside him. The fat woman’s red eyes focused on Duan Rong, who was standing at the side. "It was Duan Rong who brought Xing’s body back. Rong, who the hell killed your cousin?!"
Toward the end of that sentence, her voice started trembling, and her eyes emitted a vicious gaze.
Instantly, the gazes of everyone within the courtyard descended upon Duan Rong.
Duan Rong became the center of attention. His eyes turned, his body trembled, and he said, in a low voice, "Aunty, it’s Duan Ling Tian, it’s Duan Ling Tian who did it!"
Duan Ling Tian?
The fat woman was startled and was unable to react for a moment.
"What did you say?" The Duan Clan’s fourth master, Duan Ru Hong’s, face went grim as he looked at Duan Rong with a burning gaze. "Which Duan Ling Tian?"
Duan Ling Tian was a name that wasn’t unfamiliar to him!
The son of his third brother, Duan Ru Feng, was called Duan Ling Tian as well, and he had met him once two years ago when he went out to run some errands with Duan Ling Xing and passed by Fresh Breeze Town.
"The son of Duan Ru Feng, Duan Ling Tian!" Duan Rong gnashed his teeth as he spoke.
Besides Duan Ru Hong, the other people present were not able to react to the name "Duan Ling Tian" for some time.
But Duan Ru Feng…. mention of this name instantly caused the people present to awaken from their daze.
"Impossible!" Duan Ru Hong said, in an icy-cold voice. "I met Duan Ling Tian two years ago, and he was only a Body Tempering martial artist at that time. It’s only been two years; how could he possibly have the strength to kill Ling Xing?! Moreover, it’s impossible for him to be at the Imperial City right now." Duan Ru Hong obviously didn’t believe him.
"It’s true!" Seeing that the gazes of everyone present were becoming filled with doubt, Duan Rong hurriedly explained, "That Duan Ling Tian should be around the age of 18, and he’s at Paladin Academy right now! And just a while ago…." Duan Rong slowly explained the sequence of events with a trembling voice and a pair of red eyes.
Duan Ling Tian!
18 years old!
Ninth level of the Core Formation Stage!
Grade seven spirit weapon!
What Duan Rong said caused the hearts of everyone present to tremble, and even Duan Ru Hong’s pupils couldn’t help but constrict. That youth that was only at the Body Tempering Stage two years ago had already become an existence at the Core Formation Stage now?
After they confirmed that the person who killed Duan Ling Xing was precisely Duan Ling Tian, a sense of helplessness and bitterness arose within his heart, as both of them were equally important…
"So it’s that little bastard!" The fat woman’s voice seemed to come from the deepest pits of hell and was bone-piercingly cold.
"Life and death contract? Why didn’t you dissuade Duan Ling Xing at that time?" Patriarch Duan Ru Huo’s gaze focused onto Duan Rong as he asked this in a low voice.
Duan Rong laughed bitterly. "I tried, but cousin wouldn’t listen to me at all. Moreover, I didn’t know that Duan Ling Tian’s strength was so formidable!"
"It’s really the son of Ru Feng!"
"Ru Feng’s son stepped into the ninth level of the Core Formation Stage at the mere age of 18…. His natural talent even surpasses Ru Feng’s!"
"Patriarch, since Ling Xing was killed after validating the life and death contract, we can only blame Duan Ling Xing for being overconfident in the matter! Besides that, that Duan Ling Tian is the son of Duan Ru Feng and is a direct descendant of our Duan Clan. He should rightfully acknowledge his ancestors and return to the clan!" The three old men behind Duan Ru Huo, who were also the elders of the Duan Clan, spoke out.
Within their eyes was a trace of excitement. Since Duan Ling Xing validated the life and death contract, not to mention dying at the hands of Duan Ling Tian, even if he had died by the hand of another, the Duan Clan would still have no reason to interfere…
Presently, all their thoughts were focused on the one who killed Duan Ling Xing, Duan Ling Tian, as the natural talent in the Martial Dao that Duan Ling Tian exhibited caused them to feel excited!
That year, everyone within the Duan Clan felt that Duan Ru Feng had a chance to become a true Void Stage expert and to lead the Duan Clan to glory, to compete with the Imperial Family!
But unfortunately, Duan Ru Feng vanished later on.
Now, years later, the son of Duan Ru Feng appeared, and his natural talent even surpassed Duan Ru Feng’s, allowing them to see hope.
To them, and to the Duan Clan… Duan Ling Tian was their hope!
For the sake of the Duan Clan, not to mention Duan Ling Tian and Duan Ling Xing had validated a life and death contract before their battle, even if they didn’t, the Duan Clan would still not blame Duan Ling Tian for killing Duan Ling Xing.
Duan Ling Tian’s worth was something 100 Duan Ling Xings couldn’t compare to!
In this world where the strong were revered, this was reality, cold, hard reality!
This was precisely the brutality of the large clans…. If you can bring benefit to the clan, then you’re a treasure. If you can’t, you’re just a bunch of grass!
"Elders, what’s the meaning of this?" The fat woman’s small eyes flashed when she heard what the three old men said, and said in melancholy, "Ling Xing is a direct descendant of the Duan Clan. Even if he was careless and validated a life and death contract, that little bastard shouldn’t have killed him! Ling Xing is his clan brother! Such a ruthless little bastard should die! If he were to enter the Duan Clan, there is no saying what would happen!"
"If the clan is unwilling to interfere in this matter, then I, Yun Ping, will take matters into my own hands!" When the fat woman finished speaking, her voice was filled with bone-deep coldness…
The three old men’s expressions went grim. This woman dared to refute them?
Even the Duan Clan’s Patriarch, Duan Ru Huo’s, expression sank at this moment. He shouted in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, you’re too presumptuous!"
At this moment, the thoughts in the heart of Duan Ru Huo was similar to the three elders’ thoughts, as he was the Duan Clan’s Patriarch, and needed to think for the Duan Clan.
Slap!
Suddenly, the sound of a slap resounded in the air. It was Duan Ru Lei who given the fat woman, his wife, Yun Ping, a slap.
"You…You hit me?" Yun Ping was stunned. Her son had died and all she had said were some words from her heart, but her husband had actually hit her?!
"Yes, I hit you, you ignorant woman!" Duan Ru Lei raised his hand and gave Yun Ping another slap. Only now did he respectfully look at Duan Ru Huo and the three old men. "Patriarch, three elders… this matter was something my son brought upon himself, and there’s no one else to be blamed for it! Duan Ru Lei knows what should be done and what shouldn’t. I hope Patriarch and the three elders can be at ease."
"Not bad, Ru Lei. For once you see the bigger picture!" The three elders nodded in satisfaction.
Only Patriarch Duan Ru Huo’s pupils constricted as he glanced deeply at Duan Ru Lei. "Second brother, I hope you are true to your word…. If you’re not, I’ll be disappointed, and the clan will be disappointed as well."
Duan Ru Lei’s body trembled as he hurriedly said, "Yes, Patriarch!"
"Fourth brother, you’ll be in charge of bringing that kid Ling Tian back to the clan. He’s suffered too much hardships outside of the clan, and the Duan Clan will properly compensate him." Duan Ru Huo looked at Duan Ru Hong as he slowly spoke.
"Yes, Patriarch!" Duan Ru Hong hurriedly accepted his orders, and he sighed in his heart because he knew that Duan Ling Xing had died for no reason.
Duan Rong was completely muddle-headed as he watched the Duan Clan’s Patriarch and the elders leave one by one.
This matter had come to an end just like this?
"Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, the outcome was inevitable; you have my condolences." Duan Ru Hong consoled Duan Ru Lei and his wife before walking off in swift strides.
"You’re really not taking revenge for our son?" After noticing the outsiders leaving, the fat woman’s small eyes became filled with a bloody redness as she looked at her husband and spoke in a cold voice.