Chapter 459: I Won’t Participate
Translator: KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Jay
During that year, Duan Ling Tian’s reputation in the Crimson Sky Kingdom could be said to be like a sun that was towering in the sky.
Perhaps not many people in those formidable Imperial Kingdoms had heard of Duan Ling Tian, but the legends about Duan Ling Tian was similarly spread throughout the few Kingdoms in the surroundings of the Crimson Sky Kingdom.
Duan Ling Tian was undoubtedly a legend in the Crimson Sky Kingdom.
As far as Nie Fen was concerned, with Duan Ling Tian’s current cultivation, the first level Nascent Soul Stage young genius that the Sun Ascent Kingdom’s ambassador brought over was utterly not a threat.
Perhaps, Duan Ling Tian only needed a single finger to beat the young genius down.
"No… Big Brother Nie, I won’t participate in the friendly martial competition between the Crimson Sky Kingdom and the Sun Ascent Kingdom." Duan Ling Tian shook his head, as he wasn’t interested in the slightest towards the friendly martial competition between the young geniuses of the two kingdoms.
As far as he was concerned, participating in the friendly martial competition with his current cultivation was simply bullying others.
"Not participating?" Nie Fen was stunned, then he laughed bitterly as he said, "Little Tian, if you don’t participate, then our Crimson Sky Kingdom will surely lose this time… Once we lose, our Crimson Sky Kingdom will pay three years of taxes because of this!"
The taxes of the Crimson Sky Kingdom for three years was undoubtedly an astronomical figure.
No matter who is was, they would feel their heart ache over it.
"Little Tian… I know you’ve joined a sect in the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom and you stand at a different height, so you don’t take the people the Sun Ascent Kingdom’s ambassador brought over seriously. But, the friendly martial competition this time isn’t only related to the honor of our Crimson Sky Kingdom, it’s also related to three years of taxes of our Crimson Sky Kingdom…" Nie Yuan looked at Duan Ling Tian and sighed. "This time, Uncle Nie hope that you’re able to assist our Crimson Sky Kingdom and help our Crimson Sky Kingdom out of this predicament. If our Crimson Sky Kingdom loses three years of taxes to the Sun Ascent Kingdom, then the Sun Ascent Kingdom will very likely use these taxes to strengthen their army for the purpose of attacking our kingdom… At that time, it would surely cause the commoners to live in misery."
"I think that you’re unwilling to see the myriad of commoners of the Crimson Sky Kingdom to be caught in the flames of war and be forced to leave their homes, right?" As he finished speaking, Nie Yuan’s expression was extremely serious.
"Uncle Nie." Duan Ling Tian was instantly unable to bear Nie Yuan’s long winded speech. "I think you’ve misunderstood… I only said I wouldn’t participate the friendly martial competition, but I didn’t say I wouldn’t help the Crimson Sky Kingdom win the wager this time." As he finished speaking, Duan Ling Tian shook his head helplessly.
"Little Tian, what do you mean by this? You won’t participate in the friendly martial competition, then how will we win the wager this time?" Nie Yuan and Nie Fen both had puzzled expressions.
"Both of you will know at that time… Right, Uncle Nie, Big Brother Nie, when is the friendly martial competition being held?" Duan Ling Tian smiled mysteriously, then he asked Nie Yuan and Nie Fen.
"Coincidentally enough, it’s tomorrow." Nie Yuan said, "At that time, the friendly martial competition will be held in the Imperial Palace… His Majesty and the Sun Ascent Kingdom’s ambassador will personally arrive. Now only that, the young geniuses of the Imperial Family and the three great clans will be present at that time."
"Tomorrow? It’s coincidental indeed… Hmmm, I’ll come to the Divine Might Marquis Estate again tomorrow, and we’ll go to the Imperial Palace together." Duan Ling Tian nodded.
"Uncle Nie, is Grandpa Nie here?" Duan Ling Tian looked at Nie Yuan and asked. Since he’d come to the Divine Might Marquis Estate now, he naturally had to meet the Senior Marquis to show respect.
"Father went on a long journey some time ago." Nie Yuan shook his head, and he was extremely happy in his heart that Duan Ling Tian was still able to remember his father.
"Little Tian, how exactly will you allow our Crimson Sky Kingdom to win the wager with the Sun Ascent Kingdom?" Nie Fen’s curious eyes turned as he asked impatiently.
"Big Brother Nie, you’ll know tomorrow…" Duan Ling Tian shrugged and intentionally kept him guessing.
Although Nie Fen’s heart itched intolerably, Duan Ling Tian was unwilling to say, so he had didn’t have any other way and could only wait for the arrival of the friendly martial competition tomorrow.
"Little Tian, I heard the cultivation environment in the sects of the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom is extremely good… Is this true?"
"Little Tian, have you seen Void Initiation Stage experts when you were in the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom during these past few years?"
"Little Tian, you…"
Subsequently, Nie Fen ceaselessly asked Duan Ling Tian about things related to the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom, as if he didn’t know exhaustion and weariness.
In the end, Duan Ling Tian was truly unable to bear it and hurriedly bid his farewell before leaving.
When he left, it was no different than fleeing.
Nie Yuan and Nie Fen sent Duan Ling Tian out, and when Duan Ling Tian’s figure disappeared from his vision, Nie Fen was slightly not fully satisfied as he muttered. "I haven’t finished asking him…"
"Enough, you still want to ask him? Little Tian was even scared away by you." Nie Yuan glared angrily at Nie Fen.
Nie Fen smiled in slight embarrassment, then his eyeballs revolved as he mutter. "Earlier, when I asked Little Tian questions… Father, you seemed to be extremely interested as well, right? Why are you blaming me now?"
How strong was Nie Yuan’s hearing, he vaguely heard Nie Fen’s light muttering, and he glared angrily as he raised his voice and asked. "What did you say?"
"No… No… Nothing! Nothing!" Nie Fen was instantly frightened when he saw this.
On the outside, he was the Junior Marquis of the Divine Might Marquis Estate, a general with matchless bravery and was revered by a myriad of soldiers.
But at home, before his father the Divine Might Marquis, he was always only a little kid.
After Duan Ling Tian left the Divine Might Marquis Estate, he didn’t go anywhere else and directly returned to his own courtyard house.
Duan Ling Tian had only just returned to his courtyard house and walked in when he heard a wave of light laughter that was pleasing to the ear.
"Xiao Lan?" Duan Ling Tian discerned the owner of the sound and his brows raised.
In the pergola in the rear courtyard, the woman that sat opposite of Li Rou had soft and straight long hair that was like a waterfall that poured down, and it fluttered with the wind.
Her drop dead gorgeous face seemed to have been carved with the care and precision of a sculptor.
Xiao Lan sat there with a refined bearing, and she seemed to have transformed into a celestial maiden that had come down to the mortal world…
Duan Ling Tian had only just entered the rear courtyard when Xiao Lan noticed him and looked over. A wisp of delight appeared on her peerlessly beautiful face, and she stood up in slight panic. "You… You’ve returned!?"
Xiao Lan glanced at Duan Ling Tian then lowered her head in embarrassment, as if she was a child that had been caught secretly eating candy.
"Xiao Lan, long time no see." Duan Ling Tian lightly smiled to Xiao Lan. He was able to perceive that his mother didn’t tell Xiao Lan beforehand that he’d returned.
"Yes, long time no time. It’s good that you’ve returned… Aunt Rou has missed you extremely these past few years…" Xiao Lan lightly nodded, and he only sat down once again after Duan Ling Tian came over and sat down.
Her hazy beautiful eyes that were like water occasionally sneaked a peek at the man before her…
They hadn’t met in a few years, and this man had become matured and even more charming.
Unknowingly, a wisp of a bright red blush that was rosy had tainted Xiao Lan’s beautiful face, and she looked delicate and attractive.
"Tian, you’ve gone to see Uncle Nie?" Li Rou noticed Xiao Lan’s subtle changes when Duan Ling Tian appeared, and she sighed in her heart before looking at Duan Ling Tian and steered around the topic of conversation.
"Yes." Duan Ling Tian lightly smiled and nodded. "I’ve seen him. After so many years, Uncle Nie is still healthy as usual."
"When do you plan to go to the Duan Clan and the Imperial Palace?" Li Rou asked.
"I’ll go to the Duan Clan in another two days… I’ll rest today as I still have to make a trip to the Divine Might Marquis Estate dawn tomorrow, then I have to follow Uncle Nie and Big Brother Nie to enter the Imperial Palace, and go see his Majesty as well." Duan Ling Tian spoke slowly.
"Is it for the matter of the friendly martial competition with the young geniuses of the Sun Ascent Kingdom?" Obviously, Li Rou knew of this matter as well.
"Yes." Duan Ling Tian nodded.
After a short moment, Li Rou glanced at Duan Ling Tian, then looked at Xiao Lan who sat nearby before standing up. "The two of you haven’t seen each other in a long time, have a good chat… I’ll return to my room to cultivate first." As she finished speaking, Li Row let out a breath of air before leaving the rear courtyard.
For a time, only Duan Ling Tian and Xiao Lan who sat opposite each other remained in the pergola within the rear courtyard.
Duan Ling Tian was slightly embarrassed and he didn’t know what to say.
In the end, it was Xiao Lan who spoke first. "Ke Er and Li Fei returned with you?"
Duan Ling Tian shook his head. "No. They’ve gone on a long journey with a senior from the sect, and it will probably be another period of time before they return together."
"Mmm." Xiao Lan nodded lightly.
"Have you been well during these past few years?" After Xiao Lan saw Duan Ling Tian giving no reaction for a long time after replying to her, she secretly cursed the ‘block of wood’ before taking the initiative to start the conversation.
"Not bad." Duan Ling Tian nodded.
He never felt that he was an awkward person, but now when he faced Xiao Lan, his feelings were instead extremely complicated…
If it’s said that he didn’t have a good impression of Xiao Lan, that would be impossible.
Since ancient times, heroes love beauties. Although he didn’t think he was a hero, he didn’t have too great of a resistance to this level of a beauty like Xiao Lan.
Even to the extent that during that time when they were still in Aurora City and he’d seen Xiao Lan for the first time during the Hidden Dragon List gathering held by the Xiao Clan, he couldn’t help but have a breathtaking feeling towards this woman that was like a celestial maiden that had come down to earth, and he had a rather good impression of her.
After all, everyone loved a beauty.
If he didn’t have Ke Er and Li Fei, perhaps he would take the initiative to chase after Xiao Lan, as for feelings, it could be developed slowly…
Just like Li Fei all those years ago.
However, because he already had Ke Er and Li Fei by his side now, it caused Duan Ling Tian to shoulder a great responsibility.
He had to consider the feelings of the two young women.
Of course, although it was like this, it didn’t mean that Duan Ling Tian wouldn’t marry a third woman in his entire life. He just wouldn’t be licentious like before.
If they really had fate, then when fate came, he wouldn’t miss it.
But up until now, the fate between him and Xiao Lan seemed to not have come to that extent.
Subsequently, Xiao Lan asked Duan Ling Tian many things about the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom, and at the same time, she was filled with yearning towards the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom.
"I really envy Ke Er and Li Fei, as they are able to always accompany you by your side, and accompany you to wander around outside." Xiao Lan had an expression of envy.
Always accompany me by my side?
Xiao Lan’s words caused Duan Ling Tian to feel deeply ashamed.
During these past few years, the time he was together with Ke Er and Li Fei in total seemed to be less than a month.
At other times, he was alone by himself.