Chapter 156: Ninth Level of the Core Formation Stage As Well!  

KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Lucas

Under the lead of the old man, the group of Paladin Academy students moved forward in a massive stream towards the Martial Arts Practice Grounds.

Xiao Yu walked beside Duan Ling Tian as he asked, in a low voice, "Duan Ling Tian, are you confident?"

Xiao Xun and Tian Hu looked at Duan Ling Tian as well. Now that things had progressed this far, they understood that they couldn’t change anything and only hoped that Duan Ling Tian would be able to survive this life and death battle.

"Have some confidence in me, OK? At a critical moment, it’s still Su Li who understands me the best." Duan Ling Tian shook his head and revealed a light smile. He had a composed appearance and seemed to be someone that was about to undergo a life and death battle.

Xiao Yu and the others looked over at Su Li, and only now did they realize that Su Li had a similar composed appearance like Duan Ling Tian.

They heaved a sigh of relief.

A trace of doubt appeared within Xiao Xun’s eyes, however. "Could it be that Duan Ling Tian concealed his strength when he battled Su Li?"

In the distance, Duan Rong walked beside Duan Ling Xing. His gaze would occasionally flash past Duan Ling Tian, and he noticed the indifferent expression on Duan Ling Tian’s face. His heart jerked as he felt even more uneasy within his heart.

"Cousin Brother, that Duan Ling Tian looks like he’s extremely confident. You...." Duan Rong gazed at Duan Ling Xing, who was beside him, with a worried expression.

"Hmph!" Duan Ling Xing grunted coldly and interrupted Duan Rong. "You call that having confidence? That’s called arrogance! This Duan Ling Tian is exactly like his short-lived father; their arrogance knows no bounds! Today, I’ll spill his blood over Paladin Academy! In this way, not only will I be able to take revenge for you, I’ll also be able to deal with this potential calamity!"

Actually, besides detesting Duan Ling Tian’s father for crippling his own father, the most important reason Duan Ling Xing urgently wanted to kill Duan Ling Tian was because he was worried that Duan Ling Tian would return to the Duan Clan!

Although Duan Ling Tian had left the Duan Clan that year, his name still remained on the Duan Clan’s direct descendant registry, so he was still one of the Duan Clan’s direct descendants. If Duan Ling Tian’s natural talent were to be discovered by the other Duan Clan members, they would surely welcome Duan Ling Tian back to the Duan Clan!

That was something he didn’t want to see happen at all! As such, he wanted to kill Duan Ling Tian and remove all future troubles.

Duan Rong went silent. In fact, he also wanted to kill Duan Ling Tian, as the finger attack Duan Ling Tian dealt him in the past practically crippled his entire hand, and caused it to be nearly impossible to be healed...

The vast Martial Arts Practice Grounds was fully surrounded by a massive array of people before long.

The grey-robed old man stood at the center of the crowd and looked at Duan Ling Tian and Duan Ling Xing before raising his hand and withdrawing a piece of paper from within his Spatial Ring...

This was Paladin Academy’s life and death contract! If there was an irreconcilable enmity between two parties that could not be quelled until one party died, then the students of Paladin Academy may sign a life and death contract. In this way, Paladin Academy would not have to look into or pursue the matter of either party’s death!

"Affix your thumb print!" The old man lifted his hand before casually tossing the life and death contract, which was led by a gentle force to descend before Duan Ling Xing.

Duan Ling Xing extended his hand and directly bit open his thumb before impressing his thumbprint onto the contract, following which he grunted coldly and tossed the life and death contract to Duan Ling Tian.

Duan Ling Tian placed his thumbprint onto the contract as well.

"Life and death contract, established!" After the old man retrieved the life and death contract, his gaze focused, and he said, in a low voice, "Since the two of you have signed the life and death contract, then the following battle will be a battle to the death! You two may rely on spirit weapons but are disallowed from using other external sources of strength such an inscriptions and the like...."

"Disallowed from using inscriptions?" Duan Ling Tian’s gaze slightly flickered, but he never planned on using an inscription anyway.

Ninth level of the Core Formation Stage? Duan Ling Tian wasn’t surprised that Duan Ling Xing was at such a cultivation level.

"Spirit weapons are allowed? I heard Duan Ling Xing possesses a grade eight spirit weapon called Goldthread Gloves!"

"It can’t be, this Duan Ling Xing has a grade eight spirit weapon?"

"It’s actually nothing strange, as Duan Ling Xing’s father is the Duan Clan’s second master. It isn’t difficult for him to get a grade eight spirit weapon for Duan Ling Xing."

"You’re right. However, wouldn’t this mean that Duan Ling Tian’s situation is even more dangerous?!"

"Even if Duan Ling Xing didn’t have a grade eight spirit weapon, do you think that Duan Ling Tian would have any hope of survival?"

...

None of the students that gathered around to watch the show looked favorably upon Duan Ling Tian

"Grade eight spirit weapon!" Xiao Yu, Xiao Xun, and Tian Hu’s faces went grim.

"Dammit! If I knew that this life and death battle was going to happen, I would have borrowed a grade eight spirit weapon from my elder brother." Xiao Xun’s face sank.

"Don’t worry, that flexible sword of Duan Ling Tian’s is a grade eight spirit weapon as well." Just as this moment, Su Li spoke.

"Hmm?" Xiao Yu and the others couldn’t help but be surprised. "How do you know?"

"The other day, my sword was chipped at a few spots by his sword...." The corners of Su Li’s mouth twitched and seemed to be slightly pained for a brief moment.

Xiao Yu and the others were finally enlightened. Su Li’s sword was a grade nine spirit weapon, and since Duan Ling Tian’s sword was able to chip Su Li’s sword, then it would be a grade eight spirit weapon without a doubt.

Tian Hu exhaled a breath of cold air as he said, in astonishment, "Looks like he didn’t use the full might of his grade eight spirit weapon the other day."

Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun deeply agreed, and only Su Li’s brows seem to knit, neither indicating approval nor disapproval. That day, he suspected that Duan Ling Tian hadn’t used the might of his spirit weapon at all. Today when Duan Ling Tian took the initiative to challenge Duan Ling Xing and emitted such strong confidence, he instantly perceived that his suspicions weren’t misplaced.

"Remember what I said: if either of you uses any source of external strength besides a spirit weapon, I will directly attack and kill him!" The grey-robed old man’s, also known as the Vice Dean of Paladin Academy, voice went cold abruptly before returning to normal. He said, in a clear voice, "Begin!"

The grey-robed old man moved aside as soon as he finished.

"Duan Ling Tian, I’ll send you on your way to hell right now and let you follow in your short-lived father’s footsteps!" Duan Ling Xing had already put his Goldthread Gloves on his hands, and a cold smile appeared on the corners of his mouths as his eyes emitted a cold light...

"Are all trash fond of talking nonsense?" Duan Ling Tian’s eyes narrowed as he sneered.

"You’re courting death!" Duan Ling Xing went completely berserk when he heard Duan Ling Tian call him trash, and his body pounced towards Duan Ling Tian as if he had transformed into a ferocious tiger that had fiercely pounced off a hill!

Whoosh!

Duan Ling Xing’s body flashed out with incredibly swift speed, as if he had transformed into a gust of wind, and he instantly arrived near Duan Ling Tian. Above him, 12 ancient mammoth silhouettes condensed into form. He exerted his full strength the moment he launched his attack!

Bang!

Duan Ling Xing’s palm swept past the sky as the Origin Energy on it burst forth before crashing down to envelop Duan Ling Tian. This palm strike seemed as if it could suppress everything!

Above Duan Ling Xing, another 2 ancient mammoths appeared, and this was precisely the amplification brought about by the grade eight spirit weapon.

"That palm strike from Duan Ling Xing contains the strength of 14 ancient mammoths!" The pupils of the surrounding students constricted and their hearts couldn’t help but rise to their throats when they saw this. It seemed as if it wasn’t Duan Ling Tian that was facing this palm strike but them.

Duan Ling Tian didn’t dare lightly defend when faced with Duan Ling Xing’s palm strike. Instead, his eyes went cold and he took a large stride forward.

Spirit Serpent Movement Technique!

Duan Ling Tian’s body seemed to transform into a flexible spirit serpent as he moved, barely avoiding Duan Ling Xing’s palm strike. And above him, 12 ancient mammoth silhouettes appeared...

"Ninth level of the Core Formation Stage?" Duan Ling Xing’s pupils constricted, as never had he imagined that Duan Ling Tian was a ninth level Core Formation martial artist as well. He suddenly felt as if he had been played!

"How could this be possible? This little bastard is only 18! How could he be a ninth level Core Formation martial artist? No... impossible!" Duan Ling Xing’s heart was in chaos, as he was unwilling to believe that this was all true.

Meanwhile, all of the surrounding spectating students of Paladin Academy were dumbstruck at this instant. This scene was totally unbelievable!

This Duan Ling Tian, a mere 18-year-old youth, a grade 1 student... He was actually a ninth level Core Formation martial artist!

What natural talent was this? Wouldn’t it be saying that he had a chance to step into the Origin Core Stage before the age of 20?

"His natural talent even surpasses his father’s!" The Vice Dean’s eyes flashed with a bright light. At this moment, a sense of regret arose within him. If he had known earlier that Duan Ling Tian was a ninth level Core Formation martial artist, he would surely stop this life and death battle from happening. But unfortunately, the milk had already been spilled!

Now he could only hope that Duan Ling Tian would be able to survive, as he didn’t want to see such a genius fall.

"Duan Ling Tian is at the ninth level of the Core Formation Stage?" Practically at the same time, Xiao Yu, Xiao Xun, and Tian Hu were shocked as well.

"As expected." Su Li’s pupils constricted as a bitter smile appeared on the corners of his mouth.

Duan Ling Tian had obviously concealed most of his strength during their battle the other day; otherwise, he wouldn’t be a match for a single strike from Duan Ling Tian.

"Impossible! How could this be possible?!" Tong Li’s face was full of disbelief when she saw this scene. This youth that she hated to the bones was actually a martial artist at the ninth level of the Core Formation Stage!

"Cousin!" Duan Rong’s face was ghastly pale, as he suddenly realized that the worry in his heart was not unwarranted.

Everyone’s reactions practically happened within the blink of an eye.

On the Martial Arts Practice Ground.

"Even if you’re a ninth level Core Formation martial artist as well, do you think you can dodge my palm strike like this?" Duan Ling Xing’s voice emitted incomparable coldness as his descending palm strike that Duan Ling Tian had just dodged abruptly turned to continue to envelop Duan Ling Tian; it was as if it wouldn’t stop until it annihilated Duan Ling Tian.

"Duan Ling Xing, this sword strike is for Li Xuan!" Just at this moment, Duan Ling Tian, whose body flashed and was about to be caught up to by Duan Ling Xing, suddenly spoke.

His voice seemed to come from the depths of hell, as within the icy coldness, his voice was filled with breathtaking killing intent...

Whoosh!

Duan Ling Tian’s hand flashed before his waist as he drew his sword.

Sword Drawing Arts!

Sword Drawing Arts was devoted towards speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness!

The Violet Myrtle Flexible Sword in Duan Ling Tian’s hand flashed out, and two more ancient mammoth silhouettes appeared above him in an instant. The strength behind this sword strike was equal to Duan Ling Xing’s palm strike, as both contained the strength of 14 ancient mammoths!

"Duan Ling Tian’s spirit weapon is a grade eight spirit weapon as well!" The surrounding crowd sounded with waves of exclamations...

"You think your sword strike is able to injure me?" Duan Ling Xing sneered when he saw Duan Ling Tian’s sword seeming to transform into a violet bolt of lightning as it flashed towards him, and his hand flipped to slap down towards the body of Duan Ling Tian’s Violet Myrtle Flexible Sword...