Chapter 1458: Zhou Qi's Warning
"It's me." A calm voice resonated from outside. Duan Ling Tian was not unfamiliar with this voice.
"Zhou Qi?" Duan Ling Tian instantly identified the owner of the voice, and his expression turned glum immediately.
He took two strides forward and opened the door, revealing Zhou Qi who was standing outside. Duan Ling Tian looked at him coldly as he asked indifferently, "You didn't even send a greeting before you barged into someone's residence... Did your master, Liu Huan, teach you any manners at all?"
Duan Ling Tian was not worried about Zhou Qi attacking him here.
The Moon Illumination Sect had a rule that prohibited inner court disciples from bullying outer court disciples unless they had a reason or they were right. Failure to comply with the rule would result in severe punishment.
If it was before, Zhou Qi would definitely be furious when he heard the words coming out of Duan Ling Tian's mouth.
However, he was very calm right now. It was as though he was not offended by Duan Ling Tian's words at all.
Zhou Qi's calmness took Duan Ling Tian by surprise.
Zhou Qi was not someone with such a good temper, right? Moreover, should he not be eager to kill him since he was one of Liu Huan's man? In fact, when they were at the training field, he saw Zhou Qi's gaze was filled killing intent.
Only half a day had passed, but he suddenly had a change in temperament?
Something was not right.
Duan Ling Tian instantly became guarded.
"Let's go in and talk," Zhou Qi said. He walked into the room without waiting for Duan Ling Tian's reply.
Duan Ling Tian frowned for a moment before his expression eased up. He turned to look at Zhou Qi and asked nonchalantly, "Why did you come and find me?"
"Duan Ling Tian, my master, Liu Huan, wants me to kill you in within three days!" Zhou Qi bluntly said as he looked at Duan Ling Tian.
Upon hearing that, Duan Ling Tian narrowed his eyes immediately and said calmly, "If you kill me, you won't be able to escape death as well according to the sect's rule."
"My master wants me to give up my life in exchange for yours!" Zhou Qi replied.
"Exchange your life for mine?" Duan Ling Tian was shocked. Although he had long known that inner court Elder Liu Huan was not a good person, he did not think he would be so despicable to the point of asking his disciple to give up his life in exchange for his own life.
What did he take his disciple for?
A tool?
"State your intention... Since you told me all these, I'm sure you intend to disobey your master," Duan Ling Tian said nonchalantly.
"My intention is very simple. I just want to warn you that Liu Huan is a maniac! I've followed him for more than ten years, but he didn't even bat his eyes when he wants to discard me," Zhou Qi said slowly. Fear could be seen in his eyes when he reached the end of his sentence.
"He is a maniac, but you're not?" Duan Ling Tian sneered.
Eight months ago, Zhou Qi came to the City Governor's Estate of Mound Hill City in an awe-inspiring manner. The instant he had attacked, he immediately killed two innocent people.
"Duan Ling Tian, I didn't come here to make peace with you... I just want to warn you that Liu Huan is a person who won't stop until he achieves his goals. As for the reason why I came to warn you... Well, it's just because I don't want to see him living so comfortably," Zhou Qi said. His voice was filled with hatred, and his eyes were gleaming coldly.
"How are you going to answer to him If you don't kill me in within three days?" Duan Ling Tian asked.
"You don't have to worry about this... It's time for me to leave now that my purpose is achieved. No matter how much you hate me, I'm not bothered by it at all. After all, I did want to kill you previously... If Liu Huan did not ask me to give up my life in exchange for yours, I wouldn't have let you off so easily," Zhou Qi added, "However, everything has changed now... I don't have any enmity with you now, and I only hope that you'll continue to live well and create troubles for Liu Huan."
Duan Ling Tian narrowed his eyes. He could tell Zhou Qi no longer regarded Liu Huan as his master.
It was a normal reaction after all. Was there a point in having a master who would not hesitate to sacrifice his disciple in order to achieve his goals?
"There's another thing I have to warn you about... That Feng Fan whom you killed had a master. He's the only direct disciple of Zhao Feng, a Moon Illumination Sect's inner court elder. Even among the inner court elders in Moon Illumination Sect, his strength is ranked in the top three," Zhou Qi continued to warn him.
Feng Fan's master was Zhao Feng, an inner court elder?
Duan Ling Tian frowned.
Although he could tell from Feng Fan's possessions that his background was not simple, he did not expect him to be an inner court elder's direct disciple. Moreover, the inner court elder was ranked in the top three among all the inner court elders in the Moon Illumination Sect.
"He's not on your side?" Duan Ling Tian asked with a frown. He had thought that Feng Fan was Liu Huan's man. However, that did not seem to be the case.
What a joke!
A person as powerful as Liu Huan's master, Zhao Feng, most likely had a higher position than Liu Huan in the Moon Illumination Sect.
It was unlikely for someone like that to be Liu Huan's man.
Even if he really was Liu Huan's man, he had to be Liu Huan's senior, and he would not have allowed his only direct disciple to take such a risk.
"Of course not!" Zhou Qi shook his head. "When Liu Huan encounters Elder Zhao Feng, he still needs to bow down respectfully. I'm not afraid to tell you the reason Feng Fan issued the death duel invitation was all due to my instigation. However, none of these matters anymore. What's important is you've killed Feng Fan, and it'll definitely infuriate Elder Zhao Feng," Zhou Qi said.
Duan Ling Tian finally understood the entire matter. He was slightly taken aback by how shameless Zhou Qi was. "You dare to tell me all this? Aren't you afraid I'll tell Elder Zhao Feng about this?"
"It's useless even if you tell him. You're the one who killed Feng Fan. This is an undeniable fact," Zhou Qi replied nonchalantly.
Duan Ling Tian was stunned. He was rendered speechless because Zhou Qi's words made sense.
Even if Zhao Feng was angry with Zhou Qi, he still would not let Duan Ling Tian go.
"However, there's a chance Elder Zhao Feng might not kill you when he comes out of his closed-door cultivation," Zhou Qi added.
"Might not kill me?" Duan Ling Tian frowned. "What do you mean? I killed his only direct disciple, but there's a chance he won't kill me?"
"Yes, you killed Feng Fan, his only direct disciple. It's true that he's very fond of Feng Fan... However, didn't he take Feng Fan as his direct disciple because he thought his innate talent was high? There's no way he would regard Feng Fan so highly if he was just an ordinary person," Zhou Qi continued, "Due to this reason, it's highly likely that he won't kill you after he finds out you killed Feng Fan. Perhaps, he might even take you in as his new direct disciple. After all, Feng Fan was inferior to you in terms of innate talent."
"Take me as his direct disciple?" Duan Ling Tian's expression turned strange. After thinking about it carefully, he thought Zhao Feng might actually do that if he was someone who did not value relationships.
However, Duan Ling Tian would look down on Zhao Feng if he did that.
Naturally, he would not agree to become the direct disciple of someone he looked down on.
"What I want to tell you is... There's nothing we can do if Zhao Feng decides to kill you to avenge Feng Fan. However, if he wants to take you as his direct disciple, you must agree to it. Liu Huan won't dare to harm you no matter how courageous he is if you become Zhao Feng's disciple," Zhou Qi said solemnly, "Liu Huan wants me to give up my life in exchange for yours in within three days because he's worried Zhao Feng will come out of his closed-door cultivation. He wants to kill you before that happens so that Zhao Feng will indirectly owe him a favor. In his opinion, he'll benefit greatly if you die."
"I must agree to become Zhao Feng's disciple?" Duan Ling Tian sneered. "Zhou Qi, are you making the decision for me?"
"Naturally, you're the only one who can decide what to do. I'm merely giving you suggestions. After all, we currently have a common enemy, Liu Huan. I only hope you'll survive and live well. If you manage to grow more powerful, you'll definitely become Liu Huan's nightmare." When Zhou Qi reached the end of his sentence, his eyes burned intensely. "At that time, even if I'm no longer in the Moon Illumination Sect, I'll still be happy when I hear this news."
"No longer in the Moon Illumination Sect? What do you mean?" Duan Ling Tian frowned.
"Do you think I'll still have a position in the Moon Illumination Sect if I don't kill you in within three days? Even if Liu Huan doesn't kill me, he'll come up with ways to deal with me... He's my master in name, even if he cripples me and paralyzes me, nobody would say anything." When Zhou Qi was speaking, his body trembled without warning. It was as though he had thought of something horrifying.
"I've already told you everything that I needed to say, and I've also have warned you about everything... I know you and I will never come to a truce. However, you can always seek revenge from me in the future if you manage to survive. If you can find me, I'll admit it's my fate even if I die in your hands," Zhou Qi said to Duan Ling Tian before he left. From his words alone, one could see how brazen he was.
"I won't disappoint you," Duan Ling Tian responded indifferently. He narrowed his eyes as his eyes gleamed coldly.
Zhou Qi finally left. He came without warning, and he left just as quickly. In just a blink of an eye, he disappeared before Duan Ling Tian's eyes and vanished into the dark sky like a phantom.
"My Spiritual Energy has not recovered yet. I feel tired again even though just a short time has passed... Looks like I won't be able to do anything for the next few days." After shutting the door, Duan Ling Tian sighed and returned to the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda again.
After Zhou Qi left Duan Ling Tian's residence, he left the outer court under the cover of the night.
Not only did he not return to the inner court, but he even left the Moon Illumination Sect's estate.
His intention was simple. He wanted to leave the Moon Illumination Sect and hop like a fish in the sea or fly like a bird across the sky.
"With my cultivation base, I don't believe there's no place for me in the Nine Sect Alliances! From now on, I'm a free man. I belong to no sect, and I won't have to bow to anyone anymore." Zhou Qi truly looked forward to a beautiful future.