Chapter 162: Heart of the Strong
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 hands....
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 don't you do it?" Duan Ling Tian was quite embarrassed for being exposed by a sly old fox like him.
"If it wasn't for my senses that far surpass the ordinary person's, I'm afraid even I wouldn't have been able to notice.... Needless to say, your methods of disguise are truly brilliant, Brother Ling Tian." The old man's eyes narrowed, and he lightly smiled as if he were speaking of some unimportant matter.
Brother Ling Tian?
Disguise?
Nie Yuan and his son weren't 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 Tian.... 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 day.... 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, it's me. I didn't 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 couldn't help but smile apologetically. It was really like the saying of when the flood rushed past the Dragon King's Temple and their own family members didn't recognize each other.
"Brother Ling Tian, what're you talking about? If it wasn't 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 son's best friend, Duan Ru Feng, from long ago.
"Senior Marquis, I'm not worthy of being called brother by you." Duan Ling Tian had a bitter smile on his face. It was fine before because he hadn't 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 didn't 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 him.... Moreover, both of these halos were now on this youth at the same time.
"Ru Feng, if you were still alive, you'd probably laugh yourself awake from your sleep, right?" Nie Yuan sighed in his heart.
"Then I'll 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 Marquis' 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 all... 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 two..." 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 Yuan's 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.
"It's 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 didn't have a favorable impression of the Duan Clan. "My Divine Might Marquis Estate isn't small; why don't you and your mother move in? There aren't 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, I've gotten used to my own courtyard house, and I don't want to trouble you." Duan Ling Tian shook his head and smiled as he politely refused Nie Yuan's good intention.
"Little Tian, you killed Duan Ling Xing, so Duan Ru Lei won't let it go so easily.... 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.
"Don't worry, Uncle Nie, they aren't capable of finding that house." Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian had finished eating his fill and stood up. "Uncle Nie, thank you for the dinner.... It's time for me to return home now; otherwise, my mother will be worried."
"I'll 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 Estate's main gate couldn't help their pupils from constricting. Who the heck was this youth? He's actually able to make the Marquis and his son personally send him out....
"Uncle Nie, Big Brother Nie, I'll 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 Feng's son would be even more heaven-defying than him!" Only when Duan Ling Tian's figure disappeared before him did Nie Fen sigh.
"An 18-year-old ninth level Core Formation martial artist, and a grade nine Alchemist.... Moreover, his disposition is even more tenacious than Brother Ru Feng's 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 Fen's face froze for a moment. "He's helped grandfather cured his poison, so it seems we owe him more, right...."
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 wasn't willing to have it that way.
His gaze wasn't limited to this tiny Crimson Sky Kingdom, and in the future he would leave the Crimson Sky Kingdom to head to a much vaster world...
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 himself....
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 wasn't 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 didn't 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 he's already inherited the title of Divine Might Marquis.... It's 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 Kingdom's Imperial City, to the extent it could be said that there wasn't a single soul that didn't 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 Tian.... Duan Ling Tian didn't encounter any special occasion during these ten days.
The Duan Clan's 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 didn't return home but instead walked towards the 's 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 Tian's 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 lustre....
"You two little fellows, be obedient!" Duan Ling Tian put the two little pythons back into his sleeve before continuing forward.
For safety's 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 White's and Little Black's 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 's estate seemed simple and unadorned from the outside.
The 's estate was already nearby when...
"Go!" A loud shout echoed out from afar, followed by a deafening wave of horse hooves hitting the ground....
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 's estate as well.
"Hmm?" Duan Ling Tian's face sank, as he noticed that when this person noticed him, the person not only didn't slow down, he instead fiercely whipped the Ferghana Horse to charge straight towards Duan Ling Tian....