Chapter 1820: Ru Feng in the South... Ru Feng!
"Let them go," Duan Ling Tian said indifferently as he looked at the Mystical Sky Mansion's disciples from Zhao Clan.
"Scram!" Gu Li said with narrowed eyes as soon as he heard Duan Ling Tian's words and saw the Mystical Sky Mansion's disciples sitting there in a daze.
After the people from Zhao Clan had fled, Gu Li walked into the yard with an annoyed expression on his face. "I wanted to surprise my old man when I came out from closed-door cultivation today. Who knew he's not around!"
"Is that why Senior Brother Gu Li came over immediately to share the news?" Duan Ling Tian asked with a smile.
Gu Li nodded.
"I'm afraid it won't be long before news of your breakthrough to the Divine Stage spreads in the Mystical Sky Mansion through those fellows... As far as I know, even the Mansion Master did not reach the Divine Stage when he was your age!" Duan Ling Tian praised.
"Alright, stop complimenting me... It's okay if others do it, but it's awkward when it comes from you," Gu Li waved his hands hurriedly and said, "Who would dare to mention their innate talent in front of a freak like you? By the way, the atmosphere in the mansion doesn't seem quite right when I was making my way here. Do you know what happened?"
"The Devouring Dark Devil Technique has appeared!" Duan Ling Tian said solemnly. He came out from closed-door cultivation half a month ago, therefore he had heard about what had happened.
"Didn't the Devouring Dark Devil Technique already appear a while ago?" Gu Li questioned, confused.
Almost two years ago, the Mystical Sky Mansion had acted against the Rising Sky Mansion for the Devouring Dark Devil Technique!
Naturally, they did not know that the Devil Dao Cultivation Method was the Devouring Dark Devil Technique in the beginning. When they discovered what it was later, Xu Jing, the culprit and Young Master of the Rising Sky Mansion, had already been taken away.
"Currently, the remote areas in the western side have become ghost towns... Almost everyone there has died. Young women, in particular, were turned into dried corpses," Duan Ling Tian said solemnly, "Now that this matter is known in the entire Lower Province, young women, including those from our Mystical Sky Mansion, are all feeling afraid"
"It's certain that it's the Devouring Dark Devil Technique because there's a precedent in the past! The current situation is somewhat similar to what had happened back then," Duan Ling Tian said, "Originally, only Xu Jing cultivated the Devouring Dark Devil Technique. However, after he was rescued, there is more than one person who is cultivating the Devouring Dark Devil Technique."
"You mean... Palace Master Zhu has already cultivated the Devouring Dark Devil Technique and the incidents in the remote areas in the western side of the Lower Province are his doings?!" Gu Li gasped. He did not expect such a huge matter to happen while he was in closed-door cultivation.
"Xu Jing might still be in a coma physically, but it won't be hard for him to communicate with others with his soul remnants that had yet to fully recover. That's why it's extremely simple for him to teach the Devouring Dark Devil Technique to Palace Master Zhu," Duan Ling Tian speculated out loud, "Palace Master Zhu might have an agreement with Xu Jing when he brought him away. He rescued Xu Jing in exchange for the Devouring Dark Devil Technique!"
"I didn't think someone would be able to change so quickly! In the past, Palace Master Zhu had a mild temper, but now..." Gu Li sighed.
"Sometimes being obsessed with revenge can be a person's downfall!" Duan Ling Tian said solemnly as his eyes gleamed. Zhu Lu Qi was the former Palace Master of Mystical Sky Mansion's Heaven Palace. Although they were not familiar with each other, they still had a few interactions here and there. Duan Ling Tian's first impression of him was that he was a kind elder.
However, a seed of hatred had grown in the kind elder's heart due to the humiliation he suffered from the Deputy Leader of Mountainshade Black Market, Feng Bu Yi.
He could no longer suppress his need for revenge when he learned about the Devouring Dark Devil Technique. The seed of hatred sprouted and grew instead!
Zhu Lu Qi could only absorb as much vital energies and blood of young women to cultivate the Devouring Dark Devil Technique in order to rapidly improve his cultivation base until he could seek revenge from the Deputy Leader of Mountainshade Black Market, Feng Bu Yi!
"However, Feng Bu Yi, the Deputy Leader of Mountainshade Market, did go overboard... If I was Palace Master Zhu and was humiliated like that, I wouldn't be able to take it either."
At that time, Gu Li was also present on the scene when Zhu Lu Qi was humiliated by Feng Bu Yi. Whenever he thought of this incident, he still defended Zhu Lu Qi.
"If Senior Brother Gu Li was Palace Master Zhu, and you know very well that you can never seek revenge if you cultivate using orthodox methods, what would you do if you're faced with the temptation of the Devouring Dark Devil Technique?" Duan Ling Tian asked.
"Perhaps, I might have made the same choice as Palace Master Zhu." Gu Li sighed, "In my opinion, I'd rather die than suffer that kind of humiliation! Junior Brother Ling Tian, what about you? What would you do if you're not so talented and you're in Palace Master Zhu's shoes?"
"If I was in Palace Master Zhu's shoes, I'll definitely want Feng Bu Yi to suffer more than anything else... However, I probably won't cultivate the Devouring Dark Devil Technique. There's a saying, 'Treat others how you want to be treated.' Ultimately, all those young women are innocent," Duan Ling Tian lamented.
If it was Duan Ling Tian in his past life, he would have definitely made the same choice as Gu Li. However, he had experienced warmth in this world. He was not willing to destroy innocent young women just for his own benefit.
"You'd rather not seek revenge than cultivate the Devouring Dark Devil Technique?" Gu Li asked again.
"Of course not!" Duan Ling Tian's eyes flashed viciously. "Being humiliated in that manner and having my pride trampled on... How can I not seek revenge for that? However, even if my strength doesn't allow me to seek revenge in that manner, I'll look for other ways to seek revenge!" Duan Ling Tian continued to say, "For example, I can think of ways to make others do the work for me."
"Make others do the work for you?" Gu Li was stunned. "How?"
"For example, I can kidnap one of the family members of the Leader of Mountainshade Black Market or the Mansion Master of the Azure Cloud Mansion. I can use their family as leverage and ask them to kill Feng Bu Yi. Once Feng Bu Yi dies, I'll let their family member go!" Duan Ling Tian said, "Even if they kill me eventually, I'll still feel it's worth it!"
When Gu Li heard Duan Ling Tian's words, he felt amazed. At the same time, he sighed emotionally. "It would've been great if Palace Master Zhu heard your words before he rescued Xu Jing..."
"Senior Brother Gu Li, I'm just casually saying this... It's obviously not that easy to kidnap the family members of the Leader of Mountainshade Black Market or the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion," Duan Ling Tian shook his head and said, "That's why even if Palace Master Zhu heard my words, he might not have heeded them."
"That might be the case in the past. However, from what I know, the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion is a sentimental person. I heard he brought back many family members from his hometown to the Azure Cloud Mansion a few years ago," Gu Li said, "He brought back quite a number of them to the Azure Cloud Mansion. It would be impossible for every one of them to protected by a powerhouse at the peak of the Divine Saint Stage... With Palace Master Zhu's strength at the peak of the Divine Saint Stage, it wouldn't have been hard for him to kidnap one of them."
"A few years ago, he brought back many family members from his hometown to the Azure Cloud Mansion?"
Duan Ling Tian was stunned when he heard Gu Li's words. He asked, "Senior Brother Gu Li, I heard that the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion is very young. His rise in the Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land happened less than twenty years ago. During that period of time, he managed to lead the Azure Cloud Mansion to stand at the peak of the Lower Province and is on equal footing with the Mountainshade Black Market?"
"Yes, the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion is legendary in the Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land! He's also someone I admire." Gu Li nodded. "Although the Leader of Mountainshade Black Market's innate talent and strength are not inferior to his, he was nurtured by the Mountainshade Black Market since young... On the contrary, the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion only came from the Mortal Continent!"
"As someone who came from the Mortal Continent and rose to such heights, it's enough to make him a legend in the Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land!" Gu Li said in admiration.
"Mortal Continent?!"
Duan Ling Tian was shocked. "The Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion is from the Mortal Continent?"
At this moment, all the information about the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion began to appear in Duan Ling Tian's mind.
In less than twenty years, he rose quickly in the Lower Province of the Dao Martial Saint Land! A few years ago, he brought his relatives here from his hometown in the Mortal Continent!
Dugu in the North, Ru Feng in the South, holding up the heaven and earth of the Lower Province...Ru Feng in the South refers to the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion!
Ru Feng!
'Back then, Little Fei'er... She was brought away by father's men! To be able to bring Little Fei'er away from the Greenwave Han Mansion that's a fifth-rate force, father's subordinate is certainly not weak... Could it be...' A hard to believe thought suddenly appeared in Duan Ling Tian's mind.
Naturally, this was just his speculation. He could not confirm it yet.
"Junior Brother Ling Tian, what's wrong with you?" Gu Li was baffled when he saw the blank expression on Duan Ling Tian face as he stared ahead in a daze. His body was even trembling a little. He did not know why his junior brother would suddenly react in this manner.
"Gu... Senior Brother Gu Li." Duan Ling Tian took a deep breath and tried to suppress his raging emotions. He looked at Gu Li and asked solemnly, "You... Do you know the name of the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion?"
When Gu Li saw Duan Ling Tian's solemn expression, he expected him to say something serious. He did not expect to be asked this question. Gu Li did not know if he should laugh or cry. "What? Junior Brother Ling Tian doesn't know the name of the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion?"
"Senor Brother Gu Li, tell me!" Duan Ling Tian took another deep breath, but his body was still trembling.
At this moment, Gu Li finally realized something was amiss with Duan Ling Tian. Although he did not know the reason why, he became serious as well as he answered, "The name of the Mansion Master of Azure Cloud Mansion is Duan Ru Feng!"
"Perhaps, you've never heard of his name, but you should've heard of the saying, 'Dugu in the North, Ru Feng in the South, holding up the heaven and earth of the Lower Province'. 'Ru Feng in the South' refers to him!"