Chapter 2907: s.h.i.+rking Responsibilities
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In the distance, the terror in the eyes of the group disciples from the Blissful Sect intensified when they saw what happened. All of them were worried Duan Ling Tian would kill them even though they were not sure of the purpose of his visit to the sect. Regardless, they knew if Duan Ling Tian wanted to kill them, Liu Xuan Kong, the Sect Leader of the Blissful Sect, would not be able to protect them. After all, Duan Ling Tian had no problem killing Li Ping, the Old Ancestor of the Blissful Sect. Based on this, it could be seen that it would be easy for Duan Ling Tian to destroy the entire Blissful Sect if he so wished.
The disciples from the Blissful Sect furtively discussed among themselves.
“He… Who’s he?”
“The Old Ancestor called him Duan Ling Tian earlier…”
“Duan Ling Tian?”
“The name Duan Ling Tian sounds familiar…”
“Duan Ling Tian… Isn’t he the Chief Celestial Alchemist of the Wasteland’s Tai Yi Celestial Sect? He caused an uproar in the Six Southeastern Regions?”
“That’s right! It’s him! The Chief Celestial Alchemist of the Wasteland’s Tai Yi Celestial Sect is also called Duan Ling Tian. No wonder this name sounds so familiar to me.”
“It’s not possible that this person is the same person as that Duan Ling Tian, right?”
“You’re overthinking things! The Chief Celestial Alchemist of the Tai Yi Celestial Sect is not even 100 years old. Although he’s widely acknowledged as the best prominent Celestial Alchemist in the Six Southeastern Regions, it’s not possible for him to be so powerful at such a young age!”
“Exactly! This person should be a Celestial King, at least. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to kill Old Ancestor Li Ping so easily…”
“Old Ancestor Li Ping used one of our two Sect Guarding Celestial Weapons, the Ten Thousand Talismans Bell. Even then, he couldn’t withstand Duan Ling Tian’s attacks. Based on this, I’m afraid Duan Ling Tian is a Three Talents Celestial King, at least.”
“I agree. After all, Duan Ling Tian didn’t use any Celestial Weapon when he attacked!”
“Why did he come to our Blissful Sect?”
“He… won’t kill us, right? We don’t stand a chance at all if he decides to kill us!”
“Surely he won’t bother killing us since he’s so powerful, right?”
Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian paid no attention to the disciples from the Blissful Sect. Instead, his pointed gaze was firmly trained on Liu Xuan Kong and the other high-ranking officials from the Blissful Sect. “Now, it’s time to settle our grievances.”
When Li Xuan Kong and the other high-ranking officials of the Blissful Sect saw Duan Ling Tian’s pointed gaze, their expressions changed drastically.
At this moment, an elder from the Blissful Sect who was standing behind Liu Xuan Kong stepped forward. He had a nervous expression on his face as he said with a stutter, “D-duan… D-duan Ling Tian… O-old A-ancestor Li An acted on his own. H-he didn’t go to the Tai Yi Celestial Sect under the Blissful Sect’s order. T-this is all a misunderstanding. The Blissful Sect has nothing to do with it… It’s not our fault!”
An expression of relief briefly flitted past the faces of Liu Xuan Kong and the other high-ranking officials of the Blissful Sect when they heard the elder’s words. Although they did hold a meeting and decided to kill Duan Ling Tian, it was certainly not a good time to admit to it now. There was no doubt all of them would die if they admitted it. After all, even Li Ping, their sect’s Old Ancestor, who had broken through recently and became a Celestial King was no match for Duan Ling Tian. They would not even have a chance to escape. It would be a walk in the park for Duan Ling Tian to kill all of them.
Another Blissful Sect’s elder stepped forward, supporting the other elder’s words. “Yes, it’s true. Master Duan, we didn’t order Old Ancestor Li An to go to the Tai Yi Celestial Sect and kill you. He went on his own accord to seek revenge because he felt you were too arrogant and pretentious during the Alchemy Conference. He didn’t dare to attack you back then because he thought you came from a powerful clan in the central area. When he returned to our sect, he used our sect’s intelligence network to investigate you. When he discovered you didn’t have an extraordinary clan, he brought Ji Fan with him to the Tai Yi Celestial Sect to kill you.”
The elder paused for a moment before he s.h.i.+fted his gaze to Ji Fan, the former Arhat of the Blissful Sect, who was standing behind Duan Ling Tian. He looked at Ji Fan coldly before he continued to say, “Ji Fan is the one who incited Old Ancestor Li An to kill you! He’s only trying to s.h.i.+rk all responsibilities and protect himself by pus.h.i.+ng all the blame to the sect and saying it’s the sect’s decision to kill you!” He spoke with feigned sincerity, clearly trying to win Duan Ling Tian’s trust.
Before the elder could continue speaking, Ji Fan who had just put his Floating Image Pearl away cried out furiously, “Rubbis.h.!.+ Elder Yuan, stop talking nonsense! I admit I attended the meeting pertaining to killing Master Duan. I admit I even voted for Master Duan to be killed. However, don’t think you can s.h.i.+ft all the blame to me! I refuse to shoulder the blame for all of you.” His expression was cold when he spoke.
Apart from Liu Xuan Kong, the other high-ranking officials spoke up one after another, turning against Ji Fan now that they were faced with their impending deaths. All of them s.h.i.+fted the blame to him, in hopes of turning him into a scapegoat.
“Ji Fan, you’re clearly the culprit. We have no quarrel with you in the past, why must you implicate us?”
“Ji Fan! You and Old Ancestor Li An went to kill Master Duan without our consent, and yet, you expect all of us to pay the price for your wrongdoing now!”
“Ji Fan, do you think you can fool Master Duan? Master Duan is wise. I’m sure he knows it was all you and Old Ancestor Li An’s doings!”
Meanwhile, the group of disciples from the Blissful Sect who was standing in the distance was stunned when they overheard their sect elders’ words.
“Master Duan?”
“The elders are addressing Duan Ling Tian as Master Duan?”
“Wait… Most importantly, based on their words, it seems like this person truly is Duan Ling Tian from the Wasteland’s Tai Yi Celestial Sect!”
“H-he… Is he really Master Duan from the Wasteland’s Tai Yi Celestial Sect?”
“No, that’s unlikely. The Tai Yi Celestial Sect’s Master Duan hasn’t even reached 100 years old. His accomplishments and skills in alchemy are already mind-blowing, and now you’re saying he’s also a Celestial King? You must be joking!”
All of the disciples knew Duan Ling Tian was from the Wasteland’s Tai Yi Celestial Sect. They knew he was widely acknowledged as the best prominent Celestial Alchemist in the Six Southeastern Regions even though he had not even reached the age of 100. However, that was the extent of their knowledge about Duan Ling Tian.
“That’s right. It’s impossible for them to be the same person!”
“That’s right! Wouldn’t he be a freak if he’s such an outstanding prominent Celestial Alchemist and also a Celestial King at such a young age? How could there be someone like that in this world?”
“I agree. I think it’s highly unlikely for them to be the same person.”
Soon enough, the tide of the conversation among the group of disciples from the Blissful Sect changed.
“But… how can there be such a coincidence? Didn’t you hear the elders talking about the grievances between Duan Ling Tian and Old Ancestor Li An during the Alchemy Conference? To my knowledge, there’s only one person called Duan Ling Tian who attended the Alchemy Conference!”
“S-so… h-he’s really that Duan Ling Tian?”
“Incredible! T-this is… too incredible!”
How could the disciples not be shocked speechless that the purple-clad young man in front of them, a Three Talents Celestial King at least, was the Chief Celestial Alchemist from the Wasteland’s Tai Yi Celestial Sect as well?
Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian scoffed when he heard the Blissful Sect’s elders trying to s.h.i.+ft all the blame to Ji Fan.
The elders from the Blissful Sect fell silent immediately when they heard Duan Ling Tian scoffing.
Ji Fan looked at the group of elders from the Blissful Sect coldly before he grimly said to Duan Ling Tian, “Master Duan, even if you kill me today, I stand by my words that these elders all voted to kill you!”
Upon hearing Ji Fan’s words, the group of elders from the Blissful Sect who had just fallen silent began to protest vehemently.
“Ji Fan! How dare you lie about our involvement in this matter? It was clearly your idea!”
“Master Duan, don’t listen to Ji Fan. He knows he won’t be able to get away with it so he’s trying to implicate all of us as well!”
“It’s true! Ji Fan is lying!”
“Master Duan…”
The elders were sweating profusely as they tried to convince Duan Ling Tian of their innocence again.
Duan Ling Tian did not even deign to respond to the elders. Instead, he looked at Liu Xuan Kong and asked, “Sect Leader Liu, what do you have to say about this?”
Liu Xuan Kong who had remained silent all this while finally spoke up. “Master Duan, it’s just as the elders said. The blame lies solely on the shoulders of my unworthy disciple, Ji Fan, and my master, Li An. However, if you still feel dissatisfied after killing my master and disciple, you can kill me as well, Master Duan…”