Chapter 45: Shadow Sword Translator: / KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Lucas “Duan Ling Tian will still obtain honor even if he loses.” The Li Clan outer court disciples, however, didn’t get dejected. After all, Duan Ling Tian’s cultivation was laid out there, being lower than Lin Qi’s by a level. If Duan Ling Tian was also at the ninth level of the Body Tempering Stage, in their opinions, Lin Qi would definitely not be a match for Duan Ling Tian. In terms of age, Duan Ling Tian was also younger than Lin Qi by a year. He had limitless potential! Just when everyone other than Ke Er thought that Duan Ling Tian would be defeated by Lin Qi, they heard a voice. “Lin Qi, be careful!” Duan Ling Tian’s voice abruptly sounded. Whoosh! Subsequently, a violet sword shine flashed by before disappearing instantaneously. It forced Lin Qi to swiftly stop. He looked at Duan Ling Tian with an expression of dread. “Eh, did Duan Ling Tian use a sword just now?” “I think so... But, he doesn’t have a sword on hand right now. Where did he hide it?” ...... Not one of the Li Clan and Lin Clan outer court disciples were able to see how Duan Ling Tian had struck with his sword, or where he hid his sword. If they hadn’t seen the sword shine, they might have even thought they were seeing things. “Lin Qi, I’m going to counterattack.” Duan Ling Tian’s gaze slightly focused and then he moved. Spirit Serpent Movement Technique! His figure moved, flying straight towards Lin Qi. Whoosh! The violet sword shine appeared once again, flashing by before vanishing instantaneously as Lin Qi quickly retreated. “I admit defeat!” Lin Qi said, in a slightly panicked voice. Besides Li Shi Shi and Ke Er, the other people present were all struck dumb. Lin Qi admitted defeat? What’s going on? “Brother Qi, why did you admit defeat? You obviously had the upper hand.” Lin Wei looked at Lin Qi with a puzzled expression. “If Duan Ling Tian wasn’t using a sword, I could have defeated him, but once he brings a sword out, I’m not a match for him,” Lin Qi replied in a very straightforward and simple manner. “Duan Ling Tian, the speed at which you executed that sword skill is at a level that is difficult for me to reach... Unless I undergo an overall breakthrough, I can’t even defend against a single sword strike from you.” Lin Qi sighed as he glanced at Duan Ling Tian with a complicated expression. Duan Ling Tian’s marvelous sword skill caused admiration within his heart. “Acknowledged.” Duan Ling Tian nodded, slightly increasing his view of Lin Qi. This was a person who could accept defeat. A person like this would surely be extraordinary in the future. Lin Qi’s eyes flickered brightly as he proclaimed confidently, “But there will eventually be a day where I will defeat your sword skill!” “I’ll be waiting.” Duan Ling Tian lightly smiled. “I keep my promises. You can leave with your Li Clan members now.” Lin Qi’s eyebrows twitched. “Farewell.” Duan Ling Tian nodded towards Lin Qi before bringing along Ke Er and the crowd of Li Clan outer court disciples to leave the trade market together, walking towards the Li Clan Estate. The surrounding crowd slowly dispersed as well. In their hearts, they remembered a single name: Duan Ling Tian! The Li Clan had an outer court disciple whose strength was similar to or even surpassed Li Kuang’s. “Brother Qi, you haven’t replied to me. Why did you admit defeat without reason?” Lin Wei frowned as he asked with a manner showing he wouldn’t give up until he got to the bottom of things. The other Lin Clan outer court disciples also looked towards Lin Qi. They had the same question. “See for yourselves.” Lin Qi shook his head, he then raised his head to display his throat to everyone. “This...” The Lin Clan outer court disciples were all dumbstruck. They could clearly see that there was a light white sword mark on Lin Qi’s throat. “If it wasn’t for him showing mercy today, I would already be dead.” Lin Qi sighed. Lin Wei’s eyes flickered as he ruthlessly said, “Brother Qi, how dare that Duan Ling Tian, a mere Li Clan disciple with another surname, use such a killing move against you... If it was up to me, we could get our Lin Clan’s inner court disciples to treat him a lesson.” Lin Qi’s expression turned grim as he said, in a stern voice, “Lim Wei, I’m warning you! From today onwards, Duan Ling Tian is my opponent, and I will take care of this matter myself. Don’t try to be smart!” “Yes.” This was the first time Lin Wei had seen Lin Qi get so angry, so he hurriedly nodded and replied his acknowledgement. But, when he lowered his head, his eyes still flickered with a trace of unwillingness and ruthlessness... Duan Ling Tian and the crowd on their way home. “Duan Ling Tian, why did Lin Qi abruptly admit defeat?” “Yeah, I didn’t notice him suffering any losses, so why would he abruptly admit defeat?” “Duan Ling Tian, is there an inside story we don’t know about?” ...... The Li Clan outer court disciples all gazed at Duan Ling Tian with puzzled expressions. “What inside story could there possibly be? You all just didn’t see it clearly. Stop talking nonsense.” Li Shi Shi’s willow-shaped eyebrows frowned. “Big Sister Shi Shi, could it be that you know the reason?” Instantly, all of the Li Clan outer court disciples shifted their gazes to Li Shi Shi. Only after looking at Duan Ling Tian and noticing that he didn’t have any dissatisfaction did Li Shi Shi explain, “Didn’t all of you notice that there was a light white sword mark on Lin Qi’s throat? Duan Ling Tian showed mercy on that sword strike, only piercing through the skin of his throat. If it was slightly deeper, he would undoubtedly be dead!” For a moment, all of the Li Clan outer court disciples were stupefied. Never would they have thought that Duan Ling Tian was so formidable... Slicing the throat with a single sword strike! Although some of them had once seen Duan Ling Tian execute his sword skill, that sword strike that sliced more than ten falling leaves, they didn’t think that Duan Ling Tian’s sword skill would be so terrifying when used in actual combat. Only Duan Ling Tian knew that the only reason his attack went so smoothly was because he attacked unexpectedly. The Sword Drawing Arts that he executed had a might not inferior to a high grade Profound Rank martial skill at the Perfection Stage when attacking unexpectedly. The crowd dispersed after arriving back at the Li Clan estate. Duan Ling Tian and Ke Er greeted Li Shi Shi before returning home. “I wonder if he would be willing to teach the Sword Drawing Arts to me.” Li Shi Shi had always been focused on sword skills and had even cultivated her low grade Profound Rank martial skill, Shadow Sword, to the Perfection Stage. As a Branch Family disciple, if she wanted to advance in her sword skills, she had to wait until she was an inner court disciple to choose a middle grade Profound Rank skill from the second floor of the Martial Repository Pavilion. During their time together, she heard from Ke Er that the Sword Drawing Arts’ might was comparable to a middle grade Profound Rank sword skill. If attacking unexpectedly, its might was even comparable to a high grade Profound Rank sword skill! When they got home, Duan Ling Tian went to lie on his bed with his body spread open. Cultivating his movement technique and subsequently getting into an intense battle with Lin Qi today caused him to feel slightly exhausted. The young girl sat on the side of the bed, gently helping him massage his legs. Delightful! Duan Ling Tian couldn’t help to release a breath of foul air. Duane Ling Tian noticed the young girl’s hesitation to speak, so he asked, while smiling, “Ke Er, is something the matter? What, you can’t be still thinking of yourself as an outsider, right?” “Young Master, Big Sister Shi Shi hoped I would ask you if you were willing to teach her the Sword Drawing Arts,” the young girl said with slight hesitation. “That’s a nice idea of hers... Don’t tell me the reason why she started calling you sister was so that I would teach her the Sword Drawing Arts?” Dian Ling Tian’s eyes flickered. “Young Master, Big Sister Shi Shi isn’t that type of person.” The young girl lightly shook her head. “Then, Ke Er, Are you hoping I teach the Sword Drawing Arts to her?” Duan Ling Tian asked while smiling. “Ke Er will listen to the Young Master’s decision.” The young girl lightly smiled, her delicate face blushing slightly. Duan Ling Tian thought silently for a moment before slowly saying, “Her low grade Profound Rank sword skill has already been cultivated to the Perfection Stage, so I can’t blame her for wanting to cultivate a better sword skill. Since she’s good to my Ke Er and took care of her, I’ll pass down a different sword skill to her... As for the Sword Drawing Arts, I would never pass it out of the family!” The young girl blinked her clear eyes as she curiously asked, “Young Master, what sword skill are you going to pass down to Big Sister Shi Shi?” “Synchronous Shadow Sword!” This sword skill was a high grade Profound Rank sword skill. It was one of the complete sword skills that Duan Ling Tian had found inside the memories of Rebirth Martial Emperor. It had a similar but slightly different effect from the Overlapping Afterimages that Lin Qi executed earlier, and its might was not a bit inferior to it. Originally, Duan Ling Tian was prepared to teach a middle grade Profound Rank sword skill to Li Shi Shi. But after a quick thought, he decided otherwise. Another one and a half months from now would be the yearly Clan Martial Meet. Based on Li Shi Shi’s current strength, becoming an inner court disciple was a piece of cake. Becoming an inner court disciple would allow her access to the Martial Repository Pavilion’s second level to choose a middle grade Profound Rank martial skill. It would be unnecessary of him to give her a middle grade Profound Rank sword skill. A few days later, Duan Ling Tian wrote down the Synchronous Shadow Sword and asked Ke Er to go get Li Shi Shi. “Synchronous Shadow Sword, a high grade Profound Rank sword skill?” After looking through the handwritten book Duan Ling Tian had written for her, her clear pupils constricted and she had an excited expression. “Due to some reasons, I’m unable to teach you the Sword Drawing Arts, so I’ll give you this sword skill instead... But, I have a condition.” As he spoke up to here, Duan Ling Tian stared fixedly at Li Shi Shi. “What... what condition?” At this moment, Li Shi Shi felt as if Duan Ling Tian’s burning gaze was tearing her clothes apart, so her voice started to slightly tremble. “You can’t tell anyone that it was I who gave you this sword skill. Remember, that means anyone!” Duan Ling Tian told her his condition. “Of course!” Li Shi Shi hurriedly nodded as she heaved a sigh of relief in her heart. So it was just this condition. She even thought that... Duan Ling Tian nodded to Li Shi Shi as he indifferently said, “You can go now.” Li Shi Shi grit her teeth and thanked him again before leaving. After leaving, Li Shi Shi felt a sense of loss in her heart. She even doubted if her charm was turned to nothingness when in front of Duan Ling Tian. Since becoming familiar with Duan Ling Tian, he had not once looked at her properly. His gentleness was always only for the young girl beside him. Sometimes, even she didn’t know if she was feeling admiration or envy. From an unknown time, or maybe since the time when he executed the Sword Drawing Arts for the first time, this man’s shadow had appeared in her heart. Lying on his bed and looking at the ceiling, Duan Ling Tian laughed for no reason. Being the amorous weapons specialist who always went into a bush of flowers but came out without a single leaf on him, he naturally was able to notice the little feelings Li Shi Shi harbored towards him. Li Shi Shi was different from Ke Er after all. In Ke Er’s entire world, there was only him. But Li Shi Shi had her own dreams to pursue; even if she had feelings for him, it was just a pure, young maiden’s romance. Just like a law of nature. An outstanding male would always be able to attract a female with ease. Of course, this didn’t mean that Duan Ling Tian had to stubbornly be faithful to only a single wife. If he met someone who truly loved him and was willing to give up everything for him, and he liked the girl as well, he wouldn’t let it easily slip past him.