After paying their respect to Elder Bi and Zuo Qing, Duan Ling Tian and Li Fei left Alkaid Peak and returned to the sky above where they had first arrived.
When they arrived, Duan Ling Tian discovered Ke'er had also returned.
A familiar figure stood beside her. It was Qin Xiang, the Peak Master of Alkaid Peak in Seven Star Sword Sect.
Qin Xiang did not change much compared to before… This also meant she took good care of her appearance.
In fact, only someone who had made a breakthrough to the Martial Monarch Stage would remain youthful forever.
Before reaching the Martial Monarch Stage, it was said that the aging process would become slower when one's cultivation base was higher. However, if one did not deliberately take good care of one's own look, age would still leave its mark on the face.
"Duan Ling Tian… Y-You really don't plan to go see the Sect Master?" Qin Xiang's gaze was very complicated when she saw Duan Ling Tian.
Earlier, Ke'er had told her about Duan Ling Tian's accomplishments throughout the years. She also found out he was the Sect Leader of the strongest sect on Cloud Continent.
She was completely baffled.
This little guy from before was currently standing at the summit of Cloud Continent.
The moment she recalled the past, she felt as though she was dreaming.
'If they know about this in their graves, they'll definitely die contented,' Qin Xiang thought to herself.
The 'they' she meant were all the former Sect Masters of Seven Star Sword Sect, including Linghu Jin Hong. They were also the people who had perished together with Seven Star Sword Sect.
"Not for the time being…. Seven Star Sword Sect will always be the Seven Star Sword Sect," Duan Ling Tian said as he shook his head.
"Alright." Qin Xiang nodded. Naturally, she knew what Duan Ling Tian meant by this.
There was no doubt that he meant he did not want to interfere with Seven Star Sword Sect's future.
If the people from Seven Star Sword Sect knew Duan Ling Tian was now the Sect Master of Ling Tian Sect, the strongest sect on Cloud Continent, they would definitely hope for Seven Star Sword Sect to be affiliated with Ling Tian Sect.
At that time, Seven Star Sword Sect would become an affiliate sect of Ling Tian Sect and cease to exist except in name.
That was not something Duan Ling Tian wanted to see.
"Master, you really don't want to leave with me?" Ke'er was reluctant to part with Qin Xiang.
Although her current cultivation base had far surpassed Qin Xiang, as the saying went, 'He who teaches me for one day is my teacher for life'. She would never forget the debt she owed her for her past guidance and teaching.
Ke'er had already tried to persuade Qin Xiang to leave earlier, but she had rejected the offer.
"Ke'er, I know you want to be filial… However, I've spent most of my life in Seven Star Sword Sect so I really can't bear to leave it now," she replied softly as she held Ke'er's hands tenderly, "When you and Duan Ling Tian have kids, I'll be happy enough if you still remember to come back and visit me."
Upon hearing Qin Xiang's words, Ke'er blushed immediately.
Under the gaze of Qin Xiang, Duan Ling Tian brought the two girls with him before he left… In just a blink of an eye, they had already appeared at the sky above the Crimson Sky Kingdom that was under the Azure Forest Imperial Kingdom's colony.
The Crimson Sky Kingdom was their hometown.
The reason he came here was very simple. It was to visit his old friends and ask them if they wanted to leave with them to Half Moon Island of the Overseas Saint Islands.
Duan Ling Tian brought the two girls to the Imperial City's Divine Might Marquis Estate first to pay a visit to the two Old Marquises.
There were two Marquises because Nie Wu Tian, the former Old Marquis, had retired, and the current Old Marquis was Nie Fen, the former Little Marquis. He was also Duan Ling Tian's Big Brother Nie.
Time flowed like a river, bringing great changes along with it.
Their return this time really made Duan Ling Tian feel emotional.
Not only did Nie Fen have a huge family of his own, but even Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun had a son and daughter each… What was worth mentioning was Li Xuan, also known as fatty previously, had three sons and one daughter as well.
Apart from that, Duan Ling Tian also went to the Imperial Palace and paid a visit to the old Emperor. The valiant Emperor from before had become older with each passing day. He had given away the throne a few years ago.
"Duan Ling Tian, do you know when Bi Yao will return?" The old Emperor asked Duan Ling Tian with a pair of eager eyes.
The Bi Yao the old Emperor spoke of was none other than Princess Bi Yao, the most beautiful woman in the Crimson Sky Kingdom Imperial City in the past.
"I've no idea… However, if I meet her, I'll definitely ask her to come back and see you," Duan Ling Tian replied.
"Great, great!" Upon hearing this, the old Emperor smiled dazzlingly… Princess Bi Yao was his most sensible daughter, and he loved her very much. Even those princes were nothing compared to her.
If Princess Bi Yao was born a male, he would have long given her the throne.
"My parents are really… They actually brought Princess Bi Yao away with them…" The moment Duan Ling Tian recalled where Princess Bi Yao was, he could not help but smile wryly.
Not only Princess Bi Yao, but his parents had also brought Xiao Lan, Xiao Yu's sister, with them as well.
Previously, when he met Xiao Yu, he had also asked him about Xiao Lan's whereabouts. However, he really did not know. To be more precise, although he knew she was at the Dao Martial Saint Land, he did not know which part of the Dao Martial Saint Land she was in.
"It's such a pity the voice transmission jade slip inside the exquisite jade box was broken by me… Otherwise, when I arrive at the Dao Martial Saint Land, I'll only need to meet with the man Father arranged for me before I can see Mother, Xiao Lan, and also Princess Bi Yao." When Duan Ling Tian thought of this, he sighed continuously in his heart.
Originally, in the voice transmission jade slip that Duan Ru Feng left him, he had asked Duan Ling Tian to go to a certain place in the Dao Martial Saint Land to find the person he had arranged for him to meet. Unfortunately, the voice transmission jade slip was damaged and the part that was lost just happened to be the most important part.
Due to this reason, Duan Ling Tian did not know where to find the person his Father had arranged for him to meet.
Even if Duan Ling Tian was at the Dao Martial Saint Land now, searching for his father would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
After leaving the Imperial Palace, Duan Ling Tian went to the Paladin Academy to see Sima the Dean.
Sima was his teacher when he was in the Paladin Academy.
Although Sima did not really teach him anything, he had helped him on many occasions. Until now, Duan Ling Tian still felt grateful toward him. Due to this reason, he still regarded him as a teacher.
"You little fellow! What's your cultivation base now?" Sima asked bluntly when he saw Duan Ling Tian again. Every time he met Duan Ling Tian, this was what he was most interested in.
"Ninth Level Martial Emperor Stage." Duan Ling Tian smiled.
Pfft!
Upon hearing Duan Ling Tian's words, Sima instantly spat out the tea he had just drank and asked with a red face, "W-What did y-you say? Martial E…E-Emperor Stage? Moreover, it's t-the N-Ninth Level Martial E…E-Emperor Stage?"
"Yes, sir." Duan Ling Tian nodded solemnly.
Upon hearing this, Sima quickly studied Duan Ling Tian from head to toes. As though he was looking at a monster, he muttered, "I already knew long before that you're a freak… B-But it did not cross my mind that you're actually this freaky! The Ninth Level Martial Emperor Stage… That's the limit for all martial artists, right?" Sima had long heard that the limit for martial artists was the Martial Emperor Stage… Once a person had broken through to the Martial Emperor Stage, he would become a Martial Emperor.
A Martial Emperor was someone who stood at the summit of Cloud Continent and overlooked all living things.
To him, Martial Emperors were legendary.
However, the little fellow currently standing in front of him, his former student, was already a Martial Emperor. Moreover, he was a Ninth Level Martial Emperor.
At this moment, he suspected that he was merely dreaming.
If it was not for the fact that Duan Ling Tian was present and he needed to maintain his image, he would have long reached out to pinch his own thigh to see if it would hurt or not.