War Sovereign Soaring The Heavens
chapter-1256

“That’s right. I’m still a distance away from the Martial Emperor Stage.” Duan Ling Tian was slightly surprised that Martial Emperor Ling Xuan, Yang Hui, could see that he was not a Martial Emperor. At the same time, he could guess that Yang Hui’s cultivation base must be above the Fourth Level Martial Emperor Stage.

Only someone above the Fourth Level Martial Emperor Stage could sense whether he was a Martial Emperor or not.

“Still a distance away from the Martial Emperor Stage and you’ve already comprehended the Sword Profundity… Brother Ling Tian, you’re really a bizarre genius in Sword Art,” Yang Hui mused.

He had long seen Duan Ling Tian’s attainment in the Sword Art before. Amazement and admiration rose from the bottom of his heart.

Upon hearing Yang Hui’s amusement, Duan Ling Tian merely let out a faint smile before asking curiously, “I’ve heard that it’s not only Ling Xuan Peak that holds the selection of the Martial Emperor’s disciples and followers. Other cultivation places of other Martial Emperors hold such a selection too, don’t they?”

“That’s right.” Yang Hui nodded. “As long as they’re well-known Martial Emperors or Demon Emperors in the Cloud Continent, they’ve all been recruiting disciples and followers recently too… Of course, like Ling Xuan Peak, their ultimate intention is to get their hands on outstanding Martial Emperor’s disciples and even direct disciples!”

A Martial Emperor’s disciple would have to have at least the strength at the peak of the Martial Monarch Stage.

The requirement for the Martial Emperor’s direct disciples would be even higher. They would usually have to have at least half a foot in the Martial Emperor Stage already.

“Let me guess. There’s a reason all of you recruit outstanding Martial Emperor’s disciples with such flourish, isn’t there?” Duan Ling Tian voiced out his speculation.

“You guessed correctly, Brother Ling Tian. We do have a reason.” Yang Hu nodded before turning glum a little. “Actually, this time, the reason we recruited Martial Emperor’s disciples and followers in such a way is that of an edict we received from the Overseas Saint Islands.”

“Overseas Saint Islands? Edict?” Duan Ling Tian was perplexed. “What’s that?”

“The Overseas Saint Islands are always very mysterious. It’s no surprise that you’ve not heard of it before,” Yang Hui explained.

“The Overseas Saint Islands are islands that are situated far away in the sea north of the Cloud Continent… Of course, there are many islands in the sea, but there are only four islands that are truly spacious and house rich Origin Stone resources. They are the Four Great Overseas Saint Islands! Of all the Four Great Overseas Saint Islands, one of them is the majestic one, with the remaining three Overseas Saint Islands surrounding it belonging to its affiliation… And this time, all of the Martial Emperors and Demon Emperors active on the surface of the Cloud Continent have all received an edict from one of the affiliated islands that’s the closest to our Cloud Continent. That affiliated island is known as the Hidden Fog Island… Several years ago, the Hidden Fog Island already sent its messenger here to ask us to bring our ten most outstanding disciples to join the Hidden Fog Martial Competition a few years later. Not long before this, the messenger of the Hidden Fog Island came again, telling us that the Hidden Fog Martial Competition will be moved forward a year earlier. For this reason, we’ve held our selection of the Martial Emperor’s disciples and followers a year earlier than planned,” Yang Hui continued.

“Is the Hidden Fog Island scary? It can actually order all of you around!” Duan Ling Tian commented.

“The Hidden Fog Island is indeed scary… However, the reason we go along with the Hidden Fog Island’s edict isn’t because of how scary it is. Instead, we’re targeting the rewards promised by the Hidden Fog Island for the Hidden Fog Martial Competition. If the Martial Emperor or Martial Demon’s disciple performs outstandingly in the Hidden Fog Martial Competition, he or she will be able to get the Saint Stone.” The moment Yang Hui mentioned the Saint Stone, his breathing became slightly more rapid right away.

“Saint Stone?” Duan Ling Tian was confused.

“That’s right. The Saint Stone.” Yang Hui nodded. “To a certain extent, the Saint Stone is like the Origin Stone… However, even a supreme grade Origin Stone is far less precious than a Saint Stone. If a Martial Emperor gets his hand on the Saint Stone, his cultivation base will advance at a tremendous pace with huge giant strides… I’ll give you an example. If a First Level Martial Emperor gets his hand on a Saint Stone and absorbs all of the energy inside it, he’d be able to make a breakthrough to the Second Level Martial Emperor in one fell swoop. Not only that, he would make it in no time at all,” Yang Hui introduced.

“It’s that amazing?” Duan Ling Tian was stunned. This was his first time hearing about this Saint Stone.

Although his mind contained a broad and profound memory, there was no record about the Saint Stone at all. Now that he heard about the function of the Saint Stone, he could not help but be taken by surprise.

Just one Saint Stone could allow a First Level Martial Emperor to make a breakthrough to the Second Level Martial Emperor in one fell swoop in a short period.

That was basically heaven-defying!

“That’s exactly how amazing it is!” Yang Hui’s eyes were filled with longing. It was only when he looked at Duan Ling Tian again that he retracted the lust in his eyes. “By now, you must understand why we’re so concerned about this edict issued by the Hidden Fog Island now, don’t you?”

“Yes.” Duan Ling Tian nodded. After finding out about the Saint Stone’s function, he could understand the emotions of the group of Martial Emperors and Demon Emperors including Yang Hui.

Which Martial Emperor and Demon Emperor did not want to raise their cultivation base rapidly?

For the sake of this alone, let alone getting people to join the Hidden Fog Martial Competition, even if they were asked to do some other difficult things, they would not so much as frown at all.

“Where does this Saint Stone come from?” Duan Ling Tian was very curious.

“I don’t really know as well where exactly… But one thing I’m sure of is that the Saint Stone isn’t a product of the four Overseas Saint Islands. I’ve even asked the Hidden Fog Island’s messenger about this before,” Yang Hui replied.

Even though he still had a thousand questions about the Saint Stone, Duan Ling Tian knew that he was far from even scratching the surface of that level yet.

Therefore, he did not proceed to ask any more questions.

He believed that once he had reached that level, all of the questions in his heart would finally be answered.

“How much do you know about the Hidden Fog Island?” Duan Ling Tian asked.

“I’ve only heard about the Hidden Fog Island after I broke through to the Martial Emperor,” Yang Hui replied, “The Hidden Fog Island is situated at the far north of the Cloud Continent’s north pole… It’d take six months for even a First Level Martial Emperor Stage to reach the Hidden Fog Island from the Cloud Continent even if he flew at his fastest speed.”

“Six months for even a First Level Martial Emperor Stage at his fastest speed?” Duan Ling Tian was amazed. “That far?”

“Distance isn’t the main problem here… The main problem is the ocean that you’d have to cross on your journey to the Hidden Fog Island. You’ll sometimes come across many Demons in the sea and some of them are even on the Demon Emperor Stage. Besides that, once the Martial Emperors in our Cloud Continent have raised their strength to a certain level till there’s nothing left for them to pursue anymore, they’ll usually go to the Hidden Fog Island and start a new journey there. For this reason, there are a lot of powerhouses on that island… Like me, even though I’m a Fourth Level Martial Emperor, I’d still have to be humble if I go to the Hidden Fog Island.”

…

Yang Hui continued to explain and introduce everything about the Hidden Fog Island to Duan Ling Tian.

“Have the Martial Emperors in the Cloud Continent been to the Hidden Fog Island before?” Duan Ling Tian asked. Right at this moment, he only felt that a mysterious world seemed to be opening its door gradually, waiting for him to enter.

“That’s right.” Yang Hui nodded before he continued again, “Casting aside all other people, just the messenger from the Hidden Fog Island who came to find me some time ago alone used to be a Martial Emperor who was very well-known in the Cloud Continent! By the time his name was spread all over the Cloud Continent, I’ve only just made my breakthrough to the Martial Emperor Stage.”

As Yang Hui reached the end, he sighed a little as if he recalled his own past.

“Since the Hidden Fog Island is willing to present the Saint Stone to all of you, it means that this Hidden Fog Martial Competition must be no ordinary martial competition… Do you know the main purpose of the Hidden Fog Island?” Duan Ling Tian asked.

Since the Saint Stone was so precious, he doubted that anyone on the Hidden Fog Island would be so kind-hearted. There must be a huge conspiracy behind this Hidden Fog Martial Competition.

“I’ve never heard of this before… But I guess the Hidden Fog Island must be seeking something,” Yang Hui answered.

As a Martial Emperor, of course, he was no idiot and could easily pinpoint this out.

“Is there any requirement for the people who enter this Hidden Fog Martial Competition?” Duan Ling Tian asked again.

“Yes.” Yang Hui nodded. “According to the Hidden Fog Island’s messenger, everyone who joins the Hidden Fog Martial Competition must have their age measured using the Age Measuring Pearl.”

“Participants must be below seventy years old?” Duan Ling Tian had some knowledge about the Age Measuring Pearl. He knew that it could measure someone’s age up till seventy years old at the most.

It could not measure the age of somebody who was over seventy years old.

“Yes,” Yang Hui affirmed again.

Then, the two of them continued with idle chat. After that, Yang Hui arranged for accommodation for Duan Ling Tian to stay in, just right beside his own residence. It was a small, stand-alone courtyard on a tiny stone platform.

There was a little house in the courtyard.

Sending Duan Ling Tian all the way to the door of the little house, Yang Hui told Duan Ling Tian, “Brother Ling Tian, I’ll do my utmost best to help check your origins… However, I hope you won’t spread the story about the Saint Stone. In fact, even my first direct disciple doesn’t know about the existence of it at all.”

“I understand.” Of course, he knew Yang Hui’s intention of keeping the Saint Stone a secret. It was because he did not want to let the Martial Emperor’s disciples under his command think that he asked them to risk their lives for the stone.

“In that case, I’ll bid my goodbye first.” Yang Hui proceeded to leave.

“Wait a minute.” However, Duan Ling Tian suddenly called out to him in a timely manner.

“Yes, anything else?” Yang Hui asked.

“There’s one thing that I hope you could help me with,” Duan Ling Tian answered.

“Just tell me,” Yang Hui straightforwardly said.

“There’s a pair of twin brothers with the surname Nangong among the people joining the selection of the Martial Emperors’ disciples and followers… Right now, they’ve already passed the second round of the selection and it’s already certain that they’ll become your Martial Emperor’s followers. If possible, I’d like to ask you to take care of them,” Duan Ling Tian told Yang Hui.

“They’re your…” Looking at him, before Yang Hui could finish his question, he was already cut off by the young man in purple. “They’re my friends.”

“Since they’re your friends, it means that they’re my friends too… Don’t worry, Brother Ling Tian. I won’t mistreat them,” Yang Hui quickly replied.