Chapter 1070: Elder Duan
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
A young man who looked like he was in his twenties made the senior officials from the Lu clan, one of the two largest forces in the Northern Mountain Land, bow to invite him to be their First Interim Advisor.
Duan Ling Tian’s expression was carefree when faced with the sincere invitation from the Lu Clan’s senior officials like the one being invited was not him. It was as though he would remain calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before his eyes.
At this moment, the Clan Leader of Lu Clan, Lu Rui’s words echoed in Duan Ling Tian’s ears.
"... In the future, if Master Duan needs anything, the Lu Clan will try its best to obtain it for Master Duan!"
Was that not the reason he came to the Lu Clan?
"Since Lu Bai is a friend and seeing how sincere the Clan Leader of Lu Clan and all the elders are, it would unreasonable for me to refuse..."
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Duan Ling Tian slowly spoke. He had seized the opportunity and indirectly did Lu Bai a favor.
He said yes.
As expected, the senior officials from Lu Clan turned to look at Lu Bai after Duan Ling Tian stopped talking. He immediately became the center of attention.
"Lu Bai, you did well." The Clan Leader of Lu Clan, Lu Rui, nodded as he looked appreciatively at Lu Bai.
For a moment, Lu Bai could not help but feel a little scared.
Although he was the Lu Clan’s Second Young Master, he was only second among the younger generation of the Lu Clan’s lineal disciples.
Relationship-wise, the Clan Leader of Lu Clan was his second cousin once removed.
The younger generation of the Lu Clan’s lineal disciples was ranked according to their age. Currently, there were more than twenty of them... Lu Bai was ranked second, hence he was known as the Lu Clan’s Second Young Master.
The next Clan Leader would be chosen among them.
Currently, the ones who had the highest chance to inherit the Clan Leader position was Lu Bai, the Lu Clan’s Second Young Master, and the Lu Clan’s First Young Master.
Since Lu Bai was praised by the Clan Leader, it showed that he was undoubtedly one step closer to inheriting the position of Clan Leader.
"Even when the Second Young Master was very young, I knew he wasn’t simple. In fact, I thought he was a promising child... It seems that I’m right judging by how things turned out. He managed to win over a very important person for the Lu Clan this time."
"Judging from the relationship between the Second Young Master and Master Duan, there’s no need to worry about the prosperity of Lu Clan if he inherits the position of Clan Leader, right?"
"You’re right."
Meanwhile, many of the Lu Clan’s elders began to flatter Lu Bai.
The elders who sided with Lu Bai seized the opportunity to express the benefits if Lu Bai became the next Clan Leader of the Lu Clan.
The elders who sided with the Lu Clan’s First Young Master, Lu Song, looked at each other and smiled bitterly.
They would have taunted their rival if they heard them flattering the Second Young Master in ordinary circumstances. However, they did not dare to do so now.
Who knew if Master Duan would leave if they acted without thinking.
After all, he was a friend of the Second Young Master, Lu Bai, and they seemed to be close.
They did not want to become a traitor to the Lu Clan so they could only dutifully remain silent.
Meanwhile, some of them were filled with anxieties as they deliberated over abandoning their master and showing their allegiance to the Second Young Master, Lu Bai.
Since the Second Young Master, Lu Bai had a connection with a grade one alchemist, his position in the Lu Clan would definitely rise in the long run.
Even the Lu Clan’s Clan Leader and three Guardian Elders would pay more attention to him who was previously in a weaker position.
Lu Bai could not help but smile bitterly to himself when he heard the elders, who had previously remained impartial, flatter him to show their allegiance. Those impartial Lu Clan’s elders did not side with him or Lu Song previously.
He did expect that just a word from Duan Ling Tian would be more effective than his careful planning for the past ten years.
He had planned for ten years before some of the Lu Clan’s elders came to his side to help him.
However, Lu Bai was also comforted by the thought.
After all, Duan Ling Tian was a grade one alchemist. His existence in the Lu Clan was superior and inviolable.
In fact, there was no need for him to fight Lu Song at all if Lu Bai was a grade one alchemist. There would be no dissent even if he wanted the current Clan Leader to abdicate so he could take the position for himself.
In the Lu Clan, one’s status would be above everyone else as long as one managed to break through and become a grade one alchemist.
If he said one, no one in the Lu Clan would dare to say two. That included the Clan Leader and the other Lu Clan’s Martial Monarch powerhouses.
The earliest rule that was passed down in the Lu Clan stated that a grade one alchemist had the highest status in the Lu Clan regardless of whether he was a lineal disciple or a secondary disciple.
It was a rule that could not be violated.
Perhaps, that was the reason the people from Lu Clan reacted like a mouse encountering a cat when they met a grade one alchemist.
"However, I killed the Third Young Master of Lu Clan earlier. Won’t I be punished after I become the Lu Clan’s Interim Elder?" Duan Ling Tian suddenly said at the moment when the people of Lu Clan were rejoicing. It was as though he had suddenly poured cold water on them while they were taking a hot shower.
One by one, they regained their senses and collect their stray thoughts.
"Of course not!" The Clan Leader of Lu Clan, Lu Rui, was the first to recover and immediately shook his head.
"Lu Huai, that boy had always been trouble... I think Elder Duan wouldn’t have killed him if he didn’t actively provoke Elder Duan," Lu Zhi, the Lu Clan’s Guardian Elder, added.
When Lu Zhi spoke, he addressed Duan Ling Tian as Elder Duan.
From the moment Duan Ling Tian promised to be a Lu Clan’s Interim Elder, he was already considered a prestigious Lu Clan’s elder.
As stated by the Clan Leader, Lu Rui, he was the Lu Clan’s first Interim Advisor!
In light of his position, even Lu Rui had to be respectful to him.
To a certain extent, his current status in the Lu Clan was above everyone else.
"You’re right! In the past, I’ve always thought that Lu Huai boy had shifty eyes and didn’t look like a good man. Elder Duan, you did well by killing him. You got rid of a Lu Clan’s scourge," the other Guardian Elder, Lu Yuan, continued saying.
"Yes, Elder Duan, you helped clean up the Lu Clan. There’s no way we’ll punish you. In fact, we must thank you."
The Guardian Elder, Lu Gui, who previously proclaimed that he wanted to deal with Duan Ling Tian personally to avenge Lu Huai, had completely changed his attitude. The change was so drastic that everyone present was dumbfounded.
However, no one dared to say anything.
It was not a joke!
They were not like Duan Ling Tian who was a grade one alchemist.
If they dared to gossip about this Lu Clan’s Guardian Elder, he would never let it go. Even if he did not deal with them now due to his reputation, he would find a chance to deal with them later on.
"If one describes the Cloud Continent as a starry sky and the people on Cloud Continent as the stars in it... Young Master’s undoubtedly the brightest one!" Xiong Quan stood in the distance with a smile on his face. He was proud to be able to follow a master like Duan Ling Tian.
However, he could not help but feel dejected when he recalled his insignificant strength.
He would not be able to help his Young Master with his current strength, he would only drag him down.
’I hope I can further improve my strength by relying on the Lu clan... According to the Young Master, I can use spirit fruits to boost my cultivation and use that Profound Assimilation Formation to improve my comprehension of the Sword Concept." Xiong Quan recalled what Duan Ling Tian said to him not too long ago.
’This Lu Clan should have spirit fruits and that Profound Assimilation Formation, right?’ Xiong Quan felt a little anxious when he thought about this.
"Alright then."
Although Duan Ling Tian was certain the senior officials from the Lu Clan would not seek revenge after he revealed his identity, he was still glad when he heard them verbally confirming it.
He never thought the identity of a grade one alchemist could be so useful.
’Of course, that’s because the Lu Clan’s family is an alchemist family... Other families might not be so accommodating." Duan Ling Tian understood this very well.
"Elder Duan, you’ve been traveling on the road, and I’m sure you’re tired. Please rest in the estate," Lu Rui said warmly to Duan Ling Tian before he looked at Lu Bai. "Let Lu Bai bring you there."
"There’s no rush... I still want to see the Alchemist Competition," Duan Ling Tian said as he shook his head.
Although it was impossible for him to join the Alchemist Competition now, he was still interested in observing. It was the first alchemist competition he had ever seen in his life.
He was very curious and excited.
He was curious about how the Alchemist Competition was judged as well as the alchemists’ levels in the Foreign Lands.
He was excited about seeing a group of alchemists in action. It was his first time seeing so many alchemists.
"Since Elder Duan is so interested, we’ll accompany you then," Lu Rui said to Duan Ling Tian as he smiled.
The other senior officials from the Lu Clan nodded. They did not have any other opinion nor did they dare to have any other opinion.
"Clan Leader, elders, I’m just taking a look... All of you can head back and rest," Duan Ling Tian hurriedly said. He was discomfited by the enthusiasm of the Lu Clan’s senior officials.
Lu Zhi smiled and said to Duan Ling Tian, "Elder Duan, the reason we want to stay is to hear your opinion on the young ones... Since you’re here, I think you should be the main judge of the Alchemist Competition."
However, the smile on his face looked like the smile of an old fox in Duan Ling Tian’s eyes.
"Yes, Elder Duan. All of us would like to hear your opinion on the young ones." The group of Lu Clan’s elders seized the opportunity and agreed with him.