Chapter 165: 165. Chapter 163: To the Dao Cultivation World

165. Chapter 163: To the Dao Cultivation World

"What's your name?"

Guan Luan hadn't expected the last chef to arrive could cook such exquisite dishes.

But then again, it made sense—after all, her family's former steward had abused his power for personal gain, completely ignoring the household's needs.

It's questionable whether those few he picked were even chefs.

Killing him would be too kind.

"I'm Ding Huan. This is my pet, Lao Liu."

Ding Huan had brought Lao Liu along this time, since Lao Liu had to come with him to the Dao Cultivation World.

"How strong are you?"

To Ding Huan's surprise, Guan Luan asked a question utterly unrelated to cooking.

Ding Huan replied honestly:

"I'm decently strong. Over the years, I've traveled far and wide, faced many dangers, and survived them all."

Guan Luan nodded:

"Your cooking is excellent. Tomorrow, wait here and join me on the journey."

"Yes." Ding Huan quickly responded.

…

After spending another night outside, Ding Huan arrived at the Jin residence's gate early the next morning.

He didn't wait long before the Jin residence's gate opened and a large group emerged with Guan Luan.

After bidding farewell to her parents and family, she waved to Ding Huan:

"Ding Huan, let's go."

Ding Huan hurried forward, backpack on his back and Lao Liu beside him.

He had assumed that as the Young Lady of Yanyue Sect's future bride, Guan Luan would be surrounded by a retinue of maids and retainers when leaving the Jin residence.

To his surprise, she had only two people with her—one was him, the other a female servant.

"Qing Yu, teach Ding Huan anything he doesn't understand."

Guan Luan said to the female servant beside her.

"Yes, Luan-jie."

What puzzled Ding Huan was that this servant named Qing Yu didn't call her "Young Lady," but instead said "Luan-jie."

It seemed Qing Yu and Guan Luan had an unusually close relationship.

Guan Luan led Qing Yu and Ding Huan straight to the Yanyue Sect's pavilion at Immortal Connection Square, where a spaceship was already waiting.

"Young Lady Guan, please board."

As soon as Guan Luan arrived, a middle-aged man rushed forward with a beaming smile.

"Thank you, Elder Qiong," Guan Luan smiled and returned the greeting before boarding.

Ding Huan quickly followed Qing Yu and Guan Luan onto the spaceship with Lao Liu.

Ding Huan's spiritual sense was strong—he had already overheard murmurs behind him:

"Slots are so limited, yet she brings two mortals and even a monkey."

"Shut up, kid. You don't want to ruin your future in Yanyue Sect, do you?"

…

Perhaps that last remark had an effect—no one continued complaining about Guan Luan taking up too many slots.

From the sound's origin, Ding Huan could tell those two speakers were from Yanyue Sect.

They were likely Yanyue Sect Sect personnel assigned to the Mortal World to assist Elder Qiong in recruiting disciples.

There were plenty of seats on the spaceship, yet Ding Huan still didn't understand why it was so hard for mortals to reach the Dao Cultivation World.

They were so picky about even one or two extra people.

Yanyue Sect was a major sect in the Dao Cultivation World, and its disciple selection was extremely strict.

Though many had come to Immortal Connection Square for the sect's recruitment, Yanyue Sect had only taken in twenty-three disciples total.

From overhearing conversations outside, Ding Huan learned all twenty-three were outer-disciples.

This made Ding Huan realize the sect's recruitment didn't rely solely on talent—he knew many with exceptional talent had come to Immortal Connection Square for the selection.

Since all were outer-disciples, that meant Yanyue Sect's inner-disciples advanced through other means.

At this moment, not just Yanyue Sect, but all other sects' spaceships were also departing Immortal Connection Square one after another.

Yanyue Sect's spaceship carried thirty-two people: twenty-five were outer-disciples, plus Guan Luan and Ding Huan.

The remaining seven: one pilot, one who greeted Guan Luan—Elder Qiong, four recruitment officers.

The last one was the strongest—Yanyue Sect's elder.

Ding Huan dared not scan with his spiritual sense, but he could tell this Yanyue Sect elder's strength, while perhaps not matching Zhi Qi's, was certainly not far behind.

After Yanyue Sect's spaceship broke through Immortal Connection Square, Ding Huan still felt puzzled.

With this ship's speed, a month's flight—how far away was Yanyue Sect?

And if they were already aboard the ship, why did Guan Luan need him—a chef?

The spaceship didn't fly for over a month as Ding Huan expected—it stopped after only two days.

As Ding Huan stepped off the spaceship with the Yanyue Sect elder, he still wondered: Is this it?

Yet the surrounding heavenly qi confirmed they were still in the Mortal World.

A massive ripple wall appeared before Ding Huan.

Though Ding Huan had seen many strange things, he had never seen a ripple wall like this before.

At that moment, the elder stood before the ripple wall and spoke loudly:

"Everyone, when I open the Dao-Fan Wall, enter one by one, and move as quickly as possible."

With that, the elder pulled out a formation flag and waved it; a passage opened in the ripple wall.

Master Qiong was the first to step through the passage, and the rest followed. Ding Huan, with Lao Liu and Qingyu, followed Guan Cuan into the ripple wall.

Only now did Ding Huan understand why mortals could not enter the Dao Cultivation World.

Which mortal could cross this ripple wall?

The Yanyue Sect elder used a formation flag to open a gate—this cost must have been substantial.

Ding Huan did not know what the cost was, but he assumed it must be tied to Yanyue Sect's resources.

The Yanyue Sect disciple controlling the airship likely resided permanently in the Mortal World and had not come along.

Thus, the number of those who crossed became thirty-one.

Thick streams of heavenly and earthly Qi surged over them; Ding Huan could not help but exhale deeply.

This was the true Dao Cultivation World—if he had reached Foundation Establishment, training here would be paradise.

The only thing confusing Ding Huan was that everything before his eyes was desolate.

The sky carried a faint crimson glow, as if stained with blood.

There were powerful beings here; he dared not extend his spiritual sense carelessly, but Ding Huan's eyesight was exceptionally sharp.

In the distance, not a trace of human habitation could be seen.

Where were the Dao Cultivation sects?

Why were there no Dao Cultivation sects in such a place rich with heavenly and earthly Qi?

As Ding Huan still pondered, Master Qiong stepped forward:

"All of you are the new disciples our Yanyue Sect has recruited this time, but whether you become disciples remains uncertain."

Ding Huan, being merely a cook, did not care about these words.

The twenty-three outer sect disciples, however, turned pale as earth.

What did that mean?

Could they still be rejected after arriving here? If rejected, wouldn't they be doomed in the Dao Cultivation World?

Master Qiong continued:

"From here to Yanyue Sect, we still have over a month's journey, and along the way we must pass through several dangerous zones filled with powerful beast beasts and sinkholes."

I cannot speak for other sects, nor do I know their affairs, but seventy years ago, when our Yanyue Sect completed recruitment and returned home, every single one of our members vanished in these dangerous zones.

Not even you, nor our sect's own deacons and elders, returned..."

"Then why not return by airship?" someone in the crowd asked quietly.

Master Qiong snorted coldly:

"From the beginning until now, not even our Dao Cultivation sects, nor the powerful from the Ascension Realm, dare fly across this region by airship."

Do you know how strong the strongest flying beast beasts in this region are? They can effortlessly sweep away nearly half of the Dao Cultivation World's sects."

Everyone drew a sharp breath.

To these new disciples, Dao Cultivation sects were places inhabited by beings like immortals.

No one knew how many such immortal sects existed across the entire Dao Cultivation World—yet just now, Master Qiong said a single beast could effortlessly sweep away nearly half?

Master Qiong ignored the newcomers' shock and grew even more grave:

"Therefore, everyone must stay close behind Elder Gu and me. No one is allowed to leave the group alone. No one is allowed to shout or make noise. Understood?"

Everyone responded in unison: "Yes."

What joke? After hearing how dangerous this place was, even if they were allowed to leave the group, none would dare.

Ding Huan finally understood why Guan Cuan needed a cook—and one with decent strength.

In such a remote wilderness, if Guan Cuan truly cared about her meals, it would be hard to prepare them well.

This also revealed Guan Cuan's Young Lady temperament.

In such a perilous place, everyone was here seeking a path to immortality—yet she still worried about her meals and provisions. It was beyond words.

Was she not marrying the Shao Sect Master, what right did she have to bring a personal cook along?

After speaking just a few words, Master Qiong and Elder Gu led the way ahead.

Ding Huan and the other twenty-five, plus Lao Liu, walked in the middle; the remaining four Yanyue Sect cultivators brought up the rear.

Perhaps because Master Qiong had described the dangers so vividly, no one chattered along the way.

Everyone moved with extreme caution, staying firmly in the center of the path.

Those selected to join the sect, even as newcomers, still had decent skills.

Thus, they advanced swiftly; by the time dusk just touched the horizon, they had covered hundreds of li.

Ding Huan noticed several new disciples whose cultivation was too weak to keep pace.

If they couldn't keep up after such a short distance, they would surely fall behind later, with far longer stretches ahead.

He did not believe Master Qiong would slow the entire group just because of a few slow disciples.

Of course, it had nothing to do with him—he was merely a passerby compared to the rest of Yanyue Sect's disciples.

When a vast, endless gorge appeared before them, Master Qiong halted:

"We will rest here tonight. We enter the Dahu Gorge at first light tomorrow."

With so many newcomers, even Yanyue Sect's elders and deacons dared not travel at night.

Ding Huan gazed at the distant gorge; both sides were uneven forests stretching beyond sight.

Even from afar, he could faintly see mist curling through those forests.

Before even entering the Dahu Gorge, a chilling aura had already enveloped them.