Chapter 176

176. Chapter 173: Elder Qu, Who Drank the Foot-Washing Water

The only remaining newly recruited disciple of the Twin Souls Sect, upon seeing Qu Yue Shan's condition, hurried over and slung the Elder onto his back.

Not only that, he carefully approached Ding Huan: "Big Brother Ding, Elder Qu is currently unable to move—may I carry him as we travel with everyone?"

Ding Huan's eyes flickered with mockery and a trace of pity—this poor fool still didn't know he'd been recruited by the Twin Souls Sect to be possessed.

When Elder Qu left earlier, he hadn't even glanced at him; now he's acting like a groveling lapdog—deserved.

"Paths are made by walking them—of course you can walk. Why ask me? Besides, you're carrying an injured man."

Ding Huan spoke with a smile, as if he had no conflict whatsoever with Elder Qu.

Mo Xueping, who had been observing Ding Huan from afar, felt a jolt in her chest.

Ding Huan truly was as his master had guessed: upon seeing Elder Qu severely wounded, he didn't kick him while he was down—he showed genuine understanding toward the Twin Souls Sect disciple.

Just then, Liu Liu Yinzhu's gaze swept over, and Mo Xueping instinctively lowered her head.

Was she really, as her master said, the one who would die faster if she stood in Ding Huan's place?

Regardless of what each person was thinking, the group continued forward.

Unlike before, the leader was still Ding Huan, the cook.

Even Master Qiong spoke to Ding Huan with a measure of respect.

He secretly trembled at the thought—if Elder Gu hadn't insisted on following Ding Huan into the forest, leaving him no choice but to follow, what would his fate be now?

He might not even have gotten the chance to lose his legs like Elder Qu—he'd likely be dead.

The entire day passed in silence, with nothing happening.

At night, when setting up camp, Elder Gu and Elder Liu took watch duty; the injured Elder Qu remained inside his tent to recover.

Ding Huan, as usual, studied array techniques inside his tent.

Basic arrays require the integration of position, momentum, technique, and space, and are tied to qi fields.

This sparked a sudden idea in Ding Huan: what if combined with talisman runes? No—what should be combined with arrays are array inscriptions…

He had never seen array inscriptions, but he had seen array patterns.

Ordinary arrays, like those set up by Elder Gu using array flags, could be instantly recognized and easily broken by any skilled practitioner.

For example, the invisible wall of patterns he encountered when arriving at the Dao Cultivation World from the Mortal World—was that an array?

If it was an array, it must be a top-tier grand array, likely tied to array patterns.

How could he learn about array patterns?

A feeling hovered in Ding Huan's mind, almost within reach—but no answer came.

Ding Huan vaguely felt that if he could uncover the relationship between array patterns and arrays, his array cultivation, once begun, might surpass Elder Gu.

Hmph—he hadn't even learned to walk yet, and already wanted to run.

First, he'd diligently study how to set up arrays with array flags.

"Big Brother Ding, may I come in?"

As Ding Huan pondered how long it would take him to set up a Level One defensive array, a familiar voice sounded outside.

Ding Huan instinctively reached out with his spiritual sense, then immediately restrained himself—he rose and opened the tent flap.

"You?" Ding Huan stared in surprise—he actually recognized the person.

The only remaining disciple of the Twin Souls Sect, who had begged him earlier that day for permission to carry Qu Yue Shan along with them.

"Come in," Ding Huan said indifferently—the man was merely a newly selected Twin Souls Sect disciple, no threat to him.

The disciple entered, immediately shut the tent flap, then bowed deeply:

"Big Brother Ding, I'm Yan Mei. I came here today specifically to seek your guidance."

Ding Huan was slightly taken aback:

"Yan Mei, we're just traveling together—if you can't solve your problem, I doubt I can either. If you truly have a difficulty, why not ask the two elders?"

Yan Mei replied earnestly:

"Big Brother Ding, I'm different from you. I'm just a lowly newly admitted outer sect disciple—I have no right to ask the two elders for help.

Besides, this matter, I can only ask you."

"Then speak," Ding Huan said, unconcerned.

He could speak with the two elders because everyone's survival depended on him now; Yan Mei truly had no access to them.

Yan Mei lowered his voice:

"Big Brother, today when I asked you if I could travel with you, I saw pity in your eyes.

I know you hold a grudge against Elder Qu—you wouldn't pity him. Please, Big Brother, show me the right path."

As he finished, Yan Mei moved to kneel.

Before Yan Mei could kneel, Ding Huan gestured lightly and lifted him up.

He was deeply shaken—those who survived were never lucky.

He had indeed felt a flicker of pity for Yan Mei, destined to be possessed—someone who joined a great sect with noble hopes, only to be stripped of his body—too cruel.

That single glance had been noticed—this man's observational skill was excruciatingly precise.

But Ding Huan didn't want to speak. His feud with Elder Qu involved no sect matters—even if Elder Qu wanted to kill him, it was solely Elder Qu's personal intent.

If he exposed the Twin Souls Sect's secret, then the sect's desire to kill him would become an entirely different matter.

"You're lucky—the Twin Souls Sect was wiped out, yet you survived," Ding Huan answered evasively.

Yan Mei sighed:

"After joining the Twin Souls Sect, I sensed I'd chosen the wrong sect.

Rumors said the Twin Souls Sect desperately sought new disciples and nurtured them wholeheartedly—but during these past dozen days traveling with their elders and stewards, I felt nothing of the sort.

When you first left the group to walk alone, I truly wanted to join you—but I dared not, because I knew if I stepped out, Elder Qu would kill me."

So when setting up camp at night, I deliberately made an excuse to leave the Shuanghun Sect's encampment and drew near to Zixia Valley, striking up idle chatter with a disciple of Zixia Valley.

Later, something truly happened—I saw Elder Qu pay no attention to his disciples and fled first himself; I immediately followed Elder Liu of Zixia Valley and barely escaped with my life."

Ding Huan stared at Yan Mei in surprise—this guy was terrifyingly sharp, no wonder he noticed my gaze.

No, this guy came to me behind Elder Qu's back precisely to find out what I thought.

He's cunning—and resourceful.

But it won't help him. Not at all, not with me.

"Big Brother Ding, I know Elder Qu is injured and poses no immediate threat to you, but I know this man—he holds grudges like a knife."

"He can't strike you himself, but he surely has friends—and Elder Qu won't let me go either..."

Earlier, since it didn't concern him, Ding Huan hadn't bothered to think about it.

Now that Yan Mei said Elder Qu wouldn't spare him—a new disciple of Shuanghun Sect—Ding Huan's mind clicked into place.

Yan Mei, carrying Elder Qu on her back, bowed low before this cook—and after this, if Elder Qu doesn't kill Yan Mei, then he isn't Qu Yueshan.

"You know Qu Yueshan won't spare you—yet you still dare this?" Ding Huan asked.

Yan Mei clenched his fists:

"Big Brother Ding, the moment I came to you behind Qu Yueshan's back to say this, I decided to kill Qu Yueshan."

￠o

Ding Huan was startled—this guy wanted to kill Qu Yueshan? How bold was he?

Even if Qu Yueshan had lost both legs, Yan Mei trying to kill him was like an egg smashing against a rock—even that was too generous; he wasn't even an egg.

Yan Mei's tone grew even more earnest:

"I have no means to kill Qu Yueshan—but I'm certain Big Brother Ding has a way. I came here today for two reasons."

"One is to ask why you looked at me with pity; the other is to beg Big Brother Ding to help me."

"If you have no solution, I'll leave the group myself and vanish into the mountains to fend for myself. I won't carry that old villain any longer—he doesn't deserve that much respect."

Ding Huan raised his thumb:

"Bold."

No matter what Yan Mei intended, killing Qu Yueshan could only benefit Ding Huan.

Without hesitation, Ding Huan pulled out the gene-toxin mist spray:

"This spray—you just mist it once, everyone in the room dies, including yourself."

"Take it. How you eliminate Qu Yueshan is up to you. If you survive, return it to me—and I'll tell you the answer."

Ding Huan didn't say what would happen if he died—but Yan Mei understood.

"Thank you, Big Brother Ding. I only hope you'll send me a message shortly after."

Yan Mei spoke, then pulled out a communication pearl and handed it to Ding Huan.

Ding Huan took it in hand and immediately understood how to use the communication pearl.

"Fine. I'll send you a message shortly."

Yan Mei thanked Ding Huan once more, then swiftly departed with the gene-toxin mist.

Ding Huan was genuinely curious how Yan Mei planned to kill Qu Yueshan and survive.

He could spray gene-toxin mist on others because he was immune—but Yan Mei clearly wasn't.

…

Qu Yueshan fumed inside his tent, teeth grinding.

As Yan Mei had guessed, he would never let Ding Huan go. Did he think losing both legs meant he could slip from his grasp?

Hah. Too naive.

At that very moment, sounds came from Yan Mei's neighboring tent—Yan Mei had returned.

To Yan Mei, Qu Yueshan was equally marked for death. A new disciple, without even asking his permission, went to beg Ding Huan for mercy—this shamed the entire Shuanghun Sect.

Worse still, this disciple had simply dumped him into the tent with no care, no service.

He hadn't even asked after him when he left—utterly disregarding him.

Thinking of this, Qu Yueshan's spiritual sense settled upon Yan Mei.

He saw Yan Mei holding an unfamiliar object, playing with it, clearly thrilled and excited.

"Can this mist really cleanse the spiritual root? And remove bodily yin and turbid qi?"

Yan Mei muttered softly to himself, carefully examining the object in his hand.

At that moment, his communication pearl suddenly glowed.

"Hmm? What does Elder Gu want with me?" Yan Mei frowned, puzzled.

He quickly stuffed the object into his bag and hurried out.

Almost the instant Yan Mei stepped out, Qu Yueshan's spiritual sense swept in—the mist spray hidden in Yan Mei's bag landed in his palm.

And a slit appeared in the tent between him and Yan Mei.

Made of something like colored glaze? Cleanses spiritual roots? Removes yin and turbid qi? Where did this fool get this?

Something that cleanses spiritual roots was worth more than a kingdom—how could it be packed in mere colored glaze?

Removing yin and turbid qi? That did match his wounds.

Qu Yueshan snorted, pressed his palm—and a wisp of mist sprayed out.

He held his breath instantly, snatched a detox pill, and swallowed it. Soon he confirmed: this wasn't poison.

He sprayed it again several times, a flicker of disdain in his eyes—this thing cleanses spiritual roots? Hah.