Chapter 228

228. Chapter 225: Blue Star

The former main hall of Zixiagu Sect now held thirty-nine people seated within.

Ding Huan sat in the Sect Leader's seat, with Liu Yinzhu and Sang Yuhe seated on either side.

Below them sat a group of disciples: Qin Qingshan, Yan Mei, Guan Chuan, Mo Huoping, Shen Jiankai, Chen Ding, and others.

Even Lao Liu had secured a seat, positioned near Ding Huan's side.

Qin Qingshan and the others had tacitly accepted Ding Huan's succession as Sect Leader; the former Sect Leader had always regarded Ding Huan as the Young Sect Leader.

Ding Huan's gaze settled on the assembly, and he spoke slowly:

"All of you were once disciples, elders, or stewards of Zixiagu Sect. Under the leadership of a band of useless drunkards, Zixiagu collapsed."

"Without me and Elder Liu arriving in time, not even one-tenth of you here would have survived."

Ding Huan's words were harsh, but no one found them offensive.

For the elders—including the Sect Leader—had indeed been useless drunkards, allowing an enemy to storm the sect's gates and annihilating every single disciple and elder.

The sect that attacked us was Jiuyin Sect, a minor sect Zixiagu once dismissed entirely. What else could such incompetence be called but cowardice?

"So Zixiagu Sect died two years ago. Today, I sit here and invite you to sit here because we will establish a new sect right here…"

Ding Huan's words left Qin Qingshan and the disciples stunned: establish a new sect on Zixiagu's land?

They were Zixiagu disciples.

Qin Qingshan noticed Liu Yinzhu showed no surprise—he realized the elder had known of this all along.

He sighed. After so many years in Zixiagu, suddenly switching sects felt unnatural.

Ding Huan was strong, but was he strong enough to establish a new sect?

The disciples murmured among themselves.

Some of the disciples here were still laborers; they cared little what the sect became.

"Everyone, quiet down."

When the assembly had digested the news, Ding Huan spoke again:

"If any of you do not wish to join the new sect, I will not force you. But the next meeting is for sect members only. Those unwilling to join may leave now."

"Since we are currently in sealed-mountain status, I cannot let you depart immediately. But I swear: after one year, you may leave unharmed."

Ding Huan waited for their responses. Those unwilling to join his new sect would naturally leave.

Seeing two disciples hesitate, Ding Huan said bluntly:

"If you wish to leave, rest assured: once the sect's protective array activates, you may depart. With Elder Liu here, you need not fear I will deceive you."

"Thank you, Elder. Since Zixiagu is gone, I, He Xinxin, have no desire to join another sect. When the sealed-mountain array activates, I will leave."

The first to speak was a young woman, at Qi Condensation Seventh Layer.

After He Xinxin, two male disciples stood: Si Baiye, Qi Condensation Seventh Layer, and Chong Qusheng, Qi Condensation Sixth Layer.

Ding Huan said:

"Very well. You may temporarily reside on the Outer Disciples Peak. Remember: before the sect's array activates, do not leave the Outer Disciples Peak, or you will be trapped in the confinement array."

"Yes." The three disciples bowed and immediately exited the main hall.

Though their reasons sounded noble, everyone in the hall understood the truth.

It was simply that Ding Huan's cultivation was too weak—occupying Zixiagu was suicide.

When the sealed-mountain array activated, that would be Ding Huan's death.

So they preferred to decide early and flee the moment the gates opened.

After the three left, Ding Huan continued:

"I know some among you still wish to leave, fearing I might silence you. I tell you plainly: leave boldly. I will do nothing to harm you."

No one moved.

Some did want to leave—they trusted Ding Huan's promise not at all, so they dared not act.

Qin Qingshan stood up abruptly:

"Sect Leader, without you, we would have been dead long ago. My life belongs to you, Qin Qingshan."

"I don't care if you build a sect—or if you retake Jiuyin Sect. I'm with you."

With Qin Qingshan's declaration, the other disciples—even the laborers—rose one by one, pledging to join the new sect.

"Good. Then I will state two things. First: the sect's name. Second: the sect's cultivation technique."

"Sect Leader, we all cultivate the Qinghong Scripture. Won't we continue with it?" Qin Qingshan asked, puzzled.

Frankly, he had already reached Foundation Establishment—changing techniques now was pointless.

Besides, there were two True Core elders here. How could they change techniques?

Moreover, the Qinghong Scripture had been refined over centuries by Zixiagu's ancestors—it was their collective legacy. To abandon it?

Ding Huan spoke calmly:

"The technique must be changed. Otherwise, I might as well not build this sect at all. I don't demand you defeat opponents of higher realms—only that you be invincible within your own realm…"

All the disciples, including Qin Qingshan, froze.

Invincible within one's own realm? Even Zixiagu, let alone the entire Daoist world—or even the mighty Huangshen Sect—could not claim all its disciples were invincible at their level.

Only Sang Yuhe and Liu Yinzhu had no doubt, for Ding Huan wasn't merely invincible within his realm—he had killed a Nascent Soul Completion elder just days ago.

Why had Gu Sect Leader dared not move against Elder He? Honestly, Elder He's status was only part of it. More importantly, Gu Sect Leader simply lacked the power to challenge him.

"The sect I establish will be called Blue Star Sect. The cultivation technique will be called the Small Universe Art…"

No one knew what "Blue Star Sect" meant, but "Small Universe Art" sounded absurdly grandiose.

At least it was only "Small Universe Art." If it were "Great Universe Art," it would be even more ridiculous.

"Sect Leader, must I change my technique too?" Yan Mei asked reluctantly.

He felt that cultivating the Great Wasteland Divine Jade Art was very good; besides, he had already reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining, complete. Moreover, he had already modified the technique once—could he really modify it again?

Ding Huan said with certainty:

"Your technique is no good; it must be modified, otherwise your strength will be the lowest in the sect."

There was one more sentence Ding Huan did not say: the strongest guy who cultivated the Great Wasteland Divine Jade Art has now taken him as his master, yet you still treat the Great Wasteland Divine Jade Art as a treasure—have you no ambition?

If anyone else had said this, Yan Mei would have snorted in contempt.

When Ding Huan said it, he truly believed it.

It could be said that in the Triple Heaven Star Land, apart from his parents, the person he trusted most was Ding Huan.

Whatever Ding Huan set out to do, he basically never failed. A few days ago, he had heard that Brother Huan had taken down Elder He.

The matter of taking down Elder He greatly encouraged him; if Elder He were not killed, then talking about establishing a sect would be a joke.

"Brother Huan, what about me?" Old Six said timidly from the side.

He had already given up on himself, because he had never managed Foundation Establishment.

"You don't need to worry. Once things here are done, you'll also cultivate the Little Universe Art. However, the way you cultivate will be a little different—I'll explain later."

Ding Huan offered a word of comfort to Old Six; lately Old Six had been somewhat listless, nothing like the high spirits he'd had in West Wind City.

Holed up in this place, unable to advance his cultivation, unable to flaunt his power—for him, living and being dead made little difference.

Ding Huan took out a jade slip:

"This is the cultivation method for the Little Universe Art up to Star Nurturing Completion. One for each of you. Then I'll teach everyone how to cultivate the Little Universe Art."

"Sect Master, what is Star Nurturing?" Qin Qingshan asked, puzzled.

Ding Huan explained:

"My Blue Star Sect creates its own school; its technique system is also its own. The entry point of the Little Universe Art is condensing star dust. After star dust is complete, it is not Foundation Establishment, but condensing a star cloud.

After the star cloud is perfected, it is also not the True Pill realm, but the Star Nurturing realm—nurturing the star cloud into a star mountain, prepared solely for nurturing the birth of stars. Therefore, the strongest stage of my Little Universe Art at the same tier is the Star realm…"

Everyone fell silent.

They could accept joining a new sect, but the cultivation system ingrained in their consciousness was etched into their very bones; this kind of change they truly could not accept all at once.

This time Ding Huan did not say that anyone who couldn't accept it could leave. He waited for the crowd to settle a little, then said:

"Everyone, what is the purpose of your cultivation? Longevity? Strength? Freedom? Or seeking the mysteries of the vast universe?

So no matter what your purpose in cultivating is, there is one thing I can be sure of—you are not cultivating for others, nor to be watched by others.

If you can't even see through this one point, then you are not suited to remain in Blue Star Sect.

What I cultivate is the Universe Art. Back when I was still at Star Cloud Completion, I easily killed a True Pill realm cultivator. Elder Sang Yuhe here can testify to that."

Sang Yuhe was stunned; hearing Ding Huan's words she realized that when Ding Huan killed Qi Yushan, he wasn't even at True Pill yet.

According to what Ding Huan said, wasn't Star Cloud equivalent to Foundation Establishment? In other words, Ding Huan at Foundation Establishment could kill a True Pill realm powerhouse.

"Sect Master, I'm willing to switch techniques, but I've already established Foundation—how can I switch to the Little Universe Art?"

Qin Qingshan was a late Foundation Establishment cultivator; he was not completely in the dark.

From the scraps Elder Liu had let slip, he vaguely knew that the first step of Ding Huan's plan to found a sect in Purple Xia Valley was to wipe out Elder He, the Nascent Soul powerhouse in Purple Xia Valley.

Since Ding Huan could now found a sect here, it meant he had wiped out Elder He.

Ding Huan smiled:

"Don't worry about that. The first step of the Little Universe Art I'm giving you is dispersing your cultivation. Newly recruited disciples afterward will no longer have this step."

"Sect Master, we are menial disciples." A young servant stepped forward uneasily and said.

Ding Huan looked at the young servant who had stepped forward:

"From the moment you stay here, you are already an inner disciple of the sect. We don't have menial disciples here—at least, not now."

"Thank you, Sect Master." The twelve menial disciples bowed excitedly in salute.

In this last great battle, the survival rate of the menial disciples was actually the highest.

Ding Huan spread his hand, and over thirty jade slips landed in each person's hand:

"Everyone begin dispersing your cultivation now. As soon as your cultivation is dispersed, immediately begin cultivating the Little Universe Art. This way, everyone's cultivation can recover to their current level in the shortest time possible."