Chapter 256: 256. Chapter 253: The Dominant Lord Ding

256. Chapter 253: The Dominant Lord Ding

Seeing Ding Huan's killing domain nearly crush Lu Yuan, Mo Zheng decided not to intervene.

He could not stop Ding Huan from killing Lu Yuan, and with Ding Huan's strength, he could kill Mo Zheng just as easily.

Crack! Lu Yuan's dual-gan-chan domain collapsed, and despair surged in his heart.

He helplessly watched Ding Huan's Parting Spear whip up a killing domain and surge toward his brow, desperately wanting to dodge—but he was completely locked in place by Ding Huan's killing aura, his body struggling to move, let alone evade.

Boom! A red shadow shot into Ding Huan's killing domain and forcibly rescued Lu Yuan just as the Parting Spear was about to pierce his brow.

Lu Yuan gasped, retreating a dozen steps to stand beside Cen Fengqin. As before, he dared not retrieve the spare dual-gan-chan.

Losing both his main and spare treasures in two consecutive battles with Ding Huan was a profound humiliation for any cultivator.

Yet Lu Yuan felt no shame at all—his eyes held a sense of relief.

So what if he lost his treasures? At least he had escaped with his life.

Hu Wuxin had not acted, but the woman he brought had not disappointed him.

Seeing Cen Fengqin intervene, Hu Wuxin was speechless, shaking his head inwardly.

This woman must have grown too accustomed to luxury—how could she meddle in something like this?

Without even understanding the full context, she had dragged her sect into conflict with Ding Huan, a man with limitless potential—what else could this be but stupidity?

"Stop! This is the Ascension Platform!"

After blocking Ding Huan's Parting Spear and saving Lu Yuan's life, Cen Fengqin shouted at Ding Huan.

Ding Huan acted as if he heard nothing, stepping forward and unleashing a killing domain with his Parting Spear, engulfing Lu Yuan.

Earlier, when he had attacked, he hadn't even used a divine technique.

Now that this woman had interfered, Ding Huan directly summoned the second strike of the Nine Divine Techniques: Annihilation.

As soon as the Annihilation technique was unleashed, the killing domain formed, locking Lu Yuan—who was already over ten zhang away—with a violent killing aura.

Lu Yuan felt an unbearable unease, as if his Primordial Spirit was about to leave his body.

Cen Fengqin flew into rage, her Golden Phoenix Whip transforming into a whirl of golden whip shadows.

But before her Golden Phoenix Whip technique could fully strike, she felt a terrifying killing vortex form in the center of her own technique domain.

The next instant, her whip shadows shattered completely, and cold sweat poured down Cen Fengqin's back.

If Ding Huan had attacked her now, she would be dead or critically wounded.

Cen Fengqin abandoned all pride and fled wildly backward.

Fortunately, his domain had not locked onto her—she easily escaped Ding Huan's killing range.

Lu Yuan was not so fortunate—the killing domain summoned by the Parting Spear completely annihilated him.

Within the killing domain, spear intentions slashed like torrents.

One spear, one world; where the spear passed, all dust vanished.

Puff! Blood exploded—before his Primordial Spirit was destroyed, Lu Yuan clearly saw his body torn apart like rags, then dissolve into a mist of blood.

He regretted it: knowing Ding Huan was dangerous, why had he fixated on Zi Yuan Zhongshan?

Knowing the others were unreliable, why had he allied with them?

If Mo Zheng had fully intervened, combined with Cen Fengqin, they might have stood a chance against Ding Huan.

Boom! His Primordial Spirit shattered completely.

Ding Huan swept his hand, snatching up Lu Yuan's ring, then planted his spear into the ground and looked at Mo Zheng.

"Are you Mo Zheng, the Lord of Zhenyun Dao City?"

Mo Zheng bowed: "Correct. I am Mo Zheng, honored to meet Lord Ding."

Cen Fengqin, who had been driven back by Ding Huan's Yellow Flower Killing, stared at him in shock, too stunned to approach and vent her fury.

She was at the early stage of Void Spirit, but she was a Void Spirit cultivator from the Ascension Realm.

She could not discern Ding Huan's true cultivation level, but that vortex of killing aura was terrifyingly brutal.

She was certain—if they fought, he could kill her effortlessly.

"I heard your Zhenyun Dao City, together with the Five Dan Dao Sect, the Cultivation Merchants' Guild, and the Yanyue Sect, founded Zi Yuan City to seize Zi Yuan Zhongshan from my Lanxing Sect?"

Ding Huan's tone was direct, with no hint of circumlocution.

Mo Zheng had watched clearly as Ding Huan killed Lu Yuan—Cen Fengqin's intervention had failed to stop him.

In truth, his own cultivation was slightly higher than Lu Yuan's—only slightly.

If Ding Huan could track him down and kill Lu Yuan here, he could easily kill Mo Zheng too.

Sensing the gap between his strength and Ding Huan's, Mo Zheng no longer hesitated and spoke plainly:

"Lord Ding, I deeply regret that Zi Yuan City has seized Zi Yuan Zhongshan. You cannot blame me for this.

When Zi Yuan City was founded, the Lanxing Sect had not yet been established—it was Lu Yuan who led its formation. When Lu Yuan gathered in Zi Yuan City, I told Qiu Qiu Kujin to withdraw from it.

I never expected things to escalate this far. I don't know what Qiu Qiu Kujin said—I haven't even met him yet."

At that moment, Hu Wuxin laughed and bowed:

"Lord Ding, perhaps you don't know me, but I've long heard your name reverberate through the realms.

Mo City Lord is absolutely correct—I advised him during the Ascension Realm assembly, and what he said is true: he truly intended to withdraw from Zi Yuan City."

Xin Can did not understand why the ever-cunning Alliance Leader would now take Mo Zheng's side.

Hearing Hu Wuxin defend him, Mo Zheng exhaled in relief.

But as he noticed Ding Huan remained silent after Hu Wuxin spoke, his heart tightened—could this Lord Ding still intend to kill him?

Given Ding Huan's past, it was not impossible—how else had the Shuang Hun Sect been wiped out?

Just then, he suddenly heard Hu Wuxin's mental whisper:

"Mo City Lord, Lord Ding has no intention of fighting—he only seeks compensation."

Hu Wuxin transmitted a message, and Ding Huan immediately sensed the change in the rules; he was too lazy to eavesdrop on Hu Wuxin's transmission.

Mo Zheng suddenly understood, and just as he was about to speak, Ding Huan said:

"Do you know where any Starry Spirit Veins are?"

The moment Ding Huan spoke these words, even the most clueless person knew Ding Huan was demanding compensation in the form of a Starry Spirit Vein.

If Mo Zheng had a Starry Spirit Vein on him, he would hand it over to Ding Huan without hesitation.

But he truly did not possess one, and as he struggled for words, Hu Wuxin spoke again:

"Ding Zongzhu needs a Starry Spirit Vein? There are two places where they can be found."

Hearing this, Ding Huan immediately perked up and bowed quickly:

"I humbly ask, Hu Mengzhu, for your guidance."

Hearing Ding Huan's words, Hu Wuxin felt greatly reassured.

He and Ding Huan had their own grievances—earlier, when the Zongzhu of Shuanghun Sect, the Zongzhu of Yanyue Sect, and the Zongzhu of WanShou Men led their forces to surround Lansheng Sect, he had been behind the scenes inciting them.

If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have cared.

Because others might not notice, or might not dare to ask.

For Ding Huan, he would never underestimate him—this Ding Zongzhu was simply too terrifying.

He was certain that Ding Huan knew he had a hand in the three sects' attack on Lansheng Sect.

Now that Ding Huan was seeking his advice, it meant Ding Huan was willing to let go of this grudge—on the condition that the locations Hu Wuxin provided for the Starry Spirit Veins were truthful.

Hu Wuxin pulled out a jade slip, carved some markings into it, and handed it to Ding Huan:

"Ding Zongzhu, these are two of the locations. You may go and check them out when the time comes. Once this matter is settled, why not join me for a brief visit to Liangjie City?"

"It concerns some matters from the Ascension Realm, and they also involve you, Ding Zongzhu."

Ding Huan was about to ask something, but upon hearing Hu Wuxin's invitation, he nodded and said:

"Very well, then I'll be taking your hospitality."

He wasn't afraid of these people, but he still had Lansheng Sect here.

So cultivating ties with them was necessary.

Having wandered for so many years, Ding Huan long knew that in most cases, people have no eternal hatred—only eternal interests.

But in rare cases, when someone crossed his sacred boundary, no amount of interest could deter his resolve for revenge.

Hu Wuxin laughed heartily and turned to Cen Fengqin again:

"Madam Cen, please go ahead."

Letting Cen Fengqin go first was a full display of respect.

Cen Fengqin feared Ding Huan—having witnessed his swift killing of Lu Yuan, she dared not provoke him further for now.

Who could say what that madman might do in a fit of rage? If he truly killed her, even if her sect avenged her by killing Ding Huan, what good would that do her?

Once she reached the Ascension Realm, she would make this petty Zongzhu understand what a major sect truly was.

For now, she would let him boast a little longer.

Hu Wuxin had invited her to go first, so she nodded to him and walked ahead toward Liangjie City.

Ding Huan silently thought: Hu Wuxin was truly a master manipulator—his actions were flawless.

He turned and asked Shen Jiankai:

"What just happened?"

No matter what, if any Lansheng Sect disciple had bullied someone, he would not let it slide.

Shen Jiankai bowed deeply and recounted the entire incident without concealment or exaggeration.

Ding Huan nodded:

"Well done. Remember: Lansheng Sect disciples do not bully others, nor will anyone ever bully Lansheng Sect. Whoever wants your life—you take theirs."

"Yes, Zongzhu!" Hearing this, Shen Jiankai instantly felt his spine straighten.

This was far more satisfying than in Zixia Valley—back then, the sect taught them that whenever they encountered disciples of major sects, they should yield if they could, and if they couldn't, they should just swallow their losses and leave.

How could that compare to the blunt truth their Zongzhu just spoke? Whoever wants your life—kill them.

"Zongzhu, we've obtained the Ascension Tokens—we can enter the Ascension Realm anytime. But Elder Liu doesn't know your intentions."

Zhu Feichong seized the chance to ask urgently.

Ding Huan said:

"Cultivation depends on the individual. If you feel ready to attempt it, then go. But I warn you: when making this decision, prepare for the possibility of death."

"Yes." Both Shen Jiankai and Zhu Feichong bowed deeply in response.

Watching Ding Huan from the side, Hu Wuxin, Mo Zheng, and the others silently marveled: with such discipline in Lansheng Sect, and now such a formidable Zongzhu, it was impossible for them not to grow powerful in the future.