Chapter 277: 277. Chapter 274: A Disappointing Answer

277. Chapter 274: A Disappointing Answer

Even Lin Yuqi stared at Ding Huan in astonishment—could his Earth Immortal status be fake?

He had no idea at all how Ding Huan had recorded the image crystal ball earlier.

This young sect master was clearly no ordinary figure, which made Lin Yuqi pay a little more attention to Ding Huan.

The reason he had been displeased with Shi Qiqiu before was that Shi Qiqiu treated everyone like fools.

It wasn't quite right to say he treated everyone as fools—rather, he leaned on his seniority and threw his weight around here.

What they were discussing now concerned the future of the Triple Heaven Star Land, yet Shi Qiqiu had dragged Ding Huan's matter into the discussion for his own private gain.

His aim was to take Ding Huan away privately while still standing on the side of righteousness.

He wanted to grab every benefit for himself—truly selfish.

Now that he'd found Ding Huan wasn't so easy to push around, he wanted to get tough.

Unfortunately, he hadn't expected Ding Huan to be such a tough nut—skilled and resourceful—leaving Shi Qiqiu thoroughly trounced.

Seeing Shi Qiqiu's crestfallen look, Fan Lecang, like Gu Lianghui, gave up the last thought of lodging a complaint with his sect.

Geng Qianxing said:

"Since Sect Master Ding's matter has been proven to be a misunderstanding, let us continue discussing how to get out of the Opening Heaven Battlefield—that is the real business at hand."

Ding Huan flicked his hand; the corpse of Shi Chuncang hanging on the Parting Spear was wrapped in a ball of flame and vanished in an instant.

As for the ring on Shi Chuncang's body, no one knew where it had gone either.

Shi Qiqiu sat down. He did not humiliate himself by demanding Ding Huan hand over the ring—Ding Huan would certainly ignore him.

Seeing Ding Huan burn Shi Chuncang's corpse, Geng Qianxing acted as if he hadn't noticed and proactively asked:

"Sect Master Ding, since you also came out of the Opening Heaven Battlefield, why don't you tell us about it? Did you find the exit to the Opening Heaven Battlefield?"

Ding Huan cupped his fists:

"No, I didn't. The reason I was able to bring everyone out is that I burned my own lifespan and essence blood to perform a secret technique."

"Of course, as a token of gratitude, everyone who came out with me gave me some cultivation resources as payment."

"What? You're saying everyone was brought out by you?"

Xiu Cang had initially disliked Ding Huan, but hearing Ding Huan claim that everyone was brought out by him, he couldn't help blurting out the question in surprise.

Ding Huan did not answer the question.

Everyone already knew this—what was there to say?

Geng Qianxing turned his gaze to the other cultivators who had come out of the Opening Heaven Battlefield:

"Were you all brought out by Sect Master Ding?"

Everyone nodded—clearly Ding Huan had not lied.

Geng Qianxing was stunned; not only he, but the other sect masters and those with expectations were all somewhat shocked.

If leaving the Opening Heaven Battlefield relied solely on Ding Huan's secret technique, how was that any different from before?

In other words, if Ding Huan didn't enter the Opening Heaven Battlefield, then everyone entering it still couldn't get out.

They couldn't very well drag Ding Huan along every time they entered the Opening Heaven Battlefield, could they?

Besides, even if Ding Huan went in, he couldn't perform a forbidden technique every time—that would require burning essence blood and lifespan. Ding Huan wasn't stupid; how could he possibly do that every time?

"Sect Master Ding, when you were looking for the exit, was there any pattern to follow?" Lin Yuqi's eyes were also filled with disappointment.

If entering the Opening Heaven Battlefield meant not being able to get out, then no one would be willing to go in.

As fewer and fewer people went to the Opening Heaven Battlefield, their previous plan to seek immortal opportunities there would become a joke.

After a moment of silence, Ding Huan said:

"There was no pattern, but I could leave some markers. However, in the Opening Heaven Battlefield, how long these markers would last before dissipating—I can't say for certain."

The implication was that even with markers, the exit could only be found within a certain timeframe.

In fact, there was one more thing Ding Huan hadn't said.

Even if those who entered the Opening Heaven Battlefield found the location of the entrance again through the markers, without the Great Wasteland Eye, they couldn't pinpoint the exact exit.

Even with all that, they'd still need to understand array dao—otherwise, what good was finding it?

"Sect Master Ding, I plan to make a trip to the Opening Heaven Battlefield with Manor Lord Lin in a while. I wonder if Sect Master Ding would be willing to go together?"

Geng Qianxing stood up proactively and cupped his fists to Ding Huan.

Ding Huan also cupped his fists and said:

"I just came out of the Opening Heaven Battlefield and need to cultivate for a while now. Otherwise, if some things sneak up and kill me at my sect, I won't even know where to go to cry foul."

Lin Yuqi also said solemnly:

"Sect Master Ding, rest assured—as long as I, Lin Yuqi, am still here, no one will dare touch you."

Ding Huan also knew that Lin Yuqi had spoken up for him today, so he simply promised:

"In that case, when I feel ready to go, I'll come find you two fellow daoists."

"Good, this is my communication bead." Geng Qianxing stepped forward proactively and exchanged communication beads with Ding Huan.

Not only Geng Qianxing, but even Lin Yuqi and Xiu Cang proactively exchanged communication beads with Ding Huan.

After the communication bead exchanges were done, Geng Qianxing then said to everyone:

"Any fellow daoist who came out of the Opening Heaven Battlefield—anyone who can share any useful information about it may claim various pills and cultivation resources at the Opening Heaven Battlefield Mission Guild…"

A group of people immediately grew eager.

Ding Huan didn't need pills for his cultivation, and he looked down on the pills here.

But among the cultivators who had come out with Ding Huan this time, Foundation Establishment cultivators were the most numerous, along with some Qi Refining and True Pill realm cultivators.

For them, the resources at the Opening Heaven Battlefield Mission Hall were especially important.

For a Foundation Establishment cultivator who came out of the Opening Heaven Battlefield, obtaining a True Star Pill would be better than anything else.

Seeing everyone begin using jade slips to record news of the Opening Heaven Battlefield, Ding Huan took Yan Mei, Mo Huaping, and Old Six and left the venue on his own initiative.

Hu Wuxin and Mo Zheng, as representatives of the Dao Cultivation World, could not leave early.

"Sect Master, are we returning to the sect now?" The moment they left the venue, Mo Huaping asked excitedly.

What Shi Qiqiu had done to target Ding Huan just now had truly frightened her.

As a disciple of Blue Star Sect, she knew very well that if something happened to Ding Huan, the fate of Blue Star Sect disciples like them would absolutely not end well.

"No. Let's find an inn and stay there first."

Ding Huan was certain that the moment he dared to leave Ten Thousand Treasure City, Shi Qiqiu would dare to ambush him on the road.

He himself was not afraid, but bringing along a few deadweight disciples would make escape difficult.

"Fellow Daoist Ding, may I have a word with you in private?" A clear, crisp voice sounded behind Ding Huan.

Ding Huan didn't even need to turn around to know it was Liu Yinyu who had come over.

He turned his head and said:

"Of course, but right now I need to find an inn and stay there first."

Liu Yinyu gave a slight smile:

"Finding a good inn in Ten Thousand Treasure City right now won't be easy. The Ancient Jade Rest House where I'm staying is quite decent.

My suite has at least six rooms. How about you rest at my place for a few days?"

Liu Yinyu seemed to know exactly why Ding Huan wanted to stay at an inn.

Ding Huan naturally would not stand on ceremony. Cupping his fists, he said:

"Then I'll trouble Palace Master Liu."

His staying at the inn was not for rest — he needed to refine talismans.

Even if he couldn't kill that old Wang Ba Shi Qiqiu, it would still be good to leave that old Wang Ba severely injured.

……

Liu Yinyu had not been wrong in one thing — if Ding Huan did not stay at Ancient Jade Rest House, he truly would not find a place to stay.

Ten Thousand Treasure City had now become a treasure ground where sects and merchant guilds from all sides gathered.

As for the original purpose of Ten Thousand Treasure City being for the Opening Heaven Battlefield, that had probably long been forgotten by everyone.

Mo Huaping and Yan Mei both knew the Sect Master and Liu Yinyu had things to discuss, so they took the initiative to find rooms to rest. Old Six, even more aware that his cultivation was the weakest, knew he had to go into closed-door cultivation and seize the time to practice.

"Sect Master Ding, I would like to ask you a few questions."

The reason Liu Yinyu had spoken up for Ding Huan today was to inquire about Liu Yinzhu.

"Please go ahead." Ding Huan had also guessed that Liu Yinyu was here for Liu Yinzhu. The two women actually didn't look that much alike.

Ding Huan cultivated the Great Cosmos Art, and his sixth sense was fairly strong. He always felt there was some connection between them.

Last time Liu Yinyu had appeared at the gate of Blue Star Sect, perhaps she had gone to look for Liu Yinzhu, but was later pursued by Shi Jiantian and had no choice but to flee first.

"Your Blue Star Sect has an elder named Liu Yinzhu. Her name is somewhat similar to mine. Do you know where she comes from?"

Liu Yinyu was indeed asking about Liu Yinzhu.

Ding Huan shook his head:

"I don't know. I did ask Liu Yinzhu whether she had sisters or anything like that, and she said she didn't."

Hearing Ding Huan's words, a hint of disappointment flickered in Liu Yinyu's eyes. Then she immediately noticed a loophole in Ding Huan's words and asked, puzzled:

"Sect Master Ding, why would you ask Liu Yinzhu whether she had sisters?"

She was certain that today was her first meeting with Ding Huan.

Ding Huan said lightly:

"Because that day you and Shi Jiantian were fighting at my sect's gate, and you even triggered my sect's protective formation. I thought you had gone to look for Liu Yinzhu, which is why I asked."

"So it was you?" Liu Yinyu suddenly understood.

"That's right. If it weren't for me, you would have been killed by Shi Jiantian last time. I blocked Shi Jiantian for you, yet you fled on your own." Ding Huan chuckled.

Liu Yinyu stood up and bowed to Ding Huan:

"Many thanks to Sect Master Ding for saving my life. On that Zi Yuan is critical Mountain, if Sect Master Ding had not come to my rescue, I truly could not have escaped.

Later I thought someone was watching the two of us, and being severely injured, I did not dare to meet with you.

After I left, I also felt it was strange. If someone wanted to deal with me, I could not have escaped."

Liu Yinyu's gratitude was sincere. Ding Huan killing that scumbag Shi Jiantian was not merely saving her — it had also preserved her chastity.

Ding Huan waved his hand:

"Palace Master Liu, today I actually do have one matter I need your help with."

(Today's update ends here. Goodnight, friends!)