Chapter 284: The Sect of Justice

"Mandarin Duck Tower?"

Ding Huan immediately thought of Lou Fenyan, the tower master of the Mandarin Duck Dual Cultivation Tower:

"How is Tower Master Lou?"

He asked casually since the thought had crossed his mind.

Hearing that Ding Huan still remembered the tower master, Tang You's eyes reddened. She quickly bowed again and said:

"I know my coming here is very abrupt, but the tower master's life is hanging by a thread right now. I have no choice but to brazenly beg Sect Master Ding to save the tower master."

Ding Huan was startled. Just as he was about to speak, Tang You continued:

"The reason I came here is that the tower master once mentioned to me in casual conversation that she couldn't stand Shi Qiqiu. She felt that an ordinary mortal like you achieving what you have is remarkable, so she put in a few good words for you.

By rights I shouldn't have come, but I couldn't find a single person to ask for help. When they saw me approach, they either dodged or hid, and not one person was willing to step out and say a word."

Thinking of her experiences these past few days, Tang You felt a pang of bitterness.

As the person in charge of the Mandarin Duck Dual Cultivation Tower, normally those men would all call her 'Sister You' the moment they saw her.

But once trouble struck, not one of those men who were usually so enthusiastic and promised she could come to them for anything could be seen.

She truly had no one else to turn to, which is why she shamelessly came to beg Ding Huan.

The reason embarrassed even herself—just a couple of words spoken on Ding Huan's behalf. If she weren't truly at a dead end, she wouldn't have had the face to come begging over just two sentences.

"Tell me, what happened to Tower Master Lou?" Ding Huan asked.

Hearing Ding Huan's question, she recalled the Mandarin Duck Tower's ordeal, and her eyes couldn't help but sting:

"Ten days ago, a disciple from the Long Goose Academy went to the Mandarin Duck Dual Cultivation Tower looking for Yan Shuang. The two of them spent a night together.

Unexpectedly, the next day that disciple was found dead in bed. This enraged the Long Goose Academy.

Elder Shi Chongmi of the Long Goose Academy came to the Mandarin Duck Tower, and after an inspection declared that the tower had coveted an acquired spirit treasure on the disciple's person, which led to the murder and theft.

After learning of this, Academy Head Shi Qiqiu of the Long Goose Academy immediately ordered the Mandarin Duck Dual Cultivation Tower to be surrounded. They slaughtered nearly all the sisters of our Mandarin Duck Tower, and Shi Qiqiu personally went to hunt down the tower master.

Because I wasn't at the Mandarin Duck Tower, I escaped with my life.

After learning of this news outside, I immediately sought help everywhere, but I couldn't find a single person who could help me…"

"Do you know where Tower Master Lou fled to?" Ding Huan asked, though in his heart he had already written off Shi Qiqiu as a dead man.

That bastard wasn't killed by the Seven Swords last time, and now he dares to cause trouble again.

Today he found an excuse to wipe out the Mandarin Duck Tower; next time he'll definitely find an excuse to come after his Blue Star Sect.

He absolutely cannot give that bastard any excuse, not even half a word's worth.

Of course, this excuse delivered right to his doorstep—he absolutely won't let it slip by either.

"This matter is my fault." Fu Qijian suddenly spoke up.

"Ah…" Tang You was a bit stunned; she didn't understand what Fu Qijian meant by that.

But Ding Huan understood—Fu Qijian meant that his failure to finish off Shi Qiqiu last time was his mistake.

"I recall that many of the major sects in the Ascension Realm are in the first great city of the Ascension Realm, Li Yuancheng, right?" Ding Huan asked another question.

Li Yuancheng is far more than just a city.

Li Yuancheng's status in the Ascension Realm is far higher—and far larger—than Zhenyun Dao City's status in the Dao Cultivation Realm.

Zhenyun Dao City is at most just a gathering place for sects without distinction, plus a bit of commercial bustle.

But in Li Yuancheng, it's not just bustling and prosperous.

At least thirty-plus sects and factions in the Ascension Realm are based in Li Yuancheng.

For example, the Qi Sect, the Long Goose Academy, the Mandarin Duck Tower, the Bitter Pill Gate, and other larger sects all have their bases in Li Yuancheng.

In other words, Li Yuancheng's status in the Ascension Realm is absolutely not comparable to ordinary sects and dao cities—it transcends them, standing above them all.

If Li Yuancheng spoke up and ordered the Long Goose Academy to stop—even without sending anyone—the Long Goose Academy wouldn't dare act.

"Yes, our Mandarin Duck Tower and the Long Goose Academy are both in Li Yuancheng." Tang You quickly answered.

"Let's go, we're heading to Li Yuancheng." Ding Huan said immediately.

"Thank you, thank you, Sect Master Ding…" Hearing Ding Huan's words, Tang You thanked him repeatedly. She only hoped Ding Huan would hurry, and that they could still save Yan-jie.

"Elder Liu, this trip outside may take me some time to return. While I'm away, you may make all decisions for Blue Star Sect.

Remember, fear nothing. Even if the sky falls, at worst there'll be no Blue Star Sect—so go ahead and act with full authority."

Before leaving, Ding Huan still gave Liu Yinzhu a reminder.

In fact, after Liu Yinzhu joined Blue Star Sect, influenced by him, she no longer hesitated in her actions the way she used to.

But Ding Huan felt Liu Yinzhu could still be more decisive.

Blue Star Sect has a Level Seven Killing-Formation, and both Liu Yinzhu and Sang Yuhe are at the Star Realm—what is there to fear?

Liu Yinzhu immediately understood Ding Huan's meaning and quickly said:

"Sect Master, rest assured. I know what to do."

She had heard from her disciple Mo Huaping how the sect master handled things in the Ascension Realm.

With a room full of Earth Immortal and Human Immortal powerhouses, Ding Huan still dared to kill Shi Qiqiu's family member, Shi Cuncang, the Long Goose Academy head.

What did she, Liu Yinzhu, have to fear? Especially with the sect master backing her up.

"Good, let's go, to Li Yuancheng." Ding Huan immediately summoned his flight-type dharma treasure.

As the flight-type dharma treasure left Purple Mist Valley, Ding Huan asked again:

"Did you seek help from Manor Head Lin and Yi Geng Qianxing?"

His impression of these two was decent, especially Yi Geng Qianxing—his words and actions didn't seem feigned, which showed this man truly toiled for the Ascension Realm, or rather for the entire Triple Heaven Star Land.

Tang You sighed:

"If Senior Yi Geng Qianxing were here, or Senior Lin were here, I reckon Shi Qiqiu wouldn't dare be so arrogant.

Senior Yi and Senior Lin went to the Heaven-Opening Battlefield half a year ago…"

Ding Huan was taken aback. Wasn't it agreed that they'd wait for him before going in? Why had they left early?

But he immediately figured out what had happened. He had gone back to closed-door cultivation and hadn't said when he'd come out. Yi Geng Qianxing and Lin Yuqi had waited two or three years without any word.

For them, it was probably that they didn't want to keep waiting.

Ding Huan's Aurora Shuttle quickly arrived at Two Realms City.

Hu Wuxin and Mo Zheng were both absent from Two Realms City. Those two fellows were probably preparing to charge into the True God realm—time was tight, no leisure to stay in Two Realms City.

That was understandable. Last time the two of them had obtained so many resources in the Heaven-Opening Battlefield; naturally they had to find a way to enter closed-door cultivation and charge toward a higher realm.

Entering the Ascension Realm, under Fu Qijian's control the Aurora Shuttle took only three days before stopping outside Nine Yuan City.

It was Ding Huan's first time at Nine Yuan City. Only after arriving did he understand that the difference between one city and another could be this vast.

Outside Nine Yuan City was a city in name only—this so-called proper city was merely a commercial town.

Passing through the commercial town, one reached the main city. The main city contained the City Lord's Manor and some of the more important sects.

Flanking the main city on both sides were the various major sects, clans, and other powers.

As one of the five great sects, Long Yan Academy naturally resided in the main city.

"Sect Master Ding?" An abrupt voice rang out. Ding Huan turned his head and saw a young woman.

The woman wore a gauze veil; judging by her figure, she was absolutely a top-tier beauty.

"And you are?" Ding Huan realized he didn't recognize this woman.

"It really is Sect Master Ding…"

The woman strode over excitedly, bowed, and said:

"My name is Han Xiaonv. My master is Liu Yinyu."

Ding Huan thought to himself, this Liu Yinyu really can't teach disciples. She herself is a second-layer Human Immortal, and this Liu Yinyu seems to have just reached the True Pill realm—the gap is a bit large.

"How is Palace Master Liu?" Ding Huan asked.

Han Xiaonv's demeanor seemed no different from Tang You's:

"My master was injured. I don't know if she's all right."

"Who did it?" Ding Huan frowned. Liu Yinyu was the Palace Master of Luo Divine Palace—who had the nerve to make a move against Luo Divine Palace?

Han Xiaonv said quickly: "My master saw Tower Master Lou being hunted by people from Long Yan Academy, so she went up to help block them. But the people from Long Yan Academy actually surrounded and attacked my master along with her.

My master and Tower Master Lou escaped from Nine Yuan City. I don't know where they went.

But the people from Long Yan Academy didn't stop there. They directly destroyed our Luo Divine Palace's outpost in Nine Yuan City and killed seven Luo Divine Palace disciples."

"Such audacity?" Ding Huan was a bit speechless. The management of the Ascension Realm was no better than that of the Dao Cultivation Realm.

"How is it that you're safe and sound here?" Fu Qijian asked.

Han Xiaonv said with a trace of grief and indignation:

"It's Buqigufu of Long Yan Academy. He took a fancy to me and said he wouldn't force me, and that I'd only need to wait a few days before I'd go to Long Yan Academy of my own accord."

Ding Huan didn't need to ask—his divine sense had already swept over two people watching this side.

"They told you not to leave Nine Yuan City, didn't they?" Ding Huan chuckled.

Han Xiaonv nodded.

Though she was free, what difference was there between this kind of freedom and not being free?

She even felt a sense of shame at still being alive, because the reason she was alive wasn't her strength but her pretty face.

"Buqigufu is Shi Qiqiu's direct disciple, early-stage Void God realm, and he's vicious by nature," Tang You added from the side.

Ding Huan suddenly asked:

"When is Long Yan Academy most crowded with people?"

Tang You answered instinctively:

"It's these very days. Long Yan Academy's Elder Gu Yuqing has just advanced to Human Immortal, and these days they're preparing the Human Immortal Grand Ceremony.

On top of that, in a few days it's also Long Yan Academy's Righteousness Day, so almost all of Long Yan Academy's disciples, elders, and family members will attend.

They wanted to add to the fanfare of Righteousness Day, so they used that as an excuse to destroy our Mandarin Duck Tower."

"What's Righteousness Day?" Ding Huan was puzzled.

Fu Qijian gave a slight smile:

"Righteousness Day was proposed by Long Yan Academy themselves. They said that as one of the important sects of the Ascension Realm, they had to set an example for the Ascension Realm.

In everything they must stand on the side of justice, uphold justice for ordinary cultivators, and say no to unfairness. So they set a Righteousness Day, and this day is said to be quite special.

On Righteousness Day, every disciple of Long Yan Academy must return to attend, as a warning and admonition to the people of Long Yan Academy to constantly remind themselves in the name of righteousness."

"The people who come out of Long Yan Academy don't have a shred of character, yet they brand themselves as righteous—truly the height of shamelessness," Tang You said indignantly.

Such a laughable thing existed? Ding Huan was silent for a moment before sighing:

"Though they have no character, they can still put on a little skit. Long Yan Academy can be considered to have some talent."

"Ah…" The rest of them all looked at Ding Huan in surprise, completely not understanding.