Chapter 297: 297. Chapter 294: Shameless Ding Huan

297. Chapter 294: Shameless Ding Huan

"Lord Gu, wait a moment." Just as Wu Zhanxia had nowhere to evade, a slightly fat man rushed out and blocked him.

Wu Zhanxia snorted coldly, forcibly reining in his killing aura, and said coldly:

"What? Che Zhongzi, you dare to stop me?"

Che Zhongzi hurriedly said: "Lord Gu, I don't oppose you acting—your slaughter of twenty-seven Earth Immortals at the peak still lingers in memory. I believe you could easily crush these people…"

Ding Huan lazily said:

"Can't you go a day without blowing wind? Come on, my people are out now—go ahead and kill them."

Che Zhongzi also bowed to Ding Huan: "Lord Ding, I'm targeting the matter, not the person."

Ding Huan gave Che Zhongzi not an inch: "Cut the crap. I don't believe it. Go on—crush them for me."

Wu Zhanxia silently cursed Che Zhongzi inside: that fool, all you needed to do was let me step down—why provoke that Ding Kuangren?

Just by listening to what Ding Huan had said to him earlier, he knew this was no one to provoke, no one to outwit with words.

Che Zhongzi calmly spoke again: "Lord Ding, I know you're strong—but can you be stronger than our Lord Gu?"

"Yeah, I'm stronger than your Lord Gu—so what? You disagree?" Ding Huan said lightly.

This answer left Che Zhongzi speechless.

He had already seen that Ding Huan's strength was inferior to the Lord Gu's—even significantly so.

What made Ding Huan dangerous was his Dao domain's strength; under his Dao domain, he could share its effects with allies—that was terrifying.

He'd asked this question expecting Ding Huan to admit he was indeed weaker than Lord Wu.

Once Ding Huan admitted he was weaker than Lord Wu, everyone would know the rest didn't matter.

But Ding Huan's answer completely caught him off guard—this shameless reply left him with no way to continue.

"Lord Ding, if you want to challenge our Lord Gu, fine—but I must first inform Lord Gu of the facts. What he does next is none of my concern."

Che Zhongzi was indeed quick-witted—he shifted the topic in time.

He was certain that if Ding Huan were to fight the Lord Gu, Ding Huan would absolutely refuse to step forward—he'd have a thousand excuses.

After speaking, Che Zhongzi ignored Ding Huan entirely and turned to Wu Zhanxia:

"Lord Gu, why are we staying here? We're all seeking Immortal Fate. To seek Immortal Fate, one must uphold cause, effect, and Dao righteousness.

Shi Chang has betrayed Dao righteousness by sheltering Chang Yan Academy's people who imprisoned outsiders—this alone violates our pursuit.

Cause brings effect; that's why we've wasted so much time here arguing with outsiders, even been manipulated by Shi Chang into nearly losing our tempers and drawing weapons.

I think this is pointless and utterly unnecessary. Even if Lord Gu wishes to duel Lord Ding, it should have nothing to do with this matter."

Wu Zhanxia's expression improved slightly, and he nodded.

Che Zhongzi continued:

"My point is, Lord Gu may duel Lord Ding—not because of Shi Chang, but to verify the Dao and clarify the Immortal-Fanqiao.

But I advise Lord Gu not to act. How many years have we been here seeking Immortal Fate? The Dao resonance of the Immortal-Fanqiao is clearly visible.

If we're to verify, shouldn't it be among our own sect members? Why give outsiders the advantage?"

Ding Huan stared at the fat man before him: how shameless—could words be twisted like this?

At the same time, he marveled inwardly: this fat man is a talent.

His words preserved Wu Zhanxia's dignity while dispelling the doubts of the other cultivators.

Wu Zhanxia said nothing, but he retracted his killing Dao resonance—clearly unwilling to fight anymore.

This was more direct than any answer: he scorned to reply, and scorned to fight Ding Huan—let Ding Huan contemplate the Dao resonance of the Immortal-Fanqiao here.

Ding Huan could only say to Cang Yongqian: "Old Cang, go kill Shi Chang."

Wu Zhanxia wouldn't move first—he wouldn't charge in himself.

He stood at the entrance of the protective array, ready to attack or retreat.

This was Wu Zhanxia's territory; if he let Wu Zhanxia take this entrance, he'd lose the initiative.

How many years had Wu Zhanxia cultivated here? He had artifacts capable of simulating the Dao resonance of the Immortal-Fanqiao—who knew what deadly traps Wu Zhanxia had laid deeper inside?

Standing at this gate, even if he wasn't Wu Zhanxia's match, he could easily retreat.

Once he retreated, under his Star Domain, his people's strength remained untouched; if Wu Zhanxia chased out, he'd only be walking into death.

When he stepped beyond his Star Domain and ascended another cultivation level, he wouldn't need this advantage—he'd charge straight in.

Considering Wu Zhanxia's face? Not a thought.

Cang Yongqian heard Ding Huan's words and raised his long blade again, unleashing a curtain of slashing blades toward Shi Chang.

Shi Chang, seeing Wu Zhanxia wouldn't move, frantically tried to flee deeper.

But as soon as he rushed forward, a streak of black light slashed toward him, forcing him back.

"Puff!" Cang Yongqian's blade curtain swept through, effortlessly splitting Shi Chang in two.

"Uncle!" A cry rang out.

Only then did everyone notice the man held by Fei Zhankong—it was Shi Qiqiu, whom Ding Huan recognized.

The black light that had repelled Shi Chang had also been cast by Fei Zhankong.

Behind Fei Zhankong, Lou Fenyuan carried Liu Liu Yinyu, drenched in blood.

Fei Zhankong tossed Shi Qiqiu at Ding Huan's feet and laughed: "Not a failure."

"Thank you, Brother Fei," Ding Huan bowed, then stared coldly at Shi Qiqiu on the ground.

Shi Qiqiu had finally calmed down—he had just watched Cang Yongqian cut down Shi Chang, his own uncle.

Now seeing Ding Huan, though calm, he still didn't understand what had happened.

"Shi Qiqiu, if you'd truly gone to Lanxing Sect to strike at me, I'd admire your dog guts. But since you lack the strength to face me, you go destroy the Mandrake Pavilion? Hmph—Chang Yan Academy really has some guts…"

Hearing Ding Huan's icy voice, Shi Qiqiu shivered:

"Ding Huan, even if you kill me, Shi Qiqiu, my Long Yan Academy will not let your Blue Star Sect off."

Clearly, in Shi Qiqiu's eyes, Long Yan Academy was still on a higher level than Blue Star Sect.

Ding Huan said lightly, "Long Yan Academy is a thing of the distant past. Before I entered the Opening Heaven Battlefield, I had already razed Long Yan Academy to the ground."

Shi Qiqiu was stunned; his lips trembled for a long while without uttering a single word.

Hearing that Long Yan Academy had been razed, his mind went completely blank.

It was because he, Shi Qiqiu, coveted the treasures on Ding Huan, which resulted in Long Yan Academy's disappearance, his great-uncle Shi Changyi being killed—and he was probably going to be killed too…

Shi Qiqiu had just thought this far when he felt a chilling breath slice across his neck.

The aura of death descended, and what he saw again was his own headless corpse.

Shi Qiqiu madly activated a forbidden art; he would let his Primordial Spirit disintegrate rather than be caught by Ding Huan.

But the next instant, a ball of flame locked down every spark of life within him. His Primordial Spirit didn't even manage to seep out of his body before being wrapped by that flame—both body and soul annihilated.

"Sect Master Ding, thank you for saving me and avenging the great grudge of my Mandarin Duck Tower."

Lou Fenyan set down Liu Yinzhu and stepped forward to salute, her voice trembling.

If Ding Huan hadn't said it, she would absolutely never have dared believe Long Yan Academy could be destroyed.

Long Yan Academy is in Jiuli Yuancheng—who would dare destroy it?

Not to mention other forces, as long as the City Lord of Jiuli Yuancheng came out to block, no one would dare disobey.

Ding Huan said apologetically:

"The one who should apologize is me. You only spoke a few words on my behalf, which made that old bastard Shi Qiqiu take out his anger on you."

Lou Fenyan shook her head. She knew Ding Huan's matter was the fuse; she just couldn't say certain things here.

"Is Palace Master Liu alright?" Ding Huan looked at Liu Yinyu, who was circulating her cultivation to heal her wounds, and asked with some concern.

Lou Fenyan sighed, "Palace Master Liu is fierce by nature, not as smooth as me, so she suffered more torment."

Fortunately, Liu Yinyu soon opened her eyes, then said weakly to Ding Huan:

"Thank you, Sect Master Ding, I'm fine."

She truly hadn't expected to survive, let alone that the one who came to save her was Ding Huan.

With a sweep of his hand, Ding Huan grabbed Shi Qiqiu's ring in his grasp. With a flick of his divine sense, he easily broke the restriction on Shi Qiqiu's ring, and then two rings were taken out by Ding Huan.

"Tower Master Lou, Palace Master Liu, these are your rings. Now they are returned to their rightful owners."

Neither Lou Fenyan nor Liu Yinyu had ever imagined their rings could be taken back.

But upon seeing that everything inside the rings was still there, both were overjoyed.

Liu Yinyu took out a pill from her ring, swallowed it, and quickly stood up.

"Let's go." Seeing Liu Yinzhu stand up, Ding Huan called out as well.

After leaving this place, he would wage war against Jiuli Yuancheng.

So he had to prepare as well.

As for this place, once his cultivation grew stronger, he would definitely come back. He always felt there was something strange about it; he had divined a bit, but couldn't pinpoint exactly what was strange.

"Sect Master Ding, take me along. My name is Mu Chengzi; I have some research into artifact refining." A white-haired, white-bearded old man rushed out and cupped his fist toward Ding Huan.

"No problem." Ding Huan didn't even hesitate.

Anyone here who wanted to join his side, he would agree without the slightest hesitation.

Wu Zhanxia saw Mu Chengzi leave, and an anxious expression appeared on his face.

Those who knew the inside story were well aware that Mu Chengzi was a ninth-grade artifact-refining Grandmaster; his mastery over the Dao of Artifacts had reached the absolute extreme. Such a person would be of tremendous help to Wu Zhanxia.

And everyone also understood.

As long as Wu Zhanxia spoke up, Ding Huan would surely find an excuse to fight him.