Chapter 321: Qian Baihe Releases Poison

He called out Qian Baihe.

"Why didn't we enter Jiuyuan Star?" Qian Baihe asked Ding Huan in surprise as soon as she appeared.

This place was clearly in the starry void.

Ding Huan chuckled: "This star-protection array was set up by Lou Yunsheng; I've studied his array techniques."

"Now I can block all the teleportation spaces of this planet through the star-protection array. Once I seal the four planetary exits, you can release the poison."

Hearing Ding Huan's words, Qian Baihe was overjoyed.

This was the best possible outcome.

"Hurry and seal the teleportation spaces and the array's exits—I'll release the poison," Qian Baihe said eagerly, determined to make a grand move to avenge Xun Bu.

In just two days, Ding Huan used the star-protection array to seal off Jiuyuan Star's teleportation space. He then took several red array flags from Lou Yunsheng's ring and sealed the planet's exits.

"It's done. You can release the poison now."

After speaking, Ding Huan seemed to remember something and pulled out the mask Qian Baihe had previously given him, handing it to her: "Here, take this back."

"Keep it," Qian Baihe said.

Ding Huan shook his head: "I don't need it—you need it more than I do."

Qian Baihe knew Ding Huan spoke the truth. She took the mask and said: "Then I'll begin poisoning."

"Go ahead," Ding Huan said. He wanted to see how far Qian Baihe's poison Dao had advanced.

Qian Baihe raised her hands, releasing waves of poison Dao energy, which then seeped through the star-protection array into Jiuyuan Star.

The original star-protection array, once meant for defense, now became a tool to transmit Qian Baihe's poison Dao resonance.

Ding Huan's spiritual sense settled on this resonance, then nodded.

Qian Baihe truly had talent—he'd only given her a hint, yet her poison Dao resonance had significantly improved since the last time she attacked him.

But she was still far from the poison Dao he required.

Thinking of this, Ding Huan activated the Great Cosmos Art, incorporating Qian Baihe's released poison Dao resonance and Qian Baihe herself into the Zhou Tian.

When Qian Baihe sensed the Zhou Tian resonance of the Great Cosmos Art, she froze.

Then she realized—the clear, unmistakable Dao resonance was showing her how to elevate her released poison into a higher-level poison Dao resonance…

Qian Baihe closed her eyes, releasing poison into Jiuyuan Star while simultaneously practicing her Hou Yu Poison Scripture.

At first, the poison she released was only her imperfect understanding of poison Dao resonance; as her comprehension of the Hou Yu Poison Scripture deepened, the poison she spread gradually became Dao-structured.

Though she still didn't understand what Dao-structure was, she was moving toward it.

Ding Huan's spiritual sense detected Qian Baihe's rapid comprehension—within just half a day, the poison she released carried a faint simulated Dao-structure resonance.

It was nearly on par with Wu Zhanxia's.

Ding Huan soon noticed something wrong: Qian Baihe was absorbing more and more spiritual energy, yet the spiritual energy in this cosmic void was clearly insufficient.

Ding Huan raised his hand and tossed out a supreme-grade spiritual vein, then casually set up a spirit-gathering array.

"Boom!" The instant Ding Huan threw out the supreme-grade spiritual vein, Qian Baihe shattered her long-standing cultivation bottleneck and reached Earth Immortal Seventh Layer.

With her breakthrough, the poison Dao energy around her became even clearer, and the poison Dao resonance she released nearly merged with Jiuyuan Star's celestial and terrestrial rules.

Ding Huan smiled and released several more array flags.

As Ding Huan planted each array flag, the poison Dao resonance on Jiuyuan Star spread across the entire planetary landmass at maximum speed.

…

Jiuyuan Star.

Its total population was no more than one or two million.

All cultivators here practiced only one scripture: the Jiuyuan True Canon.

Because everyone on this planet practiced the Jiuyuan True Canon, over the years, the entire planetary landmass had become saturated with the Dao resonance of the Jiuyuan True Canon.

That meant practicing the Jiuyuan True Canon here was faster and more effective than anywhere else, making it easier to comprehend the Canon's great Dao.

The highest-ranking person on Jiuyuan Star was naturally the Star Lord, Lou Yunsheng.

The most powerful person, however, was Lou Wushang.

Lou Wushang was also the sect master of Jiuyuan Sect and the designated next Star Lord.

At this moment, Lou Wushang was in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Immortal-Fanqiao realm.

Since Jiuyuan Sect moved to Jiuyuan Star, no one had ever achieved an Immortal-Fanqiao realm.

The only Immortal-Fanqiao cultivator on Jiuyuan Star now was Lou Xihe, and his realm was incomplete.

Lou Xihe attained the Immortal-Fanqiao realm after leaving Qiyuan Star Land; according to himself, his Immortal-Fanqiao realm was false.

Lou Wushang recently gained some excellent Dao opportunities and intended to push through to the Immortal-Fanqiao realm in one decisive effort.

Previously, each attempt to break through had yielded some gains, but these past few days he felt something was wrong.

It seemed a strange Dao-structure energy had been added to the celestial and terrestrial rules, causing his meridian Zhou Tian to stall and feel inexplicably obstructed during cultivation.

At that moment, the sect alarm bell suddenly rang violently—it was the Jiuyuan Alarm Bell.

Lou Wushang had no time to investigate what was happening—he rushed immediately to the Jiuyuan Star Palace.

Since Jiuyuan Star had only one sect, there was no sect layout—only a colossal Star Palace.

All major affairs of Jiuyuan Sect were conducted in the Star Palace.

"What's going on?" Lou Wushang stepped into the Star Palace with a grave expression, asking immediately.

The last time the Jiuyuan Alarm Bell rang was when all sects on Qiyuan Star Land had besieged Jiuyuan Star.

If not for the sect's teleportation array, Jiuyuan Sect would have been wiped out then.

The reappearance of the Jiuyuan Alarm Bell naturally filled Lou Wushang with unease.

"Master, Jiuyuan Star seems to have a problem," an elder rushed in, calling out urgently.

As the elder spoke, more people flooded into the Jiuyuan Star Palace.

The Nine Yuan alarm bell rang, and every Nine Yuan cultivator felt panic. The alarm would not sound unless it was a sect-destroying disaster.

Even cultivators at great distances must now take the teleportation array back to the sect.

"Senior Elder He Si, what exactly is happening?" Before all the sect elders had arrived, Lou Wushang could not help asking again.

The alarm bell had been rung by Senior Elder He Si; fear flashed in his eyes:

"Master, a poison Dao resonance has appeared on Nine Yuan Star. So far, over a thousand have died, and the dead are increasing rapidly—I suspect someone is poisoning Nine Yuan Star."

Hearing this, Lou Wushang immediately recalled the odd feeling he had sensed earlier.

A strange Dao principle aura had seemed to appear within the cosmic rules; He Si called it poison, and Lou Wushang instantly grew alert.

"Master, Senior Elder Fu has died suddenly—it appears he was poisoned," a Nine Yuan executive arrived at the entrance of the Nine Yuan Star Hall, his voice hoarse.

Lou Wushang closed his eyes and began cultivating his technique.

Only one Zhou Tian passed before he opened his eyes:

"Nine Yuan Star has indeed been poisoned, and the poison Dao resonance is still intensifying."

"Senior Elder Que, immediately gather twenty Earth Immortals of late-stage Foundation Establishment, and come with me to investigate… No, the protective array entrances of Nine Yuan Star have been sealed."

"Master, I just received word—the death toll on Nine Yuan Star has risen to ten thousand." As Senior Elder He Si spoke these words, black blood suddenly gushed from his eyes and nose, and he collapsed to his knees.

"It is Dao-resonance poison…"

Immediately after uttering these words, Senior Elder He Si fell dead.

The speed of this poison's onset does not depend solely on cultivation level.

Senior Elder He Si's death was like a whistle blown—dozens in the Nine Yuan Star Hall collapsed one after another.

Lou Wushang shouted sharply: "Activate the teleportation array immediately! All Nine Yuan cultivators must teleport out now! Senior Elder Que, lead a team and follow me out—"

"Master, we cannot teleport—the teleportation array is sealed…" The voice of the Teleportation Elder came through, frantic.

"Everyone, follow me out!" Lou Wushang said, then charged toward the protective array's exit.

He knew it must be Lou Yunsheng who had caused this—otherwise, no one could have sealed Nine Yuan Star or locked its teleportation space.

"Ding Sect Master, my damaged Dao foundation has recovered—I am no longer poisoned…"

Jia Baihe opened her eyes in excitement; in just a few days, she had surged into Earth Immortal Eighth Layer.

Her foundation was simply too profound, and her Immortal Spirit Dao foundation too formidable. After Ding Huan removed the poison from her Dao foundation, her power began to skyrocket.

Moreover, her true energy was no longer weak as before—it grew steadily thicker.

In other words, her previous weak combat power was not due to inferior technique, but because her Dao foundation was damaged.

"Then congratulations," Ding Huan said, deeply satisfied with Jia Baihe's comprehension.

"Thank you, Ding Sect Master," Jia Baihe bowed deeply, her tone filled with intense gratitude.

She knew full well that her removal of the Dao foundation poison and her leap to Earth Immortal Eighth Layer were entirely due to Ding Huan's help.

Ding Huan's cultivation was unfathomable, and his Dao methods were even more unfathomable.

"I originally intended to remove your Dao foundation poison. Your improvement in poison Dao resonance has not disappointed me—I suspect they will soon try to break out."

Ding Huan said.

Although Ding Huan's words sounded as if spoken from a higher cultivation level than Jia Baihe's, she paid no mind.

She understood that while his cultivation was slightly lower than hers, his understanding of the Dao and his methods far surpassed hers by an immense margin.

Even if they fought without any other means, pure Dao combat, she likely could not defeat him.

"Mm." Jia Baihe did not stop her Dao Zhou Tian; instead, she released poison Dao resonance even faster.

Moreover, now that her own Dao foundation poison had been removed, her ability to release poison Dao grew even stronger.

Although only ten thousand had died in the past few days, the remaining one or two million might vanish in the next instant.

"They truly couldn't wait to come."

As Ding Huan spoke, Jia Baihe saw a group rushing toward them.

They had seen Ding Huan and Jia Baihe, but were sealed within the array—able to see them, yet unable to break out and attack.

"Who are you, Daoist? Why use such ruthless methods? The Dao of Heaven favors life. How can you slaughter the life of an entire planet without fearing karmic retribution?"

As soon as Lou Wushang appeared, he shouted angrily.

Ding Huan sneered: "Now you remember the Dao of Heaven favors life? Now you remember karmic retribution?"

You speak well—karmic retribution is inevitable. But when you were refining my Three Heavens Star Continent, why didn't you think of this karmic consequence?"

The Three Heavens Star Continent had a hundred billion souls—and this trash dared to casually refine them away.

"You're from the Three Heavens Star Continent?" Lou Wushang stared at Ding Huan in shock.