Chapter 350

"Lord, I never expected to be betrayed by this woman—I don't even know her," Lou Buzhi felt deeply humiliated.

Ding Huan slapped Lou Buzhi on the shoulder:

"Do you know why I threw you on the ground? To wake you up. Surviving until today hasn't been easy—don't throw your life away over some petty matter."

Lou Buzhi nodded; he understood better than anyone why Ding Huan said this—they had both come from the Four Directions Star Continent together.

Every step was a fight for survival; if, after finally finding peace, you were still ambushed, all your prior efforts would be wasted.

You can't believe someone just because they claim close ties to Lanxing Sect.

"Lord, I must find Mo Hui Ping and strip her of her cultivation!" Liu Yinzhu was deeply anxious.

Ding Huan waved his hand: "No need—you won't find her. She's left the Third Heaven Star Continent."

Ding Huan not only knew Mo Hui Ping had left the Third Heaven Star Continent, but could also calculate with certainty that she would return after he departed from Lanxing Sect.

This woman cultivates the Small Universe Art; once she leaves Lanxing Sect, unless she abandons this cultivation method, she'll be ruined.

Switching from other arts to the Small Universe Art is easy; switching from the Small Universe Art to another is—ha—nearly impossible unless the new art vastly surpasses it.

Or she could ascend to the Immortal World and switch to immortal cultivation methods.

After speaking, Ding Huan turned to Hu Wuxin and Mo Zheng: "Vice-Head Hu, you and Elder Mo have seen much. Lanxing Sect still needs your vigilance—help Head Liu fill the gaps."

Hu Wuxin declared firmly: "Lord, rest assured—I will assist Head Liu and ensure Lanxing Sect grows ever stronger…"

Here, he seemed to want to say something but hesitated, unsure if it was appropriate to speak.

Ding Huan smiled: "Old Hu, what's there you can't say to me?"

Hu Wuxin, hearing Ding Huan's words, no longer hesitated: "Recently, a strange thing has occurred—many powerful Dao cultivators have vanished, even the heads of many sects have disappeared without cause."

"The mayor of Zhenyun Dao City, Qiu Kujin; the head of Wan Shou Men, Hong Tiao; the head of Qixing Sect Sect, Luo Changqing—even Zhong Can, the newly ascended Void God Realm head of Daxing Jian Dao Sect, has vanished…"

Hearing this, Ding Huan frowned. He knew Hong Tiao—he had once been the one who came to redeem him with an item from his consort.

He had also assisted Luo Changqing in his breakthrough.

This was clearly abnormal—these vanished individuals were not merely heads of major Dao sects, but high-ranking figures.

If this trend continues, Liu Yinzhu will be next.

"Any leads?" Ding Huan asked gravely.

Hu Wuxin replied: "Rumors say several vanished sect heads were last seen in the Lost Swamp…"

The moment Ding Huan heard this, Dahu Valley flashed into his mind.

Countless lives had been lost in Dahu Valley back then; after that incident, the Dao cultivation world almost stopped recruiting disciples from the Mortal World.

If not for my Great Calculation Art, I wouldn't have escaped Dahu Valley myself, let alone brought others out.

As my cultivation advanced, I focused solely on seeking immortal fate and tracing the footsteps of ancient Xia-Hua immortals, so I paid little attention to Dahu Valley.

But now, I must go.

Lanxing Sect is my Dao legacy—I absolutely cannot let it be lost.

At Ding Huan's level of Dao cultivation, one deeply cares for one's Dao legacy.

A Dao without legacy is like a floating waterweed without roots.

Lanxing Sect must not be destroyed.

Ding Huan recalled Gu Youchang's earlier judgment: that a high-level Hanba lurked within Dahu Valley.

Originally, this Hanba devoured Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, and even some Golden Core cultivators.

With years passed, its power has surely surged; now that its cultivation has strengthened, ordinary Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators no longer satisfy it.

So it began devouring Nascent Soul cultivators—and even some Void God Realm cultivators.

In time, it may start devouring Human Immortals and Earth Immortals.

How could such a thing be allowed to remain?

Thinking this, Ding Huan spoke to Xiang Senior Ji Gu and the others:

"You all go ahead to Wanbao City and wait for me—I still have matters to attend to. After I finish this, I'll join you in Wanbao City."

Jia Baihe opened her mouth—she wanted to go with Ding Huan to investigate.

If Ding Huan was looking into the vanished sect heads, perhaps she could help. But since he hadn't revealed the nature of his mission, she couldn't bring it up.

"Alright, we'll prepare in Wanbao City and wait for you before entering the Kai Tian Battlefield," Xiang Senior Ji Gu said without hesitation.

The disappearance of Dao sect heads meant nothing to her—she was a lone cultivator with no legacy to protect.

Ding Huan summoned his iron cauldron; as he stepped onto it, he turned to Lou Buzhi: "That Rock Valley is extremely dangerous—you must not go there again."

"I understand, Huan Ge," Lou Buzhi guessed that Ding Huan's departure meant he wouldn't return to Lanxing Sect anytime soon—and he felt a pang of emotion.

How many times had Ding Huan saved him since they left the Four Directions Star Continent?

At this moment, Lou Buzhi silently resolved: he could no longer rely on Ding Huan to save him—he must strive to strengthen himself, so one day he could aid Huan Ge in return.

Watching Ding Huan's iron cauldron depart, Liu Yinzhu still wondered: how did Ding Huan know where Lou Buzhi had gone? He hadn't even asked Qing Yu.

After Ding Huan left, the others bid farewell to Liu Yinzhu and departed for Wanxiang City.

…

The iron cauldron moved at incredible speed; in less than an hour, Ding Huan arrived at the Lost Swamp.

Ding Huan retracted the cauldron and extended his spiritual sense.

Perhaps because many powerful figures had vanished recently, the Lost Swamp felt colder and eerily silent.

Ding Huan flew directly over the Lost Swamp—the airspace restriction here couldn't stop him.

As soon as he landed in Dahu Valley, his spiritual sense swept recklessly across the terrain.

Dahu Valley was now completely empty—everyone knew that even Void God Realm cultivators couldn't survive here.

And in the Dao cultivation world, Void God Realm was the peak.

Even though Ding Huan's interference had connected the Dao cultivation world with the Ascension Realm, who among the Ascension Realm's powerful would willingly come to cultivate in the Dao world?

Soon, Ding Huan's spiritual sense settled on a vast plateau deep within the Great Gorge.

There was actually a Yin Vein here.

Ding Huan landed atop this Yin Vein, swept his spiritual sense inside, and discovered it was a top-grade Yin Vein.

Ding Huan had once obtained a high-grade Yin Vein in the Opening Heaven Battlefield, but compared to this top-grade one, it was vastly inferior.

Upon learning there was a top-grade Yin Vein here, Ding Huan didn't need to scan with his spiritual sense—he knew with absolute certainty this was the lair of the Cold Ghoul.

Before Ding Huan could extend his spiritual sense further, a thick black mist suddenly engulfed him, and a terrifyingly cold Yin energy surged toward his consciousness.

Boom—boom—boom! Clusters of black, icy, poisonous mist exploded where Ding Huan stood.

Ding Huan stood motionless, not even the corner of his robe fluttering.

As for the clusters of icy illusory poison hurtling toward his consciousness, they couldn't even draw near, let alone invade.

Ding Huan stepped forward and landed outside a massive cave.

Standing here, he could clearly see everything before him.

The cave spanned at least dozens of zhang in diameter.

Ding Huan had never seen a Cold Ghoul before; he had assumed it would be tall and burly.

But what appeared before him was only a tiny thing, no more than half a meter long.

The Dao aura emanating from the tiny thing was faint and elusive, making its very form seem indistinct and shifting.

Had Ding Huan not possessed such keen eyesight and spiritual sense, he might have overlooked it at first glance and failed to notice the creature entirely.

Under Ding Huan's spiritual sense, it was clearly a Level Seven Cold Ghoul.

"Is it you who's been killing people everywhere?" Ding Huan's gaze settled on the Cold Ghoul, his tone cold.

"We've never disturbed each other. I never provoked you," the Cold Ghoul's voice, like its size, was icy.

Ding Huan chuckled: "Twenty or thirty years ago, when I passed through the Great Gorge, you already provoked me—back then, I simply lacked the strength to deal with you."

"Now no one passes through the Great Gorge, yet you still use your illusions to lure sect leaders here and devour their souls—clearly, you've earned your death."

Ding Huan wasn't surprised the Cold Ghoul could speak.

He himself had found a Spirit-Communicating Blue-Faced Fruit in the Great Gorge; how much more so a Cold Ghoul that had lived here for years?

"Wuuu!" A piercing wail rang out, and the Cold Ghoul transformed into a black shadow, lunging at Ding Huan.

In that instant, Ding Huan felt the surrounding space freeze solid.

This must be the Cold Ghoul's domain, Ding Huan thought—he didn't move, and punched forward.

Boom!

Even though Ding Huan hadn't extended his Star River Domain, the Cold Ghoul couldn't get near him—it was struck dead center by his punch.

Crack!

The Cold Ghoul's body burst forth a spray of purple blood, then slammed into the rock wall and fell.

"Hmm, you've got some guts—my punch didn't turn you into pulp. Impressive." Ding Huan couldn't help but praise.

He hadn't unleashed his full strength just now—only three-tenths of his power—and yet he hadn't reduced the Cold Ghoul to dust. Truly, it had some ability.

"Stop! I'm willing to become your beast companion!" The Cold Ghoul, seeing Ding Huan prepare to strike again, panicked.

It hadn't expected humans in the Dao cultivation world to be this powerful.

If it had known devouring a few sect leaders would draw a powerhouse like Ding Huan, it would have preferred to hide for another few centuries.

"Beast companion? Hmph." Ding Huan opened his palm, and a ball of flame appeared in his hand.

Is that so rare? His own long-raised beast companion, Old Six, had betrayed him.

Besides, what kind of beast companion couldn't he get? Why take a zombie as one?

The Cold Ghoul was born from a zombie's cultivation—keeping such a thing as a beast companion? That would be torturing himself.

"I know a great secret!" The Cold Ghoul sensed Ding Huan's unwavering killing intent and panicked.

"I'll give you the chance to speak." Ding Huan didn't release the flame in his hand.

"Swear you won't kill me…"

Before the Cold Ghoul finished speaking, Ding Huan flung the flame onto its body.