Chapter 358: 358. Chapter 355: Seeking Immortal Fate

358. Chapter 355: Seeking Immortal Fate

Several Earth Immortal cultivators saw that Che Chongzi made no move, dared not wait any longer, and turned to rush out swiftly.

With someone leading the way, twenty more people surged out in an instant.

Yet thirty or so remained where they stood, waiting for Ding Huan to work a miracle.

Perhaps they thought as Che Chongzi did—that they had lived too humbly these years, groveling before Wu Zhanxia.

They had once been lords of their own domains; since they could not seek Immortal Fate, better to die outright than linger in the Immortal-Common Valley, enduring shame until death, if only to die with some dignity.

Aside from the twenty-odd who left, all others fell silent.

No one spoke; all eyes fixed on Ding Huan.

Time passed second by second; only half an hour remained before the Life-Death Mirror's mist erupted—even if they left now, it would be too late.

"Che Daozhi, I never thought a coward like you would dare stay here," Qi Qi Yonghan couldn't help saying.

Che Chongzi smiled awkwardly: "I've lived for others all my life; in these final moments, I want to live for myself."

"Good. You've earned my respect," Qi Qi Yonghan gave a thumbs-up.

Ding Huan had completely forgotten time—he sensed the lingering Dao rhythms on the Life-Death Mirror while polishing away its mottled Dao traces.

Only when his spiritual sense touched the first seal did he snap back to awareness.

He could no longer afford to dawdle—he must immediately subjugate the first seal.

Ding Huan dared not hesitate a moment; he blasted the seal with Yellow Flower Kill, while simultaneously hurling his Great Cosmos Technique Zhou Tian against the Life-Death Mirror's first seal.

Though he had not yet subjugated the Life-Death Mirror, he already felt the transition between life and death.

At that moment, he fully understood how Wu Zhanxia controlled the channel's vitality and used the Life-Death Mirror to simulate the Immortal-Fanqiao space.

Wu Zhanxia clearly also sought to subjugate the Life-Death Mirror, but lacked the ability—even the mottled Dao rhythms outside could not be removed.

Wu Zhanxia could only labor to seek out the Life-Death Mirror's Dao rhythms and principles.

After all these years, he had achieved some success: he could simulate the Immortal-Fanqiao space using the Immortal rhythms within the mirror, and use the mirror's defenses to lock this space in place.

Yet to lock this space, Wu Zhanxia had to pay a price.

So he preferred letting Mu Mu Chengzi lurk beside him, plotting betrayal, rather than lightly activating the Life-Death Mirror's ability to lock this space.

When Yellow Flower Kill struck the Life-Death Mirror's seal, the seal trembled slightly—and Ding Huan's Great Cosmos Technique Zhou Tian instantly infiltrated.

One by one, Immortal rhythms were captured by Ding Huan; the first seal of the Life-Death Mirror was slowly subjugated.

"The mist is coming out…" a despairing voice rang out.

Everyone saw faint mist begin to seep from above the Life-Death Mirror—and the mist in the river slowly overflowed as well.

At that moment, all fell silent; no one spoke.

Ding Huan had ultimately failed.

Che Chongzi, however, remained utterly calm—though slightly disappointed, it was exactly as he had expected:

"It's normal. Master Ding is brilliant, but his time is simply too short. We cultivators have lived for so many years—life and death are nothing more than this."

Jia Baihe rushed forward anxiously toward Ding Huan—when Senior Ji Gu cried out in delight: "The mist on the Life-Death Mirror has withdrawn again!"

Senior Ji Gu's words struck like thunder; all stared at the Life-Death Mirror in excitement—just as she said, the mist that had surged out had truly been drawn back.

Not only had the mist above the Life-Death Mirror been retracted, but the mist in the Dahe River did not continue to overflow—instead, it transformed into a long dragon of mist, sucked into the Life-Death Mirror.

In the blink of an eye, the mist in the great river vanished entirely.

"Master Ding has succeeded!" Che Chongzi clenched his fists, his eyes nearly welling with tears.

Those who have dignity ultimately have better fortune.

While subjugating the first seal of the Life-Death Mirror, Ding Huan had also restrained all outgoing death-rhythm energy.

The Life-Death Mirror contained both vitality and death-rhythm—the overflowing mist was the mirror's death-rhythm.

Though the Life-Death Mirror held too many mysteries for Ding Huan to explore, he halted further subjugation.

With the first seal subjugated, he could now retrieve the Life-Death Mirror. Once retrieved, he could subjugate it slowly later.

"Master Ding, twelve hours have passed," the moment Ding Huan stood, Che Chongzi was the first to cry out excitedly.

The others stared at Ding Huan with equal excitement.

Che Chongzi's implication was clear: twelve hours had passed, meaning Ding Huan had suppressed the Life-Death Mirror's death mist.

Ding Huan noticed fewer people were present—he understood, yet still asked: "Where are the others?"

He asked because the outer Daoist cultivators' zone—Wu Zhanxia's Immortal-Common Valley space—was about to vanish.

That space was sustained by the Life-Death Mirror's Dao rhythms; once he retrieved the mirror, the space would collapse under pressure.

When the space vanished, the cultivators inside would all die.

"A bunch of cowards—they all ran," Senior Ji Gu said bluntly.

Che Chongzi vaguely understood why Ding Huan asked this—he had learned some information from Wu Zhanxia.

But he would never say it aloud.

Ding Huan sighed—he could do nothing. Asking those who left to return? That was wishful thinking.

"Everyone, I've just subjugated this Life-Death Mirror and learned some information…"

As Ding Huan spoke, all fell utterly silent; no one dared breathe heavily, all eager to know whether this place held Immortal Fate.

Ding Huan pointed to the massive vortex above: "This enormous vortex exists partly due to the Life-Death Mirror.

Wu Zhanxia didn't lie to you before—if your cultivation hasn't reached the Immortal-Fanqiao realm, charging into this vortex will guarantee you're swallowed and devoured by the Life-Death Mirror.

But if you've reached the Immortal-Fanqiao realm, you have a three-in-ten chance to break free of the Life-Death Mirror and enter this vortex…"

Hearing only a three-in-ten chance, all hearts tightened.

For this chance was indeed small—likely more than half of those here would perish.

"This vortex should lead to a higher-dimensional realm—there's no doubt. Whether you reach the Immortal World after entering, I cannot guarantee—it depends entirely on individual fate."

As for the vortex's pull on the cultivators who enter it, I can temporarily control it.

After Ding Huan finished speaking, Che Zhongzi was the first to step forward and said: "Lord Ding, I am willing to be the first to enter and test it."

Ding Huan said: "Anyone can enter, but there's no rush—I need to give some instructions first."

Upon hearing Ding Huan's words, another cultivator beside him turned into a shadow and shot toward the vortex.

But before he could approach the vortex, he was swept up by a violent force and vanished into the Life-Death Mirror.

Seeing this scene, the other cultivators who had wanted to enter the vortex instinctively halted their steps—they sought immortal fortune, not a death path.

Ding Huan acted as if he had seen nothing, looking at the few people he had brought and saying:

"Senior Ji Gu, Cang Yongqian, Chen Huan, Qi Qi Yonghan, Baihe—we part here. I do not know when we shall meet again. Take care, all of you."

After saying this, he pulled out a stack of talismans and gave twenty to each person.

These were his own crafted Level Nine defensive talismans. What exactly would happen inside the vortex, he could not help with—these defensive talismans were the only aid he could offer.

"You take care too. In this vast universe, as long as we live, we shall surely meet again." After speaking, Senior Ji Gu also rushed into the vortex.

All eyes fixed on Senior Ji Gu. Just moments ago, one among them had rushed toward the vortex—and had been absorbed by the Life-Death Mirror, dead.

Now Senior Ji Gu was rushing into that same vortex, and everyone wondered whether she would suffer the same fate.

Senior Ji Gu clearly suffered no harm—she entered the vortex safely and vanished instantly.

"Lord Ding, thank you. If I survive, I shall never forget this debt." After speaking, Che Zhongzi also rushed into the vortex.

Like Senior Ji Gu, Che Zhongzi entered the vortex without incident, unaffected in the slightest.

At this moment, everyone understood: the first man had been sucked into the Life-Death Mirror because he had not a shred of gratitude.

Ding Huan was still speaking, telling everyone to wait a moment—but the man had already rushed impatiently toward the vortex.

That was fine, but the man had not even thanked Ding Huan once.

Lord Ding owed you nothing. Why should he suppress the Life-Death Mirror's deathly pull for you?

Afterwards, Cang Yongqian, Chen Huan, and Qi Qi Yonghan each came forward to bid Ding Huan farewell, then entered the vortex.

All the others remaining here came to Ding Huan one by one before entering the vortex, offering thanks—some even presented treasures.

As for the treasures, Ding Huan did not accept them—he had countless Immortal Ring artifacts on his person and truly did not care for such things.

But he did not wish to help a Bai Yanlang. He had exerted such great effort—and that man had not even uttered a word of thanks before leaving. Who owed him anything?

In just half a stick of incense, all except Baihe had entered the spatial vortex.

"Ding Huan, I do not know if we shall ever meet again." Baihe's tone was sorrowful.