Chapter 371

371. Chapter 368: Yielding the Credit

Ding Huan called out Chang Chang Danyi.

Chang Chang Danyi's face was flushed with excitement; her surrounding Dao aura surged violently, clearly ready to break through to True Immortal at any moment.

"Ding Daofriend, thank you—I can break through to True Immortal right now," Chang Chang Danyi could not contain her wild joy.

True Immortal and the Immortal-Fanqiao realm are entirely different concepts; once she ascends to True Immortal, she can live freely anywhere—in the Immortal Realm or the Void.

"Congratulations, Chang Daofriend," Ding Huan said.

"Did that Cheng person send a message?" Chang Chang Danyi suddenly realized her cultivation seclusion had exceeded half a year.

Since it had been over half a year, it was normal for Cheng Cheng Keqi to send a message—perhaps even one expelling them.

"Yes, he says we failed the evaluation," Ding Huan said carelessly.

Chang Chang Danyi spat bitterly: "Why don't we report the True Immortal Spring's source directly to the sect? Otherwise, we might get nothing at all."

Ding Huan shook his head: "If we report it now, we might get to meet the Sect Master—but that's not what I need."

"Why?" Chang Chang Danyi looked at Ding Huan in confusion.

Ding Huan said: "To meet the sect's true decision-makers, we must break with Cheng Cheng Keqi."

Look how long Cheng Cheng Keqi has been here—he hasn't found a single True Immortal Spring source, yet he's still calm, utterly unconcerned about being expelled.

We've had no news for half a year and already can't bear to stay. That proves he has ties with those in charge here—and they're in cahoots.

Besides, even if we succeed in making the Sect Master know the True Immortal Spring was found by us, it's no benefit to me."

"Then what do you mean?" Chang Chang Danyi looked at Ding Huan.

Ding Huan said: "I mean, tell Cheng Cheng Keqi we found a True Immortal Spring source."

"Won't that just hand him a free gift? We get nothing, yet he gains a True Immortal Spring source without lifting a finger," Chang Chang Danyi said reluctantly.

Ding Huan smiled: "It's just a True Immortal Spring source—not that impressive. At least by giving it to him, he won't expel us—we can keep searching for more True Immortal Spring sources."

"You can still find more True Immortal Spring sources?" Chang Chang Danyi stared at Ding Huan in surprise.

Ding Huan paused briefly: "I can't be sure—I can only say it's luck."

He pulled out a jade slip and handed it to Chang Chang Danyi:

"Your aura is surging—you clearly trained here. This is a technique to conceal your aura; even as a True Immortal, you can mask yourself as Immortal-Fanqiao."

Study it. I'll send a message to Cheng Cheng Keqi and have him come over."

"Alright, thank you, Brother Ding," Chang Chang Danyi said—even though Ding Huan was younger, she now regarded herself as inferior.

Though she was certain she was far older, here, strength earned respect—and he was her elder.

She hadn't misjudged him: Ding Huan wasn't just talented—he was unparalleled.

Watching Chang Chang Danyi study the concealment technique, Ding Huan went to another array he had set up.

He had arranged a formation here to condense Immortal Crystals.

As soon as he entered the formation, Ding Huan himself was stunned.

A pile of Immortal Crystals lay spread across the formation—over ten thousand of them.

We've hit the jackpot.

No—Ding Huan pulled out one Immortal Crystal and examined it; it was vastly superior to the one he had obtained before.

Had he condensed superior-grade Immortal Crystals? Had the previous ones been inferior-grade?

Ding Huan quickly gathered all the Immortal Crystals and dismantled the formation.

By the time Ding Huan had nearly finished clearing all the arrays, Chang Chang Danyi stepped out.

Her aura was now fully contained—indistinguishable from when she first arrived at the sect.

Ding Huan nodded, then pulled out a communication bead and sent a message to Cheng Cheng Keqi.

……

Cheng Cheng Keqi glared coldly at the communication bead—he had sent Ding Huan a message, yet received no reply for a long time.

Sitting beside Cheng Cheng Keqi was a sect official, here to inspect progress on locating True Immortal Spring sources.

If there was no progress, Cheng Cheng Keqi and the others would be expelled.

Cheng Cheng Keqi picked up the communication bead and spoke to the official:

"Officer Di, Ding Huan is arrogant and has no real ability—yet his temper is enormous. I sent him a message and he hasn't replied. Hmph—he thinks this place is a cultivation paradise."

Clearly, these two never searched for True Immortal Spring sources—they just hid somewhere to cultivate."

Xing Bu and Leng Leng Youlin sat below, not daring to utter a word.

They feared saying the wrong thing might get them expelled instead.

Officer Di chuckled, about to speak—when Cheng Cheng Keqi's communication bead lit up.

Cheng Cheng Keqi immediately activated it, and Ding Huan's voice came through: "Cheng Daofriend, I found a True Immortal Spring source…"

Just those words nearly made Cheng Cheng Keqi drop the communication bead.

What? Found a True Immortal Spring source?

Are True Immortal Spring sources this easy to find? In half a year?

Officer Di leapt to his feet and rushed out—but stopped at the door, urgently asking: "Which direction?"

"Geng Zone," Cheng Cheng Keqi replied quickly, summoning his flying artifact.

"Hurry!" Officer Di's voice trembled with excitement.

The Fourth Immortal Realm has countless Immortal Sects—but those that find True Immortal Spring sources are always listed on the Array Rankings, meaning the top thousand sects.

For Baihe Immortal Dao, a sect that lives off its past glory, finding even one True Immortal Spring source in a hundred years is extraordinary.

Cheng Cheng Keqi followed closely behind Officer Di, then pulled out a ring and handed it to him: "Officer Di, these are some minor trinkets I acquired—I have no use for them, so I offer them to you."

Officer Di glanced at Cheng Cheng Keqi—he understood Cheng's intentions perfectly.

The moment his divine sense landed on the ring that bore no restrictions, his eyes lit up. He then tucked the ring away without changing his expression: "Not bad."

Ding Huan and Chang Danyi had only waited less than half a shichen before Deacon Di and Cheng Keqi came rushing over.

"Ding Huan, where is the Immortal Spirit Spring Eye…"

Cheng Keqi stopped after only half a sentence. He had not only sensed the Immortal Spirit Spring, he had also seen it.

"What a fine spring, hahahaha…" Deacon Di burst into wild laughter.

Ding Huan stood to one side, waiting for them to finish gloating.

Yet he waited a full incense stick's worth of time. Deacon Di and Cheng Keqi only kept circling the Immortal Spirit Spring, looking it over, and sending out all manner of messages—nothing that actually concerned them.

Ding Huan really could not hold back any longer: "Fellow Daoist Cheng, this Deacon my lord, Fellow Daoist Chang and I discovered this Immortal Spirit Spring—what do you think of it?"

Deacon Di finally remembered Ding Huan. After all, Ding Huan was the one who had discovered the Immortal Spirit Spring.

He switched to a smiling face: "Ha ha, not bad, very not bad. You're called…"

"Deacon Di, his name is Ding Huan. He came here half a year ago." Cheng Keqi put in a word.

Deacon Di nodded: "Very good, your merit is great. Once I report this up, the Immortal Sect will surely give a reward."

A look of joy appeared on Ding Huan's face, and he quickly said: "Many thanks, Deacon Di. Fellow Daoist Chang and I, in order to find this Immortal Spirit Spring, have barely closed our eyes for half a year. We really are worn out in body and mind.

This time we have finally done something of benefit for the Immortal Sect. Fellow Daoist Chang and I would like to request leave, to take a walk outside the sect."

Ding Huan sneered inwardly. He was certain this benefit had nothing to do with him.

"Outside the Immortal Sect it's all barren wasteland everywhere, there's no Immortal Spirit Qi either—what's there to walk around for?" Deacon Di said with a frown.

Cheng Keqi quickly said: "Deacon Di, searching for the Immortal Spirit Spring over a long period really is exhausting. Fellow Daoist Ding and Fellow Daoist Chang should want to go out and relax a bit. I think it's fine."

After saying that, he immediately sent a voice transmission to Deacon Di: "Deacon Di, it would be best if these two left. Once we've claimed the credit for the Immortal Spirit Spring, even if they come back they won't find anyone to complain to.

If they don't leave, that's the bad thing. In a while the Sect Master and the various Peak Masters will come over, and these two being here would make it easy for them to wag their tongues."

Unfortunately Cheng Keqi did not know that transmitting voice with his measly cultivation in front of Ding Huan was like showing off a hatchet before Lu Ban—every word was heard by Ding Huan without a single one missing.

Ding Huan still wore a look of great joy.

Deacon Di immediately understood. He took out two jade tokens and handed them to Ding Huan and Chang Danyi: "Not bad, here are two sect entry-and-exit tokens, each usable once. I'll take it upon myself to grant you one month of free time."

To Deacon Di, in one month's time the credit for the Immortal Spirit Spring would long since have been divided up.

"Many thanks, Deacon Di." Ding Huan and Chang Danyi took the sect entry-and-exit jade tokens and immediately took their leave.

After the two had walked far away, Chang Danyi was still somewhat indignant: "That Cheng Keqi is nothing but a petty man—he actually wants to hog all the credit."

Ding Huan said lightly: "If I were unwilling to let them hog this credit, it would also be simple. I would just need to find an excuse to stay there.

It wouldn't be long before the Sect Master and the various Peak Masters came over. When the time came I would step forward and say, I was the one who discovered the eye of this Immortal Spirit Spring—could all these people of theirs still stare us in the face and talk nonsense?

Of course, doing so could very well intensify the conflict. Because Cheng Keqi and Deacon Di would certainly think of every possible way to keep us from seeing the Sect Master, and then everyone would tear off all pretense."

Although Chang Danyi knew Ding Huan had his own ideas, handing the credit over to Cheng Keqi for nothing still made her feel that the bastard was getting away with it.

Ding Huan smiled: "Fellow Daoist Chang, did you come to the Immortal Sect to raise your strength, or to search for Immortal Spirit Spring Eyes?"

"Of course to raise my strength." Chang Danyi said without the slightest hesitation.

Ding Huan nodded: "Right. Since it's for raising our strength, why must we have this credit?

If we took this credit, I can be sure that in the future the sect would definitely turn us into machines for searching out Immortal Spirit Springs. We wouldn't even have time to cultivate, let alone leave the Immortal Sect as casually as we can now."

"Why? We could still do as before—find an Immortal Spirit Spring and cultivate there for half a year." Chang Danyi asked instinctively.

Ding Huan said: "That's what you think. Once they discover you can find Immortal Spirit Springs, the Immortal Sect will surely send disciples to follow at your side. Cheng Keqi probably hasn't thought of that yet, but he will in a moment."