Chapter 416: Struggle for the True Spirit World

Opening the jade box, Wen Zhixi covered her mouth.

Inside the jade box was a single Xian Quan flower.

This item was priceless not only in the cultivation world, but also in the Immortal World.

What she had longed for most was the Xian Quan flower; she had previously had no idea how to obtain it, and now it appeared right in her hands.

At this moment, Wen Zhixi's hands trembled, and she could not suppress her inner excitement.

Shakingly picking up the jade slip, Ding Huan's voice came through: "Zhixi, you told me your mother had only a fragment of her soul left—I don't know if you've found her yet.

This Xian Quan flower was acquired by me in my early years, and I have no use for it—I leave it to you. Mountains and rivers will bring us together again; we shall meet once more."

Wen Zhixi gripped the jade slip and murmured, "Brother Ding, thank you—we shall meet again!"

……

"You—stop." Ding Huan had just descended from the seventh floor and reached the fourth when someone called out to him.

He soon realized it was a man wearing the Qingxu Dao robe.

The man had long hair, a sullen expression, and cultivation beyond the Xuan Immortal realm.

"What is it?" Ding Huan asked, then suddenly remembered.

The clothes he was wearing were styled after Qingxu Dao's—though details differed, they were indistinguishable at a glance.

"I've never seen you before," the cultivator who stopped Ding Huan frowned.

Ding Huan smiled awkwardly: "Uh, I just arrived, just arrived…"

"What's your name? Which peak are you from?" the cultivator asked, his tone still stern.

Ding Huan could only say: "I'm Ding Busan."

"Do you understand array arts?" the cultivator asked again.

"A little—I'm just a newly promoted Level Two Immortal Array Master," Ding Huan replied casually.

He only wanted to leave quickly; he claimed to be a Level Two Immortal Array Master as a precaution.

If the man asked how he joined Qingxu Dao, he'd say it was because of his array skills. If the man let him go without asking, he'd leave immediately.

"Good. Come with me," the cultivator said, then descended the stairs first.

Ding Huan hesitated, then followed.

If he left now, he'd be exposed.

With his current cultivation, Qingxu Dao could crush him with a single finger.

He could claim his robe was different, but those subtle differences everyone knew were deliberate impersonation.

Soon, under the man's guidance, Ding Huan reached the end of the third floor; the man swiped his jade token, and the array gate opened.

After entering, Ding Huan silently groaned.

It was a grand hall—and inside, at least forty to fifty people.

He was supposed to stay hidden—why had he been brought to such a crowded place?

"Xuanchengzi, are you Qingxu Dao's entire delegation just the two of you?" a shrill voice rang out, grating on the ears.

Ding Huan thought: So the man leading him was Xuanchengzi.

Xuanchengzi clearly wasn't pleased—he snorted and said: "Even if I came alone, I'd still defeat you."

"True enough—two people mean less Immortal Crystal fees to pay," someone else in the crowd sneered.

Until now, Ding Huan still didn't understand what these people were doing.

"Uncle Xuanchengzi, what's going on?" Ding Huan had no choice but to ask.

He felt Xuanchengzi was a brute with a few missing brain cells—just because he wore a Qingxu Dao robe, he'd dragged him here as if he were a disciple.

In truth, it wasn't really Xuanchengzi's fault.

In the Ancient Immortal Tower, who dared impersonate another Immortal Sect's disciple? That was a death sentence.

If a disciple of one Immortal Sect wore another's robe to deceive, it became a feud between two sects.

But if it were a free cultivator…

Forget it—who among free cultivators would dare impersonate an Immortal Sect disciple?

Xuanchengzi said: "All our top array masters are away on missions; only this one—the worst array master among us, Ding Busan—is left. But before the contest begins, you must explain the rules to my junior."

In truth, he himself had been too angry to hear the rules clearly earlier.

"Can't you explain it yourself?" a female cultivator couldn't help mocking.

"Fine, I'll explain," said a man who appeared calm and composed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'll restate the rules: if anyone doesn't wish to participate, you may withdraw—we have no objections.

There are fifty-three people here, from nine Immortal Sects. Excluding those from Shuangyue Nunnery and Penghai Merchants' Guild, seven sects are participating in this wager.

The seven sects are: Tianxuan Sword Dao, Yihai Palace, Qingxu Dao, Shenzhen Gate, Changfo Temple, Xiao Kunlun Immortal Sect, and Xianwu Palace…"

When Ding Huan heard the name Xianwu Palace, his heart stirred slightly.

Earlier, when Tao Xiaomei told him of the tragic fate of the Thirty-Three Dao, she had mentioned Xianwu Palace.

That incident began because Xianwu Palace had only one disciple slot—leading to Fu Fu Yuxing being ambushed.

And Xiao Kunlun Immortal Sect—could it have any connection to Earth's Kunlun Mountain?

"The cause of this matter is a high-grade spiritual treasure—and a True Spirit World…"

As he spoke, the calm man pointed to a pearl resting in the center of the hall.

Ding Huan had noticed the pearl upon entering; he scanned it with his spiritual sense, found it sealed by restrictions, and withdrew his sense.

He hadn't expected it to be a True Spirit World.

The tier of a True Spirit World far surpasses that of a small world; rumors say that with sufficient investment, a True Spirit World can even evolve into a Five Elements World.

This item was of immense value.

Of course, True Spirit Worlds are also graded between good and bad. A True Spirit World that has already been called a Spirit Treasure is naturally of an extremely high grade.

Could these fellows have taken out a True Spirit World as a stake?

By all reason, once a treasure like a True Spirit World appeared, the first thing to do would be to inform the sect elders and the Sect Master — how could they let a few disciples make the decision here?

"Since this True Spirit World was discovered jointly by all of us here, then we shall handle it ourselves. The Clear Void Daoist lost out a little, but luck is also a form of strength — you can't blame anyone else for that…"

"Fan Zhi, enough with all that — just tell us the rules. The sooner we fight, the sooner it ends." Someone in the crowd cut off this rather long-winded middle-aged male cultivator.

Fan Zhi didn't mind, and continued: "The rule is that in a moment each faction will send someone to set up a trapping formation to lock down this True Spirit World.

Once the formations are set up, everyone can rush in within an agreed time to seize the True Spirit World. Whoever grabs it first — that True Spirit World belongs to the sect of whoever holds it.

While rushing in to seize the True Spirit World, you may also set up any kind of formation at any time to attack or trap your opponents, on the condition that killing is absolutely forbidden.

Besides the True Spirit World, there are also some side stakes — the side stakes are upper-grade immortal crystals.

Put up one thousand upper-grade immortal crystals, and only one person may enter to seize the True Spirit World. Put up two thousand, and two people may go in to seize the True Spirit World — and so on.

The final victor not only obtains the True Spirit World, but also all the immortal crystals. At the same time, from then on, everyone present here must address him as Senior Brother whenever they see him.

If there are no objections, then we shall begin."

"Begin. My Heaven Mystery Sword Dao has no problem, and we are sending five people." After a tall, slender man finished speaking, he voluntarily took out an unsealed ring and tossed it beside the True Spirit World.

Ding Huan's divine sense landed on it — the ring indeed contained five thousand upper-grade immortal crystals.

"My Intent Sea Palace is also sending five people." Following him, a short, stocky fellow likewise took out a ring and placed it beside the True Spirit World — inside were exactly five thousand upper-grade immortal crystals.

Then the Divine Formation Sect sent three, the Long Buddha Temple three, the Lesser Kunlun Immortal Sect five, the Xianwugong four — only the Clear Void Dao had two.

Ding Huan saw Xuan Chengzi, his face dark, take out a ring containing two thousand upper-grade immortal crystals and toss it beside the True Spirit World, and found it rather amusing.

This fellow must have gone back to look for fellow disciples to help, only to find none of them around, and ended up dragging Ding Huan in as a conscript.

Since Xuan Chengzi didn't recognize him, it meant these people had also only just arrived at the Ancient Immortal Dao City.

But is this thing really something where more people means it will work?

Judging from Xuan Chengzi's expression, Ding Huan figured that though this fellow spoke with firmness, in truth he had no confidence at all.

Besides, there was still the Divine Formation Sect here — just hearing the name of this immortal sect told you they were skilled in the Dao of Formations.

He really couldn't figure out what these fellows were thinking, why they would agree to this kind of contest — they might as well have just handed the thing over to the Divine Formation Sect.

"Senior Sister Miao He, your Twin Moon Nunnery isn't participating, so please act as the formation-duel arbiter." Fan Zhi himself was also going to step into the field to take part in the formation duel, so he simply turned his gaze to a female nun.

That female nun gave a slight smile, stepped forward and said: "Very well. Just now everyone has already paid in their immortal crystals.

Now I ask Heaven Mystery Sword Dao, Intent Sea Palace, Clear Void Dao, Divine Formation Sect, Long Buddha Temple, Lesser Kunlun Immortal Sect, and Xianwugong to send people in turn to set up their trapping formations."

Heaven Mystery Sword Dao stepped forward first to set up a trapping formation. Ding Huan noticed the one who came out was still Fan Zhi — so this fellow was from Heaven Mystery Sword Dao.

Although everyone believed they could win, when Fan Zhi set up his trapping formation, every single person stared without blinking.

Ding Huan hadn't expected it either — Fan Zhi was actually a third-grade formation master; he set up a third-grade trapping formation.

Next, the one who came out from Intent Sea Palace to set up a trapping formation set up a second-grade trapping formation. Then Xuan Chengzi, who had dragged Ding Huan over, went to set up a trapping formation — also a second-grade one.

Ding Huan had assumed the Divine Formation Sect would certainly set up a third-grade trapping formation, but to his complete surprise, the Divine Formation Sect also set up a second-grade trapping formation.

In the end, of the seven immortal sects, apart from Heaven Mystery Sword Dao, all the rest set up second-grade trapping formations.

Judging from the skill shown in setting up formations, Ding Huan reckoned Xuan Chengzi could rank at best in fifth place.

The worst was Xianwugong — they only barely managed to set up a second-grade trapping formation; a little worse and it would have dropped down to the level of a first-grade trapping formation.