Chapter 431: 430. Chapter 425: Walking Straight Into Their Hands

430. Chapter 425: Walking Straight Into Their Hands

Hearing Ding Huan's words, Ku Lu blurted out:

"Why? If we don't go to the Chaos Zone, where else can we go? You probably don't understand how powerful the Star Lord is—if he truly wants to hunt us, we have nowhere to hide in the Ancient Immortal Realm.

Going to any other race's territory is just suicide. After weighing all options, we have only one path left: the Chaos Zone."

Ding Huan looked at Ku Lu with serious expression:

"Before, we could have gone. But if I'm not mistaken, the Star Lord has already reached the Immortal Abandonment Lands, and right now he's very likely waiting outside the Chaos Zone for us."

"What do you mean?" Ku Lu didn't understand Ding Huan's words.

After asking, fearing Ding Huan didn't grasp the importance of the Immortal Court's negotiator leaving during talks with the Demon Court, he added:

"Brother Zhang San, if the representative of the Immortal Court dares to leave privately during negotiations, it's a severe punishment—even death is possible. So before the Immortal-Demon talks end, Star Lord Du Yue won't bother with Wu Jian."

Ding Huan spoke gravely: "I suspect Star Lord Du Yue isn't after Wu Jian—he cares about the soil beneath Fen Bao Cliff.

The day after we left, someone went to the Fen Bao Cliff ruins. At first I thought it was Wu Jian's maid.

Just now it clicked: Wu Jian's maid must have gone with a powerful figure. If I'm right, that person has over a 70% chance of being Star Lord Du Yue."

When Ding Huan left the Fen Bao Cliff ruins, he deliberately spent time setting up a web of spatial wave laws to mislead anyone searching for him.

Back then, he hadn't thought much of it—he assumed any cultivator above the Immortal King realm could trace his direction through Dao rhythm wave patterns.

The moment he and Ku Lu departed, someone arrived at the Fen Bao Cliff ruins. All around were the Dao rhythm wave patterns he'd laid, so he immediately sensed their presence.

That person instantly made a judgment and followed the exact direction of the Dao rhythm wave patterns he'd set.

It was entirely his own fault—he assumed any Immortal King could, like him, instantly perceive and judge the direction through Dao rhythm wave patterns.

Now that he held the half-broken array flag Shi Li had dropped, he felt his assumption might be wrong.

If Shi Li could perceive Dao rhythm wave patterns instantly, like him, he would never have left behind his half-broken array flag—it would be leaving a hazard.

He also recalled the two Immortal Kings he'd met before, when he forcibly took back Ku Lu's soul tablet from them.

That proved Immortal Kings' methods and judgment of heavenly Dao rhythm wave patterns weren't that refined.

He was a Jin Xian, yes—but not every Immortal King could grasp Dao rhythm wave patterns as clearly as he could, or judge them instantly.

His assumption—that others would think like him—was wrong.

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That means the person who came to Fen Bao Cliff wasn't an Immortal King.

If not an Immortal King, then certainly an Immortal Emperor.

If it's an Immortal Emperor, who else could it be but Star Lord Du Yue?

After chasing him for a while and realizing he'd gone the wrong way, what would Du Yue Immortal Emperor do?

If he were Du Yue Immortal Emperor, once he realized he'd chased the wrong direction, he'd never turn back to try another path.

The only way to correct it would be to consider where the person he was chasing might go.

He and Ku Lu were both tiny ants—what place could they possibly flee to against a giant like Du Yue of the Immortal Court?

Only one answer: the Chaos Zone.

So Star Lord Du Yue only needs to wait outside the Chaos Zone for them to enter.

Even if his iron pot moved faster, it couldn't outpace Star Lord Du Yue.

Star Lord Du Yue could simply use one teleportation talisman to appear instantly outside the Chaos Zone.

Ku Lu fell silent, then after a brief hesitation, looked firmly at Ding Huan: "Brother Zhang San, I follow you—wherever you say, we go."

He realized Ding Huan had far more survival experience than he did.

"There's only one place left where we can hide," Ding Huan said.

"Where?"

"The Immortal Court."

Ku Lu stared at Ding Huan in disbelief—was this walking straight into their hands?

Ding Huan said: "Star Lord Du Yue is certainly waiting outside the Chaos Zone for us. We must reach the Immortal Court as soon as possible—every day delayed is another day of danger.

You couldn't even imagine we'd voluntarily head to the Immortal Court—so Star Lord Du Yue certainly won't. By the time he figures it out, we might already have secured our footing."

"I have one teleportation talisman that can take both of us to the Immortal Court. But we can only reach its outer perimeter—getting past the protective array is nearly impossible. That array is a Level Nine peak Immortal array—how do we get in?"

Hearing Ku Lu could teleport instantly to the Immortal Court, Ding Huan was overjoyed: "Tell me—what are the requirements to enter the Immortal Court?"

Ku Lu said: "Cultivators or officials already within the Heavenly Court, or people like me who were recruited long ago, can enter and exit freely.

Beyond that, the leaders of major Immortal sects, or their appointed envoys, all carry their sect leader's command seal…"

"That's it?" Ding Huan frowned—if only these, getting into the Immortal Court would be nearly impossible.

"There's also: if you're on the Immortal Court's Tian Gang List or Di Sha List. The Tian Gang List is for martial and Dao techniques—if you rank in the top thirty-six, you can enter and exit the Heavenly Court at will.

The Di Sha List is for experts in alchemy, artifact forging, talismans, arrays, cultivation plants, left-hand arts, and refining—anyone who ranks in the top seventy-two."

Ding Huan grew more confused: "Does the Tian Gang List have no cultivation realm restrictions? Is the Di Sha List one list or multiple?"

Ku Lu chuckled: "The Tian Gang List has only one rule: strength alone qualifies you. Whether you're an Immortal Emperor or a Earth Immortal, you can join—no realm restrictions.

The Di Sha List has exactly seventy-two spots, regardless of whether you're an alchemist or artifact forger—if you make the top seventy-two, you're on it. The current number one on the Di Sha List is an Immortal Alchemy Emperor; number two is an Immortal Artifact Emperor."

Ding Huan sighed helplessly—this list, ignoring realm and category, was useless to him.

"Oh, there's another way to enter the Immortal Court."

Seeing Ding Huan's distress, Ku Lu suddenly remembered something.

"Quick, tell me—what's the way?" Ding Huan asked eagerly.

"Join a trade caravan from any race entering the Immortal Court. Even though many races are at war, trade between them continues.

For example, Demon and Demon races know the Immortal Court has many valuable goods—they frequently send caravans to trade there. These caravans are usually allowed passage."

"Then that's settled—we join a caravan," Ding Huan exclaimed happily.

Ku Lu shook his head: "Probably not. First, these caravans don't have to let us join."

"Second, we're human—joining another caravan would draw too much attention. And caravans are leaving anyway; they can only stay in the Immortal Court for a limited time."

"What's to fear? Let's join first. Tell me how to find these caravans," Ding Huan said without hesitation.

"Finding caravans is simple. We wait along the road they must pass. There's a path leading to the Immortal Court called the Southern Heavenly Road. Any caravan wanting to reach the Immortal Court must travel the Southern Heavenly Road."

"Then that's settled."

"Do we leave now?"

"No. I'll give you a jade slip—first, practice the disguise technique inside it," Ding Huan said, pulling out a jade slip and handing it to Ku Lu.

It was a divine art he had modified through the Great Cosmos Art, capable of altering a person's aura and appearance.

Originally, it was the Earthly Demons Illusion Art—but he had changed it beyond recognition.

Until now, Ding Huan dared not reveal his true face to Ku Lu.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Ku Lu—he feared what might happen if Ku Lu were captured.

If Ku Lu were captured, even if he didn't speak, his information would still leak out.

He himself didn't care—but the Yaochi Chiyunu Sect and Wen Zhixi would be finished.

Ku Lu took the jade slip without concern, then looked at Ding Huan in surprise: "Brother Zhang San, this is derived from the Earthly Demons Illusion Art, isn't it?"

The Earthly Demons Illusion Art was a legend—only a handful of top figures in the Heavenly Court could master it. For Ding Huan to produce this divine art was unbelievable.

"Yes, I happened to obtain it. Learn this first, or you'll become a target the moment you enter the Immortal Court," Ding Huan said.

"Good, thank you," Ku Lu said, deeply moved. Even working in the Star Lord's mansion, this divine art was something he had long dreamed of.

Without Ding Huan urging him, upon receiving this divine art, he immediately began meditating and cultivating. No one could resist the temptation of the Earthly Demons Illusion Art—not even a modified version.

With Ding Huan explaining beside him, in just three days, Ku Lu could clearly alter his appearance.

"Impressive," Ku Lu exclaimed, sensing his appearance and aura had changed completely.

Ding Huan said: "No problems. Let's go quickly. I'm worried that old man might realize and return to guard outside the Immortal Court—if he does, we'll have no way out."

"Alright."

Ku Lu pulled out a teleportation talisman.

"Let me see," Ding Huan said, immediately reaching out to examine the talisman repeatedly.

After confirming it was flawless, he teleported away with Ku Lu.

He had checked Wu Jian's ring—there was no teleportation talisman directly leading outside the Immortal Court inside it, which was strange.

In truth, Wu Jian's ring did contain a teleportation talisman—but Ding Huan dared not use it himself.

Wu Jian was the son of Du Yue, Star Lord—how could he dare use Wu Jian's teleportation talisman casually?

Regardless of Ku Lu's character, his teleportation talisman was truly excellent—it directly transported Ding Huan to a plaza outside the Immortal Court.

People constantly arrived and departed via teleportation on the plaza, proving it was the designated teleportation hub for Immortal Court cultivators.

There were few teleportation arrays connecting the Gu Xian Region to the Immortal Court; most cultivators traveling to or from the Immortal Court relied on teleportation talismans.

Ku Lu carried a teleportation talisman because he was Wu Jian's shadow guard.

"I'll take you to the Southern Heavenly Road—many caravans from all races gather there," Ku Lu said in a lowered voice.