Chapter 470

469. Chapter 464: Call Off the Duel Competition

When Ding Huan stepped down from the arena, everyone froze in stunned silence.

That was Zuo Liang, Zuo Liang himself.

The top Xuan Immortal of the Nine Earths Xian Sect, and the number one among the Ten Great Xuan Immortals of the Grand Immortal Realm—he had lost, and not only lost, but been severely injured.

If he had lost after a fierce battle with Ding Huan, people might have been surprised, but not this shocked.

After all, everyone had seen Ding Huan's previous performances—he was no ordinary cultivator.

Yet Zuo Liang's clash with Ding Huan on the arena ended in decisive victory within moments.

In other words, even if Zuo Liang had faced a Great Yi Immortal, he could not have lost so swiftly.

"Old Six…" Mu Mu Qingqing, still lying on the ground, called out to Ding Huan as he passed by.

She had known the moment Zuo Liang charged onto the arena—he had no chance at all. Compared to this Old Six, Zuo Liang was far inferior.

Everyone assumed Zuo Liang was the top Xuan Immortal, but only she knew that defeating him would take her less than an incense stick's burn.

Deep inside, she had always believed she herself was the true top Xuan Immortal, yet she cared nothing for such empty titles.

Today she had seen it: the top Xuan Immortal was this Old Six of the Dafanxian Sect.

Indeed, her master was right—beyond people there are greater people, beyond mountains there are higher mountains.

When Old Six's Dao domain pressed down on her, she felt suffocated and hopeless—a sensation she had never felt even when facing a Great Yi Immortal.

"Oh, Immortal Mu, what do you need from me?" Ding Huan stopped, smiling broadly.

As if he hadn't just broken her legs.

Worse still, his eyes even showed genuine concern for her broken limbs.

"Can you return my treasure to me?" Mu Mu Qingqing could not sit up, yet pleaded softly.

The Great Emperor Cauldron was manageable—she could find a replacement—but the Six Paths Reincarnation Knife must not be lost.

"Your treasure? How could your treasure be on me?" Ding Huan asked, bewildered.

Mu Mu Qingqing gritted her teeth until they cracked, yet still whispered:

"It's like this—I heard Old Sixth Brother has several fine flying knives and a precious cauldron. I wish to purchase them."

Ding Huan feigned sudden understanding: "Then you should've said so earlier—who doesn't do a little business to make ends meet? But I only accept top-grade immortal spirit veins. Low-grade ones won't do."

After saying that, Ding Huan once again looked toward Arena Three. Someone was dueling on Arena Three again, and he was going to go pick up some points.

"Old Sixth Brother, I'm going to gather top-grade immortal spirit veins, but I can't move right now." Mu Mu Qingqing continued pleading.

Ding Huan paused, then said: "That's true."

With a flick of his finger, two threads of Dao essence flowed directly into Mu Mu Qingqing's legs.

The Six Paths Reincarnation Knife was undoubtedly a valuable treasure—if she couldn't offer something worthy, he wouldn't hesitate to keep it.

But if she could provide something of equal value, he might consider exchanging it back.

After Ding Huan's Dao essence entered her legs, Mu Mu Qingqing felt her knees begin healing—the previously unhealable bones slowly mending.

Mu Mu Qingqing was stunned—was his mastery over Dao principles even stronger than her master's?

"You'll be fine in a day. Remember—I only want top-grade immortal spirit veins." Ding Huan finished speaking and rushed toward Arena Three.

He knew top-grade immortal spirit veins were unlikely, but by demanding them, she might offer high-grade immortal spirit veins instead.

If he had asked for high-grade immortal spirit veins, she'd likely only bring mid-grade immortal spirit veins.

When Ding Huan arrived at Arena Three, the match had just ended.

Before the victor could step down, Ding Huan charged up: "Dafanxian Sect's Old Six, issuing a challenge."

The cultivator from the Seven-Star Immortal Gate saw Ding Huan and his face twisted like a bitter melon.

He had just barely earned ten points—and now they were gone.

"Old Sixth Brother, I yield." The cultivator didn't even fight—he scrambled off the arena.

"Contestant 3211 wins."

The arena announced the result.

Ding Huan heard the announcement but felt no joy—he knew he might have ruined the entire duel competition.

Fortunately, not everyone had realized it yet—someone else was stepping onto the arena to challenge.

Ding Huan wouldn't miss this chance—he quickly climbed up.

After a few more rounds, no one else dared step onto the arena.

The cultivators beneath the ten arenas stared at each other, silent.

Not one was willing to climb up and challenge.

Ding Huan rubbed his hair in frustration—he could climb up himself, but he couldn't force others to challenge him.

He sighed. He'd even warned Zhai Wangjian of the Yan Yue Xian Sect earlier—why had he warned him? Couldn't he have just let that guy climb up and earn him some points?

Now it was completely ruined.

He looked down at his contestant number tag—it read 190 points.

He earned 90 points in the elimination round, and 100 in the arena tournament.

Ding Huan was speechless—the arena tournament was meant for farming points, yet he'd only scraped 100.

Damn, poor strategy. He should've waited to avenge Yan Sha—he could've kept playing the part longer.

He killed Han Han Qiongsang to avenge Yan Sha, and now everyone knew he was the real Old Six—so no one dared challenge him for points.

A ridiculous scene unfolded on the duel arenas: Ding Huan wandered back and forth beside Arenas One through Ten.

Over a hundred cultivators who had entered the arena tournament refused to step onto any stage.

Almost every eye followed Ding Huan's movements.

Ding Huan helplessly looked at the hundred-odd cultivators selected for the arena tournament: "Why don't you guys get on the arena? If you don't fight, how will your sect earn points?"

No one responded to Ding Huan's words. Go up? Haha, go up to get scored by you, Old Six?

Even Yue Linxin of the Eight-Star Immortal Sect won't go up—what makes them think they can?

"Old Six Senior Brother, your score is already enough. Why not take a break first while we compete for a while?" a contestant from the Seven-Star Immortal Sect asked Ding Huan cautiously.

He was growing impatient.

Combat duels are the main way our sect gains points—now that no one's going up, what's the point of scoring?

Ding Huan sneered inwardly. Take a break?

Dream on.

The moment he leaves, this arena will erupt in fierce competition, and the great immortal sects will rack up points.

Even though his chance of securing first place for Dafanxian Sect is growing slimmer, there's still a chance, isn't there? If he walks away, there'll be no chance at all.

"Fine, you go up. I'll rest here," Ding Huan said with a smile.

The Seven-Star Immortal Sect contestant was overjoyed and flew down onto Platform Six.

Before he could speak, Ding Huan landed opposite him.

"Senior Brother, I challenge you," Ding Huan still smiled.

"Old Six Senior Brother, weren't you just saying you'd rest?" The Seven-Star Immortal Sect disciple stared blankly. What the hell—weren't we just agreed you'd rest?

Ding Huan nodded seriously: "I've rested."

"I yield," the Seven-Star Immortal Sect disciple was utterly speechless. That Old Six.

"Contestant 3211 wins."

Ding Huan picked up another ten points.

No one else was willing to step onto the platform.

Far away, Elder Elder Ming Mu of Dafanxian Sect had long lost his initial excitement. Though the Immortal Court forbade immortal sects within the Great Immortal Realm from infringing upon one another,

Ding Huan has offended so many Eight-Star Immortal Sects—how will Dafanxian Sect survive?

Killing Han Han Qiongsang could still be excused as avenging Yan Sha—the excuse was barely acceptable.

But severely injuring the twin prodigies of the First Immortal Sect, Jiukunxian Sect, this matter could never be small.

Jiukunxian Sect, even as an Eight-Star Immortal Sect, was incomparable to Lingyao Immortal Pavilion.

Ding Huan can walk away after the match, but we're doomed.

At this point, he even doubted whether inviting Ding Huan to compete for Dafanxian Sect had been right or wrong.

The situation has spiraled beyond control; as an elder, he can do nothing but wait for the sect's patriarch to return.

Throughout the entire combat arena, Ding Huan watched the platform, while everyone else watched Ding Huan.

Until one day passed, the combat tournament ended.

Many contestants left reluctantly.

Some had participated in the Immortal Sect Ranking Competition's combat matches before—but never before had they spent an entire day merely watching the platform, too afraid to step up.

Ding Huan was also helpless—he had successfully restricted the other sects' scores.

At the same time, he had successfully restricted his own score.

Since no one would fight him, he couldn't just go down and beat them up.

The combat tournament, perfectly organized, had been halted by Ding Huan.

After the combat tournament ended, a massive ranking array screen appeared on the combat arena. First place was unmistakably Ding Huan, with two hundred points.

Second place was Yue Linxin of Yan Yue Immortal Sect, with one hundred ten points.

The rest mostly had ninety points, or eighty.

As Ding Huan walked out of the combat arena, he knew he had failed in the combat tournament.

If he only wanted the Immortal Spirit Vein, this ranking was fine—but the key was, this score helped little with his sect's overall ranking.

The second round of the array tournament had not yet begun; Ding Huan could only wait at the array arena.

At this moment, Ding Huan had been placed on every major sect's top observation list; wherever he went, countless spiritual senses swept over him.

Ding Huan decided: he must score in the array tournament. If he failed to score in the array tournament, the Soul-Eating Soul Ring would be out of his reach.

Sitting in the array arena, Ding Huan cast a concealment talisman on himself, then inside the barrier, forged various talismans.

Han Han Qiongsang's ring had given him immense help—he had obtained a large stockpile of talisman materials from Han Han Qiongsang's ring, saving him the trouble of buying them in Ban Ting Xiancheng.

He waited another three days before his array tournament number plaque received a message: the first round of the array tournament had ended; the second round had begun.

Ding Huan removed the barrier. His number was 122—he should be up first in the second round.

Indeed, right after the message ended, he received notification to ascend the platform.