Chapter 473

472. Chapter 467: The Holy Maiden of Chiyunu Sect

Seeing it was Ding Huan, the disciple of Lingyao Immortal Pavilion couldn't help but shiver.

Although Ding Huan was marked for death by Lingyao Immortal Pavilion, they could only kill him after this Immortal Sect Grand Tournament—during the tournament, Lingyao Immortal Pavilion could do nothing to him.

The challenge for Stage 20 was to forge a Water Arrow Immortal Talisman, then have the two competitors attack each other with their Water Arrow Immortal Talismans.

The Lingyao Immortal Pavilion disciple dared not delay a moment, quickly grabbing materials and beginning to forge the talisman.

Ding Huan also calmly retrieved his materials and began forging the Water Arrow Immortal Talisman.

Both finished nearly simultaneously, then launched their Water Arrow Immortal Talismans at the same time.

In this competition, if one competitor had already forged their Water Arrow Talisman while the other had not, the moment the first launched theirs, the one still unprepared lost.

The two Water Arrow Immortal Talismans continuously fired water arrows until the Lingyao Immortal Pavilion disciple's talisman exhausted its Dao essence first and turned to ash.

Ding Huan's Water Arrow Talisman lasted several breaths longer—Ding Huan won this talisman duel.

Seeing Ding Huan win again, the watching cultivators grew even more excited.

"Do you think Old Six could also take first place in talisman duels and array duels?"

"That's impossible—he struggled in array duels, barely scraping through every time; his talisman duels seem equally strained..."

"You don't understand—he's deliberately hiding his true strength. Do you really think he gets lucky every time?"

…

Regardless of whether the onlookers knew he was hiding his strength, Ding Huan would no longer instantly kill his opponents.

Even if some guessed he was concealing his power, as long as he didn't obliterate them like in the combat arena, he wouldn't lack opportunities to rack up points.

The first reason was that most competitors only observed who was strong or weak on the arena.

Second, anyone who entered the competition had some ability.

Those with ability were naturally proud; seeing him win without clear dominance, even if they suspected deception, they still wanted to test whether they could defeat him.

When Ding Huan returned to the array duel zone, a veiled woman was already waiting outside his tent.

Ding Huan gave Fu Fu Tanling a thumbs-up—this little talisman expert was always efficient; even Gong Yuxin had arrived before him.

"Lady Gong, since you've come, let's go inside and talk," Ding Huan smiled broadly, gesturing inward.

Gong Yuxin's eyes were icy, radiating an aura of utter coldness: "Say what you have to say now, or I'm leaving immediately."

If Ding Huan hadn't seen her true nature, he'd truly believe this woman was aloof and elegant.

Ding Huan spoke calmly: "If you don't care about your reputation, leave now—I have no objection."

Gong Yuxin frowned slightly; seeing Ding Huan's calm expression, she took a breath and stepped into his tent.

Ding Huan was about to set up a sealing array when she coldly said: "No need. I, Gong Yuxin, have nothing to hide."

"Oh, days ago, after my match, I returned to the Immortal Sect's base—alas, just then I happened to see…"

Before Ding Huan could finish, Gong Yuxin immediately sealed his tent: "What do you want to say?"

"My expression is poor, and my ability to write lewd novels is mediocre—I can only let you see it." With that, Ding Huan pulled out a crystal ball and tossed it to Gong Yuxin.

Gong Yuxin glared coldly at Ding Huan, seized the crystal ball, and activated it.

When she saw herself and Ren Xian rolling naked together in the Chiyunu Sect's lodging room, her face turned instantly pale.

Ding Huan said nothing, sat down calmly, poured himself a cup of Immortal Spirit Tea, and sipped it alone.

"Crack!" Gong Yuxin crushed the crystal ball.

Taking a deep breath, she removed her veil and looked at Ding Huan slowly: "If you need me, I'm ready now."

Ding Huan nearly spat out his tea—so this woman thought he summoned her just for that?

What a twisted mind…

And this was still the array duel arena.

Ding Huan almost said, "I'm not that desperate," but remembering he still needed her help, he chuckled:

"Relax—I, Ding Huan, always enjoy helping others find happiness. You and Ren Xian are perfectly matched—I won't interfere."

"You're Ding Huan?" Gong Yuxin stared at him, eyes wide.

Ding Huan? She knew who that was.

Ding Huan smiled: "What do you think?"

He wasn't afraid she'd expose him—so long as her mind was still rational, she wouldn't use reporting him as Ding Huan as a tactic.

He revealed his name because he knew: if he inquired about Wen Zhixi, she'd eventually guess it was him.

If so, why hide it?

"You want to ask about Wen Zhixi?" As expected, after Ding Huan named himself, Gong Yuxin immediately understood.

"Correct. I trust you won't hide anything." Ding Huan said.

Ding Huan truly believed Gong Yuxin wouldn't conceal anything—after all, he held her secret. If she dared to lie, he'd release the crystal ball, and she'd be finished.

Gong Yuxin took a deep breath: "It was our Sect Master Li Zhen. She heard from Hua Xiaoqian that Zhixi-sister could use Void Array Runes, so she investigated Zhixi-sister—and discovered Zhixi-sister came from the Ashen Sea."

Sect Master Li Zhen made two demands: first, that Zhixi-sister teach the Void Array Runes; second, the exact method to cross the Ashen Sea.

Zhixi-sister said the Void Array Runes were taught to her by her elder brother and could not be passed on. As for crossing the Ashen Sea, it was because her elder brother possessed a Level Nine Teleportation Immortal Talisman.

Sect Master Li Zhen flew into a rage and forcibly moved against Zhixi-sister. What she didn't expect was that upon touching her, she discovered Zhixi-sister was an Immortal Spirit Dao Body.

Sect Master Li Zhen immediately decided to give Zhixi-sister away—to Ren Xian—because Panxingdao Sect possessed something she needed.

Zhixi-sister was confined within the Immortal Sect. I came to ask Zhixi-sister to teach me array arts, since I was preparing for the array duel.

Zhixi was willing to teach me the Void Array Runes, but only if I helped her escape and obtained the Ten Refinements Soul Art for her…

"Has she already escaped?" Ding Huan asked.

Gong Yuxin nodded: "Yes. I helped her escape and gave her the Ten Refinements Soul Art."

In return, she gave me a jade slip containing the Void Array Runes, a Tongling Blue-Faced Fruit, and a Spirit Artifact.

Ding Huan exhaled in relief; the Spirit-Linking Blue-Faced Fruit had been given to him by Gong Yuxin.

Ding Huan had studied the Nine Courts Immortal Laws, and his own cultivation was based on the Great Cosmos Art—he could tell Gong Yuxin was not lying.

Wen Zhixi had escaped and produced a spiritual artifact; that meant her Nine Lun Seal had not been discovered, and it was likely hidden within her consciousness.

"Thank you, Immortal Lady Gong," Ding Huan bowed deeply to Gong Yuxin.

Gong Yuxin held deep apprehension toward Ding Huan; now that he bowed to her, she was almost at a loss for what to do.

Ding Huan pulled out a crystal ball and crushed it before Gong Yuxin's eyes: "This is the memory crystal ball I kept—I've destroyed it."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Ding," Gong Yuxin truly feared Ding Huan might still have more such crystal balls; if he did, she would be better off dead.

Now she could only believe Ding Huan's words.

Ding Huan said sincerely: "Immortal Lady Gong, if you have any questions about the Void Array Patterns, you may come to me anytime."

"Also, I'll be frank—Ren Xian is absolutely not a good match for you."

Gong Yuxin stared at Ding Huan in shock; the Void Array Patterns truly had been taught by him.

Wen Zhixi had only said the Void Array Patterns were taught by her elder brother—she never imagined the teacher standing before her was Ding Huan.

Her main reason for helping Wen Zhixi was not sympathy or outrage, but the Void Array Patterns.

Because the Void Array Patterns were of utmost importance to her.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Ding," Gong Yuxin knew she absolutely could not miss this opportunity.

Ding Huan nodded but said nothing.

Gong Yuxin suddenly spoke: "Senior Brother Ding, if you face Ren Xian in the arena match, can you kill him for me?"

Ding Huan froze: "Did Ren Xian force you?"

Gong Yuxin shook her head: "No, I did it willingly—I even gave him the Spirit-Linking Blue-Faced Fruit. I did it because he possesses something I must reclaim—it belongs to my Gong family."

Ding Huan looked at Gong Yuxin and thought to himself: this woman was also a ruthless one.

As a Sacred Maiden, she was willing to sleep with Ren Xian for the sake of one object—and even defied the Sect Lord.

As if sensing Ding Huan's confusion and subtle unease, Gong Yuxin gave a self-deprecating smile:

"The Sacred Maidens of Chiyunu Sect have always had lovers—only outsiders don't know it."

Ding Huan was speechless; if you need a man, why call yourself a Sacred Maiden at all?

But he didn't care to dwell on such matters and asked instead: "What is it?"

"A lamp," Gong Yuxin said.

Ding Huan frowned; he had checked Ren Xian's ring before, and there was no lamp or anything like it inside.

Gong Yuxin added: "That lamp is a treasure of my Gong family. It was seized by Panxingdao Sect, then given to Ren Xian by the sect lord. Ren Xian is actually the sect lord's illegitimate son."

Ding Huan felt something was off: "Immortal Lady Gong, if I recall correctly, the Panxingdao Sect Lord's name is Gong Qilin—he also bears the Gong surname?"

Gong Yuxin gritted her teeth: "He was an adopted son taken in by my great-grandfather. The Gong surname was given to him by my great-grandfather."

But he was an ungrateful Bai Yanlang—he allied with outside forces and betrayed my Gong family when he reached the Luo Tian Xian realm."

My Gong family was wiped out in that battle. I was lucky enough to escape. Now I want to reclaim what belongs to my family."

"One more thing—did Hua Xiaoqian know about your plot against Wen Zhixi?"

"She probably knows a little. The Sect Lord sent her to the Immortal Court on official business, and she hasn't returned yet."

"Fine. In return for saving Wen Zhixi, I accept your request."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Ding," Gong Yuxin bowed, then walked out of Ding Huan's tent.

Ding Huan watched as Gong Yuxin vanished from sight, his heart filled with deep emotion.

These Immortal Sect disciples will do anything for their own possessions or to enhance their strength.