Chapter 477: 476. Chapter 471: The Immortal Gate Grand Competition Ends

476. Chapter 471: The Immortal Gate Grand Competition Ends

The killing array activated; this time the killing light was even more intense than during Ding Huan's battle with Ren Xian, and blood mist could be seen spraying out.

To everyone's surprise, after another half incense stick passed, the killing light on the arena faded—Ding Huan still stood on the arena.

This time, however, You Sa was not killed; he staggered off the arena, clearly conceding.

At this point, some had begun to suspect Ding Huan's severe injuries might be faked.

Even so, people still rushed onto the arena to challenge Ding Huan.

After all, the opportunity was simply too rare.

Defeating Ding Huan wasn't just about gaining ten points—it meant instant fame, his name echoing across the entire Grand Immortal Realm, even reaching the Immortal Court.

With the second, third…

Until the tenth challenger also failed, the number of people daring to challenge Ding Huan dwindled.

Anyone who wasn't foolish knew Ding Huan had something suspicious going on.

Every time he was about to be defeated, he somehow held out against the array until the next round.

Earlier, contestants who saw Ding Huan looking on the verge of defeat had rushed to take advantage.

Even after realizing the truth, some still tried their luck.

The reason was that, aside from Ren Xian, none of the array masters who faced Ding Huan afterward had been killed.

So many had tried and confirmed they couldn't beat Ding Huan; naturally, no one else would challenge him.

Seeing no one dared challenge him, Ding Huan began seeking targets and actively challenging others.

Half a day later, everyone noticed a pattern.

Ding Huan's challenge targets followed an order: first, he challenged Eight-Star Xian Sects.

If no Eight-Star Xian Sect remained, he challenged Seven-Star Xian Sects; only after both Eight-Star and Seven-Star Xian Sects were gone did he turn to Six-Star Xian Sect disciples.

Moreover, once Ding Huan defeated a Six-Star or lower Xian Sect, he wouldn't challenge that sect again consecutively—he'd wait until that sect had earned over thirty points before challenging them again.

Most importantly, Ding Huan didn't kill anyone.

Throughout the entire array competition, apart from killing Ren Xian, he had killed no one else.

Soon, the rumor that Ding Huan had placed the largest bet on Dafanxian Sect ranking first at Ban Ting Gambling House leaked out; at that moment, everyone understood.

No wonder he targeted Seven-Star and Eight-Star Xian Sects first—Dafanxian Sect clearly wanted first place.

After learning Ding Huan's goal, the smaller Xian Sect contestants became even more bold in challenging on the arena.

After all, as long as a Seven-Star or higher Xian Sect disciple was on the arena, Ding Huan wouldn't challenge them.

If there were no Seven-Star disciples, there were still Six-Star and Five-Star ones.

Even if challenged, as long as they conceded, he wouldn't challenge them again for several rounds.

As the day neared its end, Ding Huan returned to the talisman arena. After winning his sixth round, he went back to the array arena for the next round of the competition.

In the final moments, Ding Huan sped up.

In less than an hour, Ding Huan won twenty consecutive matches.

By the time everyone realized Ding Huan was racing to grab points, the array competition had ended.

Ding Huan was extremely satisfied with this array competition.

Everyone knew he was hiding his true strength—but so what?

He checked his array number tag: clearly written, "No. 122, 1490 points."

Within a single day, he won one hundred and forty array matches, and even participated in one talisman elimination match.

It could be said the second-place finish in the array competition had some water in it.

Logically, second place should have gone to a powerful array master—these array masters all came from Seven-Star or Eight-Star Xian Sects.

Because Ding Huan specifically targeted these sects, the Seven-Star and Eight-Star Immortal Sects earned almost no competition points.

After learning Ding Huan's goal, most Seven-Star or lower Xian Sect contestants who faced him chose to concede, saving him enormous time.

Ding Huan was also considerate: whenever someone conceded, he wouldn't challenge them again for several rounds.

If anyone else had tried, even with Ding Huan's array mastery, they couldn't have completed over a hundred array matches in such a short time.

Array battles weren't just about setting up a formation—they consumed vast amounts of divine intent and immortal energy, even more than direct combat.

Such consumption could only be handled by someone like Ding Huan, who possessed a dantian with starlight and a mind-sea containing the Great Dao's universe.

Ding Huan returned to the talisman arena.

The seventh and eighth rounds were uneventful—he won both after brief stalemates.

At this point, many no longer doubted—they were certain Ding Huan was hiding his true strength.

The Xian Sects themselves understood: Ding Huan's method of hiding his strength affected little sects below Seven-Star insignificantly; his main goal was to suppress those above Seven-Star.

In the ninth round of the talisman competition, Ding Huan faced Tai Yijian of the Eight-Star Jiukunxian Sect.

The challenge: craft any fourth-grade immortal talisman, judged by the arena.

Ding Huan grabbed his materials to begin crafting, when Tai Yijian suddenly said: "Old Sixth Brother, I concede."

"Contestant No. 21850 wins."

The arena announced the result; Ding Huan wasn't surprised. Lately, too many contestants had conceded to him—he didn't care if Tai Yijian was one more.

"Old Sixth Brother, here's my communication bead."

Tai Yijian shoved a communication bead into Ding Huan's hand, then stepped off the arena without asking for one in return.

The nine rounds of the talisman competition were complete. Ding Huan calmly stepped down, his divine intent settling on Tai Yijian's communication bead.

This communication bead contained not only communication functions but also a recorded message from Tai Yijian.

"I received word that after the Xian Sect ranking competition ends, Mingyu, Xie Qiuwei, Fu Zeng, and Gong Qilin will come to capture you—among them, one Immortal King is specifically watching you…"

Ding Huan felt deeply puzzled.

He naturally knew these people: Mingyu was the sect leader of the Nine-Kun Immortal Sect, an eight-star immortal sect, and Xie Qiuxi was an elder.

Fu Zeng was the sect leader of Lingyao Xian Pavilion, Gong Qilin was the sect leader of Panxingdao Sect, and it was said he was Ren Xian's father.

It was normal for these people to target him; it would be strange if they didn't, so he wasn't surprised by the news.

Even if a few more people joined the manhunt for him, he wouldn't find it odd.

In fact, Monk Qianlou was now primarily focused on him.

What was strange was that he had no connection whatsoever with Tai Yijian—why would Tai Yijian send him this information?

Unable to figure it out, Ding Huan didn't bother trying. In the Doufu zone, he didn't wait long before the arena matches began.

All contestants in the Doufu arena matches had received the news; Ding Huan specifically targeted the seven-star and eight-star immortal sects.

Regardless of whether Ding Huan was hiding his strength, immortal sects below seven-star didn't need to pay too much attention.

Indeed, in the following Doufu arena matches, Ding Huan first challenged the eight-star immortal sects, then the seven-star ones.

Moreover, Ding Huan strictly followed the rules: whenever an eight-star or seven-star immortal sect member was on the arena, he wouldn't challenge any other sect disciples.

Only when no eight-star or seven-star immortal sect members remained did Ding Huan challenge six-star sect disciples.

He didn't just relentlessly exploit one sect—he took a little from each immortal sect.

Not only that, after exploiting a particular sect, he ensured that sect wouldn't lose points.

This was a nightmare for seven-star and eight-star immortal sects, but a blessing for six-star sects.

Because it meant that as long as they earned enough points in the arena matches, they had a chance to rise to seven-star, even eight-star status.

This unspoken understanding lasted all day; Ding Huan ultimately won one hundred twenty-one matches.

Doufu earned 1300 points.

Whether in Douzhen or Doufu, it was simply because Ding Huan's strength crushed his peers and knocked down the few strongest besides himself.

Hence, the second-place score in Douzhen was only 320 points, while second place in Doufu was 380 points.

In both Doufu and Douzhen, none of the top ten were from seven-star or eight-star immortal sects.

Ding Huan estimated his own points; the score for Dafanxian Sect's first place was nearly sufficient.

In Doufa, his strategy was flawed and earned fewer points, but Douzhen and Doufu would surely make up for it.

As for Doudan and Douqi, though he didn't participate, they likely wouldn't yield high scores either.

Mainly because Doudan and Douqi consumed more time, and no one else's strength could create a gap as vast as his.

After the duels ended, all arena platforms shut down in sequence.

. CO

Everyone waited for the final results; thousands upon thousands of divine senses settled on Ding Huan.

Ding Huan watched Monk Qianlou, who waited for him in a corner.

He guessed the fellow had wandered around and ultimately decided Ding Huan's array art was strongest, so he wanted to capture and investigate him.

"Old Six…" came Ji Changsi's voice.

Ding Huan saw Ji Changsi, dusty and weary, quicken his pace toward him and immediately walked over.

"Old Six, I've already delivered your companions to the Immortal Court," Ji Changsi's eyes brimmed with joy, utterly opposite to Elder Ming Mu's earlier worry.

"Thank you, Sect Leader Ji," Ding Huan quickly expressed his gratitude.

This was indeed difficult for Ji Changsi.

While other immortal sects were striving in the Immortal Sect Ranking Competition, hoping not to drop their rankings, he had sent their sect leader off on an errand.

"I should be thanking you."

Ji Changsi's eyes glowed with excitement: "I never imagined you could help Dafanxian Sect secure such high points—I almost think I'm dreaming."

Ding Huan was momentarily stunned: "Sect Leader Ji, you don't blame me?"

Ji Changsi laughed heartily: "You secured first place for my sect—why would I blame you? Would I even deserve to be a sect leader?"

Although the Immortal Sect Ranking had not yet been announced, Ji Changsi already knew Ding Huan's score—he had over an 80% certainty of first place.

Ji Changsi's mood was extremely elevated:

"Old Six, Elder Ming is different from me. Though he's improved greatly under my influence these years, when it comes to the sect's survival, he remains overly cautious.

He fears seven-star and eight-star sects will bully our newly risen eight-star sect. But if I, as sect leader of Dafanxian Sect, fear even that, why should this sect exist at all?

Moreover, now that we've become an eight-star sect, we'll receive a hundredfold resource boost; within a century, Dafanxian Sect will truly deserve its name."