Chapter 497: 496. Chapter 491: Using Ding Huan as a Fool

496. Chapter 491: Using Ding Huan as a Fool

Fortunately, Emperor Jinhe was utterly isolated, with no one willing to aid him; otherwise, he and Brother Xingpan would have come here to die.

Emperor Jinhe came from the Nine Heavens, where the cosmic laws should be stronger than those of the Pangu Great World, and over the years he had never interfered in affairs, devoting himself entirely to seclusion and strengthening his power.

As for Brother Xingpan, he had only recently been saved by him; before that, Emperor Brother Xingpan had been struggling for survival.

Given this contrast, it's understandable that Brother Xingpan is inferior to Jinhe.

Emperor Jinhe took a deep breath, calculating.

He wasn't calculating whether he could escape—he was weighing the cost of escape and whether it was worth it.

Just now, he and Brother Xingpan clashed; one-on-one, he could defeat Brother Xingpan, but with Pingwei, Jinhe, or even those Dao Lords and Star Lords involved, he would surely lose.

So to escape, he would very likely need to use his trump card.

If he could capture Ding Huan, the others would surely hesitate.

If he captured Ding Huan and left this Immortal Court Hall, he could even take Ding Huan away—then he might as well abandon this title of Heavenly Emperor.

"If you think you're strong enough, I won't stop you from staying," Ding Huan said, then swiftly retreated.

He feared Emperor Jinhe might seize him as a hostage—this man was no good.

Emperor Jinhe cursed inwardly: this brat was slippery; the moment he considered capturing him as a hostage, the brat pulled back.

"Speak," Emperor Jinhe forced down his anger. "What do you want?"

"First, remove the seals on Emperor Chong. This old man knows the Nine Courts' Immortal Laws inside out; when Brother Xingpan establishes the Immortal Court's statutes, he'll need Emperor Chong." Ding Huan spoke calmly.

Emperor Chong had seals on him?

All eyes turned to Emperor Chong, filled with doubt.

Emperor Jinhe had always treated Emperor Chong with utmost respect—was it because he had placed seals on him?

Emperor Jinhe coldly said, "You overestimate me. The seals on Emperor Chong weren't placed by me—I can't remove them."

Emperor Chong lowered his eyes, saying nothing.

Ding Huan sneered inwardly: they're treating me like a fool.

It wasn't Emperor Jinhe treating him as a fool—it was Emperor Chong.

The seals on Emperor Chong may not have been placed by Jinhe, but Jinhe certainly had some means to control Emperor Chong's life and death.

Even if Jinhe couldn't remove the seals, he could still sever his control over Emperor Chong's life and death.

Once Jinhe severed his control over Emperor Chong's life and death, Ding Huan would have the chance to slowly unravel the endless sealing patterns on Emperor Chong.

Ding Huan had said this much—now Emperor Chong should step forward and reveal that Jinhe held control over his life and death.

Then Ding Huan would demand Jinhe cut off that control.

But Emperor Chong feigned death, clearly expecting Ding Huan to say it himself—to bear the blame entirely.

Emperor Chong didn't want to offend Emperor Jinhe in any way.

Perhaps he was preparing for the eventuality that something went wrong later—after all, everything would appear as if Ding Huan had demanded it himself.

No matter what happened afterward, it would have nothing to do with Emperor Chong.

Even I can tell Emperor Chong is bound by sealing patterns—how could Jinhe not know he controls Emperor Chong's life and death?

This bastard.

Earlier, Ding Huan had wanted to win over Emperor Chong, because he hadn't realized how high Brother Xingpan's support was in the Immortal Court.

Had he known Brother Xingpan had such overwhelming popularity, he wouldn't have even whispered to Emperor Chong.

In truth, Emperor Chong hadn't lifted a finger to help—he only saved him because he refused to break his own word.

Now Ding Huan could only laugh bitterly: was he really that easy to betray?

"So that's how it is," Ding Huan said, skipping all further talk about Emperor Chong's seals. "Then I make my second demand: you must leave the Pangu Great World."

Hearing this, Emperor Chong's heart sank.

He realized he still didn't understand Ding Huan—his hope of gaining benefits without offending anyone had been exposed, and now despised.

But it was too late to warn Ding Huan again that Jinhe controlled his life and death.

Once a choice is made, there's no turning back.

Emperor Jinhe wasn't surprised—if Ding Huan hadn't made this demand, he'd have found it strange.

As long as Emperor Jinhe remained in the Pangu Great World, Brother Xingpan's position as Heavenly Emperor would remain uncertain.

At that moment, Ding Huan's whisper reached Emperor Jinhe's ear:

"I let you go once because you were appointed by the Dao Ancestor; otherwise, even if your power surpasses Brother Xingpan's, you wouldn't have escaped today."

"So don't rush to accept my second condition—I have a third: immediately kill Emperor Chong."

Emperor Jinhe's heart leapt—he glanced at the others, including Emperor Chong, and confirmed none of them had sensed Ding Huan's whisper.

So powerful.

Even Emperor Jinhe couldn't help but marvel: Ding Huan's mastery of Dao and cosmic laws surpassed that of an Immortal Emperor.

This whisper was undetectable even to him.

He didn't answer immediately—he weighed the odds of allying with Emperor Chong.

At that moment, Ding Huan's voice came again: "I want the Emperor's Life Essence Fruit before you. To compensate you, I'll give you a hundred jin of superior-grade Immortal Rice."

Hearing this whisper, Emperor Jinhe immediately activated the death seal on Emperor Chong.

"You—" Emperor Chong spat a jet of blood, his body contorting, staring at Emperor Jinhe in disbelief.

"Sorry," Emperor Jinhe said coolly. "I'm being forced out. Your journey ends here."

Emperor Chong wanted to rush forward and attack, but his meridians and soul sea were cracking; the sealing patterns inside him were tearing apart his vitality and flesh.

"Ding Huan, I'll help you…" Emperor Chong no longer looked calm or profound—he gasped out a few words, struggling.

Ding Huan said nothing. Neither did Brother Xingpan. Let alone the others.

Ding Huan looked at Chongdi and said coldly, "How are you going to help me now?"

At this moment, Ding Huan finally understood why the one who arranged for Chongdi to assist Wu Chang Emperor had placed a forbidden mark on him—this guy was absolutely a Bai Yanlang in the making.

Wu Chang Emperor, watching Ding Huan's innocent-looking face, felt a chill in his heart.

Even if Ding Huan didn't let him leave the Pangu Great World, he had no desire to stay here.

As long as Brother Xingpan seized control of the Immortal Court, it meant Ding Huan could harness all its power.

If he stayed here, one day he might be tricked and killed by Ding Huan, and he might not even know the cause of his death, just like the current Chongdi.

"Ding Huan, I give up this Emperor Life Seed Fruit—I only ask you to keep your word and let me leave the Pangu Great World." Wu Chang Emperor gathered the Emperor Life Seed Fruit beneath his feet and pushed it toward Ding Huan.

Everyone turned to look at Ding Huan; if he moved to attack, at least six or seven Immortal Emperors would surround Wu Chang Emperor.

Ding Huan looked at the immature Emperor Life Seed Fruit: "I never take things from others for free. I have some Superior Immortal Rice Grain—I'll trade it with you."

He tossed a storage bag to Wu Chang Emperor.

Wu Chang Emperor's divine sense scanned the Superior Immortal Rice Grain inside the storage bag—not with delight, but with regret.

Ding Huan truly could cultivate Superior Immortal Rice Grain—he had missed his chance to become a Pretender Saint.

Yet he quickly suppressed his greed and pulled out a Break-Realm Talisman, saying:

"This is a Break-Realm Talisman. Once activated, I will leave this realm. Where I'll go, I don't know—I won't be coming back."

He couldn't leave—unless he took Ding Huan with him.

Superior Immortal Rice Grain could absolutely give him the opportunity to reach Pretender Saint.

If Ding Huan pushed harder, if he offered more heavenly treasures, perhaps Ding Huan could even cultivate top-grade Immortal Rice Grain.

Not to mention, the Superior Immortal Rice Grain in his hands now was already close to top-grade level.

"Wait…"

Ding Huan's voice was icy:

"Wu Chang, do you think everyone else is blind, and only you have eyes? If I'm not mistaken, this isn't a Break-Realm Talisman—it's a Break-Space Talisman, isn't it?

You added some Break-Realm talisman runes to a Break-Space Talisman and called it a Break-Realm Talisman? Did your master really teach you to deceive people like this?"

Break-Space Talismans and Break-Realm Talismans are fundamentally different: Break-Realm severs this entire realm, while Break-Space merely tears open this space.

"Why waste time with him? Just kill him." Brother Xingpan raised his hand, and the massive Xingtian Hammer once again surged with murderous energy.

Wu Chang Emperor immediately said, "Stop! I was in a hurry to leave and grabbed the wrong talisman."

He pulled out another talisman.

"Fellow Daoist Ding, don't believe this man—he's never spoken a single truth." To Ding Huan's surprise, the speaker was Bu Yue.

Indeed, the one most eager to bite you is the dog you once raised.

Ding Huan ignored Bu Yue—he had felt no fear or panic from Wu Chang Emperor at all.

That meant even if he now ordered everyone to attack Wu Chang Emperor, Wu Chang Emperor still had a way to escape.

"Wu Chang Emperor, I can allow you to have grabbed the wrong talisman—but I cannot allow you to make mistakes without consequence. Hand over that previous talisman…" Ding Huan's voice was glacial; his domain subtly locked this space.

Upon sensing Ding Huan's domain, Brother Xingpan's domain immediately overlapped it.

Brother Pingwei Emperor and Emperor Jinhe also extended their Immortal Emperor domains—clearly, battle was imminent.

Wu Chang clenched his fists but held back his rage, tossing the Break-Space Talisman to Ding Huan.

He had truly intended to leave the Pangu Great World—until Ding Huan produced the Superior Immortal Rice Grain and changed his mind.

To attain Pretender Saint, he absolutely couldn't do without this Superior Immortal Rice Grain.

Ding Huan caught the Break-Space Talisman and said, "I asked for a Break-Realm Talisman. Since you made a mistake, you must hand over the Break-Realm Talisman."

"If I hand over the Break-Realm Talisman, how do I leave?" Wu Chang Emperor roared in fury.

Ding Huan said calmly, "As far as I know, Break-Realm Talismans always come in pairs—do you think I'd let you come back?"

Now it was Wu Chang Emperor's turn to fall silent. Break-Realm Talismans were exceedingly rare in the Pangu Great World—how did Ding Huan know they came in pairs?

But now he had no choice—he had to hand it over; his fury could almost solidify into form.

Since becoming a Heavenly Emperor, when had Wu Chang ever felt this humiliated?

He had no choice but to toss the Break-Realm Talisman to Ding Huan, then activated another Break-Realm Talisman at the same time.

The Break-Realm Talisman activated, and space's laws surged wildly.

Seeing that Ding Huan didn't order an attack, Wu Chang Emperor exhaled in relief.

If Ding Huan had struck now, he would have paid a terrible price to escape.

Three breaths later, the Break-Realm Talisman tore open space and swept Wu Chang Emperor away, vanishing.