Chapter 560

559. Chapter 554: The Dean's Fear

"Young brother, you're too timid. With your current strength and my array expertise, an Immortal Emperor is nothing."

After leaving the Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy, Seeing Ji Luo couldn't help but speak.

Ding Huan chuckled: "There's no such thing as guarding against thieves for a thousand days—only stealing for a thousand days. My residence is safe, but once I step out, I must watch for them."

I'm currently at the Immortal King realm—I still lack the ability to defend against an Immortal Emperor's ambush.

Even if we fend off the ambush, can we kill them? At best, we'd just expose the conflict."

Seeing Ji Luo froze, not understanding what Ding Huan meant.

It wasn't that he was slow-witted—he simply didn't care much for the Law Corridor's legal order.

In his subconscious, the Cultivation World was naturally about the strong devouring the weak.

Even if laws existed, they were made for the powerful and meant nothing to ordinary people.

Ding Huan explained: "The Law Corridor's laws are strictly enforced—here, you're still safe."

The only ones who could ambush me are the Dean or Vice-Dean. If I kill them or fight them, I can't stay in Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy anymore."

So even if I must act, not now—I must wait until I reach the Immortal Sovereign realm."

"You mean you'll return to Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy?" Seeing Ji Luo asked.

Ding Huan answered bluntly: "Once I reach the Immortal Sovereign realm, if Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy offers better cultivation conditions, I might come back to continue training."

Whoever wants to oppose me—if they realize they can't defeat me, or worse, can't even match me—don't you think they'll calm down?"

Ding Huan dared say this because he believed that after reaching Immortal Sovereign, he wouldn't fear any one-on-one duel.

As long as no one's power can crush him, who here would dare attack him without cause? Not even the Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy's Dean.

And those who seek to spy on his secrets can't possibly ally with others—what is there to fear?"

"That's certain. With a powerful Dao Master like you in the academy, the Dean might even offer you the position of Vice-Dean," Seeing Ji Luo agreed.

"Exactly. Then my status rises, and acquiring heavenly treasures and earthly essences becomes much easier," Ding Huan said.

Seeing Ji Luo finally understood and hurriedly said: "Young brother, thank you—you've thought of me."

This was clearly Ding Huan's compromise to help him find the Nine-Colored Immortal Lotus.

Otherwise, if Ding Huan killed or alienated the Dean-level figure, he'd never be able to openly seek body-shaping treasures for him.

"No need to thank me. You helped me greatly—I naturally must consider you. Now I need to find a place to cultivate to Immortal King peak, then wait for my disciples to secure my promotion slots," Ding Huan said.

He could no longer sense the Poison Dao's spiritual aura—Zuo Shanwei had removed the Bone-Clinging Devouring Dao Poison.

He had to hurry.

Once the Scarab reaches the Immortal Sovereign realm, the first person he'll hunt is likely Ding Huan.

That guy obtained the Skin Scroll's Dao Concept—he won't lack great divine arts.

Someone who could face twenty Immortal Emperors from the Pangu Great World at Immortal King peak cannot be underestimated.

Only when I reach Immortal Sovereign will I not fear him.

Half a month later, Ding Huan established his cave dwelling in a place with unremarkable spiritual energy.

With Seeing Ji Luo's Level-Three Shielding Array and Hidden Spirit Array, Ding Huan could implant spiritual veins without restraint.

The advantage of having many spiritual veins became clear now.

As long as I cultivate to Immortal Sovereign here, I won't need to hide—even if I can't walk the Law Corridor with impunity, I won't need to be so secretive."

…

Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy.

Dean Yuan You had waited in vain for Ding Huan to appear alone—he grew increasingly anxious.

As a Dean, if he went to seek Ding Huan alone, it would inevitably raise suspicion.

After hesitating, he summoned Fang Bei.

"Go summon Dao Master Ding to me—say I wish to ask him about the Contending Dao Class's participation in the Law Corridor Academy Competition."

No matter what, he must first uncover what secret Ding Huan carried.

Fang Bei had a grudge against Ding Huan—sending Fang Bei to negotiate would make Ding Huan believe the Dean had been influenced by Fang Bei's complaints and would rush to explain himself.

The news Fang Bei brought completely surprised Yuan You: Ding Huan was not in his quarters—he had already left on urgent business.

In Ding Huan's quarters, only his eight students were diligently cultivating, preparing for the competition.

How could this be?

Yuan You had clearly checked the academy's surveillance spiritual array—he was certain Ding Huan had not left Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy.

Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy had only one gate; there was no other exit.

All other areas were sealed by Level-Nine protective arrays—no one, not even the Dean himself without array flags, could enter or leave.

After dismissing Fang Bei, Yuan You rechecked the surveillance array at the academy's main gate.

He suspected Ding Huan might have disguised himself as someone else to escape.

If true, then Ding Huan was extremely cautious—or perhaps my behavior during that meeting made him suspicious.

That meeting was attended only by the academy's Dean, Vice-Deans, Grand Administrators, and Elders.

Ding Huan learned of it only if someone leaked the information.

Regardless of who leaked it, Ding Huan's silent departure was deeply strange.

After reviewing the surveillance records multiple times, Yuan You's expression wasn't just grim—it was stunned.

He confirmed Ding Huan had not disguised himself to leave—the only possibility was that he found any spot, then shattered the academy's protective array to escape.

A chill surged through Yuan You's heart.

If Ding Huan could exit from anywhere in the academy, his array expertise must be at least Level-Nine Immortal Array Emperor…

And even a Level-Nine Immortal Array Emperor isn't an ordinary one.

It's nearly impossible for an ordinary Immortal Array Emperor to leave Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy silently; he could sense it when the array was broken.

If I went straight to Ding Huan's residence without investigating, and he trapped me with a Level Nine Confined-Kill Immortal Array…

Yuan You dared not think further.

His array knowledge is mediocre; if trapped by a Level Nine Confined-Kill Immortal Array with someone managing it, he might truly be in danger.

If he meets misfortune at Ding Huan's residence, according to the Grand Dao Corridor's laws, he would be at fault first.

Even if Ding Huan cannot kill him, if this incident becomes public, it would be extremely disadvantageous to him.

…

No matter how quietly the eight of Seeing Seeing Ji Xing conducted themselves.

The fact that Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy's Zhengdao Class independently registered for the Grand Dao Corridor's Dao School Competition spread throughout all major academies of the Grand Dao Corridor.

The Zhengdao Class isn't unique to Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy; every academy has such a class.

In plain terms, it's a class for trash—how could such a class dare to seek attention by entering the Dao School Competition?

Everyone began paying attention to Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy, waiting for the competition date to arrive, eager to see what these eight trash cultivators from the Zhengdao Class looked like.

Seeing Seeing Ji Xing and the other seven ceased their cultivation; one day remained before they would travel with the academy to the Grand Dao Corridor Plaza.

"Everyone." Seeing Seeing Ji Xing was the first to speak.

The others listened quietly as Seeing Seeing Ji Xing spoke.

Dao Master Ding clearly valued Seeing Seeing Ji Xing more.

They harbored no ill feelings.

After all, Seeing Seeing Ji Xing had always cultivated in the Zhengdao Class and was the first student Dao Master Ding ever met, while they were brought back by Dao Master Ding.

So when Seeing Seeing Ji Xing spoke, they all showed their agreement.

"All eight of us were eliminated from other Xuan Dao classes; our teacher, to cultivate us, not only provided ample cultivation resources but also devoted immense effort to crafting our cultivation arts.

Now that the teacher is absent, we must remember his teachings and not let him down."

"Seeing Seeing Ji Xing is right—we must strive for a high ranking, to win honor for ourselves and to secure a promotion slot for our teacher."

The eight chattered excitedly, each filled with ambition, determined not to betray Dao Master Ding's high expectations.

"Good. Now each of you return home to settle some matters; after all, the combat competition is life-or-death—if anything happens, we must leave instructions."

"In one day, we regroup at the academy and join the academy in participating in the Grand Dao Corridor's School Competition—our success or failure rests on this." Seeing Seeing Ji Xing raised his arm.

He had long made up his mind: even if he had to risk his life, he would secure a prize-winning rank to earn his teacher a promotion slot.

"I suggest we not withdraw the teacher's Immortal Spirit Vein—even if the teacher doesn't return, we'll still cultivate here in the future." Long Xiyue stepped forward.

Though her Immortal Clan was wealthy and the Immortal Spirit Vein was valuable, this was the teacher's cave dwelling; removing the teacher's Immortal Spirit Vein would be disrespectful to him.

"Agreed…"

No one objected; all agreed with Long Xiyue's proposal.

Respecting one's teacher and valuing the Dao was etched into their bones.

…

The Long Clan was a major Immortal Clan in Yongzhou Xiancheng, ranking among the top five in Yongzhou Xiancheng.

Before Long Xiyue even entered the Long Clan's territory, the clan lord, Long Yijun, sent men to expel her.

Not only that, he declared he would cut off her cultivation resources going forward.

The reason: Long Xiyue had brought immense shame upon the Long Clan.

With the Long Clan's abundant cultivation resources, Long Xiyue had been expelled from the Xuan Dao Class and dumped into the Zhengdao Class.

That alone was bad enough—but she had the audacity to sign up for the Dao School Competition.

Now, across all of Yongzhou Xiancheng, the Long Clan had become a laughingstock.

Long Xiyue's brother, Long Xiyu, had been sent to manage a shop millions of miles away from Yongzhou Xiancheng due to the shame his sister had brought upon him.

Standing outside the Long Clan's territory, Long Xiyue felt deeply wounded.

She hadn't even known her elder brother Long Xiyu had left Yongzhou Xiancheng—he hadn't sent her any message, clearly to spare her worry.

When Long Xiyue returned to Yonghuang Divine Arts Academy, dazed and hollow-eyed, the others had not yet come back.

Deputy Dean Gu Min was present.

"You're a student of Dao Master Ding?" Gu Min's eyes lit up the moment he saw Long Xiyue.

Long Xiyue's Dao aura was tightly contained, her Immortal Qi surging—clearly, she was an extremely powerful Xuan Immortal Peak cultivator.