Chapter 569

Xie Kuangren clearly sensed the opponent's aura was that of an Immortal Sovereign, yet the killing intent sweeping in with the spear was stronger than that of an Immortal Emperor.

Bad.

The opponent's strength far exceeded his realm.

The moment Xie Kuangren realized this, the spear had already slammed into his fist.

Crack!

A mist of blood exploded—Xie Kuangren's entire arm instantly turned to blood mist and vanished.

Xie Kuangren's domain faltered; the pressure from Lu Mo Jian on Ding Huan plummeted abruptly.

How could Ding Huan miss this opportunity?

He didn't pause for half a breath—his Wheel of Reincarnation Spear gathered its killing intent into a single point.

The illusory sword mountain was torn apart by that pinpoint spearlight; the killing intent didn't weaken—it grew stronger.

From that initial point, it became a line, then a surface.

When this spear pierced through Xie Kuangren's domain, it had become an entire world.

One spear, one world; spear passes, ten thousand dusts vanish.

Anything standing before this spear at this moment would be reduced to ashes, erased without a trace.

A suffocating death aura, so heavy it choked the breath from lungs, engulfed Xie Kuangren—he had only one choice: defend.

If he attacked Ding Huan, the ambush would strike again; if he turned to face the ambush, Ding Huan would kill him outright.

"Puff!" Ding Huan's Annihilation Spear struck Xie Kuangren's chest—half his body exploded apart.

The next instant, Xie Kuangren vanished as a streak of blood.

Ding Huan didn't pursue—he had his own troubles.

The assassin who ambushed Xie Kuangren also didn't pursue; instead, he revealed his form and grinned at Ding Huan:

"Great Immortal Inspector, since I just saved your life, hand over your pot—I guarantee you'll live."

Ding Huan's condition was dire—his entire body was laced with wounds, drenched in blood.

Ding Huan remained calm, as if he hadn't been injured at all, and said coolly: "Shit beetle, if you've got guts, come try. See if I'm even a little afraid of you."

Zuo Shanyi stepped forward, his black spear transforming into waves of spear torrents that completely engulfed Ding Huan's space.

Today, he would not let Ding Huan escape.

Ding Huan was severely injured and his cultivation was lower than his—if Ding Huan escaped today, killing him next time would be far harder.

Ding Huan's Wheel of Reincarnation Spear summoned another wave of ice peaks, locking the entire space with the dao rhythm of killing.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Immortal energy collided—killing dao rhythms flattened everything around into barren plains.

Zuo Shanyi stared in shock as his spear torrents were torn apart one after another, until they vanished entirely.

To his relief, the ice peaks summoned by Ding Huan were also shattered by his spear torrents, reduced to nothingness.

Zuo Shanyi didn't press further—he knew that even if he held the upper hand, he couldn't kill Ding Huan today.

To kill Ding Huan, he needed forbidden techniques.

He had a persistent feeling that Ding Huan wasn't this simple.

Zuo Shanyi scanned Ding Huan with his spiritual sense several times, thinking inwardly: Could this bastard's injuries be fake?

"Why aren't you attacking?" Ding Huan sneered at Zuo Shanyi, gripping his Wheel of Reincarnation Spear.

His injuries were real, but his recovery ability was too strong—if he could just stall Zuo Shanyi, he could turn the tide.

Besides, he had prepared a special gift for Zuo Shanyi, waiting for the bastard to attack again.

Seeing Zuo Shanyi hesitate, Ding Huan regretted using too much force earlier.

If he'd known, he should've feigned weakness—maybe the bastard would've attacked.

"Great Immortal Inspector Ding, keep your head safe and wait for me," Zuo Shanyi said, then vanished in a flash.

He was certain Ding Huan had ulterior motives—and Ding Huan's injuries were nowhere near as severe as he pretended.

And that Primordial Spirit who always accompanied Ding Huan—nowhere to be seen. That wasn't normal.

Ji Luo appeared: "That Wang Ba—he'd be dead if he'd waited a few more breaths."

He'd been setting up a trapping and killing array pattern, but the shit beetle was too sharp—he left before the array could close.

"Forget it—ordinary trapping and killing array patterns couldn't stop his Break-Heaven Drill anyway," Ding Huan said aloud, though inwardly he was still stunned by Zuo Shanyi's combat power.

Though injured, he cultivated the Great Cosmos Art—his immortal energy and spiritual sense were nothing like those of ordinary cultivators.

Back when he was a Great Luo Immortal, he'd already humiliated the shit beetle.

Compared to the Zuo Shanyi of then, this Zuo Shanyi had undergone a heaven-and-earth overturning transformation.

Clearly, after receiving the legacy of the hide-scroll master, his power had surged dramatically.

And as Zuo Shanyi's cultivation advanced, his combat power in peer-level battles would likely double again.

Thank goodness I developed the Great Cosmos Art—otherwise, I'd have no right to face Zuo Shanyi.

"This kid actually helped you today—what's his game?" Ji Luo still couldn't understand.

If he were the shit beetle, when Ding Huan was attacked by that powerful figure earlier, he'd have struck Ding Huan—not helped him.

Ding Huan chuckled: "He couldn't afford not to act."

Seeing Ji Luo puzzled, Ding Huan added: "The one who attacked me today was too strong—I suspect he's the head of the Dao Corridor's First Strongest, the Immortal Inspector Chief, Xie Kuangren.

Last time, I tricked Zuo Shanyi and poisoned two Luo Tian Immortals. Such open defiance of the Dao Corridor's One Hundred Thousand Edicts—the Immortal Inspector Chief Xie Kuangren could never let it slide.

So his first suspect had to be Zuo Shanyi. Logically, before confirming facts, he should've detained Zuo Shanyi.

Yet Zuo Shanyi is now unharmed—meaning he lied to Xie Kuangren, diverted suspicion onto me, so Xie Kuangren is now hunting me everywhere."

"Then why should the shit beetle help you?" Ji Luo had remained inside the Heaven Balance, and hadn't paid much attention to Ding Huan and Zuo Shanyi's concealed cultivation.

Precisely because he hadn't cared, he asked this question.

Ding Huan said: "Think about it—I'm Zuo Shanyi's senior brother, and Zuo Shanyi must admit this, because Han Qiqi knows."

Since I'm Zuo Shanyi's senior brother and I've ascended to Immortal Sovereign, could Zuo Shanyi still be a Great Luo Immortal?"

If Zuo Shanyi doesn't help me today, then whether or not I'm captured by Xie Kuangren, Xie Kuangren's next target will be Zuo Shanyi."

Zuo Shanyi's origins are unknown, he hides his cultivation even the Lord of the Northern Immortal Corner doesn't know, and he's my junior brother—how could Xie Kuangren possibly let him go?"

Xie Kuangren will definitely capture Zuo Shanyi and force him to reveal his and my origins. This guy has many secrets—he's terrified of death."

He absolutely won't dare let Xie Kuangren uncover his secrets, nor will he dare face Xie Kuangren alone."

Today presents such a perfect opportunity: if he kills Xie Kuangren or even severely wounds him, he'll be safe from all troubles."

Then he can lock himself away in seclusion and cultivate without ever worrying about being suddenly ambushed by someone like me."

His ambush on Xie Kuangren must have come after he received the hide scroll's inheritance—he grew arrogant, thinking my threat was less than Xie Kuangren's."

In his mind, he's already succeeded."

Ding Huan's guess was entirely correct."

In Zuo Shanyi's eyes, he must kill Xie Kuangren first before he can cultivate in peace."

Today, Ding Huan was ambushed by Xie Kuangren—that's a warning."

If the Lei Jie hadn't ended yet, even if Ding Huan escaped, he'd have been badly wounded—how could Zuo Shanyi repeat the same mistake?"

"Where do we go next?" Ji Luo asked."

Ding Huan didn't care: "Keep cultivating here—no one dares come near anymore."

Shit Beetle is an extremely pragmatic man—he never does meaningless things."

Once he realizes he can't touch me, he won't bother me."

Right now, he's surely searching for a place to lock himself away and cultivate, striving to reach the Immortal Emperor realm as soon as possible, then crush me."

As for Xie Kuangren, his half-life was just shattered by that spear strike of mine—and Shit Beetle's spear strike."

To fully recover, he'd need centuries—don't even dream otherwise."

Even centuries would only work if he had top-tier treasures."

Otherwise, even if he regains his physical body, his Dao will be damaged."

"Old Ji, I have a question: the one who ambushed me just now was almost certainly Xie Kuangren, Director of the Dao Corridor Immortal Surveillance Office—is his cultivation beyond Immortal Emperor?"

After a long silence, Ji Luo said: "I'm not certain, but his Dao aura certainly doesn't resemble an ordinary Immortal Emperor."

Then, fearing Ding Huan might lose heart, he added: "Young brother, there's another crucial reason you lost to Xie Kuangren—your artifact is terrible."

Ding Huan nodded. Even without Ji Luo saying it, he knew the Wheel of Rebirth Spear had held him back."

The Wheel of Rebirth Spear still barely qualifies as a low-grade Immortal Artifact—if not for its solid materials, it would've shattered during this battle."

But Xie Kuangren's artifact—the Demon-Slaying Sword—is unquestionably the pinnacle among top-grade Immortal Artifacts, even bordering on a semi-divine artifact."

"You must quickly find Abyss Nirvana Gold and upgrade your Wheel of Rebirth Spear—at least to a high-grade Immortal Artifact. Otherwise, next time you face that pretty boy, you'll still lose."

Ji Luo gave his advice with genuine sincerity."

Ding Huan shook his head: "No need."

Ji Luo looked at Ding Huan in confusion. Even if Ding Huan was strong, artifacts still mattered greatly."

Sometimes, artifacts decide victory or defeat."

Ding Huan gazed toward the direction Zuo Shanyi had left and said: "I use a spear because I originally received the hide scroll's inheritance and gained nine divine arts."

Zuo Shanyi's spear Dao also stems from that hide scroll, yet my Great Cosmos Art was entirely self-created—why can't I create new divine arts?"

When the Wheel of Rebirth Spear failed to block the Demon-Slaying Sword, Ding Huan had already decided to replace his artifact."

In his eyes, knowledge is universal and priceless—he can borrow these foundational principles, but not the finished products built upon them."

The first spear of the nine divine arts—Soul-Shattering—largely restored the original nine divine arts, making it the hide scroll master's technique."

This also pushed him to replace his artifact."