Chapter 618: Place of Ascension

Ding Huan stared at Shi Tuo with a blank expression and said coolly, "For the sake of Jin Lingzi, I'll let this go—but if there's a next time, don't blame my sect for being uncivilized. Leave."

Shi Tuo's face turned ashen; he tossed the wick to Ding Huan and turned away with the two others.

How many cosmic realms had Shi Tuo braved alone? Where had he ever heard such an insult from Ding Huan?

Ding Huan seized the wick and finally exhaled in relief.

Yes, this was the wick.

Just now, he'd truly feared Shi Tuo would burn his bridges and flee.

If Shi Tuo had truly escaped, he'd never get his hands on this wick again.

The vast universe was boundless—where could he even search for Shi Tuo?

And he had a premonition: Shi Tuo had the ability to slip away.

"Letting this scoundrel go so easily is too kind to him!" After Shi Tuo left, the crowd of experts finally erupted in curses.

Ding Huan smirked inwardly—after Han Liudao had tested Shi Tuo's strength, not one of these fools had dared to step forward.

Now that he's gone, they're all chattering again.

Though he looked down on these fools, Ding Huan still had to say something:

"Fellow cultivators, the Half-God Starland is our own place to cultivate and survive. If riffraff like just now keep barging in, it won't bode well for our Half-God Starland."

"So I propose holding a Half-God Starland Assembly one month from now at my Blue Star Sect. Any immortal family, alliance, or academy may attend."

"The main purpose of this assembly is to discuss installing a Starland Protection Array. From then on, all cultivators entering or leaving the Starland will be restricted."

"All who attend the assembly and contribute resources or materials toward the Starland Protection Array will gain special privileges to enter and exit the Starland."

When Ding Huan spoke, each person present began formulating their own thoughts.

Originally, under Xie Kuangren's control, the Great Dao Corridor was not open to just anyone.

This Ding Huan is far stronger than Xie Kuangren—if the Starland Protection Array is truly installed, it will be stricter than the Great Dao Corridor.

"Ding Dao Shi speaks wisely—we will notify every immortal sect and all Immortal Lords. One month from now, we will come here for the assembly."

Leaders and Immortal Lords from various factions all chimed in agreement.

They had seen Ding Huan's strength; just now, they'd also witnessed the power of his companions.

It was certain: the future controller of the Half-God Starland would be Ding Huan.

Even if Xie Kuangren emerged from seclusion right now, he'd still rank behind Ding Huan.

If so, why not establish ties with Ding Huan now?

…

"Lord, are we just letting this go?" After leaving the Blue Star Sect, the ice-disciple—who had remained silent until now—finally spoke.

He and Shi Tuo had traversed countless realms together; they had never before been driven away like this.

Shi Tuo sneered: "Let it go? This man destroyed the headquarters of my Ten Thousand Realms Trading Guild in the Dao Cultivation Realm, and wiped out my Boundless City."

"Not only that—he killed my split soul-body, disrupting my path to enlightenment. Do you think I'll just let this go?"

In Shi Tuo's heart, Ding Huan was already a dead man.

Ding Huan had slain his split soul-body, destroyed his Dao Cultivation Realm's foundation, and taken his wick—how could this be let go?

Jin Lingzi wanted to speak but held back; she truly hoped this matter would end here.

After all, so far, the Lord had suffered little loss.

But she knew her place: the Lord valued her advice, but didn't want her to make decisions.

If she dared to offer counsel again, her fate would be grim.

"Lord, how do we deal with him?" the ice-disciple asked again.

The Lord replied coldly: "He has four strong guards at his side—we can't touch him. But does he plan to stay in the Blue Star Sect forever? I refuse to believe he'll never leave alone."

"When he dares to step out, that's when he dies."

Shi Tuo's voice carried icy killing intent—it had become his obsession. Only by killing Ding Huan could he recover.

As he spoke, Shi Tuo seemed to recall something and turned to Jin Lingzi:

"Jin Lingzi, was I mistaken? Earlier, I thought Ding Huan would never accept any compensation from me—he'd find an excuse to strike."

"So why did he just take the wick and let us go? Was it truly because of your face?"

Even as he said it, Shi Tuo didn't believe Ding Huan had spared them for Jin Lingzi's sake.

What face did Jin Lingzi have?

If he claimed Ding Huan possessed the other half of the wick, he himself wouldn't believe it.

In the boundless universe, what are the odds?

Jin Lingzi had already pondered this question; now that Shi Tuo asked, she answered immediately: "Lord, I've been thinking about this too."

After much deliberation, there's only one possibility: Ding Huan truly desires that wick."

She didn't believe for a moment that Ding Huan had spared them for her sake.

She was plain-looking, and before now, she'd never even met Ding Huan—why would he care about her face?

? ￠o

"Desires that wick…" Shi Tuo murmured.

A few breaths later, a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.

The wick was definitely a fragment of a primordial treasure—he had confirmed this long ago.

Ding Huan chose not to strike over a broken relic—this proves he possesses the other half of that treasure.

Primordial treasures have innate resonance.

The wick and the lamp meeting here may be the primordial treasure seeking itself.

The wick is worthless—even as a primordial supreme treasure, it's merely a useless relic.

What if we combine this wick with the lamp?

Shi Tuo's heart burned with excitement.

He thought again of Ding Huan's iron pot.

This guy really has a lot of top-grade treasures.

"Ice Junior, we'll lie in wait outside the Blue Star Sect—I refuse to believe Ding Huan won't come out."

At this moment, Shi Tuo longed to kill Ding Huan immediately.

……

"Ding Huan brother, this is truly a wonderful place," Song Chengdao couldn't help exclaiming as everyone entered the Blue Star Sect.

"Master…" Ji Xing and the other two stepped forward to greet them.

"Ding Huan, your grand immortal sect has only three disciples—too few."

Yan Qi, upon seeing only Ji Xing, Fan Qingsi, and Qian Xunhaoyi here, couldn't help remarking.

Through Through Zhuo Yao added: "Ding Huan, I suggest you formally establish the Blue Star Sect—recruit more people to lay its foundation."

Ji Xing also said: "Master, when Elder Ji left, he also said that if the chance arose, we should establish the Blue Star Sect, calling it the foundation of your Dao."

Ding Huan immediately asked: "Ji Xing, you say Elder Ji left?"

Ji Xing nodded: "Yes, Elder Ji discovered…"

Here, Ji Xing seemed to remember others were nearby and quickly fell silent.

Ding Huan waved his hand: "Speak plainly—it's fine. Everyone here is my friend."

Ji Xing then said: "Elder Ji discovered the true realm of ascension—right here within the Blue Star Sect."

"What?" Ding Huan was stunned.

The realm of ascension on the Demigod Star Continent is inside the Blue Star Sect?

But then Ding Huan realized this wasn't so surprising—if the realm of ascension weren't here, why would the Worm King have built his nest in this very place?

"Take me there," Ding Huan said at once.

Hearing there was a realm of ascension, Song Chengdao and the others were filled with excitement.

They had come here specifically to find the realm of ascension; to find it so easily felt like a dream.

Ji Xing hurried ahead to lead the way.

In less than half an incense stick's time, Ji Xing pointed to a place sealed by a divine array:

"This is the place. Elder Ji said only you can enter."

Ding Huan knew this place—it was a natural formation of stone, which he had originally ignored.

Now he realized it had been concealed by a natural restriction.

Even his array knowledge had failed to detect this natural restriction, showing how powerful it was.

It seemed Elder Ji had also not discovered it at first.

Elder Ji's discovery of it must have been accidental.

Elder Ji broke the natural restriction, then set up a secondary divine array outside.

Ding Huan pulled out array flags and tossed them down, quickly breaking open the secondary divine array.

Before Ding Huan appeared a stone like white jade.

This massive stone was less than three zhang in diameter; its center emitted faint dao resonance.

One array flag and a memory bead floated before Ding Huan.

Ding Huan reached out and seized the memory bead; Elder Ji's voice came forth:

"Ding Huan, brother, I couldn't wait—after discovering this ascension site, I went ahead to the Divine Realm. You follow soon."

"I'll tell you two things: First, if you have time, establish the Blue Star Sect and take control of this ascension site—it will aid your Dao foundation."

"Do you know why? Part of a Dao foundation is Dao heritage. Such an excellent Dao as yours, without a lineage, would be a terrible waste."

"Second, this ascension site requires a Supreme Immortal's peak to reach; each activation needs one high-grade immortal spirit vein."

"That array flag is the key to unlocking the protective array of this ascension stone—otherwise, no one but you could open this protective array."

"Also, the things I gave you—I have no use for them anymore. Everything I could learn, I learned; what I couldn't learn, I couldn't learn even if I had it."

"Keep them safe. Don't give them away casually. Remember my words—we'll meet again in the Divine Realm."

Ding Huan seized the array flag, his heart filled with emotion.

Elder Ji was truly a man of loyalty.

But he'd forgotten to ask how to cultivate higher-tier spirit rice—the old guy had promised to teach him, and clearly forgot.

"Ding Huan brother, is this truly a passage to the Divine Realm?" Song Chengdao walked over, excited.

Ding Huan nodded: "Yes, this is definitely an ascension passage. I plan to establish the Star Continent protective array, then build my immortal sect, and finally ascend to the Divine Realm. If you're in a hurry, you may go ahead."

"My wife and I will stay with you," Through Through Zhuo Yao said without hesitation.

Song Chengdao and Wu Hanchan also said plainly: "We'll stay with you too."

Xing Pan sighed: "My Dao is incomplete—I still need to close myself off for a while."

"Then everyone, find your own caves to rest for now. I intend to leave the Demigod Star Continent for a while."

Ding Huan needed to set up the planetary protective array for the Demigod Star Continent, so naturally he must first survey the planet from outside.