Chapter 684: Lifting the Siege

Qi Yi's giant shears had just begun to whirl when he felt his divine energy suddenly stagnate, and moreover, his soul sea seemed to crack.

His spiritual perception grew ever weaker…

A fear emerged deep within Qi Yi's consciousness.

Has he been poisoned?

Immediately, he felt his own Dao's resonance begin to sink.

Not only was his Dao sinking, but another poison-Dao aura, like a parasitic worm clinging to bone, spread over every part of his body.

Previously, Ding Huan's poison attacks always came through domain assaults.

So his opponents were poisoned slightly more slowly.

This time, Ding Huan directly slammed the Yellow Flower Kill straight into Qi Yi's soul sea.

Qi Yi was locked in combat with Mo Changcan and never noticed that Ding Huan's domain had been layered atop Mo Changcan's.

Nor did he expect that Ding Huan would strike into his soul sea domain at his most vulnerable moment.

This truly wasn't his fault.

If he had been facing Ding Huan directly, he would have guarded with absolute vigilance, giving Ding Huan no chance to poison him.

Even if he had been facing Mo Changcan alone, had Ding Huan's domain not been layered atop Mo Changcan's, Ding Huan's sneak attack on his soul sea would still have been detected.

But since Ding Huan had layered his domain atop Mo Changcan's, it was as if Qi Yi himself stood beneath Ding Huan's domain.

Under these circumstances, when Ding Huan struck at the precise moment Qi Yi was weakest while attacking Mo Changcan, Qi Yi had no chance to block it.

A jet of black blood shot out; Qi Yi's face grew even paler.

Far away, Feng Chuanxing, still desperately trying to purge the poison with no effect, turned even whiter.

He was certain Ding Huan had acted—otherwise, Qi Yi would not have been poisoned.

While Qi Yi and Mo Changcan fought, neither had any idea how Ding Huan had poisoned them—Ding Huan was truly terrifying.

He knew this poison was beyond his ability to cure; he could only wait for his son to return and beg Ding Huan for mercy.

Mo Changcan saw the jet of black blood spurt from Qi Yi—he instantly knew Ding Huan had struck.

He whirled his halberd again, and a faint, almost invisible halberd crevice carved through the void, locking every inch of space around Qi Yi.

Qi Yi frantically tried to break free from Mo Changcan's halberd's killing momentum, but no matter how he dodged, he remained engulfed by its killing radiance.

At this moment, Ding Huan did not intervene.

Puff!

Mo Changcan's halberd carved a black wound across Qi Yi's body—just barely missing splitting him diagonally in two.

Qi Yi collapsed to the ground; though he immediately restored his body's surface, it was only superficial.

His eyes were filled with terror—just one more strike, one more from Mo Changcan, and he would be torn apart.

Boom!

Mo Changcan's halberd was blocked.

Ding Huan stared coldly at Yuan Qing.

Did this old bastard really think he was afraid of him?

The formation runes that had just killed Feng Chuanxing hadn't even been used yet—this old bastard showing up now was perfect.

"Brother Mo, could you hear me? Brother Qi Yi is the master of a sect and has contributed greatly to our human race. Please, Brother Ding, show mercy."

Yuan Qing's tone was sincere.

Mo Changcan ignored Yuan Qing entirely—in his eyes, this alliance leader was no different from nothing.

To expect him to hold back? He might as well dream.

Ding Huan had no intention of sparing this menace either—he was about to summon his treasure when suddenly Yuan Qing's voice echoed in his ear:

"Brother Ding, Qi Yi truly cannot be killed. If you trust me, let us speak later—I will tell you his origins.

Moreover, he is deeply connected to you. You may not understand now, but after I finish speaking, you will. But I cannot say those words now."

Ding Huan silently thought: even if he didn't kill Qi Yi now, after being struck by his poison-Dao principles, Qi Yi was already doomed.

Yuan Qing's expression didn't seem like empty alarmism.

His cultivation was still low—so why not hear what this fellow had to say?

Connected to him? He didn't really believe it.

Thinking this, he whispered to Mo Changcan: "Changcan, spare this old bastard's life for now. Once we uncover his origins, we can kill him later."

Mo Changcan halted his halberd. Though he still didn't fully understand why Ding Huan had suddenly spared this man, he trusted Ding Huan wouldn't relent because of Yuan Qing's plea.

"Brother Ding, Brother Mo, shall we go to the Dao Xu Trading Hall to discuss matters now?" Yuan Qing, pleased that Mo Changcan had granted him this face, wore a look of renewed pride.

He knew Mo Changcan had spared Qi Yi solely because of Ding Huan's whisper.

And his earlier whisper hadn't been idle talk—he had truly wanted to befriend Ding Huan after witnessing how Ding Huan dealt with Feng Chuanxing.

So he decided to take the risk.

Ding Huan did not move.

Meng Danjian and Lan Li acted simultaneously.

Bing Shuangfeng had never imagined Qi Yi would fail to protect her—now that Lan Li and Meng Danjian struck together, she instantly knew it was bad.

Yet Lan Li was already at the peak of the Divine Lord realm, and Meng Danjian was also a Divine Lord.

Facing the combined assault of Lan Li and Meng Danjian, Bing Shuangfeng could only choose to flee.

Hu Dongjian, though newly entered into the Divine Lord realm, was sufficient to block her.

With the three of them joining forces, Bing Shuangfeng was severely wounded in a single clash.

"Danjian, listen to me—the truth isn't what you think. It was Zuo Zuo Jiulin—he…"

Puff! Lan Li's sword pierced Bing Shuangfeng's throat; her voice cut off abruptly.

Lan Li had long been fed up with Bing Shuangfeng; she had only suspected it before, but now that it was confirmed Bing Shuangfeng had killed the sect master and Qi Xiao, how could she possibly let him go?

No reason would do.

"Many thanks to Senior Ding for saving our lives." After Bing Shuangfeng was killed, several people from the Myriad Pills Divine Sect hurried over to thank Ding Huan.

If Ding Huan had not been here today—

They wouldn't even be talking about revenge; all of them would have died a humiliating death at Qi Yi's hands.

"Haha, let's go." Only now did Ding Huan laugh heartily, and he left with Yuan Qing and the others.

Watching Ding Huan's group depart, Meng Dan Jian's gaze fell on Qi Yi.

Qi Yi had long since lost any ability to protect himself. Like Feng Chuanxing, he couldn't even leave the place, and could only sit cross-legged on the spot, frantically driving out the poison.

A thought sprouted in Meng Dan Jian's mind—to kill Qi Yi.

……

Lower God Realm, Green Leishendao Sect.

Including the sect master, everyone in the Green Leishendao Sect was trapped on Lei Shan.

The reason they were still lingering on was that the Green Leishendao Sect's new sect master, Wen Jiyue, had obtained a Grade Seven divine formation disk in the Dao Ruins.

Relying on this Grade Seven divine formation disk, together with Wen Jiyue's formation expertise, they had held out until now.

More importantly, the leading Divine King of the Dao Ruins Merchant Association, Divine King Muxing, had not made a move.

The reason Divine King Muxing gave for not acting was his own: as a Divine King, he disdained dealing with these ants of the Lower God Realm.

But what the real reason was, probably only Divine King Muxing himself knew.

Divine King Muxing truly had not held back because he disdained dealing with these ants of the Lower God Realm; rather, a vague unease always lingered in his heart.

The source of his unease was Ding Huan of the Liyin Divine Valley.

Back then, Divine King Xingchen and Divine King Jin Yi went to Liyin Divine Valley, and the result was they couldn't even enter the sect.

He vaguely felt something was off.

In his thinking, no matter how bold Liyin Divine Valley was, they wouldn't dare hold onto Ding Huan alone and refuse to hand him over.

The only possibility was that Liyin Divine Valley had allied with Ding Huan. He didn't know the reason, but Liyin Divine Valley was not one to be bullied.

The Green Leishendao Sect's sect master was Ding Huan's friend, so he planned to wait until Alliance Leader Yuan went to Liyin Divine Valley before deciding.

What he hadn't expected was that the result he was waiting for did indeed come.

The result that came was Alliance Leader Yuan Qing forcibly issuing an order, commanding his Dao Ruins Merchant Association to immediately stop dealing with the Green Leishendao Sect.

Not only that, they were to offer apologies and compensation, and then withdraw from the Lower God Realm.

And after that, he received yet another piece of news that left him utterly terrified.

Divine King Xingchen was slain on the spot on a Dao Ruins street by Ding Huan and Mo Changcan, his very bones gone without a trace.

A chill ran down Divine King Muxing's back; he knew the Dao Ruins Merchant Association was finished.

After Divine King Xingchen was killed, apart from that never-before-seen association president, the Dao Ruins Merchant Association had only two Divine Kings left.

Besides himself, there was also Divine King Chou Yuan.

After Divine King Chou Yuan returned from the Dao Ruins, he had been in a state of severe injury, and now no one even knew where he was hiding to recover.

In other words, the once-mighty Dao Ruins Merchant Association now had only him, this single Divine King.

"Cease the attack." Upon learning the Dao Ruins Merchant Association was about to collapse, Divine King Muxing prepared to leave immediately.

The Dao Ruins Merchant Association could not be stayed at any longer; remaining would surely lead to death at Ding Huan's hands.

Hearing Divine King Muxing's words, the dozen-plus Dao Ruins Merchant Association cultivators who had been attacking the Green Leishendao Sect all stopped, looking at Divine King Muxing in confusion.

At their current pace, in no more than two or three days, this Grade Seven formation disk would be torn apart.

If they stopped now, once the other side repaired the formation disk, even more time would be needed to break the formation.

Divine King Muxing paid no heed to the others. Instead, he cupped his fists and declared in a clear voice: "I truly did not previously know that Sect Master Wen and Daoist Friend Ding Huan were friends.

I have only just learned of this, and my heart is deeply uneasy. For all the losses caused previously, my Dao Ruins Merchant Association is willing to compensate. I am too ashamed to face Sect Master Wen again; the compensation has been left outside. I beg Sect Master Wen to forgive me."

After speaking, Divine King Muxing took out a ring, set it in the void outside the protective formation and locked it in place, then swiftly departed the Green Leishendao Sect with all the Dao Ruins Merchant Association cultivators.

He had decided: he would quit the Dao Ruins Merchant Association at once, and the farther he went, the better.

"Sect Master, what is going on?" A Divine Sovereign elder beside Wen Jiyue asked in astonishment.

Wen Jiyue's aura was unstable, and her injuries were severe.

She too was somewhat puzzled—just what was going on?

Ding Huan was indeed her friend, but the Dao Ruins Merchant Association was still hunting Ding Huan. How could they possibly spare her Green Leishendao Sect out of regard for Ding Huan?

In other words, wasn't the Dao Ruins Merchant Association attacking the Green Leishendao Sect precisely because of Ding Huan?

And now they say they're apologizing out of regard for Ding Huan—who would believe that?

"Could it be that the Dao Ruins Merchant Association people are deliberately withdrawing to make us open the protective formation, and then they…"

Before this elder could finish, Wen Jiyue waved her hand: "They really have left. Even if they hadn't, there'd be no need for such a ploy.

That Divine King never made a move. If he had, our protective formation would have been broken long ago. Let's go out and take a look first."