Chapter 720: Turned Against

No matter how much Ding Huan mocked him, Lao Liu remained utterly unperturbed.

No matter how powerful you are, Ding Huan, you won't walk away today.

Even if the Holy Lord Jueyuan Emperor and Pi Yuan Buddha Lord weren't here, my new master Wu Zha wouldn't let Ding Huan go.

"Hahaha, didn't expect Dao Friend Ding and this monkey to be old acquaintances." A booming laugh came from Ting Zhu Chang Baiyuan, beside Jueyuan Emperor.

Ding Huan had assumed Chang Baiyuan was merely a Pretender Saint, but when the man laughed, Ding Huan immediately sensed the Dao rhythm rippling through space.

This guy isn't a Pretender Saint—he's as powerful as Jueyuan Emperor.

If Jueyuan Emperor truly is a Saint, then this Chang Baiyuan must be one too.

This Saint, hiding as a Pretender Saint weaker than Bai Shao, has some hidden agenda.

"Dao Friend Ding, I heard divine rice has appeared in the Abandoned Lands—is this true?" Jueyuan blurted out eagerly.

Divine rice is far too important for a Emperor like him.

He dared ask so brazenly because the two Pretender Saints and one God King beside Ding Huan meant nothing to him.

Yongshen Sacred Dao City was already sealed by his forbidden array; Ding Huan, living in Yongshen Xi Tower, couldn't escape even if he had wings.

If Ding Huan refuses to cooperate, he wouldn't mind erasing him.

"It's true," Ding Huan immediately admitted.

Upon hearing divine rice truly existed, even Wu Zha, who had just arrived, grew excited.

Divine rice—something every cultivator in the Dao Court yearned for above all else.

After the Heavenly Cataclysm, the Dao Court's celestial laws were shattered, just like everywhere else.

But compared to the Three Divine Lands, the Dao Court's damage was relatively minor.

The Dao Court isn't large at all, and within this small space, securing a stable place to cultivate is extremely difficult.

Only with great strength can one carve out a foothold in the Dao Court.

With such fierce competition, everyone frantically boosts their power.

With scarce celestial laws, how can one advance in realm? Naturally, by using top-tier heavenly treasures.

Fortunately, the Dao Court possesses the greatest resource expanse: Dao Xu.

With Dao Xu, every kind of treasure is obtainable.

In fact, this Dao Xu is the same Dao Xu accessible from the Three Divine Lands.

But the Dao Xu of the Three Divine Lands and the Dao Xu of the Dao Court are both severed by the massive Divine Abyss known as Yongshen Deep Chasm.

The Dao Xu of the Three Divine Lands is now nothing but barren brown soil.

The only place with decent treasures, the Reincarnation Swamp, remains inaccessible due to the Law of Devouring.

The truly valuable portions lie entirely within the Dao Court's Dao Xu.

The Dao Court's Dao Xu holds not only various top-tier divine herbs but also countless Dao-destiny treasures.

This is one reason why the Dao Court looks down on the Three Divine Lands and calls them the Abandoned Lands.

The Three Divine Lands are larger in area and have ten times the population of the Dao Court.

If all those people flooded into the Dao Court's Dao Xu, the cultivation resources would be utterly exhausted.

Because the Dao Xu is filled with countless divine herbs and cultivation treasures.

So everyone is frantically consuming pills.

In the Dao Court, there are more Divine Alchemists than anywhere else.

Every realm is built upon piles of divine pills.

Over time, from Saints down to Cultivation Gods and even some Immortal Emperors, all are burdened with pill poison they cannot purge.

Too much pill poison causes stagnation in realm advancement and loss of Dao comprehension.

Though many treasures exist to remove pill poison, not everyone can afford them.

After years of depletion, even Saints now lack sufficient antidotes.

Divine rice is the best remedy for pill poison—not only is it easy to cultivate and regenerates quickly,

but it's also cheap enough for anyone to afford.

Moreover, divine rice enhances one's comprehension of the Dao.

Who wouldn't crave something so good and so affordable?

Jueyuan Emperor stood up and said sincerely:

"As Lord of the Dao Court, I deeply grieve for the countless Dao Court cultivators suffering from pill poison.

Would Dao Friend Ding be willing to provide divine rice to save these millions of cultivators, freeing them from pill poison and benefiting the entire realm?"

Ding Huan laughed and said: "What Jueyuan Emperor says is exactly what I've been thinking."

After sitting down, Jueyuan Emperor smiled with delight: "Dao Friend Ding is truly a model for all cultivators. On behalf of the Dao Court's millions, I thank you."

Ding Huan said solemnly: "Your Excellency speaks wrongly—this is something I must do and wish to do; why should I be thanked?"

"Since both Your Excellency and Buddha Lord Pi Yuan are present, let me state my plan: I intend to use ten thousand supreme-grade divine spirit veins, one hundred thousand upper-grade divine spirit veins, and three primordial artifacts to suppress the Yongshen Deep Chasm.

At the crescent apex of the Yongshen Deep Chasm, I will establish a supreme array to connect the Dao Court and the Three Divine Lands.

This will instantly elevate the celestial laws of the Three Divine Lands, benefiting all cultivators there.

Second, I will transport divine rice from the Three Divine Lands to the Dao Court, so the millions of Dao Court cultivators may benefit.

Third, I will build new Divine Dao Cities on both sides of the Yongshen Deep Chasm, fostering Dao prosperity and ensuring all cultivators of the Dao Court and Three Divine Lands have unimpeded paths to enlightenment."

Wu Zha had already been deeply displeased that Ding Huan had named only Jueyuan Emperor and Pi Yuan Buddha Lord, omitting him.

Now, hearing Ding Huan offer such vast resources, he instantly discarded all resentment.

Thrilled—this Ding Huan was impossibly wealthy!

If only I had found Ding Huan alone, why would I need to share with Jueyuan Emperor and this fake Buddhist cultivator?

Not only was Wu Zha not excited, but everyone in the room was stunned by Ding Huan's big pancake.

To casually produce ten thousand supreme-grade spiritual veins and one hundred thousand high-grade spiritual veins, along with three primordial treasures—this kind of display…

Emperor Hou Hen sighed and said: "I never expected Dao Friend Ding to be so wealthy. I have an idea—why not have Dao Friend Ding establish a Dao hall within the Dao Court?"

As for those items, bring them out—I will use the power of the Dao Court to help Dao Friend Ding spread the cultivation of Divine Rice. I believe Dao Friend Ding will gain immense merit from this.

As for the Abandoned Lands, the celestial and terrestrial laws here are simply too impoverished, and they have not yet been integrated into the Dao Court's significance, so let us temporarily set this aside. What do you think, Dao Friend Ding?"

Ding Huan said coolly: "I think that's unacceptable. Venerable Yu Yuan, don't your Buddhist Dao teachings hold that all sentient beings are equal? If all beings are equal, why abandon the lives of the Three Divine Lands?"

I, Ding Huan, sit here precisely to represent every cultivator living on this land—not abandoning a single one.

Can it really be said that Dao Court cultivators are people, while those of the Three Divine Lands may be discarded?"

"Yes, I agree with Dao Friend Ding."

Venerable Yu Yuan unhesitatingly endorsed Ding Huan's words, then sent a silent message to Emperor Hou Hen:

"Holy Lord, let us first secure Ding Huan's items. As for the rest, once we have the items, won't it be our word that decides?"

But after speaking just a few words, Venerable Yu Yuan's face darkened.

He had not expected his silent message to become audible speech.

Clearly, Ding Huan's group had set up a forbidden array here, blocking all telepathic communication.

Worse still, this isolation array was cunningly designed—it only amplified his words after he had already spoken several sentences.

Clearly, Ding Huan's side possesses a top-tier array master.

Emperor Hou Hen's expression hardened: "Venerable Yu Yuan, this matter must be led by Ding Huan."

Then he turned to Ding Huan: "Dao Friend Ding, bring forth your items—we will jointly oversee them…"

Before Emperor Hou Hen could finish, Ding Huan waved his hand:

"Your Majesty misunderstands me. Even if I, Ding Huan, were wealthy, I could not produce so many items. My point is this: this matter benefits both the Dao Court and the Abandoned Lands.

I, Ding Huan, representing the Abandoned Lands, offer two primordial treasures and Divine Rice. The Dao Court, in turn, offers one primordial treasure, plus ten thousand supreme-grade spiritual veins and one hundred thousand high-grade spiritual veins."

Emperor Hou Hen frowned at Ding Huan: "Dao Friend Ding, have you been mocking us this whole time?"

Ding Huan said calmly: "The Abandoned Lands are the Dao Court's discarded territory. I, from a discarded land, have offered two primordial treasures and Divine Rice.

Your Majesty is the master of the Dao Court—does offering one primordial treasure and some spiritual veins count as mockery to you?"

Are you demanding we hand over everything, build everything up, and then you come to take it all?"

Emperor Hou Hen was left speechless by Ding Huan's words.

He had indeed meant exactly that—Ding Huan only needed to hand over the items, and the matter of connecting the Dao Court to the Abandoned Lands could be forgotten.

"Dao Friend Ding, since that's the case, hand me back the Xuan Star Flag of my Dao Court." Now that he understood Ding Huan's intent, Emperor Hou Hen had no further interest in speaking.

If Ding Huan refused to hand them over, he would not hesitate to act harshly.

Venerable Yu Yuan said nothing—he too stared at Ding Huan, for he had come here precisely for the Mahayana Buddha Bowl.

Ding Huan said coolly: "These two items are the fare. If you two do not know, then look at the crystal ball."

Ding Huan raised his hand and tossed out a crystal ball.

Inside the crystal ball, Yi Han and Venerable Suo Gu both courteously offered their flying artifacts, insisting Ding Huan accept them—and saying that if he refused, they would feel uneasy.

Emperor Hou Hen rose to his feet a second time, coldly glaring at Ding Huan:

"Ding Huan, since you refuse to return my Dao Court's primordial treasure, do not blame me for being uncivil."

With that, he directly reached out to seize Ding Huan.

As Emperor Hou Hen moved, everyone else activated their artifacts.

Wu Zha charged straight at Ding Huan.

He had come here specifically to capture Ding Huan; from Lao Liu, he knew Ding Huan carried a great secret.

Ding Huan must not fall into Emperor Hou Hen's hands.

Seeing Ding Huan did not flee, Emperor Hou Hen and Leng Qingdie simultaneously activated their attack artifacts.

Emperor Hou Hen's golden brick slammed into Emperor Hou Hen's palm seal—Dao essence exploded.

Boom!

As the battle began, the entire Yong Shen Xi Tower turned to dust.

Ding Huan scattered his array flags—even if he meant to leave, he would fight first.