Chapter 729

"It's Senior Elder Fu Bo. I'll go see." Ding Huan's spiritual sense detected Fu Bo standing outside Daxing Peak.

Fu Bo knew full well his position in Liyin Shenggu; if it weren't something critical, he would never knock on the prohibitions of Daxing Peak.

"I'll go with you." Seeing Fu Bo's anxious figure outside, Qu Yi worried something had happened to Liyin Shenggu.

Such a violent knock on the prohibitions roused not only Ding Huan, but also Emperor Hou Hen, Leng Qingdie, and Ji Luo.

By the time Ding Huan stepped out, they were already outside.

A casual sweep of his spiritual sense told Ding Huan that Emperor Hou Hen's cultivation had recovered to the mid-stage of Pretender Saint, while Leng Qingdie's cultivation was likely comparable.

As for Ji Luo, he had now reached the peak of Divine King.

Ding Huan opened the prohibitions; Fu Bo rushed straight to the summit of Daxing Peak before even landing, his urgent voice already ringing out:

"Ding Daofriend, please lend your aid to save our Sect Master."

Save the Sect Master of Liyin Shenggu?

"What happened to Sect Master Xian?" Ding Huan asked, puzzled.

He truly was confused—Xian Wushang was a veteran Divine King, and beside him stood the newly promoted Divine King, Shan Yichen.

In the Upper Divine Lands, where Divine Kings were scarce, how could there be trouble?

Unless they'd encountered a Dao Court powerhouse—but Dao Court members could not possibly cross the Eternal Divine Abyss right now.

"Shortly after you left Liyin Shenggu, an event occurred in Wangshen Lands: a withered skeleton fell near the outer edge of the Wangshen Stair Sea.

Around this skeleton, gray-dead Dao rhythms continuously emerged; wherever this gray decay reached, life there perished.

Any cultivator who approached the skeleton turned to bone and perished.

At first, no one paid attention, but soon the gray decay surged out of Wangshen Lands into the Lower Divine Lands, gradually engulfing sects and divine cities, draining all vitality.

Yuan Qing, the Alliance Lord, summoned many Divine Kings to investigate. Our Liyin Shenggu's Sect Master and the Scripture Pavilion Elder Shan Yichen were both invited.

Not long ago, Elder Shan Yichen's soul tablet shattered. I sent word to our Sect Master—no reply. Worse still, even Yuan Qing and the others have vanished without a trace.

I know my strength is limited, so I've come to beg Ding Daofriend to intervene…"

Fu Bo's voice trembled with fear—he clearly understood what would happen to Liyin Shenggu if Xian Wushang fell.

Ding Huan was indeed powerful, but he wasn't of Liyin Shenggu.

Wangshen Lands?

Ding Huan thought inwardly—his own realm of ascension was Wangshen Lands.

If Wangshen Lands was compromised, would all cultivators ascending to Wangshen Lands in the future face the same fate?

Even without Xian Wushang's plight, Ding Huan would have to go investigate.

Most who ascended to Wangshen Lands likely came from the Half-God Star.

He had established his own sect, Lanxing Sect, on the Half-God Star.

"Fine, I'll go take a look."

Ding Huan immediately summoned the Cosmic Cauldron.

"I'll come too," Emperor Hou Hen rubbed his hands.

Though his power hadn't yet reached its peak, he'd regained seventy to eighty percent of his former strength.

He now had great faith in Ding Huan, so whenever Ding Huan acted, he would give his utmost aid.

"I'll go as well," Leng Qingdie added.

Before Ji Luo could speak, Ding Huan volunteered: "Ji Luo, you stay here."

Ji Luo thought: As expected—low cultivation means no one takes you seriously.

He must break into Pretender Saint this time; otherwise, Old Hou would look down on him.

"Fine, I'll return to my cultivation." Ji Luo turned back toward his cave to resume his seclusion and push for the Union God Realm.

"Master Huan, I'm coming too!" Yi Jie burst out.

Behind Yi Jie came Er Gou; though silent, his longing gaze made his desire clear—he wanted to come too.

Ding Huan had originally intended to take only Yi Jie—he sensed Yi Jie was unusual and might prove useful.

But remembering the Cosmic Cauldron's speed, the round trip wouldn't take long.

He decided: "Then let's all go together."

…

Ding Huan's first stop was Dao Xu Street.

Compared to its former desolation, Dao Xu Street had slowly revived over these past years.

It was not yet as bustling and prosperous as before, but no longer a ruin.

Upon reaching Dao Xu Street, Ding Huan entered the Lower Divine Lands via the teleportation array.

As soon as he entered the Lower Divine Lands, he sensed something was wrong.

Even though they were still far from Wangshen Lands, they could already feel the withering and deathly aura.

"I feel terrified just standing here," Qu Yi's voice trembled—she genuinely felt dread.

Ding Huan nodded—Qu Yi cultivated one of the Three Thousand Great Dao paths: the Primordial Origin Dao.

She was exquisitely sensitive to vitality, deathly aura, and all origin Dao rhythms.

Emperor Hou Hen and Leng Qingdie also grew grave; they hadn't noticed it before.

After all, in the Lower Divine Lands, not even a single Divine King could exist—its heavenly laws forbade Divine King birth. Their arrival had brought no pressure.

But now, standing here, the terrifying sense of vitality withering surged into their hearts, making them unconsciously uneasy.

Ding Huan summoned the Cosmic Cauldron.

With his current Divine King Seventh Layer power, the Cosmic Cauldron's speed surged another tier.

Less than half a day later, Ding Huan halted. Before him stretched a gray-white expanse—every sight was suffused with gray decay.

Where his divine sense touched, there was another lifeless sect.

Aside from the faint dao resonance still lingering in the words "Star Evolution Dao Sect," the entire sect was utterly devoid of life.

His divine sense could detect scattered white bones.

Not a single blade of grass remained within the sect.

All divine herbs, animals, and plants had withered and dissolved.

And a gray-white line was slowly extending outward.

Wherever that gray-white line spread, all life vanished instantly.

The very qi of heaven and earth had turned to deathly energy.

Ding Huan drew a sharp breath—he doubted even a true sage could achieve this; it was simply terrifying.

"Fall back immediately, or we have no chance of survival," Emperor Hou Hen cried out urgently.

No mistake, not a single word, not a single detail—everything is clear!

Even without Emperor Hou Hen's warning, everyone knew that if the gray-white line touched them, all life would vanish completely.

Ding Huan's heart sank—he knew that if this was the case, neither Yuan Qing nor Xian Wushang could possibly survive.

But when he had left, Xian Wushang's soul had not yet shattered, meaning Xian Wushang was still alive.

To survive in a place that frightened even Emperor Hou Hen, these veteran god-kings must have some hidden strengths.

"You cannot go in. I'll go alone to take a look."

Ding Huan stared at the ever-expanding gray-white line, and suddenly remembered what Lao Jia had spoken of—the Great Calamity.

This thing may not be the Great Calamity, but what difference does it make?

As long as this white line keeps advancing, it will eventually cover all of the Three Gods Region, extinguishing all life there.

"Xiaotu, don't go in. If we must, we can leave the Divine Realm…" Seeing Qu Yi's voice trembled—this gray-white line was too terrifying.

"Ding brother, Seeing Qu Yi is right. This is beyond our control. If I'm not mistaken, this is the deathly dao resonance of the Death Art…"

Emperor Hou Hen's voice trembled as well.

He was certain no one here realized the true horror of this deathly dao resonance.

Others had never witnessed the Great Death Art, but he had.

It was a divine technique capable of annihilating the life of an entire realm—who wouldn't fear it?

He never expected to encounter deathly dao resonance in this godforsaken place.

Fortunately, this appears to be the Lesser Death Art's dao resonance; otherwise, it would have already engulfed the entire Three Gods Region.

Ding Huan took a deep breath and said slowly: "I must go in. Otherwise, we will have no place to stand."

Emperor Hou Hen and Seeing Qu Yi might not know, but Ding Huan, after speaking with Xing Jia, understood clearly.

After the Great Cosmic Calamity, finding even a shattered realm like the Three Gods Region to take refuge in would be difficult.

Throughout the vastness, shattered star-lands and dimensions must be everywhere.

Though the Three Gods Region lacks some heavenly laws, it still allows cultivation to the god-king realm—at least there remains hope for restoration, something to cling to.

If we leave the Three Gods Region, let alone whether we can return to Half-God Star—

Even if we could return to Half-God Star, or even the Great Immortal Realm, what then?

Do the heavenly laws there permit cultivators beyond the Immortal Emperor to exist? Can they continue cultivating?

He cultivates the Great Cosmic Art; if he is careful, even at the edge of this deathly dao resonance, he can construct a Zhou Tian of the Great Cosmic Art.

He cannot guarantee others' safety, but he can guarantee his own.

If he fuses all the laws within it, he can remain unharmed here.

Just as in the Eternal God Abyss, he had returned safely—and even obtained Void Nirvana Gold and Cosmic Essence—

Because he had fused and comprehended the Law of Descent and the Law of Void.

More importantly, within this deathly dao resonance, he sensed a trace of the Law of Reincarnation.

The Law of Reincarnation was one of the great laws he sought to fuse.

To date, the Law of Reincarnation he had touched amounted to nothing more than a single hair's breadth.

Seeing Qu Yi seized Ding Huan's hand, unsure what to say.

She knew perfectly well that once Ding Huan made up his mind, nothing could stop him.

If it were up to her, she would tell Ding Huan to leave this place and find a new refuge.

In the vast universe, how many life-bearing planets exist? Why must they stay here?

Ding Huan pulled out a ring and handed it to Seeing Qu Yi:

"I won't be harmed. I have a feeling—this place may be deadly to others, but to me, it may be an opportunity."

Ding Huan wasn't speaking lightly; once he passed the initial danger of being corroded by the deathly dao resonance and fused its laws, there would be no danger at all.

"Master Huan, I'll go with you," Yi Jie shouted.

If there were a specific target, Ding Huan would certainly take Yi Jie with him.

But bringing Yi Jie into the deathly dao resonance now would only burden him.

"No. Yi Jie and Er Gou stay with Seeing Qu Yi. I don't know how long I'll be gone—wait for me in Liyin Divine Valley."

"Old Hou, while I'm gone, watch over Liyin Divine Valley. Don't let any fools tamper with it."

"Don't worry. This is nothing to me," Emperor Hou Hen replied simply, though he knew Ding Huan should not enter the deathly dao resonance.

He would wait for Ding Huan in Liyin Divine Valley. If the deathly dao resonance truly spread and reached beyond, he could always leave this divine continent.

He only did what he could.

(End of Chapter)