Chapter 760: If Any Courtesy Was Lacking

Ding Huan's gaze settled on the man; the man had altered his form, and the spatial laws around him pulsed in a bizarre manner.

While Ding Huan was still pondering, Zhuo Rong spoke up: "Dear fellow cultivators, this is Ding Huan, the Shao Sect leader of our Lanxing Academy."

It should have been Ding Huan who greeted everyone, but he had been continuously sensing the aura of that powerful figure; Zhuo Rong, fearing they might offend these sect elders, spoke up first.

Ding Huan also bowed his fist, his words carrying a hint of dominance: "Anyone who comes to Lanxing Academy today is a friend of Lanxing Academy."

Rather than wait for the right day, since we originally planned to hold the founding ceremony after recruiting disciples, and since all you honored guests have graced us with your presence today, let us simply hold the sect's founding ceremony now."

Zhuo Rong was still stunned upon hearing Ding Huan's words—what kind of thing was the Sect Master saying?

Shouldn't he have first thanked all the sects for coming to offer congratulations? How did it turn into "those who come here are friends"?

And the founding ceremony—there's been no preparation at all. Could this really be so shabby…

The others also turned their gazes toward Ding Huan.

They were still wondering whether Ding Huan was the Shao Sect leader, and if so, whether there was another Sect Master.

If Ding Huan himself was the Sect Master, then wasn't Lanxing Academy's strength a deception of everyone?

But that couldn't be right—Lanxing Academy's founding was initiated by Ding Huan, and the Dao words were spoken by Ding Huan.

Thus, Ding Huan must be the Sect Master.

If Ding Huan is the Sect Master, then speaking like this—how much confidence does he truly have?

The emissary from Jia Baihe Sword Dao's face had darkened; he knew they had been deceived.

This Ding Huan, through some unknown means, had communicated with the Heavenly Dao, causing them to mistakenly believe Ding Huan was powerful.

Had they not come here in person, they would still have been completely fooled.

Ding Huan's cultivation level was indeed unclear, but such petty tricks dared to be displayed before Jia Baihe Sword Dao? He was clueless about his own mortality.

Before the others could react, Ding Huan raised his hand and drew several hand seals in the void.

The space before everyone instantly transformed.

In the span of a single breath, they found themselves no longer in the guest hall, but in a vast ceremonial hall.

The hall stretched upward for a thousand steps, extending endlessly.

Golden welcoming flowers lined the steps.

Numerous child attendants stood on both sides, evoking a sense of peace and festivity, yet still maintaining solemnity.

Ding Huan walked to the top and sat down.

Zhuo Rong hurried to stand beside Ding Huan.

The emissary from Niepan Sacred Dao Palace, Chang Chang Tingxi, whispered to the man beside him, Gan Shijian: "Disciple, what do you think?"

Gan Shijian whispered back, excited: "Master, he's the Ding Huan I know—a truly good person. Should I go greet him?"

"Wait a moment," Chang Chang Tingxi immediately halted his disciple's impulsiveness.

The emissary from Jia Baihe Sword Dao, about to speak, narrowed his eyes slightly—this was an evolution of the Opening Heaven Divine Art.

It was undoubtedly a simplified version of the Great Divine Art of Mediating Creation from the Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations; those children didn't resemble beans turned into soldiers, but rather appeared to be crafted divine puppets.

Thus, Ding Huan at least possessed the Heavenly Transformations, and moreover, was a skilled Artificer.

Even so, the emissary from Jia Baihe Sword Dao, Chang Chang Tingxi, rose to his feet.

Did he think he could deceive Jia Baihe Sword Dao with such trickery and escape unscathed? Ha—don't dream it.

He believed he had already seen through Ding Huan's hollow, outwardly imposing facade.

"Friend Ding Dao, I am Chang Chang Tingxi, External Affairs Elder of Jia Baihe Sword Dao. I have several matters…"

But before Chang Chang Tingxi could finish speaking, a powerful Dao aura surged instantly across the entire Lanxing Divine City.

Chang Chang Tingxi forcibly swallowed the words he was about to say, his face turning instantly pale.

He was a First-Transformation Saint, yet before this terrifying Dao pressure, he felt a profound dread—even the urge to kneel.

Jia Baihe Sword Dao had Three-Transformation Saints.

He had even seen Five-Transformation Saints before.

Former Sect Master Chong Chong Jinting of Jia Baihe Sword Dao was a Five-Transformation powerhouse, yet he was certain that even Chong Chong Jinting would amount to nothing before this pressure.

"Dear guests, I am Xing Jia, the Supreme Elder of Lanxing Academy. Today is a momentous day for our founding. Thank you all for coming to celebrate."

"My Shao Sect leader Ding Huan has this temperament—if there's any lack of courtesy, consider you never came. If you have complaints, take them back to your own sects…"

The voice cut off abruptly.

What kind of words are these…

Isn't it customary to say "if we've been inattentive, please bear with us"?

What kind of excuse is "if we've been inattentive, pretend you never came"?

Yet not a single person felt anger; instead, everyone's faces turned pale.

Earlier, Ding Huan's words had seemed arrogant—everyone had come to congratulate, yet he hadn't even thanked them.

Now the Supreme Elder had stepped forward to offer thanks, and suddenly no one thought Ding Huan arrogant anymore—only fear and unease remained.

What level of power was this?

That aura of pressure made them feel one slap could kill them all.

Zhuo Rong was bewildered—how had she never known the sect had a Supreme Elder named Xing Jia?

Ding Huan laughed: "Don't take it to heart—our Supreme Elder is currently breaking through to the Eighth… in seclusion. Let's carry on as planned…"

As he spoke, Ding Huan seemed to remember something and turned to Chang Chang Tingxi: "You're the Elder from Jia Baihe Sword Dao come to offer congratulations? Didn't you have something you were about to say?"

Chang Chang Tingxi's face was ashen; his back was soaked in cold sweat.

He vaguely sensed that if the Supreme Elder who had spoken had wished to kill him, he wouldn't even need to come near—he could simply strike him dead from afar with a single slap.

He suspected the Supreme Elder hadn't acted against him yet because today was Lanxing Academy's founding ceremony, so the elder had spared his life—for now.

And it was only a temporary reprieve, for his words had been forcibly cut off by the Supreme Elder, whose tone had been anything but courteous—it was clear that after the founding ceremony, the Supreme Elder would still come for him.

"Chang Chang Tingxi, I'm asking you a question—do you mean to say your Jia Baihe Sword Dao isn't here to congratulate? What exactly did you just say you brought?" Ding Huan's voice turned cold.

Chang Chang Tingxi finally came to his senses and hurriedly said, "No, no, our Jia Baihe Sword Dao is truly here to congratulate—congratulations to the Blue Star Academy on establishing its sect in Dunyi Divine Realm."

"I, Chang Chang Tingxi, represent the Jia Baihe Sword Dao in presenting several gifts. I humbly beg Lord Lan not to disdain them..."

With that, Chang Chang Tingxi pulled out a ring and a gift list.

Seeing Zhuo Hong stepped forward, took the ring and the gift list, and read aloud: "Jia Baihe Sword Dao congratulates the Blue Star Academy on establishing its sect, and presents one Nine-Turn Divine Plum Tree, twenty Chaos Divine Spirit Veins, and one Postnatal Divine Artifact: the Divine Qiongyu Cup."

When Ding Huan heard "Nine-Turn Divine Plum Tree," his eyes lit up.

This old bastard is really bleeding for it—this is a top-tier Dao fruit tree.

Clearly, he's terrified the Blue Star Academy will wipe out the Jia Baihe Sword Dao, or that Old Jia will slap him dead.

Or perhaps the Jia Baihe Sword Dao is now on the brink of collapse.

Not only was Ding Huan astonished, but everyone else was utterly stunned.

Not a single item on the list was fake!

The Nine-Turn Divine Plum Tree was Chang Chang Tingxi's most prized treasure—and now he'd produced it.

How terrified must he be that Ding Huan would use an excuse to kill him?

No one thought Chang Chang Tingxi was wrong. Given Ding Huan's arrogant manner, and the even more arrogant attitude of the Supreme Elder behind him—

It would be strange if they didn't kill Chang Chang Tingxi today.

He has the strength to be arrogant.

He's just unwilling to draw blood during the celebration—but once the ceremony ends, Chang Chang Tingxi is dead.

Now that Chang Chang Tingxi has offered such treasures, if Ding Huan accepts them, it's effectively trading his life for them. A fair deal.

Ding Huan nodded. "Chang Elder, you've gone to great trouble. Let's have more frequent exchanges. Chang Elder, please be seated."

Chang Chang Tingxi finally exhaled in relief, thanked him, and sat down.

With Chang Chang Tingxi setting the precedent, everyone else hastily replaced their ordinary gifts.

After all, the Jia Baihe Sword Dao presented such priceless items—how could you offer something inferior without slapping the Blue Star Academy in the face?

The Blue Star Academy has an arrogant Shao Sect, and a peculiar Supreme Elder.

Who can be sure they won't kill you just because your gift was too meager?

Within just an hour, Seeing Zhuo Hong's hands were cramped from receiving gifts.

Ding Huan had been watching that powerful figure all along—until Seeing Zhuo Hong collected the gifts, he learned the man was from the Purple Maple Sacred Valley, named Elder Yi Shang.

Confirmed—she was a female cultivator.

"Thank you all for your kindness and generosity. The Blue Star Academy has no fine gifts to return, but we present each of you with one flask of Divine Spirit Wine and one gift packet."

As Ding Huan spoke, he opened his hand.

Over a hundred gift boxes landed precisely before every sect representative.

Hearing Ding Huan's thanks, everyone felt a twinge of displeasure.

What kind of thing is this?

Even if the Blue Star Academy is powerful, you can't act like this!

You received so many precious gifts—and give back only one flask of wine and a small packet?

Some secretly opened the wine flask, sniffed it—and it truly was excellent wine.

After all, this was Dao wine brewed by Ding Huan using the Fermentation Stone Mortar.

But no matter how good, it was still just one flask of wine.

No—this was...

Soon, someone sensed the extraordinary nature of the small gift packet.

"Divine Spirit Rice? Is it top-grade Divine Spirit Rice?"

Someone exclaimed in shock.

"Isn't this supposed to be extinct?"

The crowd erupted in murmurs, as if they'd forgotten this was still the Blue Star Academy's founding ceremony.

Divine Spirit Rice was no ordinary thing.

It didn't just remove poison from pills—it purged impure and muddled Dao energies.

To reach higher realms, Divine Spirit Rice was nearly indispensable.

"Thank you, Lord Ding," finally, a sect representative came to his senses. They had given the Blue Star Academy one-time gifts.

But the Blue Star Academy was magnanimous—this return was the very foundation of Daoic inheritance.

A rolling thunder echoed, and all looked up to the sky.

Though invisible, nearly everyone could feel the Blue Star Academy's destiny growing deeper.

Everyone understood: the Dao itself had recognized the Blue Star Academy's actions, and bestowed heavenly merit and destiny upon it.

"Truly not an ordinary sect," sighed Chang Qian of the Nirvana Sacred Dao Palace.

"Master, is Ding Huan really the friend I knew? I never imagined he'd change so fast—he's now the Shao Sect of the Blue Star Academy... this is simply..."

(End of Chapter)