Chapter 762: Ding Huan Acts

Ding Huan sensed that Yi Shang's Dao had problems, but he could not determine where the issue lay.

Only after Yi Shang herself spoke did he learn that her soul had been branded with a mark.

"What cultivation art are you practicing?" Ding Huan could only ask one question.

"I originally cultivated the Green Lotus Dao under the Holy Nun; later, after leaving her, I happened upon a scroll titled 'Small Five Elements Art,' and since then I have continuously practiced the Small Five Elements Art."

Ding Huan nodded—the Small Five Elements Art sounded lowly by name, but it was undoubtedly a Dao art with great potential.

No wonder Yi Shang had reached the Third Transformation Saint, and even attained the Fourth Transformation.

But this woman's heart demon remained unresolved, and that was always a problem.

After pondering for a long while, Ding Huan suddenly called out to the air: "Old Jia, what's your opinion?"

Yi Shang immediately held her breath—she had felt Xing Jia's Dao aura before, and it was unquestionably beyond the Fourth Transformation Saint.

Xing Jia's voice reached only Ding Huan's ears: "When this woman attempted to attain the Fourth Transformation, her spirit was unstable, and someone branded a life-and-death mark deep within her soul."

If I entered the Saint realm, resolving this would be simple—but now I cannot. Removing her soul brand would cause her Dao to collapse.

This involves the separation of Dao principles, requiring extreme caution—cultivators with weaker cultivation simply cannot accomplish it."

Ding Huan already understood roughly—Xing Jia did not know he practiced the Great Cosmos Art, which studies the separation and fusion of infinite cosmic principles.

Now, as a He Shen cultivator who knew she practiced the Small Five Elements Art, he was not incapable of helping.

And he had already devised a better method—one that would permanently resolve her issue and even elevate her further.

But it depended on how determined she was.

He looked at Yi Shang and said: "I can indeed help you."

Yi Shang had not heard Xing Jia's reply and was sinking into disappointment when suddenly she heard Ding Huan's words—she immediately looked at him in delight: "Lord Ding, if I can do it, command me freely."

Ding Huan said: "The first step to resolving your issue is that you must eliminate your heart demon—if you still cling to that meteor, my help will be useless."

Yi Shang looked at Ding Huan and said sincerely: "The moment that meteor surged over my head and broke through the Cosmic Catastrophe, I severed all ties with him."

My heart demon arises from thoughts of the Holy Nun—I only feel I have wronged her. Without her, I would never have reached the Fourth Transformation Saint; I would have vanished from the universe long ago."

Ding Huan nodded: "Good. When I remove your soul brand, you must follow my instructions exactly…"

"Lord Ding, isn't it Elder Xing Jia who will help?" Yi Shang exclaimed in shock upon hearing Ding Huan's words.

Ding Huan looked so young—could he possibly remove a mark left by a Third Transformation Saint?

Wouldn't that just kill her faster?

Ding Huan smiled faintly: "Elder Xing Jia is in a critical meditation—only I can help you remove it now."

If you trust me, let's begin. If you don't trust me, then forget what I just said."

Seeing Yi Shang still stunned and disbelieving, Ding Huan added:

"Friend Yi Shang, if I'm not mistaken, your time is running out—you could be killed or recalled at any moment."

Yi Shang understood Ding Huan's meaning—Jia Baihe had learned of her presence at the Blue Star Academy.

That meant Chang Chang Tingxi could inform the Jia Baihe Sword Sect's Sect Master, Fang Wuqiong, at any time.

The soul brand on her was placed by Fang Wuqiong—he could control her no matter the distance.

If Fang Wuqiong discovered she had secretly come to the Blue Star Academy, wouldn't he grow suspicious?

"Fine, I agree," Yi Shang immediately made her decision.

Before coming here, she had already resolved to die—rather than remain a puppet and enforcer for Fang Wuqiong in the Purple Maple Holy Valley, she preferred death.

Now she was an enforcer—what would she become later?

"If your problem is resolved, what are your plans?" Ding Huan asked a crucial question.

If she was merely a Bai Yanlang, Ding Huan had no intention of lifting a finger.

Yi Shang bowed again and said: "Before I came here, I had already decided—I will join the Blue Star Academy and serve it. If I break this vow, my Dao shall collapse."

"Good."

Ding Huan pulled out the Five Elements Dao from the Three Thousand Daos: "First, memorize this art."

Yi Shang unconsciously took the art, then exclaimed in shock: "This is the Great Five Elements Art?"

"Correct. To resolve your issue, the first step is to switch to the Great Five Elements Art," Ding Huan declared.

"Thank you, thank you…"

Any lingering doubts Yi Shang had vanished completely now.

Not to mention anything else—this Great Five Elements Art was something countless cultivators spent their lives longing for and never obtained.

In merely half a day, Yi Shang had etched the Great Five Elements Art deep into her memory.

The moment she viewed the Great Five Elements Art, heavenly Dao principles spontaneously formed—this was impossible for a mere copy to achieve.

"Lord, I've studied it," Yi Shang carefully returned the art to Ding Huan, her mindset transformed.

At her level, she had a vague understanding of what lay beyond the Ninth Transformation Saint.

If she continued practicing the Small Five Elements Art, even if she reached the Ninth Transformation Saint, she would never advance far.

But the Great Five Elements Art was different—its potential was immeasurable.

Ding Huan put away the Three Thousand Daos:

"Next, open your soul sea. As I remove the brand from your soul, you must sever your Small Five Elements Art and begin cultivating the Great Five Elements Art…"

"Yes," Yi Shang replied with absolute decisiveness.

Ding Huan immediately constructed a Great Cosmos Art Zhou Tian.

Beneath the Great Cosmos Art Zhou Tian, the Dao rhythms and principles of Yi Shang's Small Five Elements Art became crystal clear to Ding Huan's perception.

When he sensed the Dao rhythms and all Five Elements principles within her art, he sighed inwardly.

This woman was truly naive and tragic—even without Fang Wuqiong branding her soul, she would ultimately serve as a tool for others.

Because her Small Five Elements Art carried too many Dao traces that did not belong to her.

It was just that Elder Yi Shang had never felt it before.

Now, because of his Great Cosmos Art, Zhou Tian, the great Dao principles within Elder Yi Shang's body became clear, and she felt them too.

Her face instantly turned pale.

At this moment, she understood: her own cultivation of the Small Five Elements Art was also a trap—not that she had luckily obtained the Small Five Elements Art, but that someone had likely deliberately left it behind.

If she had not come here today, had not met Ding Huan, had not let him sever her Dao…

Even if she had severed her Dao, without the Small Five Elements Art to cultivate, she would still have been a tragedy.

Though she understood inwardly, at this moment she dared not move at all, only feeling Ding Huan peeling away the marks from her soul's imprint.

She prepared herself to faint.

Having reached the Third Transformation Saint realm, Elder Yi Shang knew better than anyone how terrifying it was to peel away an imprint from the depths of the soul.

It was the agony of tearing apart the soul.

What shocked her was that Ding Huan clearly located each and every one of the imprint's principles buried deep within her soul, then peeled them away one by one…

Though there was still the tearing pain, it was far better than she had imagined.

As each principle not belonging to her Seven Souls and Six Spirits was peeled away, Elder Yi Shang felt lighter and lighter.

After an unknown length of time, Ding Huan's calm voice suddenly reached her ears: "Begin severing your Dao, then cultivate the Great Five Elements Art…"

Elder Yi Shang, already prepared, decisively severed her Dao.

One by one, the subtle traces of the Small Five Elements Dao were cleanly cut away; her face grew paler, her cultivation plummeted faster and faster, yet her heart grew lighter and lighter.

Streams of blood shot out; Elder Yi Shang felt every trace of Dao lingering upon the Small Five Elements Art had been utterly severed.

When she next perceived herself, Ding Huan's spiritual sense had already withdrawn.

Elder Yi Shang immediately understood what had happened—she began cultivating the Great Five Elements Art.

As the densest possible primordial spiritual energy flowed into her, and she felt her cultivation rapidly restoring, Elder Yi Shang could only feel like weeping uncontrollably.

In no more than two years, she would surely fully recover.

While Elder Yi Shang frantically restored her cultivation, Ding Huan arrived at Xing Jia's seclusion.

Looking at the young man before him, Ding Huan couldn't help laughing: "Old Jia, you're already seventy or eighty, yet you've reverted into a fresh-faced boy?"

Xing Jia had just regained his physical form, and his cultivation had already reached the Heavenly God realm; restoring to the Saint realm would likely take little time.

Xing Jia paid no attention to Ding Huan's mockery, but regarded him seriously: "Your Great Dao art is extraordinary—I was right not to misjudge you."

Once the girl restores her cultivation, and with me here, you may go back and attend to your own affairs. When you leave this place, I will help you."

Xing Jia spoke truly: Ding Huan had so easily peeled away the soul imprint left by a Third Transformation Saint.

To be honest, even if he restored his own cultivation to the Pre-Saint realm, he might not have been able to do it.

Yet Ding Huan is only at the Fourth Layer of Union Spirit.

"Old Jia, I came here to ask you for a favor," Ding Huan chuckled.

Xing Jia said without hesitation: "Whatever you need me to do, just say it."

"There's something very important in the Blue Star Academy—I need to take it away. But I haven't found it yet. Can you help me locate it?"

Ding Huan wanted the Eternal Life Talisman; Xing Jia had once been the Eternal Life Saint—he might sense it.

As for asking Zhuo Rong, Ding Huan had never considered it.

If Zhuo Rong had been willing to tell him, she would have spoken up long ago.

The reason she hadn't told him yet was likely because she herself was deeply conflicted.

After all, it was a Sacred Talisman Dao artifact—if she told him where the Great Talisman was and he took it, she might be seen as betraying her sect.