Chapter 804: Hanging River

"Ding Zongzhu, what are you offering?" Fang Wuqiong gritted his teeth and looked at Ding Huan.

He knew today, these people had come to force a purchase.

Whether to sell or not was not up to him.

Ding Huan pulled out a ring and handed it to Fang Wuqiong:

"Ten Chaos Divine Spirit Veins, a hundred极品 Divine Spirit Veins, one drop of Cosmic True Essence, one primordial flying artifact, one primordial treasure—Yongqing Sword—and two Dao Fruit Trees."

Fang Wuqiong stared at Ding Huan in astonishment.

It wasn't that Ding Huan offered too little—it was too much.

He had assumed Ding Huan had come to rob them, yet now he produced so many treasures.

Not to mention the primordial flying artifact—he craved it deeply.

And the Cosmic True Essence? That was a life.

Altogether, these items still paled in value compared to the Heavenly Character Dao Rule, yet Ding Huan's offer was exceptionally sincere.

For Fang Wuqiong himself, Ding Huan's offerings benefited him far more than the Heavenly Character Dao Rule ever could.

But the Heavenly Character Dao Rule benefited the entire sect.

If the Heavenly Character Dao Rule couldn't be kept, what did it matter if the sect lived or died?

Wasn't it the same if he benefited himself?

Thinking this, Fang Wuqiong immediately stood up:

"Fine, Ding Zongzhu, I agree to sell. But the Heavenly Character Dao Rule is bound by my sect's Hanging River—I cannot retrieve it myself."

Fang Wuqiong did not say that if Ding Huan couldn't retrieve it, he had no solution.

Because he was certain Ding Huan could retrieve the Heavenly Character Dao Rule.

Ding Huan waved his hand: "Just lead me there."

"Ding Huan, the Eternal Divine Seal can contain the Heavenly Character Dao Rule," Xing Jia volunteered, worried Ding Huan didn't know how to secure it.

Things like the Heavenly Character Dao Rule, if not sealed immediately, vanish directly into the void.

Ding Huan naturally knew the Eternal Divine Seal could contain the Heavenly Character Dao Rule.

Yet he had no intention of doing so.

He cultivated the Great Cosmic Art, and he possessed two universes—though at present, they were still only worlds: one a true realm of existence, the other a Dao World.

His Dao World housed the River of Laws.

Thus, his Dao World could accommodate not just one Heavenly Character Dao Rule, but billions of all kinds of Dao Rules without the slightest effect.

Now that Fang Wuqiong had received Ding Huan's gifts, he only hoped Ding Huan would take the Heavenly Character Dao Rule away quickly.

Standing beneath the Hanging River of Jia Baihe Sword Dao, even though Ding Huan cultivated the Great Cosmic Art and his Dao World had fused billions of laws,

sensing the boundless aura of the Hanging River, he still felt his own insignificance.

Ding Huan was certain: Jia Baihe Sword Dao's Hanging River was no ordinary thing.

This Hanging River might even be something akin to the Eternal Divine Wheel.

"Ding Zongzhu, this is where the Heavenly Character Dao Rule resides." Fang Wuqiong pulled out a formation tablet and activated a forbidden array.

Ding Huan and the others immediately sensed countless boundless runes of Dao law.

The profound rune-essence swirled throughout the entire space.

Ding Huan silently thought: no wonder Jia Baihe Sword Dao's rune arts had always thrived.

With the Heavenly Character Dao Rule here, any rune cultivator who meditated here would see their rune skill skyrocket.

Not to mention others—even Ding Huan himself, if he stayed here for a while, might be able to forge a higher-tier Breakthrough Rune.

After he attains Eternal Life, this Heavenly Character Dao Rule might allow him to comprehend the forging of the Breakthrough Position Rune.

The Heavenly Character Dao Rule enabling one to comprehend the Breakthrough Position Rune? That meant it was at least a mid-tier or higher universe's Dao Rule.

And for Jia Baihe Sword Dao's Hanging River to bind the Heavenly Character Dao Rule? It would be strange if it were ordinary.

"Fang Zongzhu, step back a bit—I need time to take this Heavenly Character Dao Rule away."

After realizing the Hanging River might be a terrifying artifact, Ding Huan immediately devised a plan.

He did not intend to take the Hanging River.

Nor was it that he couldn't take it—he simply had to maintain some moral boundaries.

He must take the Heavenly Character Dao Rule, and even then, he used a purchase method.

Though Fang Wuqiong had no real choice, the Heavenly Character Dao Rule's absence didn't greatly harm Jia Baihe Sword Dao.

He hadn't treated Fang Wuqiong poorly.

If he seized Jia Baihe Sword Dao's Hanging River, the sect would be annihilated immediately.

Taking the Hanging River certainly wouldn't be simple.

Otherwise, why hadn't Yue Jinya and Quan taken it?

Perhaps it involved the survival of Dunyi Divine Realm.

He couldn't take Jia Baihe Sword Dao's Hanging River, but he should still prepare.

If one day someone did take the Hanging River—and he happened to encounter them—it wouldn't be a good thing.

He had the Eternal Divine Wheel, true—but his current strength couldn't activate it.

So Ding Huan planned to use the opportunity of taking the Heavenly Character Dao Rule to fuse the Hanging River's essence and laws.

If he fused the Hanging River's essence and laws, even if someone later cultivated it and used it against him, he'd have a defense.

Fang Wuqiong had no objection to Ding Huan's request.

Once Fang Wuqiong and Xing Jia and the others stepped back, Ding Huan immediately set up a hidden divine array and activated the Great Cosmic Art.

In just ten days, Ding Huan comprehended and fused the myriad essence-laws of the Heavenly Character Dao Rule.

At this moment, Ding Huan could instantly snatch the Heavenly Character Dao Principle and send it into his own Great Dao World.

But Ding Huan did not touch the Heavenly Character Dao Principle; instead, he used the Great Cosmos Art to continue perceiving and integrating the Xuan River's rhythmic Dao principles.

The Xuan River's rhythmic Dao principles carried a vast, majestic aura, manifesting in a way entirely different from the Dao rhythm of the Eternal Divine Wheel. For Ding Huan, what attracted him most was this brand-new Dao rhythm—the Xuan River itself.

Under Zhou Tian's Great Cosmos Art, Ding Huan soon sank deep into it.

As wave after wave of brand-new Dao rhythms were perceived and absorbed into his Great Dao Star River, Ding Huan felt his cultivation steadily surging upward.

Time passed like this.

At first, Fang Wuqiong paid no mind.

After all, something like the Heavenly Character Dao Principle—no matter who came to collect it—would take months to remove.

But Ding Huan kept him waiting for five or six years straight—that was going too far.

When Fang Wuqiong sensed the Dao rhythm's fluctuations within the Xuan River growing ever stronger, fear and unease flashed in his eyes.

Could this Ding Huan actually be planning to refine and take away the Xuan River?

As the sect master of Jia Baihe Sword Dao, he knew perfectly well what the Xuan River behind Jia Baihe Sword Dao truly was.

His master had told him the Xuan River's value surpassed even that of Dunyi Divine Realm.

!

Yet no one in Dunyi Divine Realm had ever been able to remove the Xuan River.

Not even Quan Dao Ancestor had touched it.

If Ding Huan were to act on the Xuan River, this matter would become enormous.

"Elder Xing Jia, this…"

Sensing that Ding Huan might be about to refine the Xuan River, Fang Wuqiong could no longer sit still.

What nonsense—take away the Xuan River, and Jia Baihe Sword Dao vanishes; perhaps even Dunyi Divine Realm disappears.

Even though his master said no one could remove Jia Baihe Sword Dao's Xuan River, this Ding Huan was an anomaly.

Xing Jia also assumed Ding Huan intended to refine the Xuan River, and inwardly thought: That's right.

If you see something valuable, you take it—otherwise, how will you ever stand atop the cosmos?

Min Yuan inwardly sneered at Fang Wuqiong: What do you think?

A treasure like the Xuan River—anyone who encounters it must take it.

Your sect master is still too restrained; if it were me, I'd kill Fang Wuqiong, obliterate Jia Baihe Sword Dao, then calmly refine the Xuan River.

Just as Fang Wuqiong didn't know what to do, the Heavenly Character Dao Principle suddenly vanished—snatched away by Ding Huan.

The billions of Character Dao rhythms in the space also dissipated entirely.

Ding Huan landed before Fang Wuqiong and the others.

"Ding Sect Master…" Fang Wuqiong called out, voice trembling.

Ding Huan laughed heartily: "Thank you, Fang Sect Master. I'll take the Heavenly Character Dao Principle. Until we meet again."

Fang Wuqiong exhaled a long breath of relief and carefully escorted Ding Huan and the other two out of Jia Baihe Sword Dao.

As long as the Xuan River wasn't touched, it was fine.

As soon as the three left Jia Baihe Sword Dao, Xing Jia asked: "Brother Ding Huan, why didn't you refine and take the Xuan River?"

Ding Huan smiled: "I did plan to refine the Xuan River—but after trying, I realized it couldn't be refined."

Whether others could refine the Xuan River, I can't say—but I certainly could.

I spent six years integrating the Xuan River's celestial and terrestrial Dao principles.

If someone else ever refines the Xuan River, its Dao rhythm will no longer overwhelm me.

Min Yuan, however, harbored doubts.

He didn't believe Ding Huan couldn't refine the Xuan River.

Ding Huan had once refined three thousand different Dao principle worlds, even the Time Dao Principle world itself.

Refining the Xuan River might take longer, but why couldn't he do it?

He kept his doubts to himself—he was now following Ding Huan.

He'd been the boss too long; he knew exactly what kind of subordinate a boss preferred.

Ask less, do more.

Don't pry into your boss's affairs; do what your boss wants done, and be the one who takes the blame—that's perfect.

And be perceptive: when your boss needs something done, act before he speaks—read his expression and move first.

Less than a day later, the Cosmic Cauldron landed again on the spot where the Primordial Heavenly Character's spirit had once resided.

Seeing Ding Huan retrieve the Cosmic Cauldron, Xing Jia and Min Yuan were both thrilled.

Especially Min Yuan—if not for that damned Cosmic Cataclysm, how could he have ended up again in a low-tier universe?

As for Xing Jia, he was now a Second-Transformation Saint.

Once he entered a mid-tier universe, he'd have a chance to reach the Eternal Saint Realm.

When Ding Huan pulled out the Eternal Heavenly Character, he had temporarily fused the Heavenly Character Dao Principle into it.

Seeing the golden character floating before them, its vast spatial aura rippling, Xing Jia rubbed his hands in excitement.

When the Cosmic Tree appeared and everyone fought for the Cosmic Fruit, he'd never been this excited.

Of course, perhaps because back then he'd been gravely wounded and his cultivation had plummeted—he'd had no right to compete for the Cosmic Fruit.

Seeing Min Yuan and Xing Jia's eagerness, Ding Huan said:

"Old Jia, Old Min—we're all on the same rope. Our strength is decent in this realm, but still far behind true powerhouses.

Using the Eternal Heavenly Character to teleport, I don't know if we'll arrive in the same place—but at least we'll remain in the same realm.

If we don't end up together, first raise your cultivation, then reunite later. If you encounter Elder Yi Shang or Jia Baihe, please look after them for me."

(Good night, fellow cultivator!)

(End of chapter)