Chapter 818: Volume of the Light Dao

"I didn't know you had arrived, Peng Fu has been remiss." A warm voice rang out, and immediately a man with brown hair appeared before Qu He.

Although the newcomer was only a Ninth Transformation Saint, Qu He still bowed his fist in return.

"I arrived abruptly; please, Master Peng, don't take offense."

Peng Fu was the head of the Great Wheel Guild in Tianyuan Dao City; his cultivation was lower than Qu He's, but his status within the Great Wheel Guild was no less significant.

This was still the Great Wheel Guild's territory; if Peng Fu wanted to target him, it would be easy.

"No, no, Master Qu, please go to the guild's reception hall and take a seat." Peng Fu's tone was humble, showing not the slightest trace of the arrogance befitting a Great Wheel Guild director.

Qu He said seriously: "Director Peng, I have an unusual request."

"Oh? Please, Master Qu, speak." Peng Fu uttered polite words but gave no promise that he would agree to anything.

Qu He, who had come to beg a favor, bowed again, then spoke gravely:

"A violent rogue has appeared in the Great Wheel Marketplace—he killed one of my Qu Clan's direct disciples, and two of my Qu Clan's Saints, along with several Composed Soul cultivators."

"This man is currently secluding himself in a cave leased by the Great Wheel Guild. I humbly beg the Great Wheel Guild to allow me to take him out."

"Of course, my Qu Clan will not let the Great Wheel Guild suffer any loss—we will pay whatever is due, without holding back."

Hearing Qu He's words, Peng Fu internally chuckled.

To take someone out of a leased cave belonging to the Great Wheel Guild?

If the Great Wheel Guild allowed the Qu Clan to do this, what reason would it have to exist?

Not only would the Great Wheel Dao Court never permit the Great Wheel Guild to remain within its jurisdiction, but the Guild itself would become a universal laughingstock.

The Qu Clan Dao Court was powerful, but it could not influence the Great Wheel Guild.

Though he mocked inwardly, Peng Fu's expression remained one of difficulty; after a long pause, he said:

"Master Qu, I truly cannot decide this matter—I must report it to the Guild Master."

He did not even ask the rogue's name.

"Then thank you, Director Peng." Qu He knew deep down this matter was hopeless.

He was certain that Peng Fu would forget the moment he turned away and would never report it.

It seemed he could only wait in Tianyuan Dao City—he refused to believe the man would stay hidden in his cave forever.

…

Ding Huan did not know that the Qu Clan's people were waiting outside the leased cave of the Great Wheel Guild.

Even if he knew, he wouldn't care.

At this moment, he was fully immersed in the joy of cultivation and perfecting his Law Star Rivers.

Even though Ding Huan had set up the Restraining Yuan Array, faint primordial chaos energy still seeped from around his cave.

A man cultivating in the cave next to Ding Huan sensed this primordial divine energy and stepped out in surprise, staring at Ding Huan's cave.

Is he cultivating with primordial chaos divine energy?

The man's eyes flickered; he decided to set up a surveillance divine array.

Once Ding Huan emerged from seclusion, he would go find him and chat.

The cosmic laws of the Lesser Tian Xu were indeed highly refined, but its cultivation resources were exceedingly scarce.

Not to mention primordial chaos divine energy—even wild divine veins were nearly gone.

Ding Huan thought a top-grade divine vein costing one year's rent was reasonable, but for cultivators in the Lesser Tian Xu, this price was absurdly high.

If cultivation resources were sufficient, a starland with such refined cosmic laws would long ago be teeming with immortals and strewn with Saints.

In reality, the number of Saints in the Lesser Tian Xu, relative to its territory and population, was not high.

Most of the Saints here had reached their status merely through accumulated time.

Ding Huan was different—he had cultivated for less than a fraction of a fraction of the time these people had.

Yet the resources he consumed far exceeded those of most.

Tianyuan Dao City, this cultivation city, ranked among the top twenty in the entire Lesser Tian Xu.

The number of Saints in such a place could roughly indicate the issue.

Because the cosmic laws were refined and divine energy was abundant.

In just fifty years, Ding Huan perfected the Wind, Thunder, and Ice Law Star Rivers and entered the Sixth Transformation Saint realm.

As the Wind, Thunder, and Ice Great Dao principles fully formed within Ding Huan's Great Dao world, his cultivation stabilized firmly at the Sixth Transformation realm.

Ding Huan did not end his seclusion; he would not emerge until he reached the Seventh Transformation Saint realm.

Next, he would perfect the Submersion Law Star River.

Perfecting the Submersion Law Star River posed no pressure for Ding Huan.

The Great Dao principle of his Submersion Law had already formed within his Great Dao world.

All he needed to do now was perfect the Submersion Law Star River.

This required only time.

The Poisonous Myriad Law Star River, however, would be more difficult for Ding Huan.

His understanding of poison Dao was strong, but the variety of poisons he had encountered was too few.

To perfect the Poisonous Myriad Law Star River, he needed fragments of various poison Dao principles.

He could not create poison Dao principles himself—perhaps someday he could, but now he was certainly incapable.

As for the Void Law Star River, Ding Huan knew his current cultivation was insufficient to perfect it.

The Life Law Star River required his Life Tree to grow before it could be perfected.

The Destruction Law Star River, Ding Huan estimated, could only be perfected once he obtained the Great Destruction Art.

Without the Great Destruction Art, he could go to places where Destruction Law fragments accumulated to gain insight.

Ding Huan was not overly concerned about these Law Star Rivers.

He knew these Law Star Rivers would not affect his entry into the Eternal Realm.

From his recent cultivation process, Ding Huan had also vaguely guessed: whether he could ascend to the Eternal Sage Realm had no direct connection to how many Law Star Rivers he perfected.

As long as he reached the Ninth Transformation Sage, the next step would be his entry into the Eternal Realm.

As for the Law Star Rivers within his Great Dao Sea, even upon entering the Eternal Realm, he could still calmly continue perfecting them.

In the Living Realm, he could still proceed calmly to further refine it.

Another hundred years passed in the blink of an eye; within Ding Huan's Great Dao World, the Law Star River of Devourment was perfected.

At the very moment the Law Star River of Devourment was perfected,

Ding Huan felt his Great Dao World undergo a qualitative transformation—his spiritual sense had increased by more than tenfold.

His spiritual energy had also multiplied exponentially.

Having cultivated from the First Transformation Sage, Ding Huan knew that each advancement in transformation would multiply both spiritual sense and spiritual energy.

But nothing like this extreme.

He tried extending his spiritual sense—and even Ding Huan himself was stunned: his spiritual sense effortlessly pierced through his neighbor's cave seal.

Heaven and earth bear witness—he had not used force.

A black-skinned man was staring at his cave, observing.

Ding Huan immediately retracted his spiritual sense.

In an instant, he restored the other's cave seal.

Even without knowing the local regulations, Ding Huan knew this place absolutely forbade casually spying on others' caves, let alone breaking their seals.

Sure enough, the moment Ding Huan retracted his spiritual sense, the seal at his cave entrance was tapped.

Ding Huan waved his hand, gathering all the Divine Veins within his cave, then opened the seal and stepped out.

Even without this incident, he had planned to go out and wander.

He clearly understood that all the Law Star Rivers in his Great Dao World that remained imperfect could not be perfected by merely secluding himself here.

He intended to find a place to first perfect his Myriad Toxins Law Star River and Destruction Law Star River.

He didn't need the Great Destruction Art—the Destruction Law Star River was relatively simpler to perfect, requiring only time.

His Great Dao World had formed the Destruction Law Star River primarily because, during the vast cosmic cataclysms, he had sensed countless fragments of destroyed laws.

These destruction law fragments were likely even stronger than the Great Destruction Art.

"Brother Daoist, why did you tear open my cave seal?"

As soon as Ding Huan opened his protective array, he saw the black-skinned man standing outside his cave.

Just a Semi-Sage eighth-layer cultivator.

Ding Huan was speechless—even with the Great Wheel Trading Guild's protection, how dare a Semi-Sage ant dare to yap outside the cave of a Seventh Transformation Sage?

Ding Huan snorted coldly and crushed his domain outward. The Semi-Sage was instantly suppressed, his face turning pale; in Ding Huan's domain, he couldn't even move a muscle.

"Which eye did you see me touch your cave seal?"

Hearing Ding Huan's icy tone, the Semi-Sage's earlier bravado shattered completely; he trembled with fear.

Had he known Ding Huan was such a powerful Sage, he would never have come forward to accuse him—even if he still coveted Ding Huan's Chaotic Divine Veins.

"Elder, I made a mistake," the Semi-Sage said, though he knew Ding Huan wouldn't dare kill him here, his heart was still filled with terror.

He inwardly grumbled: you're such a powerful Sage—why choose to rent a cave here?

"You provoked me first, so I am entitled to kill you. Even if I don't kill you, I can hand you over."

Ding Huan's tone remained utterly cold.

"Elder, please spare me."

"What value do you have for me to spare you?"

"I—I—"

Ding Huan had intended to ask where to find Toxic Dao Laws—when he heard the Semi-Sage, trembling, say:

"I know the upcoming Heavenly Abyss Dao City auction will feature Seven-Leaf Reincarnation Grass…"

Ding Huan was utterly speechless. Seven-Leaf Reincarnation Grass?

He had over a hundred plants of it in his world—he wouldn't even bother taking it as a gift.

Sensing Ding Huan's disdain, the black-faced cultivator hurriedly added:

"Also the Illumination Dao Scroll and a Primordial Creation Artifact…"

Ding Huan paid no mind to the Primordial Creation Artifact—but the Illumination Dao Scroll stirred his interest.

Previously, Ding Huan had thought Illumination was merely a collective term for the Five Elements and Wind, Thunder, Ice, and other attributes.

Later, he learned Illumination was Illumination alone—unrelated to any other attribute.

Just like Darkness—it was an independent cosmic law.

"These mean nothing to me. I cultivate Toxic Dao arts. Tell me—where can I find various Toxic Dao Laws?"

Though still asking, Ding Huan had already decided to obtain the Illumination Dao Scroll.

"I know—in the Tian Huan Female Palace. It's a forbidden zone." As he spoke, the black-faced cultivator quickly pulled out a directional jade slip and handed it to Ding Huan.

Ding Huan took the slip, then said coolly: "Go. Next time, open your eyes."

He felt no guilt whatsoever—this was simply a fucked-up world.

If his cultivation had been lower than the other's, he'd be the one groveling and begging now.

The black-faced cultivator hurriedly thanked him and left, planning to preserve evidence of Ding Huan damaging his cave.

He couldn't handle Ding Huan—but the Guild could.

Yet when he turned his spiritual sense back to inspect his own cave seal, he froze as if seeing a ghost.

The seal was identical to how he had originally set it—there wasn't a single trace of damage.

Ding Huan had already arrived at the great hall for cave dwelling rentals, intending to take on a mission while he was at it.