Chapter 834

Outside Tianyuan Dao City lies a teleportation array leading to Tianxu Dao City.

Under Wu Qiu's guidance, the group departed via the teleportation array.

When they reappeared, they were already at the teleportation plaza outside Tianxu Dao City.

Guan Huan and Bai Yue had both been to Tianxu Dao City before.

It was Ding Huan's first time arriving here.

Looking at the Tianxu Dao City before him, Ding Huan silently praised: this veteran Dao Court's capital truly had an extraordinary aura.

From outside Tianxu Dao City, the entire city appeared layered, directly extending into the void.

Grand and majestic.

Compared to Tianxu Dao City, the capital planet of the Qu Clan Dao Court, Mahayana, was nothing but a nouveau riche.

"I thought Chang Yun would appear in Tianyuan Dao City; I never expected he didn't go at all," Guan Huan chuckled.

He had a better mindset; though he regarded Chang Yun as a mortal enemy, he never showed it in words.

"He's too scared to go," Bai Yue sneered.

Ding Huan shook his head: "Chang Yun has already gone—not only that, he was watching us leave Tianyuan Dao City."

There was another thing he didn't say: if Wu Qiu hadn't voluntarily befriended them,

Chang Yun would have struck.

If Chang Yun struck, he wouldn't act alone—he likely would have invited a Cultivation Realm expert from one of the Three Trade Guilds to join forces, or allied with Chen Chi.

Don't be fooled by Peng Fu's courtesy; the moment he gains the power to suppress them, the guild he represents will absolutely side with whoever suppresses them.

Until they left Tianyuan Dao City, Chang Yun never moved.

Ding Huan judged that Chang Yun's ally was likely Chen Chi, not a Cultivation Realm expert from the Three Trade Guilds.

Otherwise, Chang Yun would have struck.

Because if Chang Yun struck, Chen Chi would certainly strike.

Chang Yun surely understood this logic.

If Chang Yun and Chen Chi allied, Chang Yun couldn't be sure whether the Three Trade Guilds' Cultivation Realm experts would help—so he dared not act rashly.

This was different from how Chang Yun dealt with Guan Huan back then.

Back then, when dealing with Guan Huan, Guan Huan appeared to have friends everywhere, but in truth, he was utterly alone.

During Dao discussions, everyone called him "Brother Guan," but when trouble came, no one lifted a finger to help him.

Not only did no one help Guan Huan, but a pile of people jumped at the chance to kick him while he was down.

"Chang Yun was in Tianyuan Dao City?" Guan Huan stared at Ding Huan in shock.

Even Wu Qiu looked at Ding Huan in disbelief—had Chang Yun truly gone to Tianyuan Dao City? How had he not sensed it?

"He was definitely in Tianyuan Dao City," Ding Huan said with absolute certainty.

He was already intimately familiar with every protective array outside Tianyuan Dao City.

He had sensed a person hiding near Tianyuan Dao City long ago.

Even Wu Jiu fell silent.

He felt an urgent pressure.

If he didn't quickly find an ally, his Tianxu Dao Court might truly end up like the Qu Clan Dao Court.

The Qu Clan was wiped out by Ding Huan; their resource territories have long since been divided among the few of them.

"Go back immediately and enter seclusion—don't emerge until you've reached the Union Spirit Realm. If you dare step out again without my permission, don't blame me for forgetting father-daughter affection."

Wu Jiu harshly scolded his daughter Wu Jiena, eager to immediately negotiate an alliance with Ding Huan and the others.

Wu Jiena knew her actions had been problematic; she dared not retort, only bowed deeply before swiftly entering her cave residence within Tianxu Dao City to enter seclusion.

Ding Huan found it amusing.

If this woman could listen to her father, she wouldn't have done such a Bai Chi thing in Tianyuan Dao City.

In the Guest Hall of the Tianxu Dao City Dao Master's Mansion, Wu Qiu brought out his finest Dao tea to entertain Ding Huan and the other two.

"Brother Guan, Daoist Ding, Daoist Bai—I won't beat around the bush. I believe you've already guessed my intentions. Normally, I shouldn't bring this up now, but I feel something's off…"

Wu Qiu got straight to the point.

"Dao Master Wu, just say it outright. We're all straightforward people—no need for pretense."

On the journey here, Wu Qiu had sensed that Ding Huan was the decision-maker among the three.

Yet Ding Huan had the weakest cultivation, so he'd always assumed he'd misjudged.

Now, Ding Huan's blunt words made him realize—he hadn't been wrong; the true decision-maker among these three was indeed the one with the weakest cultivation: Ding Huan.

"Daoist Ding, I, as Dao Master of the Tianxu Dao Court, wish to form an alliance with you."

"Don't worry—I won't be like Chang Yun. If we cooperate, even if I know it means certain death, I, Wu Qiu, will never hesitate or retreat."

Wu Qiu's words were firm, clearly showing his determination to cooperate.

Ding Huan was very satisfied with Wu Qiu's attitude; if they were to cooperate, better to be direct.

Hiding and distrusting each other—that's not cooperation, that's nonsense.

"Dao Master Wu, I originally intended to ally with one Dao Master—I first chose Zuo Qiong, the Dao Ancestor of Ji Ji Yuan Dao Court…"

Before Ding Huan finished speaking, Wu Qiu urgently said: "Daoist Ding, Zuo Qiong may have conflicts with Chang Yun, but he's cunning and calculating—he's no good partner…"

Wu Qiu knew clearly: if Ding Huan and the others allied with Zuo Qiong, they would never ally with him.

On the surface, he still got along reasonably well with the other Dao Masters.

In truth, everyone knew the score.

In Little Tianxu, the only true Dao Court is Tianxu Dao Court; the other major Dao Courts are all flesh torn from Tianxu Dao Court's body.

Ding Huan waved his hand: "Dao Master Wu, let me finish. Recently, I met Zuo Qiong once—I know his strength is likely the greatest in Little Tianxu, even having stepped into the Fourth Step…"

Hearing Ding Huan's words, Wu Yao didn't care: "I heard Chang Yun has also stepped into the Fourth Step of the Dao."

Ding Huan chuckled: "Chang Yun hasn't even touched the hair of the Fourth Step—Zuo Qiong is the one who might have truly reached it."

If my guess is correct, with the strength of the few of us now,

we still wouldn't be a match for Zuo Qiong."

Wu Qiu, who had been indifferent, now showed shock in his eyes at Ding Huan's words.

Clearly, he hadn't realized the vast gap between the Fourth Step of the Dao and a Creation Saint.

"Is the Fourth Step of the Dao really that powerful?" Wu Qiu asked again, uncertain.

Guan Huan understood the Fourth Step far better than Wu Yao; he interjected promptly: "It's even more powerful than you imagine."

Wu Qiu's unease deepened.

If the Fourth Step of the Dao was truly this powerful, his Tianxu Dao Court would eventually lose everything.

Ding Huan saw Wu Qiu's worry and reassured him:

"Wu Daozhu, don't worry—Zuo Qiong won't act for now; he isn't fully confident in his own strength.

Besides, I promised Zuo Qiong I'd go to Tianji Saint City. He'll only act if he grows impatient waiting."

Wu Qiu thought Ding Huan's words were mostly meant to comfort him.

Ding Huan and the other two could go anywhere—they couldn't. He was the Daozhu of Tianxu Dao Court.

If Zuo Qiong truly allied with Chen Chi and Chang Yun, his Tianxu Dao Court would vanish completely.

He spoke urgently:

"Ding Dao you, there's a top-tier cultivation site in Tianxu Dao City—Tianxu Mountain. I'll give it to you for your retreat."

? co

Now Wu Qiu only hoped Ding Huan and the other two would settle permanently in Tianxu Dao City.

Ding Huan and Guan Huan had destroyed the Qu Dao Court—so long as these two stayed in the Dao City, Tianxu Dao Court would be far safer.

Ding Huan stood and said: "Thank you, Wu Daozhu. Later, take Guan Brother and Bai Yue to Tianxu Mountain to build your cultivation caves. I have some Chaos Divine Veins—I'll implant them all inside…"

Wu Qiu panicked: "Ding Dao you, aren't you staying here to cultivate?"

Ding Huan's cultivation level wasn't as high as Guan Huan's, but when they destroyed the Qu Dao Court, Ding Huan's contribution was certainly no less than Guan Huan's.

He'd heard Ding Huan alone had slain twenty-seven Saints, nine of them Nine-Transformation Saints.

Moreover, the complete extermination of the Qu Clan seemed tied to Ding Huan.

It involved a bloodline great divine art.

Ding Huan handed Guan Huan a ring: "Our main goal now is to strengthen our power, but I must first go somewhere to perfect my own Dao."

"Once I've perfected my Dao, I'll return and enter retreat."

"Where are you going?" Wu Qiu looked at Ding Huan with reluctance—he didn't want him to leave.

If several Dao Courts joined forces against Tianxu Dao Court, it wouldn't be a joke.

"Tian Huan Women's Palace." Ding Huan didn't hide it.

"Isn't that already destroyed?" Wu Qiu frowned.

Ding Huan gave no explanation.

Wu Qiu understood at once and quickly pulled out a pair of teleportation talismans, handing them to Ding Huan: "I have teleportation talismans to Tian Huan Women's Palace…"

Ding Huan looked at Wu Qiu in surprise—did Wu Qiu have deep ties to Tian Huan Women's Palace?

Otherwise, how could he possess direct teleportation talismans to Tian Huan Women's Palace?

Such long-distance, fixed-point teleportation talismans were rarely crafted, and they were extremely expensive.

He could craft them himself—but he'd never make them for others.

Wu Qiu smiled awkwardly: "I once had a friend in Tian Huan Women's Palace, so I kept a few pairs of these talismans."

No further explanation was needed—everyone understood.

Tian Huan Women's Palace was entirely female cultivators, all of whom possessed top-tier aptitude and exquisite beauty.

Moreover, many of them had special Dao Bodies.

For a Dao Court Daozhu like Wu Qiu, having ties to a woman from Tian Huan Women's Palace was perfectly normal.

Since Wu Yao had ties to Tian Huan Women's Palace, Ding Huan felt it necessary to ask:

"Wu Daozhu, do you know why Tian Huan Women's Palace was destroyed?"

Hearing Ding Huan's question, Wu Qiu's eyes flickered with sorrow—clearly, the woman from Tian Huan Women's Palace held great weight in his heart.

"I investigated. The place is saturated with endless Poison Dao laws—impossible to enter. My ability is limited; I only reached the outer edges of Tian Huan Women's Palace before I had to retreat."

The implication: he didn't know the true cause.

"Old Guan, handle the cave construction. Build our three caves together—place mine in the center, no need for blocking arrays."

"I'm leaving now. If all goes well, I'll return soon."

Ding Huan estimated it wouldn't take long to perfect his Myriad Poison Dao Law River.

Once his Myriad Poison Dao Law River was perfected, he'd return and strive for the Eternal Life Realm.