Chapter 870: Ling Zhuzhen

In a short time without seeing Ling Zhuzhen, Ding Huan found that the man's aura had grown far weaker.

Moreover, the Dao rhythm on his body was more chaotic than before.

"Old Ling, you're really falling apart—getting worse by the day." Ding Huan couldn't help teasing.

Only then did Ling Zhuzhen notice Ding Huan and Jia Baihe approaching; he stared at Ding Huan in disbelief: "Ding Xiaotu, you really came back?"

Since Ding Huan left, Ling Zhuzhen had thought of him with every breath.

He had once thought Ding Huan was lying, but after Ding Huan tested his arm, he knew Ding Huan hadn't deceived him.

In fact, in this entire universe, only this Ding Xiaotu could resolve his Great Dao's Chaos Purification in the shortest time.

Later, he heard Jia Qian say that Ding Huan had been taken away by Yan Jiuyue of the Blue Star Sect, likely doomed.

This news was even more despairing to Ling Zhuzhen than his own predicament.

What he never expected was that Ding Huan had truly returned—and stood right before him now.

"What else? You helped me, so naturally I'll help you once." Ding Huan chuckled.

Only then did Ling Zhuzhen notice Jia Baihe.

He recognized Jia Baihe—she had come to North Travel Heaven City with Yan Zhuo.

According to Jia Qian, Ding Xiaotu was pretending to be Jia Baihe's Dao partner, and after the charade, Yan Jiuyue would kill him.

But why was this different from what Jia Qian said?

Ding Xiaotu not only came back, but he brought Jia Baihe with him?

If Yan Zhuo found out, Ding Xiaotu wouldn't have a hundred lives enough to be killed.

Still stunned, Ding Huan simply said: "Old Ling, dare you come with me now? I'll find a place and help you."

"What's there to fear?" Ling Zhuzhen said at once.

He was already in this state—what was there left to be afraid of?

Ding Huan stared at Ling Zhuzhen in surprise: "Your courage seems to have grown—you used to be so timid."

Ling Zhuzhen sighed: "I never gave up. I knew I couldn't escape, knew I couldn't remove the Chaos Purification, yet still longed to recover and kill the one who stole my Great Dao."

After you slapped me, I realized I could never remove the Chaos Purification on my own.

And Jie Gun would never allow me to recover…"

"Jie Kun seized North Travel Heaven City? Is he also a Dao Ancestor?" Ding Huan asked casually.

Ling Zhuzhen nodded: "Yes, he is indeed a Dao Ancestor."

"But the most shameless Dao Ancestor—disgracing the very term."

"The seventh step of the Great Dao is indeed hard…" Ding Huan nodded.

With his current strength, it would be difficult to confront the seventh step of the Great Dao.

Ling Zhuzhen sneered: "Seventh step? He's dreaming. He'll never reach the seventh step in his lifetime."

Seeing Ling Zhuzhen's mocking tone, Ding Huan grew puzzled.

If not the seventh step of the Great Dao, what qualifies him as a Dao Ancestor?

"He's the most undeserving Dao Ancestor in the Grand Universe—a mere sixth-step Great Dao cultivator dares to call himself a Dao Ancestor. Hah, laughable."

"A sixth-step Dao Ancestor?" Ding Huan was also stunned.

Though he was only at the first step of the Great Dao, he knew that calling oneself a Dao Ancestor at the sixth step… was like a monkey wearing a crown.

How dare a mere sixth-step cultivator call himself a Dao Ancestor?

What else could it be but the height of shamelessness?

Ling Zhuzhen scoffed: "In the old Grand Universe, even eighth-step cultivators dared not call themselves Dao Ancestors unless they had a unique Great Dao and ruled over an entire world."

Now, even pigs, dogs, and insects dare call themselves Dao Ancestors… sigh…"

Ding Huan was speechless—sixth-step cultivators calling themselves Dao Ancestors wasn't just thick-skinned.

Then it struck him: "Did Jie Kun imprint a mark on you? That's why you dare not leave?"

"Yes, he did place a mark on me."

"Should I help you remove it?"

"No. If you can remove my Chaos Purification, I can remove the mark myself."

"Then if you come with me, aren't you afraid he'll come after you?"

"He won't. He's currently in Gu Zi Holy Dao City, negotiating how to deal with the Tianmeng people."

Hearing "Tianmeng people," Ding Huan's heart stirred; he asked: "Old Ling, who recently injured you?"

Ling Zhuzhen sighed, a look of melancholy in his eyes: "Though factions in the Grand Universe constantly fought openly and secretly, they all united against the Tianmeng people."

Ding Huan caught the implication, and asked incredulously: "Old Ling, you're not saying someone secretly colluded with the Tianmeng people?"

Ling Zhuzhen nodded: "Correct. Someone did collude with the Tianmeng people. She's Jie Kun's friend—I don't know her name."

"But she brought a Tianmeng person into the city, and I naturally stopped them—citing the lack of a points card."

"That woman just slapped me and nearly killed me. Hah…"

Ding Huan sighed inwardly.

Humanity never lacked traitors; many times, humanity nearly perished because of human traitors.

"Come with me." Ding Huan spoke, then immediately summoned the Cosmic Cauldron, stepped aboard with Jia Baihe, and had no intention of entering the city.

Ling Zhuzhen didn't hesitate—he stepped onto Ding Huan's Cosmic Cauldron.

Seeing Ling Zhuzhen aboard, Ding Huan immediately drove the Cosmic Cauldron toward the Chaos.

"Ding Daofriend, ahead lies Chaos. If we go this way, there are few places we can take refuge."

Seeing Ding Huan had misjudged the direction, Ling Zhuzhen quickly warned.

Seeing Ding Huan had misjudged the position, Ling Zhuzhen hurriedly called out a warning.

o￠o

Ding Huan said lightly, "Old Ling, it's not that I don't trust you. With your current strength, even if I help you remove the Chaos Transformation, at most you'd only have the strength of a Derivation Realm cultivator.

With your Derivation Realm strength, escaping Jie Kun's pursuit is almost impossible. So I plan to take you into the Chaos to recover your strength."

Ding Huan could be certain that Jie Kun daring to just toss Ling Zhuzhen outside North Journey Heaven City like this meant he absolutely had the confidence to prevent Ling Zhuzhen from escaping.

Even if Ling Zhuzhen recovered to Derivation Realm strength, it didn't necessarily mean he could completely remove the spiritual imprint Jie Kun had placed on him.

Setting aside the fact that Ling Zhuzhen was unlikely to let him probe his Dao to help search for the spiritual imprint,

even if Ling Zhuzhen agreed to open his Dao and let him help, he might not necessarily be able to detect a spiritual imprint left by a Great Dao Sixth Step expert.

Although Ding Huan despised Jie Kun—merely a Great Dao Sixth Step—daring to call himself a Dao Ancestor,

he was also clearly aware in his heart that his Creation Dao Realm strength was still not enough before a Great Dao Sixth Step.

"Brother Ding, you really think too highly of me. These old bones of mine were already Chaos Transformed inside the Chaos; entering the Chaos again, wouldn't that be seeking death?"

Ling Zhuzhen said helplessly.

Ding Huan chuckled: "Old Ling, you don't need to worry. Since I can take you into the Chaos, I have the ability to establish a cultivation space for you inside the Chaos.

Rest assured, only inside the Chaos are you truly safe."

Ling Zhuzhen looked at Ding Huan with uncertainty flickering in his eyes, but did not voice any objection.

He believed Ding Huan's words; after all, Ding Huan could weaken the Chaos Transformation of his arm with a single slap—a feat even those Eighth Step Dao Ancestors of the old days couldn't accomplish.

He himself had once been a Dao Ancestor, and he couldn't do it either.

"Old Ling, this Jie Kun having you guard the gate—was it just to humiliate you? Nothing else?"

Hearing this, Ling Zhuzhen gave a self-mocking smile: "He doesn't kill

me because every so often I have to give him Dao Veins.

If you hadn't come looking for me this time, I was planning to find a way to leave anyway. Because my Dao Veins have been used up by him; if I can't produce Dao Veins, then next will probably be my death day."

Ding Huan didn't press further—it would be like tearing open Ling Zhuzhen's scar; the man was, after all, once a Dao Ancestor.

The Universe Cauldron was extremely fast. Just as Ding Huan was about to ask about the Tianmeng people, Ling Zhuzhen suddenly spoke:

"Brother Ding, thank you for thinking so highly of me, Ling Zhuzhen. Whether or not my Chaos Transformation can be removed, your help to me, Ling Zhuzhen, I, Ling Zhuzhen, will remember it all."

Ding Huan waved a hand: "A trivial matter, not worth mentioning."

For Ling Zhuzhen, this was not merely a matter of life and death, but one tied to whether he could once again set foot on the path of cultivation.

But for Ding Huan, it really was just a matter of lifting a hand.

Ling Zhuzhen cupped his fists, did not continue on this topic, and instead said:

"Dao Friend Ding, I have a heartfelt word to tell you."

"Old Ling, you and I are friends enough, and besides we both know Old Jia; just say whatever you have to say."

Ling Zhuzhen said with a solemn expression: "Alright, during the Great Universe Tribulation, I hid inside the Chaos. Although my Great Dao became Chaos Transformed, and my body and soul both Chaos Transformed, it wasn't entirely without gain…"

Hearing this, Ding Huan also grew serious.

He guessed that what Ling Zhuzhen was about to say might truly be heartfelt words.

This was experience Ling Zhuzhen had exchanged with his life; telling him now was truly a tremendous return.

It must be that Ling Zhuzhen, seeing he intended to save his life, was only then telling him such things.

Ling Zhuzhen's tone grew increasingly serious and grave: "I have a suggestion for you—if you have the chance, don't prove the Great Dao Fourth Step inside the Great Universe.

You may prove the Creation Realm here, but don't prove the Great Dao Fourth Step here."

"Why?" Ding Huan asked in surprise.

Others could prove the Great Dao Seventh Step, and even before the Great Universe Tribulation, there were those who proved the Great Dao Eighth Step here.

He couldn't even prove the Fourth Step?

Ling Zhuzhen looked at Ding Huan:

"I suspect the rules of heaven and earth here are still insufficient for the Great Dao Fourth Step. Although one can prove the Great Dao Fourth Step here, even up to the Eighth Step, one still cannot break free from the constraints of the Universe's Great Dao…"

Hearing this, Ding Huan immediately frowned.

He suddenly thought of the Dao Court opposite the Blue Star Divine Continent.

All the Saints of that place seemed to be pseudo-Saints, even inferior to true Quasi-Saints.

Could Ling Zhuzhen's meaning be that those who prove the Great Dao Fourth

to Seventh Step here, when they finally emerge, are all pseudo as well?

"Old Ling, you mean proving the Great Dao Fourth Step here is pseudo?"

"No, it should be real."

"Then why?"

Ling Zhuzhen took a deep breath: "Because I experienced the Great Universe Tribulation, I felt within the Tribulation an extreme kind of universal rule, as if…"

Ling Zhuzhen paused here, and after a long while said with some uncertainty:

"As if we are all at the edge of a universe, and every Great Dao we prove is an Edge Great Dao.

In the Universe Tribulation I vaguely perceived a cruel possibility—that no matter how we prove our Dao, we cannot escape the Universe Tribulation…"

Ding Huan's heart jolted.

Wasn't what Ling Zhuzhen said exactly the insight he himself had gained when proving the Creation Dao Realm?

Could it really be so?