Chapter 936: Invitation

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Ding Huan switched his flight treasure.

"Brother Ding Huan, that red-clad one you severely wounded—was he from the Gods' Island or the Gods' World? Do you think he might arrive at Wangshen City before us?"

Guan Huan still felt uneasy upon hearing Ding Huan mention a Dao Seventh Step and a Dao Eighth Step.

He wasn't worried about those two individuals, but about the powers behind them.

Ding Huan said dismissively: "It's highly unlikely. With my flight speed, even if they came here, it would take them at least several thousand years."

Even if they had teleportation talismans or teleportation arrays, the time couldn't be less than a thousand years."

Ding Huan wouldn't claim no one surpassed him in spatial law research, but he was certain very few could outdo him.

From the Cosmic Wall to Wangshen City, whether setting up teleportation arrays or using teleportation talismans, it was an extremely difficult task.

When the Cosmic Cauldron arrived, it passed through many chaotic spatial voids.

Slowly flying here with a flight treasure was still possible if one was careful.

But if one used teleportation and entered the chaotic currents, returning might not happen for tens of thousands of years.

Even if those few were from the Gods' Island or the Gods' World, they could only perform limited-range teleportation. Most of the time, they'd still have to rely on flight treasures.

Even limited-range teleportation consumed vast quantities of top-tier teleportation talismans.

As for setting up teleportation arrays, it could only be done near Wangshen City.

"Even so, we must leave Wangshen City as soon as possible." Guan Huan agreed with Ding Huan, but caution ensured safety for ten thousand years.

"Of course, if I didn't need some data from the Gods' Island, I'd have no interest entering Wangshen City at all—so Old Guan must disguise himself."

"Old Guan, can you use Heavenly Gang Illusion Art or Earthly Sha Illusion Art?"

"I use Primordial Illusion Art—it can also transform appearances," Jia Baihe said.

Guan Huan said: "I know some Heavenly Gang Illusion Art."

Qiao Qianhe smiled awkwardly: "My illusion art is quite ordinary—not Heavenly Gang Illusion Art—I'd likely be easily spotted."

Ding Huan waved his hand: "Only Old Guan needs to disguise himself—we don't. Old Guan was previously exposed; he must disguise himself to enter Wangshen City."

"Brother Ding Huan, you might still be seen by others," Guan Huan reminded.

"The Cosmic Cauldron has prohibitions blocking it—no divine sense can penetrate it. Your concern is unnecessary."

"You were the one who burst out of the Cosmic Cauldron without killing the red-clad one—that's why you were spotted."

Ding Huan signaled Guan Huan not to worry.

Not to mention Ding Huan was certain no one had recognized his face.

Even if someone accidentally saw him, Ding Huan wasn't concerned.

He was certain that if the red-clad one truly wanted his Cosmic Cauldron, believing it to be a supreme treasure,

Given that fellow's nature—grabbing the Cosmic Cauldron the moment he saw it—he'd surely slaughter everyone who laid eyes on it.

Half a day later, Ding Huan piloted a Post-Heavenly flight treasure to a stop at the Void Plaza outside Wangshen City.

The Post-Heavenly flight treasure was still a decent flight treasure, yet it drew many glances.

Ding Huan swiftly swept his divine sense outward and soon realized the cultivators here were roughly on par with those of the Great Universe.

They must all have come from elsewhere.

"Have you just arrived at Wangshen City?" A female cultivator approached as Ding Huan retracted his flight treasure.

"Yes," Ding Huan replied tersely, his divine sense still scanning the Void Plaza.

Though the Void Plaza was crowded, their qi and demeanor indicated they were merely passing through.

No one was trading anything here.

The female cultivator immediately asked: "Do any of you have a Dao Vein?"

Asking about Dao Veins right upon arrival?

This time Ding Huan didn't answer—he enveloped the female cultivator in his domain, his divine sense settling on her.

Dao Fourth Step—likely a Fourth Step Sage without a Dao Declaration.

A common cultivator out soliciting business was already a Dao Fourth Step—this place truly teemed with strong ones.

Indeed, once cultivation reached a certain level, everyone gathered in certain places.

The female cultivator sensed Ding Huan's wariness and quickly said:

"My fellow cultivators, don't misunderstand—those with Dao Veins and those without receive different benefits here."

"Please enlighten us," Ding Huan bowed.

The female cultivator whispered: "If you have a low-grade Dao Vein, you can not only reside in Wangshen City, but later join Wangshen Island and train within it."

"Don't worry, I won't ask for your Dao Vein alone. Just bring your Dao Vein and follow me to process your entry into Wangshen Island."

"What's the relationship between Wangshen City and Wangshen Island?"

Ding Huan asked, though he had already guessed much.

Lan Xihuo must have come here and joined Wangshen Island—Wangshen City was likely an affiliated Void City of Wangshen Island.

"Wangshen City is an affiliated Void City of Wangshen Island," the female cultivator replied.

"So if I reside in Wangshen City now, can I later join another island to train?"

Ding Huan continued asking—he suspected there were many such Void Cities around the Gods' Island.

Earlier, he and Guan Huan had assumed only Wangshen City existed around the Gods' Island—they were mistaken.

He hadn't used Jing Xizhen's directional jade slip; he used Lan Xihuo's, which is why he arrived at Wangshen City.

This further reduced concern about the red-clad cultivator.

Didn't the Gods' World have billions of Gods' Islands outside?

If so, there should be many such Void Cities.

Even if they avoided Wangshen City, they could choose to enter another Void City.

"It would be best to enter Wangshen Island for cultivation; then, the things you bring out will yield maximum benefit."

The female cultivator answered with great speed, but Ding Huan still sensed from her aura shift that Wangshen Island needed people, and Wangshen City was the place that sent people to Wangshen Island.

If he came here only to abandon entering Wangshen City, it might invite additional trouble.

Thinking this, Ding Huan no longer mentioned going to any other island: "In that case, let us first enter Wangshen City. Please lead the way, fellow cultivator."

"That's excellent. Follow me, all of you." The female cultivator immediately beamed.

Ding Huan pulled out a ring and handed it to the female cultivator: "This is a lower-grade Dao vein, and it's what we prepared in advance."

"You can give me the Dao vein now," the female cultivator reached out to take the ring.

But Ding Huan withdrew his hand: "May I ask, fellow cultivator, what is your name?"

"I am Li Yue, an external administrator of Wangshen City. May I ask your names?"

Only now did the woman inquire about Ding Huan's group's names.

Clearly, if Ding Huan had failed to produce a Dao vein, none of them would have been worthy of even being named.

Not even worthy of being known by others.

"I am Ding Huan. May I ask—does this one Dao vein grant entry to Wangshen City for just me, or for all of us?"

Ding Huan asked this because Li Yue had never clearly addressed this point earlier.

Upon hearing Ding Huan's question, Li Yue froze.

As soon as the Dao vein was in her hand—or as soon as Ding Huan followed her into the city—it would obviously be one person per Dao vein.

But Ding Huan hadn't given her the Dao vein yet, nor had he followed her into the city—how could she answer?

"Ding cultivator, according to regulations, one Dao vein permits entry for one person. Your Dao vein is lower-grade, so for now, only you may reside in Wangshen City…"

Ding Huan immediately retracted the ring: "I see. Then thank you, Administrator Li. We're traveling together and have no intention of separating—but altogether, we only have one Dao vein."

With that, Ding Huan summoned his flying artifact again.

Li Yue quickly blocked him: "How about this? All of you follow me into the city first, and I'll go ask the elders."

"Fine." Ding Huan retracted his flying artifact and did not produce the Dao vein again.

Li Yue acted as if nothing had happened, still smiling as she led Ding Huan's group into the city.

"Administrator Li, may I ask—how many Shenshen Islands are there along the outer rim of the Shenshen World?"

"Infinite in number, and these islands are constantly increasing. No one knows the exact count."

"The number of Shenshen Islands is still growing?" Ding Huan was genuinely surprised.

Li Yue smiled faintly: "It's normal. Even the Shenshen World itself expands every moment. Many Shenshen Islands are wrapped in various supreme Void laws, Void barriers…"

"Just beneath our Void City, for instance, there might be a hidden Shenshen Island. But the existence of a Shenshen Island and its discovery are two different things."

"Our Wangshen Island ranks among the top of all Shenshen Islands, with dense heavenly primordial energy and the highest Dao principles."

"Many who enter Wangshen Island eventually reach the Seventh Step of the Dao, even the Eighth Step…"

Here, Li Yue looked at Ding Huan: "Ding cultivator, if you reach the Seventh Step of the Dao on Wangshen Island, and if you're willing to pledge loyalty to Wangshen Island…"

"Then you may have the chance to obtain the supreme Dao scripture, the Secret of Severing the Dao. With the Secret of Severing the Dao, after re-attaining sainthood, you may enter the Shenshen World."

Ding Huan had been thinking about the Shenshen World.

If the Shenshen World is constantly expanding, isn't that similar to my own Cosmic World?

Then, is the center of the universe located at the center of the Shenshen World—the true Chaos?

If the Shenshen World expands outward, are the positions of the Shenshen Islands also constantly shifting outward—or are their positions fixed?

Or is it merely that their distance from the Shenshen World is decreasing?

After hearing Li Yue's words, he halted his thoughts.

"Administrator Li, you mean that if one reaches the Seventh Step on Wangshen Island, one may obtain the Secret of Severing the Dao?"

After asking this, Ding Huan felt increasingly uneasy.

Both Jing Xizhen and Lan Xihuo seemed to have returned from Shenshen Islands, preparing to sever the Dao and attain sainthood.

Only by severing the Dao and re-attaining sainthood could one hope to enter the Shenshen World.

Why did Ding Huan feel so odd?

Severing the Dao to attain sainthood is a normal cultivation method—nothing unusual.

He himself had severed the Dao before.

But wasn't the Secret of Severing the Dao supposed to be derived from one's own Dao?

Why would one need someone else's Secret of Severing the Dao?

Something tied to one's own Dao—how could another's version be reliable?

He could think of this. Even if Lan Xihuo couldn't, could Jing Xizhen, that seasoned veteran, not see it?

He could think of it; even if Lan Xihé couldn't, could someone like Jing Xizhen, an old hand, fail to see it?