Chapter 949: Ways to Enter the World of Gods

Though the Souldevouring Spear had never fought alongside Ding Huan before, after subduing Qi Sha, it remained saturated with a bloodthirsty aura.

Ding Huan no longer paid attention to Qi Sha; his gaze settled on the Souldevouring Spear.

What had this primordial artifact endured when it formed?

If not for his cultivation and subjugation, wouldn't it have broken free on its own to keep striking Qi Sha?

Originally, Ding Huan should have continued summoning the Souldevouring Spear, then used his spiritual domain and his own Dao domain to completely lock down Qi Sha, leaving him no chance to escape.

But Ding Huan, lost in thought over what the Souldevouring Spear was truly forged from, momentarily overlooked Qi Sha.

In truth, Ding Huan had never regarded Qi Sha as a threat at all.

Qi Sha sensed a rare opportunity—he erupted in a cloud of golden blood mist, then his figure rapidly faded.

Chang Ru was frantic, but she could not interfere with Ding Huan now. If she tried to intercept Qi Sha herself, she would only die faster.

Though Qi Sha had no chance to resist Ding Huan, killing her, Chang Ru, would still be effortless.

A hair's breadth difference in Dao means a thousand-mile gap in power.

Ding Huan chuckled inwardly—after all this, did this fool still think he could escape?

If you let Qi Sha get away, how could I ever enter the World of Gods?

Just as Chang Ru thought Qi Sha was fleeing, his fading figure sharpened again.

Simultaneously, Chang Ru felt an utterly terrifying killing aura saturating the void, causing her to involuntarily shudder.

Turning her head, she saw Ding Huan standing in the void, having drawn a bow—a long arrow radiating bone-chilling deathly energy had locked onto Qi Sha.

Even as a bystander, Chang Ru could feel the deathly aura steadily eroding her soul; she instinctively stepped back further.

Qi Sha slowly turned his body, staring at the Starfall Arrow aimed at him. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

"You want to run?" Though Ding Huan stood far away, his voice appeared right beside Qi Sha's ear.

Qi Sha felt his throat parched; he instinctively swallowed.

After more than ten breaths passed, he took a deep breath and forced his tone to calm:

"Ding Daoist, if you swear to let me go, I will open my world…"

Before his voice finished, the terrifying deathly aura exploded fully, engulfing him—he was completely bound by death, utterly immobilized.

Crack…

The Starfall Arrow tore through all laws of the void; its inherent artifact domain emitted a series of cracking sounds.

"You're insane? I'm the Holy Guardian of the World of Gods Trading House, I'm from the World of Gods…"

Qi Sha's voice cut off abruptly—the Starfall Arrow exploded at his third eye.

Blood mist burst open; in that instant, all his vitality was devoured by the Starfall Arrow's killing aura.

Ding Huan stepped forward, landing before Qi Sha, and unleashed an endless torrent of laws.

Ding Huan didn't even bother wasting words on this arrogant fool.

He wanted me to spare him—and even demanded I swear to spare him? How dare he have such a big face?

"Can you strip away my world?" Qi Sha's Primordial Spirit, bound by the Starfall Arrow, stared in terror at Ding Huan.

He could clearly feel his Dao world's laws being peeled away layer by layer.

If someone could strip his Dao world's laws and open his world, why would he need to swear before him?

His only bargaining chip for survival had been the things inside his world.

Now, everything was gone.

At this moment, he could confirm Ding Huan was at least a Dao-Speaking Sage.

Not merely a Dao-Speaking Sage—he was likely beyond the Fifth Step, Wuque.

Very likely a True Law Sage.

What utterly baffled him was that even if Ding Huan were a True Law Sage, he still shouldn't have the power to open the world of a Wuque Sage.

"Are you the Lord of the Universe?" Qi Sha's voice trembled with fear.

A Wuque Sage like him had dared to provoke the Lord of the Universe? Was this not suicide?

Because the Lord of the Universe's Dao power was utterly incomparable to that of a Sixth Step True Law Sage, the World of Gods had long since separated the Lord of the Universe from ordinary Dao-Speaking Sages.

Now, when the World of Gods speaks of Dao-Speaking Sages, it refers only to the Fourth Step, Liyan Sage; the Fifth Step, Wuque Sage; and the Sixth Step, True Law Sage.

How could Ding Huan possibly be a True Law Sage if he could strip away his world?

"Heh. A frog at the bottom of a well." Ding Huan had already torn open Qi Sha's Dao world.

Piles of objects were swept away by Ding Huan.

At the same moment, Ding Huan seized one of Qi Sha's Dao laws and a single drop of essence blood.

Then, Ding Huan imprinted dozens of law seals into the void and tossed Qi Sha's essence blood and Dao law into them.

Qi Sha felt his split soul and Dao thoughts being obliterated one by one through Ding Huan's law seals—he filled with despair.

How ruthless could one be?

He didn't even grant him a chance at reincarnation, let alone rebirth.

Qi Sha had cultivated through killing, yet he had never done such a thing.

At this moment, Qi Sha did not realize—he had not never done it; he simply could not.

"You won't even let me live again…" As his final Dao thought was erased, Qi Sha raged, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Always had he killed others like swatting flies—today, he himself was wiped out like a fly.

As Ding Huan dropped wave after wave of fire, Qi Sha vanished as if he had never existed.

"Ding Elder, you killed Qi Sha?" Chang Ru stared at Ding Huan in shock—she still could not believe it was real.

An outsider, a lone cultivator, had slain the World of Gods Trading House's God of Killing.

Ding Huan chuckled: "He was trying to kill me—do you think I'd keep him around for dinner?"

"Thank you, Elder, for saving my life." Only now did Chang Ru awaken to the situation and quickly bowed deeply.

Ding Huan waved his hand: "You saved yourself. Had you, like Wen Yi, tried to kill me back then, you'd be dead now too."

Chang Ru calmed down.

Ding Huan appeared here, but his companions were nowhere to be seen.

Probably Ding Huan had sent his companions to a safe place, and he himself likely intended to enter the Divine Realm.

"Elder, are you going to the Divine Realm?" Chang Ru asked.

Ding Huan had no reason to hide it: "Yes, I am indeed going to the Divine Realm. Do you know how to enter it?"

As he spoke, he glanced at the spot where Qi Sha had just been slain.

What a pity—this fellow might have had a soul tablet in the Divine Merchants' Tower; now it's probably shattered.

Otherwise, impersonating Qi Sha would have been the easiest way into the Divine Realm.

Chang Ru replied respectfully: "There are few ways to enter the Divine Realm—mainly through the Holy Gate's recruitment."

This happens once every ten thousand years; the Holy Gate seeks only those with top-tier talent—those who, even without entering the Divine Realm, could perceive the Great Dao at the moment of attaining Dao."

"How long until the next recruitment?"

"Six thousand years."

Chang Ru's words left Ding Huan deeply disappointed. He should have met the requirements, but he couldn't wait six thousand years outside.

If all else failed, he'd find a way to break through the Divine Realm's barrier.

To others, this barrier might be harder to breach than becoming a Master of the Cosmos—but for him, as long as no one interfered, there was still some chance.

He said "some chance" because he suspected that, during his attempt to crack the Divine Realm's barrier, he'd be discovered with a ninety percent probability.

"Elder, there is actually a simpler method," Chang Ru said cautiously.

"Tell me," Ding Huan asked immediately.

Chang Ru pointed to the spot where Qi Sha had just vanished: "Elder, didn't you just obliterate Qi Sha's soul and spirit, leaving even his Daoic essence unable to rebirth?"

She deduced this from Qi Sha's final words.

It was no surprise that Ding Huan could sever Qi Sha's Daoic world and achieve this.

"Yes, but you're not suggesting I impersonate Qi Sha? He's a Holy Guardian of the Divine Merchants' Tower—he almost certainly has a soul tablet."

Ding Huan naturally knew impersonating Qi Sha would be the most convenient way into the Divine Realm.

Chang Ru explained: "Elder, you overthink it. Impersonating Qi Sha is actually the best option. Qi Sha attained Dao through killing—he has no friends."

In the Divine Merchants' Tower, he only did two things: cultivation and killing. Ordinary people avoided him at all costs.

As for his soul tablet, he would never leave it with the Divine Merchants' Tower.

He merely cooperated with them: he killed for them, they provided targets for him to kill, and in return, they gave him abundant cultivation resources."

Ding Huan's heart stirred—this truly was a good plan.

Chang Ru continued: "Impersonating Qi Sha is simple, but the difficulty lies in his Daoic resonance and the barrier jade token needed to enter the Divine Realm."

Ding Huan laughed: "These are trivial matters for me."

He had already discovered the barrier jade token when he swept up the items from Qi Sha's world.

With Ding Huan's ability to set up barriers, a single scan of the jade token's divine intent revealed everything.

The barrier jade token bore a brand of Qi Sha's Daoic imprint.

Now that Qi Sha was slain, Qi Sha's Daoic imprint naturally dissolved.

Ding Huan had two options: first, simulate Qi Sha's Daoic imprint and re-etch it onto the barrier jade token.

The second option was to restore the jade token to its original state before Qi Sha obtained it, then imprint his own Daoic mark upon it.

But the second method was too conspicuous—if discovered, he might face pursuit from a Master of the Cosmos.

The first method was far more discreet.

Ding Huan seized the barrier jade token; in a single thought, a Daoic imprint identical to Qi Sha's merged into the token.

"Elder, I have a humble request."

Though Chang Ru knew she shouldn't ask, this was her only chance—she had to speak.

"You want to follow me into the Divine Realm," Ding Huan understood at once.

"Yes, Elder—if it's inconvenient, I'll find another way," Chang Ru bowed respectfully.

"No inconvenience at all. Get on the Cosmic Cauldron and lead the way," Ding Huan stepped onto the Cosmic Cauldron.

As long as Chang Ru wasn't afraid of being exposed and perishing, he had no objection.

(End of Chapter)