Chapter 951

Ding Huan looked at Gu Chou and said coolly, "Have you signed the contract?"

Gu Chou hurriedly replied, "We only had a verbal agreement—no contract."

"Do you have an image crystal ball?" Ding Huan's tone grew icy.

Cold sweat beaded on Gu Chou's forehead—he knew if Ding Huan killed him here, he'd have no one to appeal to.

Though the Gods' Trading Tower isn't among the Top Ten Powers of the Gods' World, it's incomparably stronger than our Great Chong Sacred Dao.

He could rely on being a senior of the Great Chong Sacred Dao to bully the tiny Luo Star Sword Dao.

But before Qi Sha, even his shortest tail must be tucked between his legs.

"No," Gu Chou's voice trembled—he knew perfectly well how bloodthirsty Qi Sha was.

"You have nothing, not even that—yet you dare claim someone invited you?"

Even if they did invite you, without proof, they can reject you anytime. Get out. Don't disgrace yourself before me."

Ding Huan raised his hand and swung a slap.

This slap carried nothing but Qi Sha's Dao rhythm of killing intent—he intended to leave behind his own killing Dao imprint here.

Even if someone investigated, it would be clear that Qi Sha was the one who struck.

Gu Chou had no time to react—he was directly slapped across the face by Ding Huan's palm.

Half of Gu Chou's face was shattered, his teeth flying everywhere.

His body was flung dozens of zhang away by the blow.

Even so, Gu Chou felt a sigh of relief.

At least he wasn't killed.

He could only be grateful that Qi Sha was in a decent mood today and hadn't killed anyone.

Before he even hit the ground, he twisted midair and swiftly fled the barrier square, vanishing in an instant.

The onlookers fell utterly silent—this killing god of the Gods' Trading Tower was truly tyrannical.

But no one dared speak up, because he'd always been this tyrannical. In fact, today's restraint—refusing to kill—was already remarkably generous.

Those who dared complain had all been killed.

"Thank you, Elder, for stepping in justly."

Seeing Ding Huan slap Gu Chou away and Gu Chou flee without a single whimper, Nan Xian'er's eyes lit up and she hurried forward to thank him.

Ding Huan waved his hand. "A trivial matter—not worth mentioning. By the way, aren't you looking for someone to enter the Chaos Zone of the Luo Star Sword Dao?"

"Qi Mou also wishes to wander the Chaos Zone. Why not invite me? I'm sure I can assist you."

Hearing this, the crowd finally understood.

No wonder Qi Sha acted so strangely today—intervening in justice and slapping Gu Chou away—he was after his own fortune.

Of course—he wouldn't be Qi Sha if he weren't acting this way.

Behind Nan Xian'er, Ti Yi and Lü Bingqi screamed internally—don't accept, don't accept, or we're finished.

If Gu Chou went, the Luo Star Sword Dao might lose some treasures—but if Qi Sha went, they might lose their entire sect.

Their own lives would be entirely in Qi Sha's hands.

But they were too late—Nan Xian'er immediately replied, "That's perfect! I thank you in advance, Elder. With your abilities, we only need to invite you alone."

Ti Yi and Lü Bingqi were filled with despair—finished.

Both Ti Yi and Lü Bingqi knew without doubt—if they dared utter a single word of refusal, the next instant all three of them would be erased by Qi Sha.

Lü Bingqi sighed—what could you do? Nan Xian'er had never left the sect.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have argued so fiercely with Gu Chou.

She had no idea how treacherous the hearts of the Gods' World were, how utterly evil Qi Sha truly was.

She thought Qi Sha had driven away Gu Chou out of righteousness, believing him to be a noble elder—unaware he was a wolf in disguise.

Ding Huan laughed heartily. "Good. Tell me when to meet—I'll come find you then."

In Ding Huan's mind, he wanted to leave immediately.

But Qi Sha could never travel with Nan Xian'er and the others right now.

Nan Xian'er pulled out a jade token and handed it to Ding Huan. "Elder Qi, this is the jade token to enter the Chaos Zone of the Luo Star Sword Dao. We'll wait for you at the Gods' Square in three years."

Ding Huan accepted the token, exchanged communication beads with Nan Xian'er, then calmly summoned his Cosmic Cauldron and departed.

The Cosmic Cauldron was his spoils—he must let everyone know it now.

As for the jade token Nan Xian'er gave him, Ding Huan had already studied it from Qi Sha's jade slips.

This token wasn't just for entering the Luo Star Sword Dao's Chaos Zone—it was also the key to entering the Gods' Square.

The Gods' Square lies just outside the Chaos Zone.

Everyone enters the Chaos Zone together—no sect can enter whenever they please.

So Ding Huan must use this token to enter the Gods' Square and rendezvous with the Luo Star Sword Dao before entering their allotted portion of the Chaos Zone.

The Chaos Zone does have boundaries—but once inside, who cares about sect divisions when something valuable is found?

Naturally, whoever can grab it, grabs it.

This is the tragedy of small sects like the Luo Star Sword Dao.

To protect their share of the Chaos Zone, they must invite powerful allies.

But choosing that ally is highly delicate.

Nan Xian'er didn't know—but Ti Yi and Lü Bingqi knew.

Sects with limited strength must not invite overly powerful allies—if something top-tier appears, they'll get nothing.

But they also can't invite weak ones.

What use is a weak ally?

Gu Chou's strength is suitable, but his character is terrible, and he comes from the even more disreputable Da Chong Sheng Dao.

Precisely because of this, Ti Yi and Lü Bingqi were unwilling to invite Gu Chou.

They had merely intended to have Nan Xian'er step forward to politely refuse, but Nan Xian'er refused with no subtlety at all, and a quarrel broke out, drawing the attention of Qi Sha.

As for Qi Sha, they were even less inclined to invite him.

To be with a man like Qi Sha, should they encounter anything valuable, what they might lose wouldn't be the item—but their lives.

After Ding Huan left, Ti Yi and Lü Bingqi quickly took Nan Xian'er away as well.

"Xian'er, you won't be going to the Chaos Zone this time," Lü Bingqi said the moment they left the Barrier Plaza.

"Why? My father vanished in the Luo Xing Jian Dao Chaos Zone—I must go in to find him. How could I possibly not go?"

Nan Xian'er immediately retorted.

Lü Bingqi sighed: "Xian'er, that Qi Sha has a nickname—God of Killing. He kills without hesitation, and even over trivial matters, he instantly draws his blade."

Rumor says he cultivates the Dao through killing. If you go, and you encounter something valuable, I fear our Luo Xing Jian Dao may lose even its lineage."

Nan Xian'er frowned at once: "Sister Bingqi, aren't you being overly cautious? I saw that Elder Qi was warm-hearted and acted with great justice—how could he be the God of Killing?"

"Ah…" Lü Bingqi sighed, gripping Nan Xian'er's shoulders:

"Xian'er, you don't know how many people Qi Sha has killed on the Gods' Island. Ask Elder Ti Yi—this isn't just my word; everyone in the Gods' World knows it."

Others kill for reasons, but this man kills without any. If he finds a reason, he'll show even less mercy."

"Then why not just replace him?"

Lü Bingqi shook his head: "You still don't understand. With a man like Qi Sha, if you dare suggest replacing him, our Luo Xing Jian Dao will be reduced to dust the next instant."

Think about it—Gu Chou dares to bully our Luo Xing Jian Dao. What kind of man is Qi Sha? Would he allow us to deceive him?"

All three fell silent.

The words were already spoken; retracting them was no longer realistic.

After a long while, Nan Xian'er took a deep breath: "Sister Bingqi, I must go. Otherwise, I cannot find peace to cultivate the Dao."

Lü Bingqi sighed and said no more.

…

Ding Huan didn't know that Luo Xing Jian Dao was wary of him. After leaving the Barrier Plaza, he immediately pulled out a teleportation talisman.

Based on the Dao resonance of the talisman, Ding Huan was certain it transported him to the outside of Qi Sha's cave.

He had several years left—he needed to organize what he had acquired and then contemplate the heavenly laws of the Gods' World.

Once he reached the Gods' Plaza, there would surely be countless strong cultivators.

Even a Seventh-Step Cosmic Lord might appear.

So he must align his Dao resonance with the heavenly laws of the Gods' World, lest powerful beings detect him as an outsider.

Ding Huan had learned about the Gods' Trading Hall from Qi Sha's jade slip.

He also knew it was the only faction in the Gods' World without its own stronghold.

Their headquarters stood in the Gods' Dao City.

The Gods' Dao City was the largest Sacred Dao city in the Gods' World, belonging to no Sacred Dao faction.

And the most prosperous, most conspicuous place in the Gods' Dao City was where the Gods' Trading Hall's headquarters stood.

Although the Gods' Trading Hall had no city of its own, its strength was far from weak.

With abundant cultivation resources, it attracted many to join—or even serve as guest elders—including Qi Sha.

Otherwise, Gu Chou of the Da Chong Sheng Dao would not fear Qi Sha so much.

The teleportation talisman activated, and Ding Huan was transported to a highly secluded valley.

His spiritual sense swept outward—there was no cave here.

Yet Ding Huan saw the Gods' Dao City.

The Gods' Dao City lay just beyond the edge of his spiritual sense.

Clearly, Qi Sha had chosen this location deliberately: it lay beyond the reach of spiritual sense scans from the Gods' Dao City.

His spiritual sense was far stronger than Qi Sha's, which was why he could see the Gods' Trading Hall.

Ding Huan didn't believe Qi Sha's cave was inside the Gods' Dao City—it wouldn't suit Qi Sha's cultivation.

The Gods' Dao City surely had Qi Sha's residence and temporary cave, but a man like Qi Sha would choose a far more remote, unknown location for cultivation.

Should he go to the Gods' Dao City first?

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Ding Huan abandoned the idea of going to the Gods' Dao City now.

As the most prosperous central Dao city in the Gods' World, it likely harbored powerful cultivators.

He would first find a place to elevate his cultivation, then head to the Gods' Dao City.

After all, in three years he would go to the Gods' Plaza—and he'd have to teleport from the Gods' Dao City anyway.

(End of Chapter)