Chapter 940: Cultivators from the Shadow Demon Abyss Preparing to Deploy Beyond the Realm

Jiang Ding handled various procedures for the Shadow Demon Daozi.

Immortal Gates differ from Immortal Sects.

In an Immortal Sect, only the highest-level cultivators or ruling Heavenly Lords need to decide; the entire sect unconditionally complies. If any sect law conflicts, it is ignored or amended—the will of the strong holds absolute dominance, and all below must cooperate.

In an Immortal Gate, everyone, even the actions of the ruling elite, must comply with the Immortal Gate’s laws.

The arrival of the Shadow Demon Daozi was no exception.

She entered the Immortal Gate as an external talent, hired by Qingfeng University as a visiting professor, working in the Adult Sword Dao Department, required annually to complete a set number of teaching and R&D tasks, which may be fulfilled via her avatar.

After completing all procedures with her, Jiang Ding pulled out a stamped document—but did not give it to the shadowy figure beside him; instead, he tossed it into empty space several kilometers away.

“Huh? Give it to me! Why are you throwing away my credentials?”

The Shadow Demon Daozi was stunned and angry.

She knew well: the Eastern Pole Demon Gate placed extreme importance on law; if this caused her credentials to be invalidated, the Central Array Spirit Computer might activate.

Jiang Ding glanced at her with slight surprise.

From that empty space, an invisible hand emerged and retrieved the credential document.

“The Sun Sword Daozi of the Eastern Pole Demon Gate…”

A sigh echoed through the air, unseen.

The angry Shadow Demon Daozi froze, then regained her composure, grinning mischievously: “Jiang Dingzi, from what I know, your concealment may even surpass mine—achieved by forcibly surpassing with sword intent and soul power. Why not join me in the Yiyu ?”

“The Eight Ancestors have offered a substantial reward—enough to even foster the birth of order-force in a Void Refinement space. You should be tempted.”

“You’re imagining too much.”

Jiang Ding shook his head slightly and turned to leave, saying: “Please begin your lectures soon. The Immortal Gate’s reconnaissance sword cultivators also favor concealment. The students have been awaiting your arrival for a long time—don’t let them down.”

Jiang Ding would never risk himself unless the Immortal Gate faced existential peril.

The Immortal Gate would never approve it either.

The Shadow Demon Daozi watched his retreating back, her eyes flickering uncertainly, offering no further plea.

…

Jiang Ding returned to the Sun Heaven Pool.

As always, he began cultivation, refined his flying sword, participated in the Sun Transformation Mystery Art, the Sun Radiant Gold Project, the Jin Zhi Causality Project R&D, and allocated part of his soul computing power to reading various texts.

When he encountered something he didn’t understand, he consulted outstanding Heavenly Lords like Shenji Tianjun in their respective fields.

Conversely, when Shenji Tianjun and others encountered unfamiliar matters regarding sword dao or the Sun Sword Pavilion, they had no hesitation coming to consult him, discussing together.

Through discussion, some issues were resolved, others set aside and sealed for future research after technological breakthroughs.

Cultivation, refining his life-bound magic treasure warship, research.

This was the daily life of an Immortal Gate Heavenly Lord—nearly everyone’s routine was similar; there were no purely military or political personnel.

The only difference lay in each Heavenly Lord’s area of expertise and research focus, tied to their own path.

Time passed slowly, years went by.

The Immortal Gate, in alliance with the Shadow Demon Abyss and the Eight Immortal Sects, was steadily advancing the Shadow Demon Abyss Cultivator Special Training Program. The Eight Great Beings provided massive support, even personally engaging in simulations to aid in developing concealment techniques and concealment magic treasures suited for the Jiao Ming Domain.

The Shadow Demon Daozi’s visiting professor lecture schedule was also set: one class per month in the Adult Sword Dao Department.

The presence of an Immortal Sect Daozi teaching personally drew in countless students, including many from the Dao Studies Departments of Beidou University and Mulan University, eager to witness the strongest concealment techniques in the realm.

The sect’s Dao heir taught personally, drawing a large number of students, including many from the Dao Studies departments of Beidou University and Mulan University, who came to observe and witness the strongest concealment technique in the realm.

The Shadow Demon Daozi was not skilled at teaching; the quality was poor.

That was bad enough.

The problem was, she merely presented several common concealment techniques and spells from the realm, openly claiming them as the pinnacle concealment arts of the Shadow Demon Abyss, speaking of their profound mystery and how only the chosen could comprehend them.

This deeply disappointed the students who had come from all directions to observe.

Eventually, the matter even reached Jiang Ding’s main body, cultivating in the Sun Heaven Pool.

He chose a time, went to the Shadow Demon lecture hall, and silently listened for months, avoiding misunderstandings.

Jiang Ding realized the Shadow Demon Daozi had pulled a trick.

She had indeed hidden one of the Shadow Demon Abyss’s advanced concealment techniques within the ordinary cultivation methods she taught.

This was common in the outer realms, where the principle was “laws not lightly transmitted.”

In the Shadow Demon Abyss, many gifted cultivators might have understood and gained the opportunity.

But in the Immortal Gate, not a single one could.

It wasn’t a matter of talent or aptitude—it was that Immortal Gate cultivators were accustomed to teachers and elders revealing everything without reservation; they were utterly unskilled in this “breeding-cultivators-by-chance” teaching style and had never trained their ability to discern the “true scripture” from a pile of ordinary techniques.

Only the “Cultivation King” of an Immortal Sect possessed such ability.

In a sense, the Shadow Demon Daozi had not violated her agreement with the Immortal Gate—she had indeed provided material, merely using the Shadow Demon Abyss’s common teaching method, without deliberately making things difficult.

In a certain sense, the Shadow Demon Dao heir did not violate her agreement with the Immortal Sect—after all, she truly provided something, and merely employed common teaching methods from the Shadow Demon Abyss, without deliberately making things difficult.

Jiang Ding murmured.

After class, he ignored the Shadow Demon’s avatar.

He wandered aimlessly around Qingfeng University.

Finally, on a deserted lawn, Jiang Ding stopped, hand resting on his sword hilt.

Finally, on an empty lawn, Jiang Ding stopped, hand resting on his sword hilt.

The Taiqing Flying Sword slowly unsheathed.

A cold killing intent, the perfected Sun Annihilation Sword Intent, spread outward, radiating a pressure so heavy and terrifying even a Heavenly Lord would find it unbearable.

Cold killing intent, the perfected Great Sun Annihilation Sword Intent, spread in all directions, radiating a pressure so heavy and terrifying even a True Sovereign could barely bear it.

“What are you doing?”

A translucent, invisible figure was forced to materialize from empty space, feigning calm: “Jiang Dingzi, I warn you—the Central Array Spirit Computer has guaranteed my safety. If you kill me, you’re finished!”

“I know that thing operates strictly by protocol—it won’t favor you!”

“I know well—that lifeless thing operates strictly by protocol and won’t favor you!”

“Shadow Demon friend, you’re being too formal.”

Jiang Ding did not stop drawing his sword, sighing: “You came to the Immortal Gate as a guest, to undergo special training, yet I failed in my duty as host by not providing you adequate training. That is my fault.”

“Come, let me show you the Immortal Gate’s way of receiving guests.”

“Come, let me show you the Immortal Sect’s way of receiving guests.”

The Taiqing Flying Sword fully unsheathed, empowered by the perfected Annihilation Sword Intent, transformed into a twisted, indestructible light—and vanished instantly.

The Taiqing Flying Sword unsheathed, amplified by the perfected Annihilation Sword Intent, transformed into a twisted, indestructible light and vanished instantly.

The Shadow Demon Daozi’s heart turned icy.

In that instant, she realized heaven and earth, all directions, everything was engulfed by the terrifying will of annihilation, dispelling, destruction, and distortion—her own magical intent and spiritual sense were completely suppressed, unable to guide anything, sinking into a chaotic fog.

In that moment, she realized that all things above and below, east and west, north and south, were engulfed by terrifying wills of annihilation, law-breaking, destruction, and distortion—her own magical intent and spiritual sense were utterly suppressed, unable to guide anything, sinking into a chaotic fog.

Under the overwhelming premonition of death, the Shadow Demon Daozi frantically channeled her magic power; boundless twisted shadows erupted, surging into her third eye, forming an invisible, transparent ice-soul silver needle, which shot forth, striking the sudden, twisted sword light.

Under the dreadful premonition of death, the Shadow Demon Dao heir frantically channeled her inner magic power; boundless twisted shadows erupted, surging into her third eye and forming an invisible, transparent ice-phoenix silver needle, shooting forth to strike the sudden appearance of the twisted sword light.

The scorching sword light and aura exploded!

The transparent ice-soul silver needle held only briefly before letting out a mournful cry, violently recoiling, its spiritual glow dimming drastically.

The transparent ice-phoenix silver needle held for only a moment before letting out a mournful cry, violently recoiling, its spiritual light dimming drastically.

The Shadow Demon Daozi’s face turned deathly pale; she spat blood profusely, her body rebounding like a ball, crashing hard onto the grass, leaving a deep crater.

The Shadow Demon Dao heir’s face turned deathly pale; she spat blood profusely, her body bouncing backward like a inflated ball, crashing hard onto the grass and leaving a deep crater.

The Shadow Demon Daozi roared in fury.

She tried to say more, but an even more terrifying perfected Sun Annihilation Sword Intent descended from the heavens, crushing her soul and body into rigid stillness, rendering her speechless.

She tried to speak again, but an even more terrifying perfected Great Sun Annihilation Sword Intent descended from the heavens, crushing her soul—her body and spirit froze, unable to utter another word.

No killing intent. No anger. Only calm observation.

The Shadow Demon Daozi met his gaze coldly.

Suddenly,

“Pfft~”

“Jiang Dingzi, don’t be so serious,”

The Shadow Demon Daozi’s voice softened, smiling sweetly: “I’ll just revise my lesson plan. If you had an issue, say so early—why beat me up over nothing?”

The Shadow Demon Dao heir spoke softly, smiling sweetly: “I’ll just revise my lesson plan. If you had an issue, you could’ve said so earlier—why hit me without warning?”

"That's beneath your dignity."