Chapter 00198: Do Not Offend Ding Huan
# Do Not Offend Ding Huan
Chapter 198
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 198: Do Not Offend Ding Huan
Guan Lou, without a moment's hesitation, reached out his hand towards Ding Huan.
Ding Huan seized Guan Lou’s wrist, beginning to calculate once more.
Before he finished, he felt a strange breath of cultivation from Guan Lou that could be effortlessly absorbed by him.
It was as if, by circulating his own energy, he could control the true essence within Guan Lou’s body even more effectively than she could.
Ding Huan frowned.
Others might not perceive this, but he was different.
He had created his own Great Universe Technique, a unique practice.
To him, there were hardly any secrets regarding cultivation techniques.
“Try circulating your energy in a full cycle,” Ding Huan instructed.
“Yes.” Guan Lou promptly began to work on her technique.
After just one full cycle, Ding Huan clearly understood what cultivation method Guan Lou was practicing.
He released her hand and resumed his calculations.
As expected, the images vanished completely after Guan Lou left the Yan Yue Sect.
This indicated that there was no doubt about her impending doom once she departed.
“I need to ask you a few questions. First, what is the name of the cultivation technique you are practicing?” Ding Huan looked at Guan Lou.
Without hesitation, she replied, “It’s called the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique. It is said to be the method of the Great Phoenix Immortal. After I began practicing it, my progress has indeed been rapid, and my true essence is much denser than what I practiced before. The only downside is that it doesn’t flow smoothly when I use it.”
Ding Huan sneered, “Of course it doesn’t flow smoothly for you, because you are cultivating it for someone else.”
“What do you mean?” Guan Lou’s face turned pale.
She had always suspected there was something off with her technique, but so many people envied the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique, and the Young Sect Master had instructed her in its practice.
Now that Ding Huan mentioned it, she felt uneasy.
“Do you know what ‘Red Cloud’ means?” Ding Huan asked.
Guan Lou shook her head, unaware of its meaning.
“It means ‘sunset glow’,” Ding Huan explained. “To put it simply, the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique symbolizes the glow of the phoenix. Let me ask you another question. When a woman is about to marry, what does she usually wear?”
“Phoenix crown and auspicious cloak,” Guan Lou instinctively answered, and then suddenly seemed to realize something, her hands trembling slightly.
Ding Huan nodded, “It seems you understand now. You are practicing a technique meant for marriage; in other words, once you reach a certain level of mastery, your power is meant to be given to someone else.”
Guan Lou's face drained of color.
Even if she was naive, it didn't take much to grasp what was happening.
“Show me your technique,” Ding Huan commanded.
Guan Lou’s hands shook as she hesitantly handed over the jade slip of the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique from her storage pouch.
Ding Huan’s mind swept inside it, sneering, “This technique is indeed remarkable, but it is far too domineering and requires special handling in practice. Practicing it directly would cause your body to explode. Instead, it needs to be practiced by one person, and after reaching the foundational stage, that foundation must be passed to a second person. The first cultivator will have softened the inherent violence and dominance, allowing the second cultivator to inherit the power intact.”
“Am I going to explode once I reach the foundational stage?” Guan Lou asked, trembling.
She didn’t want to die.
“Indeed, once you reach the foundational stage, you will explode,” Ding Huan confirmed. “If I’m not mistaken, the best way to convert this technique is through dual cultivation methods. Miss Lou, you are currently at the completion of Qi Training and about to establish your foundation; has anyone informed you to go to a particular place for this?”
Guan Lou, in confusion, nodded.
She fully understood now.
Many envied her, questioning why the Young Sect Master of the Yan Yue Sect would place such importance on a girl from a mortal city.
It turned out that the moment they laid eyes on her, they had already chosen her as the candidate to practice the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique.
Her only purpose in coming to the Yan Yue Sect was to establish a foundation for the Young Sect Master.
Guan Lou felt a wave of self-mockery; she had always been proud of her beauty.
After all, she was so lovely that even the Young Sect Master hoped she would become his partner.
To enter the world of cultivation and become the partner of the Young Sect Master was, for Guan Lou, a dream come true.
It wasn't just her family’s support that mattered; even without it, she longed to enter the world of cultivation.
Meanwhile, Liu Yin Zhu watched in astonishment.
Was Ding Huan truly just a Qi Trainer? Such matters were beyond her comprehension, yet he had seen through such a deeply hidden truth.
If someone like that were not on her side, they would indeed be terrifying.
She recalled how many times Ding Huan faced danger in the Great Gully Canyon and the Forgotten Marsh without falling into peril.
This only solidified Liu Yin Zhu's determination to bring Ding Huan to the Purple Cloud Valley, no matter what.
“Thank you, Brother Ding,” Guan Lou stood up like a wraith.
She intended to return to the Forgotten Marsh.
If that was where she died, then so be it; if not, she would traverse the Great Gully Canyon until she met her demise.
Her once-glorious exit from the mortal realm, well-known even to the emperor of the True Industry Empire, had now become a farce.
The world of cultivation was indeed a myth for mortals, but how much filth lay hidden within that myth?
Since she was seen as the vessel for this technique in the cultivation world, what about the other disciples of various sects? How many destinies would mirror hers?
Perhaps those disciples were not intended as vessels, but no one could guarantee they would not serve some other purpose.
Ding Huan spoke calmly, “Practicing this technique doesn’t necessarily mean you will die for certain.”
“Is there still hope for me?” Guan Lou stared blankly at Ding Huan.
His words felt like a lifeline thrown to her as she began to drown.
She thought this because she wasn’t an idiot.
She understood that solving such problems after practicing this technique was incredibly difficult.
If it were easy, the young master Jiang would not have been negligent about her care in the Yan Yue Sect.
Ding Huan smiled but did not speak.
Compared to the creation of the Great Universe Technique, solving Guan Lou's problems was trivial.
To anyone in the Three Heavy Star Land, practicing such a technique would indeed seem like a guaranteed death sentence.
But Ding Huan was an exception; no one could surpass his understanding of the Great Dao, the nuances of cultivation, and the workings of every cycle of energy.
After establishing the Great Universe Technique, he had refined his knowledge into a new system of understanding.
He had several methods to help Guan Lou but wasn’t sure which one she would need.
“Brother Ding, the bride's technique is essentially unsolvable once practiced, regardless of the method. Given Jiang’s status as a Young Sect Master, the bride’s technique he chose is surely top-notch; how can it be resolved?” Liu Yin Zhu quickly interjected, worried that Ding Huan might be making empty promises.
“Brother Ding, if you can save me, I would be immensely grateful. Even if you were to end my life, I would only feel gratitude in my heart,” Guan Lou insisted, about to kneel before Ding Huan.
With her mindset set on certain death, Ding Huan’s words had given her a glimmer of hope.
Therefore, even if she truly died, she would gladly accept it.
Ding Huan said, “I can indeed save you, and there are even two good methods. The first is to find a way for you to practice a different technique; the second is to help you continue down the path of the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique—not one that can be taken by others.”
“I don’t want the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique; I’d like to practice a different technique,” Guan Lou declared, recoiling at the mere mention of the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique as if it were a venomous snake.
“Miss Lou, I highly suspect you won’t dare return to the Yan Yue Sect after this. I have just one condition: after I rescue you, please don’t let your maid Qing Yu know that I was involved,” Ding Huan stated.
Guan Lou let out a bitter smile, “I’ve blinded myself, bringing such a white-eyed wolf along with me…her, ha…”
Liu Yin Zhu quickly caught on, sighing, “It seems Brother Ding's initial warning was indeed correct. That Qing Yu is certainly not a good person; did she betray her master?”
“Yes,” Guan Lou replied, not continuing further.
Ding Huan's thoughts shifted, and he spoke again, “I actually have a suggestion: you can let her cultivate the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique; wouldn’t that be killing two birds with one stone?”
Guan Lou paused, having never considered this option.
Ding Huan saw her expression and lost all subtlety in his words: “You’re too hesitant. You would be safer to return to the mortal realm sooner rather than later.”
“Brother Ding is right.” Guan Lou resolved herself.
She was aware that Qing Yu had plotted against her on multiple occasions.
Ding Huan secretly thought, that’s better.
Liu Yin Zhu had a deeper understanding of Ding Huan; indeed, Qing Yu had offended him, and now he wanted to make her pay!
The trouble caused from hidden words at the beginning, and now encouraging Guan Lou to pass the Great Phoenix Red Cloud Technique to Qing Yu—this meant one should never offend Ding Huan.
“Miss Lou, resolving your technique issue will take a few days. Elder Liu, what did you want to discuss with me?” Ding Huan turned to Liu Yin Zhu.
Just as Liu Yin Zhu was about to reply, Ding Huan suddenly stood up.
Before Liu Yin Zhu could understand what was happening, a deafening roar erupted outside his courtyard.
A long spear shattered Ding Huan's small courtyard, leaving it in ruins.
“Ding Huan, did you think hiding here would keep me from finding you? Today is your day of reckoning!”
A slender man, holding a spear, stood outside, his murderous intent so thick that even the weakest among them, Lao Liu and Yan Mei, struggled to stand steady.
Yan Mei turned pale as a ghost upon hearing the name of the Double Soul Sect.
“Elder Can Ping, what do you mean by this?” Liu Yin Zhu recognized the man, her tone laced with admonishment.
The man glanced at Liu Yin Zhu, his voice still icy, “Elder Liu, you should stay out of this; otherwise, you won’t be leaving West Wind City today either.”
Liu Yin Zhu's expression darkened but she held her tongue.
She understood well that she was far from his match and had a long way to go.
She had only just begun refining her true pill and had yet to stabilize her foundation fully, while he was a master at the peak of that realm.
If a fight broke out, defeat was certain for her.
“Just step aside. I want to take Ding Huan, this insignificant bug, back to the sect.” Seeing Liu Yin Zhu remain silent, Can Ping’s tone softened slightly.
No matter how poor Liu Yin Zhu was, she was still an elder of the Purple Cloud Valley.
Liu Yin Zhu said coldly, “Ding Huan is my friend; today, unless I die here, no one will take him away.”
“In that case, let’s see if I can help you with that.” With that, Can Ping launched the spear in his hand, creating a barrage of attack that surged towards Liu Yin Zhu.
Liu Yin Zhu extended her hand, her own sword transforming into a curtain of blades that faced off against the spear curtain.
Boom! The spear curtain crashed into the sword curtain, which shattered like thin glass.
(End of Chapter)