Post-Mythical Era: I don't want to die in the third reincarnation-Chapter 562 - 555 Unable to Cultivate in Peace

"Greetings, Dean Gu." Long Xiyue quickly bowed.

"Dean Gu..." Ji Xing also hurried over.

He didn't return; he just purchased some healing pills and came back.

Seeing that Ji Xing had also reached the peak Profound Immortal stage, and his Immortal Essence was surging, Gu Min's voice trembled with excitement: "Good, good, indeed you are mighty Daoists."

He had favored Ding Huan before, and now seeing Ding Huan's two disciples, both at the peak Profound Immortal stage and with surging Immortal Essence, achieved in just a few months' time.

This showcased how formidable Ding Huan was as a Daoist.

Gu Min specifically inquired from Long Xiyue and Ji Xing about their studies and the studies of the other students.

With the return of Zhu Qi, Fan Qingsi, and Lin Zhenruo, Gu Min was even more convinced that he had secured a treasure.

In the Great Dao Corridor, the most precious resource wasn't cultivation resources, but Daoists.

Because with Daoists, any cultivation resource could be obtained. With cultivation resources but no Daoist, it wouldn't last long.

Daoists like Ding Huan, if discovered by other Daoist Colleges, would definitely be fought over fiercely.

"I already know about the competition you signed up for. Previously, you were not favored to win, but now you must conceal your true strength. Only by making your opponents underestimate you can you gain the upper hand and achieve surprise victories.

In this regard, I will impart to you a set of Concealing Breath Techniques, especially for those of you in the fighting competitions..."

Gu Min had been looking for Ding Huan, but didn't expect such a pleasant surprise.

With this joyful turn of events, Ding Huan's absence was of little concern.

He was determined to protect these students.

The eight disciples of the Contest Class were overjoyed.

Gu Min, as the vice dean and a Six-Star Daoist, rarely imparted his knowledge even to the Genuine Path Class.

Even Long Xiyue felt a little relieved, temporarily putting aside matters of the Long Family Immortal Clan.

...

The Great Dao Corridor Plaza, though called a plaza, was actually busier than the largest Immortal City.

The place was initially built solely to provide a venue for the Dao Competitions of the Daoist Colleges of the Great Dao Corridor.

However, due to the frequent Daoist College competitions and the scores of people who attended each time, many inns and trading buildings were established around the plaza.

Subsequently, workshops sprang up around the plaza, and eventually, Immortal Cities were formed.

Nowadays, the surroundings of the Great Dao Corridor Plaza have extended farther with various workshops and Immortal Cities all built around the plaza.

Even when it wasn't time for the Daoist College competition, the place was still crowded.

Regardless of the number of people at the Great Dao Corridor, each Daoist College had its own designated station here.

The Daoist Colleges of the Great Dao Corridor were numerous, but only about a thousand could participate in the Dao Competitions.

The Eternal Desolation Divine Power Academy, though ranked mid-tier, qualified directly to participate in the Daoist College Competitions.

Many colleges desired to participate in these competitions but had to go through layers of competitive selection, with only the final winners gaining the right to compete.

As soon as the Eternal Desolation Divine Power Academy's competing teams checked in, inquisitive onlookers came to gather information.

After all, the entire Contest Class participating was hot gossip.

However, the eight participating Cultivator students and their academy remained tight-lipped, let alone making a spectacle of themselves.

This was Min Yuan's directive.

Even without Min Yuan's reminder, Ji Xing and others wouldn't act arrogantly.

They arrived with the other competing students of the Eternal Desolation Divine Power Academy, though no one mocked them openly; the looks and distant attitudes were hard to endure.

In the academy's quarters, the eight trained together daily in the Sword Array, Cultivation, or refining artifacts and talismans.

Even class leader Li Jiuqing was quite emotional, having excellent students but encountering a Daoist with higher ambitions.

For a Daoist who seems uncommitted, at least each student was enrolled in two competition categories.

Of course, the entry Immortal Crystals weren't funded by the academy or the Daoist but by the participating students themselves.

To say the Daoist was committed, he was nowhere to be found as the competition approached.

This Dao Competition of the Great Dao Corridor was presided over by the Alliance Hierarch Dong Jie, and the Immortal Lord of Donghe Immortal Realm, Zhu Qi.

Since Ding Huan, the sole Daoist of the Contest Class, was absent, class leader Li Jiuqing had to lead the Contest Class Cultivator students to attend the opening ceremony.

Despite the numerous Cultivator students, amounting to hundreds of thousands, it did not seem overcrowded on the Great Dao Corridor Plaza.

The competing students from each academy stood neatly outside their station, waiting for the hosts Dong Jie and Zhu Qi to speak.

A thousand plus academies stood at the plaza's edge without a hint of chaos.

The two academies receiving the most Divine Will attention were the Xixu Daoist Academy and the Eternal Desolation Divine Power Academy.

The Xixu Daoist Academy had always ranked first, consistently securing the most quotas for Immortal Emperor advancement.

Because of this, they received the most attention.

As for the Eternal Desolation Divine Power Academy, they had opened a pioneering event that was likely unprecedented and perhaps never to be repeated.

The academy's Contest Class, with every member participating in the Daoist College Competitions.

Such massive Divine Will attention was focused on the Eternal Desolation Divine Power Academy, keen to observe the eight misfits of the Contest Class.

Though no one openly talked about the eight from the Contest Class, the other competing students from the Eternal Desolation Divine Power Academy were already quite dissatisfied.

The academy's reputation being tarnished was of no concern to them, as few Cultivators remained in the Daoist College after graduating from the Genuine Path Class.

Even before the competition started, the attention foreshadowed adverse outcomes for the Eternal Desolation Divine Power Academy.

Should talented Cultivators seek to discipline them, it would be most unfortunate.

Fortunately, a man in a black robe landed in the center of the Great Dao Corridor Plaza at this moment.

Everyone recognized this man, the Alliance Hierarch of the Cultivation Alliance, Dong Jie, one of the hosts of this competition.

Dong Jie scanned the plaza and said loudly:

"Fellow Daoists, after each Dao Competition of the Great Dao Corridor Daoist Colleges, our Great Dao Corridor's strength will rise to a new level..."

This was apparent.

Because each competition produced numerous Immortal Emperors, Immortal Lords, and Immortal Kings, it was impossible for the Great Dao Corridor's strength not to rise.

"I believe everyone knows the rules of the competition. Now, Immortal Lord Zhu Qi and I will commence the Daoist Field, wishing all of you achieve excellent results."

Dong Jie finished speaking and stood floating in one corner of the Great Dao Plaza, with another corner occupied by a man in a green robe.

The man was also recognized, the Immortal Lord of Donghe Immortal Realm, Zhu Qi.

The two of them launched array flags.

The plaza soon resounded with a series of booming noises.

Spatial Dao Rhythm fluctuated, and various competition venues emerged within the plaza.

The outermost area had only one entrance.

The signs outside indicated that this was the entrance to the preliminary elimination rounds.

The first round of elimination was entering through this entrance and scoring points based on the order of exit.

Next was the Battle Array arena, followed by the Battle Artifact arena...

Each competition venue was spacious and orderly.

In front of the plaza were rows of standing ranking array screens.

After each round, the array screens would display scores, ranks, and academies.

With the venues arranged, Dong Jie continued:

"All competing Cultivator students, please carry your competition identity plates and enter the first elimination round. Any violators will be executed without mercy."

Although no one dared to cheat, the words "executed without mercy" still sent chills down the spines of many competing students.

In this place, there were no second chances, only immediate execution.

Such harsh legal penalties in the Great Dao Corridor ensured an orderliness unmatched elsewhere in the Immortal Realm.

Li Jiuqing anxiously advised the eight from the Contest Class, "Go participate in the competition. Remember, we're the Contest Class; it's normal not to achieve great results, but never violate the rules."

...

In the place where Ding Huan was cultivating, two magical treasures blasted his cave mansion, making Ding Huan furious.

This was the second time.

No matter how he set up the Divine Array, his cultivation method still caused Dao Rhythm fluctuations in the surrounding space.

And in the Great Dao Corridor, it was rare for anyone to cultivate in the wilderness.

So when some cultivators sensed these fluctuations, they would instinctively attack the source with magical treasures.

The Great Dao Corridor had a regulation that attacks on cave mansions in the wilderness did not count as trespassing on a cultivator's rights.

Ding Huan swiftly transformed into the appearance of Zuo Shanyi, then opened the Protecting Array, coldly staring at the two intruders.

A man and a woman, both at the Luo Tian Immortal stage.

"Sorry, we didn't know this was a fellow Daoist's cave mansion. We will leave now." The man apologized verbally, but his eyes showed no hint of remorse.

Clearly, he knew Ding Huan wouldn't dare act against them.

Ding Huan knew he couldn't act either and understood why these two attacked his cave mansion.

To say they didn't know someone was cultivating here was impossible.

But the Great Dao Corridor sought to eliminate cultivation in the wilderness.

So their actions were unofficially sanctioned. Wilderness cultivation couldn't be controlled officially.

Besides, such cultivation causing Dao Rhythm fluctuations might signal a treasure emerging or an Immortal Demon cave mansion, an opportunity they wouldn't miss.

No punishment and a chance at treasure, even official sanction, meant they would attack Ding Huan's cave mansion.

Ding Huan said nothing, but calmly watched the two leave.

Not acting on the first attack, he unhesitatingly used the Bone Devouring Poison this time on the two as they departed.

After they left, Ding Huan promptly withdrew his Immortal Spirit Vein and Array Flags.

He decided to go cultivate in the Frozen Ice Forbidden Land where he entered previously, a place ordinary cultivators couldn't access.

Otherwise, constant interruptions would slow his progress.

By the time he secured an advancement quota, he shouldn't still be striving for full Immortal King stage.

As for transforming into Zuo Shanyi's appearance and poisoning them, it was to give Zuo Shanyi some trouble, preventing him from focusing solely on advancing to Immortal Lord.