Endless Sea, Black Abyss

With Ding Chongshan's departure, the commotion quickly subsided.

Changning Immortal King's influence was enough to quell the matter with just a few casual words.

There were no longer any widespread reports. Immediately after, apart from those who had watched the live stream, no other channels could access any visual data related to the incident.

The academy continued its normal classes, but everyone felt a heavy stone pressing down on their hearts, making it hard to breathe. Especially those in Class A-A, who didn't dare to glance back at the young man holding the yellow dog. Who knew if he'd have another fit and cripple them too!

Ding Family Immortal Mansion.

Ding Chongshan paced back and forth outside a room, his heart filled with unease.

Creak.

The door opened, and an old man emerged, his face grave.

Seeing his expression, Ding Chongshan's heart sank. This was a renowned physician from Medical Valley, whom he had gone to great lengths to invite. If even cultivators' injuries were beyond their ability to heal, then there was essentially no hope.

"Physician Wang, this... how is my child's condition?"

Physician Wang merely shook his head and sighed, "Your son's Life Artifact is shattered, and his Great Dao foundation is damaged. While his life is not in danger, repairing his Life Artifact is nearly impossible. Furthermore, even after using the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir, he has regained consciousness, but his overall state is extremely abnormal."

He sighed again, looking at Ding Chongshan with a somber expression. "I hope you are prepared. In this condition, your son's Dao Heart may be broken. He is currently in a state of delirium and idiocy. I have tried many methods, but none have been effective."

Upon hearing this, Ding Chongshan felt as if struck by lightning.

If his Dao Heart was shattered, what was the point of repairing his Life Immortal Sword? Cultivation relied on that surge of momentum. His son now lacked both. How would others view him in the future?

His body trembled. "Then... is there no other way?"

"If we can find the source of his broken Dao Heart and resolve the issue, your son might still recover his sanity."

With that, Physician Wang shook his head and left.

Clearly, he was aware of the previous sensational incident. He did not hold out much hope for the Ding family, especially since the young man who had brought Ding Yang to such a state had an Immortal King standing behind him.

Ding Chongshan clenched his fists. He did not enter the room but turned and headed towards the back mountain.

He dared not look at his son, fearing he would break down.

Inside a stone cave, Ding Heshan was meditating. He was the Ding family's only True Immortal expert. To further advance his cultivation, he had long ago handed over the family's authority to his son and secluded himself to study the Great Dao.

Countless inscriptions were etched onto the cave walls, glowing brilliantly as Ding Heshan diligently sought enlightenment.

Ding Chongshan softly called out, "Father."

Ding Heshan slowly opened his eyes, frowned, and then saw his son, whose emotions were clearly in disarray.

"What is it?"

After explaining the entire situation, Ding Heshan was furious.

What kind of nonsense was this? To cripple his grandson over a dog!

The Ding family was, after all, a cultivation family with a long heritage. Even if you had an Immortal King backing you, my Ding family would not necessarily fear you!

"Fine, Changning Immortal King has intervened, has he? Let me perform a divination and see who this brat is!"

With that, Ding Heshan formed a hand seal, and countless threads of spiritual energy appeared around him.

After a long while, Ding Heshan frowned, and the threads of spiritual energy around him suddenly blazed with light.

"What's going on? Why can't I find him?"

Ding Heshan muttered to himself. Logically, having such a karmic connection with his grandson, there should be a significant link between them in the hidden currents of fate. But why couldn't he find him?

"This person is strange!"

Ding Heshan got up and had Ding Chongshan take him to Ding Yang's residence.

"Woooo-ee-yah, woooo-ee-yah..."

Ding Yang, now completely dazed, drooled from the corner of his mouth as he lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling and babbling incoherently.

Ding Heshan's old face twitched. He looked at his son in disbelief, finding it hard to accept that the person lying on the bed was his beloved grandson.

Ding Chongshan gritted his teeth, holding back tears with all his might, and nodded.

At this moment, three generations of the family were in the room.

The silence was so profound one could hear a pin drop. The maids attending to them had long since withdrawn.

"Good, brat. If we don't kill you, the entire Ding family will swear we are not human!"

Ding Heshan was also enraged. He walked to Ding Yang's side and began to gather his power. With Ding Yang as a medium, it should be easier to divine the identity of the person responsible.

As expected, Ding Heshan did find a slight clue.

Feeling a sense of sudden clarity, he quickly pressed his advantage. However, his sea of consciousness suddenly jolted, and he felt dizzy, spitting out a mouthful of blood that splattered all over Ding Yang.

"Ah!"

Seeing blood again, Ding Yang screamed in terror. This scene greatly frightened Ding Chongshan.

Seeing his child startled, he quickly cast a spell to make him fall asleep, then helped his staggering, weakened father.

His face was filled with unconcealed shock. Why had his father suffered such a severe backlash from just a simple divination?

"I cannot see through this person!"

Ever since Ding Heshan entered the ranks of True Immortals, he had felt fear for the first time.

That feeling just now, it was as if it wanted to swallow him whole. If he hadn't forcefully cut himself off, he might have died today from that one deduction!

"Father, could it be that we're just going to let this matter go?"

Ding Chongshan was unwilling to accept this. Likewise, Ding Heshan, who had suffered this silent loss, was also resentful.

"How could that be? I suspect Immortal King Changning placed a restriction on that brat, causing me this trouble. You should leave now and go to the Black Abyss. Hang that brat up. They aren't afraid of Immortal King Changning!"

After hearing his words, Ding Chongshan settled his father down and then headed straight for the Endless Sea.

The Endless Sea, located in the far west, was rumored to have a very mysterious city at the bottom of the ocean. Unlike the common technological civilization on the mainland, their research direction was singular: how to kill targets faster and more efficiently.

As a killer organization that relied primarily on technology, they had a fanatical interest in hunting cultivators. They were all lunatics, wanting only to prove that so-called cultivation was no match for the things produced by the advanced civilizations they admired.

Therefore, if Immortal King Changning wanted to protect him, using people from this organization was indeed the most suitable choice. They would absolutely complete this task with utmost dedication.

Ding Chongshan arrived at the seaside. The surroundings were desolate, and the sky was darkening. There were hardly any people around, only a few solitary fishing boats with black sails.

Disguised, he wasn't worried about being recognized. He strode onto one of the boats.

The fisherman was cleaning his net, appearing somewhat careless. He didn't look at Ding Chongshan or speak to him.

Ding Chongshan quietly took out three incense sticks, placed them at the bow of the boat, bowed three times, and then sat quietly in the cabin, his face unreadable.

Seeing his actions, the fisherman silently reeled in his net, turned the mast, and the small boat headed out to sea, disappearing from the surface within moments.