In just five short days, Joe Di was able to retrieve Divine Crystals from his Ninth World and resume his cultivation.
With Divine Crystals, various healing pills, and the World Tree, Joe Di’s wounds healed rapidly. However, when he summoned the Lethe Bridge and forcibly locked onto two cultivators whose strength far surpassed his own, the strain left his sea of consciousness injured. In truth, if not for his Sacred Physique and the resilience of his mind, he would have lost far more than just a leg in that battle.
Such terrifying injuries, even with Joe Di’s rapid healing, would take a long time to recover. It was only because he cultivated the Path of Laws and possessed the Ninth World that he survived. Otherwise, as his cultivation grew, the cosmic pressure would have crushed him outright.
Joe Di felt fortunate to have landed in this mountain village—Galor Village. Here, peace and tranquility reigned, and no one disturbed him. Although the villagers found him odd for staying indoors and rarely venturing out, they said nothing. The middle-aged hunter who had brought him back even delivered dry rations every few days.
Joe Di knew he should go out and spend some time dispelling the villagers’ doubts.
But Joe Di truly had no time to leave his room—every moment was spent healing. Even though he was now on a mortal planet, he dared not let his guard down. Nora and Long Nie were far from ordinary. If either of them tracked him here, they could easily crush this entire world to dust.
While Joe Di was immersed in his relentless healing, the villagers of Galor Village were pleasantly surprised to find that many of their sick had begun to recover. Among them was a man who had been bedridden for eleven years after falling ill in the depths of Galor Forest.
Not only that, but the crops planted by the villagers were thriving, far surpassing previous years. In the past, the poor mountain soil forced the villagers to hunt wild game deep in Galor Forest to supplement their food. Now, even without hunting, the abundant grain promised more than enough to sustain them.
Beyond the fields, the plants around Galor Village grew lush and vibrant. Wild rabbits and boars even began appearing in the nearby forests and hills.
For as long as Galor Village had existed, the surrounding game had all but disappeared. Otherwise, Joe Di would never have met the village hunter so far from the settlement.
Because of these changes, many villagers felt it had something to do with Joe Di’s arrival.
Yet no one believed Joe Di himself was the cause, since they found a massive Humanoid Meteorite near where he had appeared.
According to the middle-aged hunter who brought Joe Di back, he was found right in front of the giant Humanoid Meteorite. The villagers of Galor Village knew the nearby forest well, and they were certain the meteorite hadn’t been there before Joe Di’s arrival.
Now that Joe Di had come and the Humanoid Meteorite had appeared, it was seen as a sign of divine protection for Galor Village—a blessing brought by Joe Di.
Despite the Humanoid Meteorite being over three meters tall and nearly two meters wide, the villagers managed to haul it back to Galor Village.
During Joe Di’s secluded healing, the villagers even built a temple and enshrined the meteorite within.
After more than half a month in seclusion, Joe Di finally ended his retreat and tried to venture outside.
This was an ordinary mountain village. If he never showed himself, he would have no reason to stay. Joe Di stepped out, hoping to remain in Galor Village.
In just over half a month, Joe Di’s wounds had barely recovered by even one percent. Still, he sensed that healing here was better than recovering alone in the forest.
The reason was the vitality and human presence all around him.
After stepping into the second stage of Dao Origin, Joe Di had long since grasped the cosmic laws that governed heaven and earth. His cultivation followed the Path of Laws—one infused with vitality. The deeper his understanding, the more profound his insight into life’s energy became.
Galor Village was small, peaceful, and quiet, inhabited by people who pursued a better life. They were kind, hardworking, and optimistic.
All of this influenced Joe Di’s Dao. His path had always stemmed from the Ninth Prime Law—never an ordinary thing, but a supreme existence that split heaven and earth.
Now, as Joe Di settled in this ordinary mountain village and was touched by the vibrant lives of its people, his Dao began to transform. It absorbed the most fundamental breath of life—the beauty found in the pursuit of peace and basic survival.
The villagers of Galor Village were warm and welcoming. Everyone who saw Joe Di greeted him enthusiastically, even though they knew nothing of his name, origin, or destination. Not one person glanced at his crippled leg; to them, Joe Di was no different from anyone else.
Joe Di always stopped to chat with any villager who greeted him.
Even the most ordinary words sparked new insights or realizations for Joe Di—different from those gained through cultivation, yet somehow essential.
In just over an hour, Joe Di learned the village’s name and discovered that the hunter who had saved him was Glen Rivers.
Joe Di didn’t ask which emperor ruled the village—he would be leaving soon, and such matters held no importance for him.
In the evening, Galor Village was even more tranquil and beautiful. The slanting rays of the sun filtered through distant treetops, bathing Joe Di in a surreal light.
He gazed at the setting sun sinking into the depths of the forest, and thought that if his cultivation were restored, he could hold out his hand and keep the sun in place forever. Whether it was a star or a planet, it would be no more than a toy in his grasp.
He smiled to himself—joy and sorrow, union and separation, waxing and waning moons—these were the true cycles of the Dao.
“Big brother, this is for you...” A timid voice sounded behind Joe Di.
Joe Di turned to see a young girl with a long braid. Her skin was slightly dark, but her beauty rivaled that of any cultivator maiden he had known. Joe Di was amazed to find such grace in a remote village.
He saw that the girl held a cane—clearly meant for him, since he currently used only a wooden stick. The cane was finely crafted, its handle and tip wrapped in cloth.
The girl's hands were rough and covered with cracks and calluses, evidence of her hard work. Joe Di felt a moment of dazed emotion.
“Big brother, please take it. I’m sorry it’s not well made...” Seeing Joe Di silent for so long, the girl spoke again.
Joe Di accepted the cane with a smile. “Thank you. It’s a wonderful cane.”
“No, big brother, I should thank you. Years ago, my father went hunting in Galor Forest and was chased by a tiger. He was struck by evil energy and bedridden for more than ten years. After you arrived, my father recovered—he can walk again.” The girl bowed deeply to Joe Di.
Joe Di immediately understood—it was the overflow of spiritual energy from his cultivation that had caused this miraculous recovery. To him, it was a small matter. He was about to say her father was simply fortunate, when a distant voice called out, “Rona, your mother is calling you!”
The girl turned quickly, her cheeks flushed. She looked at Joe Di and said, “Big brother, my name is Rona Grace. If you ever need help, just ask Uncle Glen Rivers to send word to me.”
“Alright, I’m Joe Di. If you ever need anything, you can come to me as well.” Joe Di waved to Rona Grace.
Watching Rona Grace hurry away, Joe Di was suddenly reminded of his younger self—how he’d felt when facing Manna Zhen. But he knew Rona Grace was different; she would never fall for a stranger she’d just met, especially one with a crippled leg. She was simply nervous speaking to an unfamiliar man.