Although Joe Di did not know exactly what kind of existence a Sky Stage martial artist was, he vaguely felt that such a person would be no match for him.
"Let’s go, Senior Sister, Andy Hou. No matter why Luna Cui did what she did, she probably isn’t coming back. If Luna Cui has stepped into the Sky Stage, I believe she’ll show up in Tianhuang City immediately."
In Joe Di’s view, if Luna Cui gained Sky Stage power, she would definitely go to Tianhuang City. For a strong cultivator, Tianhuang City was the natural place to be: the best things didn’t need to be sought out, just being there was enough to obtain them.
If every powerful cultivator wasted time searching for cultivation resources, there wouldn’t be enough time for actual cultivation. Don’t be fooled by how Andy Hou reached the Earth Stage in just over a year—that’s because he had a solid foundation, and more importantly, the cultivation technique he obtained was extraordinary for any martial artist.
There was one more thing Joe Di hadn’t asked: Andy Hou must have taken some kind of treasure similar to the Soul-Consolidating Herb.
Even so, Andy Hou’s cultivation speed would certainly slow down from here on.
Joe Di didn’t have a flying sword or any flight artifact. If it were just him and Cassie Cao, he could carry her out of the Tianhuang District. But with Andy Hou, the three of them could only choose to walk out.
Finding the way out wasn’t very difficult. Along the way, the three encountered several Dire Beasts. Joe Di didn’t even need to make a move; Andy Hou handled them all. The decisiveness in Andy Hou’s actions showed that he hadn’t had a single day of leisure in the Tianhuang District this past year.
......
Joe Di had been to Tianhuang City once before. Last time, he came with Cassie Cao, Andy Hou, Marlon Mao, and Luna Cui. Today, only he, Andy Hou, and Cassie Cao returned.
Last time he came, he hadn’t even entered Tianhuang City itself—he’d only wandered around outside, then left with the Rainfall Squad.
"No matter how much time passes, Tianhuang City is always bustling." Andy Hou sighed as he watched the crowds coming and going.
Compared to eating raw meat and wild grass, drinking beast blood in the Tianhuang District, the cultivators in Tianhuang City lived far more comfortably. Others went to the Tianhuang District to gather cultivation resources, while every meal here was prepared by the finest chefs.
"Uh..." Joe Di suddenly stopped, staring in surprise at the city archway outside Tianhuang City.
"What is it?" Cassie Cao and Andy Hou couldn’t see as well as Joe Di, nor did they have spiritual sense, so they both looked at him in confusion.
Joe Di pointed at the city archway outside Tianhuang City. "I see Luna Cui. She’s over there."
Andy Hou immediately cursed through gritted teeth, "That wretch must have obtained a top martial arts technique and cultivated to the Sky Stage, now flaunting her power in Tianhuang City. She’s surely in league with the city’s top cultivators—we can’t do anything to her anymore."
Andy Hou knew Joe Di was powerful, but even he could probably only keep their small group safe. To shake the top cultivators of Tianhuang City, they were still far from strong enough.
Joe Di shook his head. "No, she’s not flaunting her power—she’s been hung up, suspended from the city archway in Tianhuang City. The only reason she’s still alive is because someone feeds her every day and uses medicinal herbs to keep her barely hanging on."
Cassie Cao’s face grew anxious. "Quick, let’s hurry and rescue her."
Joe Di nodded. "Let’s go. We’ll talk when we get closer to the city archway."
The three quickened their pace. When they reached the entrance to Tianhuang City, Cassie Cao and Andy Hou could both see Luna Cui as well.
Even Andy Hou, who hated Luna Cui to the bone, now showed a trace of pity on his face. Luna Cui looked utterly miserable—her clothes hung from her body like rags, stuck to her flesh, and it was impossible to tell how long she had been tortured.
Her hair, hands, and feet were all bound behind her, suspended from a crossbeam on the city archway. Below her, the edges of a wooden plank were stained with dried purple blood, evidence that, just as Joe Di predicted, she’d been hanging there for quite some time.
Cassie Cao could only recall the bits and pieces of time spent with Luna Cui. Now, seeing her in such a wretched state, Cassie’s eyes were already red with emotion.
Without another word from Cassie Cao, Joe Di reached into the cloth bundle on his back and pulled out the battered Bamboo Blade.
Joe Di’s Bamboo Blade was forged from ordinary wrought iron. If a regular person used it to kill hundreds of Fangwolves and other Dire Beasts, the blade would have long been chipped and useless. But Joe Di’s blade showed no signs of wear—instead, it was even sharper, with a faint blade aura.
Andy Hou wondered why Joe Di had taken out the Bamboo Blade, but Joe Di simply stood still, sending out two arcs of blade aura from its edge.
The two arcs split: one striking the top of the city archway, the other slicing through the four pillars below.
After the two arcs of blade aura, Andy Hou looked at Joe Di in confusion. The city archway hadn’t changed at all—it was just as it had been before.
Andy Hou hadn’t even had time to ask when—crack!—the four beautifully carved, massive wooden pillars supporting the city archway shattered into splinters.
At the same moment, the crossbeam suspending Luna Cui from the top of the archway fell. Before it hit the ground, Joe Di’s Bamboo Blade sent out several more arcs of blade aura, and with a flick of his hand, Luna Cui was gently placed on the ground, completely unharmed.
As for the crossbeam and ropes binding Luna Cui, they were already reduced to fragments.
Everyone who saw Joe Di’s actions was astonished—not only had he shattered the four massive pillars with a single stroke, but he hadn’t even moved, and Luna Cui was already rescued.
But one thing was clear to all: something major was about to happen in Tianhuang City. The city archway outside Tianhuang City was a symbol of the city, and each of those massive pillars was carved from centuries-old ironwood. Now Joe Di had destroyed them with a single strike—this was...
Even more, Joe Di dared to rescue Luna Cui. Luna Cui had been hung there by Martin Grandwild, the leader of the Grandwild Alliance. It’s said that when the famed healer Joe Di saved Samuel Grandwild, he entered the Tianhuang District together with Luna Cui. The reason Luna Cui was hung up was, naturally, to lure Joe Di out.
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"He’s Joe Di..." someone finally recognized him.
Joe Di had cultivated to the Soul Ancestor Stage in the Tianhuang District, and his aura had changed dramatically. But now, saving Luna Cui in front of Tianhuang City, it was only natural that someone would recognize him.
Once Joe Di was recognized, someone immediately rushed into Tianhuang City. Previously, just his name had thrown the entire city into chaos. Now that he was here in person, it was sure to cause a massive upheaval.
"Joe, is there still hope for Luna Cui?" Cassie Cao bent down and grabbed Luna Cui's hand.
Joe Di nodded. "She can be saved. I'll carry her to Tianhuang City, find a place to settle down, and then heal her."
Even though Andy Hou hated Luna Cui to the bone, seeing her like this, he was speechless.
"Joe, let me carry her instead." Andy Hou sighed and volunteered.
Joe Di didn't refuse. He nodded, "It's fine if you carry her. A few people are coming over—maybe they want to fight me."
Joe Di was confident he could easily overpower the martial artists here, but he'd never actually fought them, so he wasn't sure if his feeling was correct. With Andy Hou carrying Luna Cui, Joe could go all out if a fight broke out.
"Are you Dr. Di?" As Andy Hou had just picked up Luna Cui, several people rushed out of Tianhuang City. The one in front, dressed in purple, had black hair and a mustache, clearly someone of high status.
Seeing these people appear, the crowds parted and greeted them respectfully, showing they held high status in Tianhuang City.
Joe Di walked at the front, speaking calmly, "I'm no miracle doctor, but yes, I am Joe Di."
[System Message: Today's update ends here. Good night, friends!]