When Simon Su dug up the last piece of Crimson Iron Crystal, Joe Di, who had been watching the perimeter, suddenly said, "You'd better put everything away quickly. Someone's coming."
Hearing someone was coming, Simon Su didn't hesitate. With a wave of his hand, he quickly stored the pile of Crimson Iron and Crimson Iron Crystals into his storage ring.
Just a dozen breaths later, two cultivators landed beside Joe Di and Simon Su.
Seeing that both newcomers were Cauldron Ascendant cultivators, Simon Su chuckled and said to Joe Di, "Joe, let's go."
As Joe Di and Simon Su left, one of the remaining cultivators—a short one—suddenly asked, "Was there Crimson Iron Crystal here?"
As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and a fragment of Crimson Iron Crystal appeared in his palm. The other cultivator also reached into the pit and retrieved a small shard of Crimson Iron Crystal.
The two exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with a hint of frenzy. The short cultivator added, "So many fragments of Crimson Iron Crystal... They must have found a nest of Crimson Iron Crystals here."
"Recently, someone has been buying up Crimson Iron everywhere. We..." the tall cultivator added.
The two nodded in agreement, said nothing more, and turned to chase after Joe Di and Simon Su.
......
"Huh? What's going on? Why are so many people coming here today? There's only Crimson Iron here, nothing else." As Simon Su and Joe Di left, aside from the two Cauldron Ascendant cultivators who came first, they encountered seven or eight more groups of cultivators along the way.
Joe Di suddenly said, "Brother Su, if I'm not mistaken, those two will catch up with us soon."
Simon Su was still excited from obtaining so much Crimson Iron and Crimson Iron Crystal. Hearing Joe Di's words, he immediately realized his mistake. He hadn't cleaned up the pit after mining the Crimson Iron Crystal, so the others would definitely notice.
Thinking of this, Simon Su quickly called out, "Joe, we need to change direction and take a detour."
In Simon Su's eyes, Joe Di's cultivation was too weak. If those two caught up, neither he nor Joe Di would be a match for them.
Just as Joe Di predicted, not long after they changed course, two figures rushed toward the Mad Domain, following the path Simon Su and Joe Di had taken.
Simon Su stopped again. "Joe, we can't go to the Mad Domain now. It's my fault—I wasn't careful and revealed we'd gotten the Crimson Iron Crystal. If we head to the Mad Domain now, we'll be caught for sure. Don't worry, I'll split half of what we found with you."
Joe Di waved his hand. "I told you I don't want the Crimson Iron Crystal. Just tell me how to get to the Mad Domain."
Crimson Iron Crystal was a top-tier treasure for someone at his current cultivation level, but Joe Di felt no desire for it at all. To him, it was like trash—he wouldn't even bother picking it up if it were lying on the ground.
Simon Su stared blankly at Joe Di for a long moment before finally saying, "I'm starting to believe you really are from a mortal planet. You have no idea what's valuable. Come on, I'll go with you. If you go alone, I'm afraid you'll be killed as soon as you step into the Mad Domain."
"You're not scared anymore?" Joe Di asked Simon Su with a puzzled look.
Simon Su thumped his chest. "I've seen it all. Back on Abyssal Star, I was hunted by countless powerful cultivators, but I survived just fine and even made it to the Mad Domain, advancing to Cauldron Ascendant. You're loyal, Joe, and I can't just abandon you."
Abyssal Star? Joe Di suddenly felt that name was oddly familiar.
......
Mad Domain.
After arriving at the outskirts of the Mad Domain, Joe Di immediately felt the place lived up to its reputation. The perimeter was covered in dense forests of peaks, stretching endlessly into the vast void. Even his spiritual sense couldn't reach the end—it all looked wild and intimidating.
Twisting through the forests was a winding path leading further into the distance. Joe Di's spiritual sense could only vaguely make out some outlines.
Simon Su whispered in Joe Di's ear, "Don't underestimate these peak forests. Rumor has it they're a top-tier natural grand array. The only safe way into the Mad Domain is through this winding road—if you stray into the forests, you'll likely never come out again."
Cultivators kept emerging along the way, and more kept overtaking Joe Di and Simon Su to enter the Mad Domain. Joe Di could sense that his cultivation was indeed the lowest here.
Following Simon Su along the winding mountain path for half a stick of incense, a towering, majestic mountain gate appeared before Joe Di.
The reason it was called a mountain gate was that the entire entrance was situated beneath the mountain, looking just like a cave carved into its base.
Above the gate, two large, dancing characters were carved: Mad Domain.
A faint scent of blood wafted outside the city gate, and Joe Di's gaze landed on several corpses.
"That tall one is the guy we ran into before," Joe Di recognized one of the tall corpses. It was one of the two men they'd seen on that ruined planet.
Simon Su tugged Joe Di's hand. "Let's go. This kind of thing happens all the time—who knows how many people get killed here every day. That tall guy being dead is good for us; at least we don't have to worry about that skinny one coming to bother us."
"Hold on, you have to pay spirit stones for your first entry." Joe Di had just followed Simon Su to the entrance of the Mad Domain when they were stopped again.
Simon Su hurriedly explained, "Sorry, Joe, I forgot to mention it. The first time you enter the Mad Domain, you have to pay a thousand high-grade spirit stones. Once you pay, you'll get an identity token and won't have to pay again for ten years."
Simon Su didn't pay the spirit stones for Joe Di—a thousand spirit stones was nothing for a cultivator at the Soul Formation Stage.
But Joe Di didn't produce any for a long moment. He looked at Simon Su and said, "Brother Su, I don't have a single coin on me. Not to mention a thousand high-grade spirit stones, I don't even have a single low-grade one."
"No problem, no problem, I'll pay for you." Simon Su suddenly remembered Joe Di was from a mortal planet.
Before Simon Su could hand over the spirit stones, the cultivator demanding them raised his hand to block Simon's movement. "No spirit stones? Who are you trying to fool? Here, you must pay yourself."
Joe Di frowned. "I really don't have any spirit stones. Can't I pay after my friend lends them to me?"
"No means no. If you truly don't have any spirit stones, then hand over that jade hanging around your neck." The cultivator waved his hand, leaving no room for argument.
Joe Di immediately understood—the man didn't care about spirit stones, he wanted the jade at his chest. This jade was the only thing Cassie Cao had left him. No mere gatekeeper, not even the lord of the Mad Domain, could hope to take it from him.
"Sorry, this jade is important to me. I won't give it up. Brother Su, lend me a thousand high-grade spirit stones." Joe Di replied calmly.
The gatekeeper cultivator laughed. Before Simon Su could take out the spirit stones, he slapped toward Joe Di's face. "A filthy piece of trash jade picked up from who knows where, and you call it important? I'm only asking because I pity you..."
To Joe Di, Cassie Cao was the most important person in his heart. This cultivator not only tried to slap him, but also dared to insult Cassie Cao. Without a second thought, Joe Di threw a punch.
Boom! As Joe Di punched, his fist transformed into several peaks, the force continuously surging forward. He shattered the gatekeeper's palm, tore through his protective true essence, and struck his chest.
Bang! A mist of blood exploded. With just one punch, Joe Di reduced the gatekeeper—whose cultivation was a tier above his own—to a pile of fragments.
Simon Su stared at Joe Di in shock. A cultivator at the Void Spirit Stage couldn't withstand even a single punch from Joe Di—what kind of divine power was that? But then he snapped out of it, mumbling, "We're doomed. We're completely doomed."
Joe Di ignored Simon Su and stared at his own fist, murmuring, "So that's how it is..."
(That's all for today's update. Good night, friends!)