Zane Du had already left far behind, but Joe Di was still lost in thought. Zane Du’s words had been like a beacon in the darkness, guiding him to sudden enlightenment.
"Brother Joe, that man is truly formidable," Emily Ye blurted out instinctively. Zefron Ye’s arrogant demeanor made her wish she could strike him down with Emily's Thunder Pearl. Yet, she knew deep down that even at her strongest, she was no match for Zefron Ye.
Joe Di replied instinctively, "He truly is powerful..."
Yet to Joe Di, Zefron Ye’s strength was not insurmountable. Zane Du was right—once Joe Di constructed a solid foundation of cosmic laws and forged more rules unique to his own universe, his Dao would become ever more integrated. At that point, even Zefron Ye would be powerless against him, and perhaps Joe Di could crush him with ease.
In Joe Di’s eyes, the truly formidable one was Zane Du. Unlike Zefron Ye, Zane Du had experienced true death and rebirth. His Dao, compared to its prime, was but a shadow of what it once was. Yet even so, Zane Du could suppress Zefron Ye, a testament to how mighty he had been in his prime.
"Daoist Joe, thank you for saving my life," Mandy Chu approached, expressing her heartfelt gratitude.
Joe Di smiled, "I should be the one thanking you, Senior Sister Mandy. If not for you, I might never have gained insight into my own Dao."
It was atop Mountainview Summit that he had comprehended his Dao and achieved his breakthrough. From that moment of unity, he had earned the right to stand at the pinnacle of the cosmos. Someday, he might even transcend this universe itself.
After speaking, Joe Di looked to Voidbreaker and Leonard Brown and said, "Voidbreaker, Old Leonard, we can leave this place now."
Leonard Brown merely chuckled and stepped forward, blocking Mercury’s path.
With Zefron Ye and Zane Du gone, there was no leader left here. Logically, Mercury should have lowered his stance. Yet, to Joe Di’s surprise, Mercury showed no intention of submission or begging for mercy. He simply looked at Leonard Brown with icy disdain and said, "You? You’re not enough to stop me."
As soon as Mercury finished speaking, he seemed to melt away like ice meeting a raging fire, vanishing in an instant—disappearing as if he’d never been there at all.
Even Joe Di was stunned, staring at the spot where Mercury had vanished. His spiritual sense had been locked onto Mercury, yet after Mercury disappeared, he hadn’t felt the slightest change in the space’s laws.
That fellow was far too bizarre. Mercury’s escape technique was completely different from Joe Di’s own rule-based evasion, yet both left no trace behind.
"Daoist Joe, I handled this poorly. I never imagined Mercury was Zefron Ye’s lapdog," Leonard Brown admitted, clearly ashamed. He knew that if not for him, Zefron Ye would never have appeared here. Fortunately, Joe Di knew Zane Du—without Zane Du, things could have turned dangerous.
Joe Di waved a hand, "Even without Mercury, or if there were others, I’ll come back here again someday. But for now, I want to leave as soon as possible. I refuse to believe that without Mercury, I can’t get out of the Grandway Abyss."
To Joe Di, any place could be left behind. This was the insight he gained from cultivating the Dao of rules. The path out was itself a rule. If you couldn’t leave, it was simply because your strength was lacking—not because escape was truly impossible.
Joe Di’s urge to leave stemmed from a growing discomfort with Mountainview Summit. He felt uneasy, as though lingering here too long would bring nothing but trouble.
"Daoist Joe, Eugene Yi wishes to pay his respects." Only now did Eugene Yi the Wanderer have a chance to step forward and offer a formal greeting. A deep knife scar still marked his brow, blood faintly oozing, not yet healed.
Joe Di regarded Eugene Yi with a cold gaze. Eugene Yi was deeply scheming, always seeking to ensnare him. Even if he played the supplicant now, Joe Di would never hand over the Cosmic Essence. Sparing Eugene Yi’s life was already a rare act of mercy.
To Joe Di’s surprise, Eugene Yi made no mention of the Cosmic Essence. He simply said, "Daoist Joe, I brought this upon myself. Here is a cultivation method I created—I’ve inscribed it for you. Perhaps it will be of some help. I have just one request: when you leave, please allow me to go with you."
Eugene Yi had originally planned to keep pleading for the Cosmic Essence, but when he realized Zefron Ye had been watching his every move, a chill ran down his spine. There was no way he dared remain in the Grandway Abyss. He was certain—even if Joe Di had given him the true Cosmic Essence before, Zefron Ye would never have allowed him to restore his Dao foundation and would have seized it without hesitation. No, it wasn’t just a possibility—it was a certainty. Zefron Ye would never let Eugene Yi regain his Dao foundation.
Joe Di didn’t mind at all. He casually accepted the jade slip Eugene Yi handed over, but the moment his spiritual sense touched it, he was immediately captivated.
"The Dao is thus: without understanding nothingness, one cannot comprehend the origin. From nothing comes one, one begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things. All things are unfixed; where the Dao resides..."
It was as if a spring thunder exploded in Joe Di’s sea of consciousness. As his eyes swept over the technique, his hands trembled with excitement.
Things he had never understood before suddenly became clear in this instant.
"An incredible technique..." Joe Di exclaimed in awe. He was certain this method was no weaker than his own Dao of rules. He never imagined Eugene Yi the Wanderer possessed such a terrifying cultivation technique.
Joe Di stopped reading further—if he continued, he might be tempted to enter seclusion for ten thousand years to further integrate his Dao. He quickly put the technique away and looked at Eugene Yi. "Your cultivation method is outstanding. Why, then, is your own cultivation so lacking?"
In Joe Di’s view, even if Eugene Yi had relied on the Dao of Creation’s resonance to be reborn, he shouldn’t be so weak. Zane Du had also achieved rebirth through the Dao of Creation, yet he could stand against Zefron Ye. Eugene Yi, by contrast, had only managed to withstand two strikes from Joe Di’s blade. His sole advantage was surviving—nothing more.
A bitter, self-mocking smile crept onto Eugene Yi’s lips. "I’m suffering the consequences of my own folly. Years ago, I abandoned my foundation and sought a treasure to restore it, only to be struck down and have my Dao foundation destroyed. Even after rebirth, I couldn’t repair my Dao foundation. My longing for the Cosmic Essence was only to restore it. But I suspect that even the Cosmic Essence might not be able to fully heal my Dao foundation."
Whether or not the Cosmic Essence could fully restore Eugene Yi’s Dao foundation, Joe Di knew it was crucial to him. Perhaps even a single drop could allow Eugene Yi to recover his former foundation.
Even with such a technique, Joe Di would never lightly hand over the Cosmic Essence to Eugene Yi. That would be asking for trouble. Eugene Yi was like a venomous snake—he seemed harmless now only because his fangs had been pulled. But if he ever grew them back, he’d be the first to strike.
"I’ll accept your technique. When I leave, you can come with me," Joe Di said coolly.
"Thank you, Daoist Joe." Eugene Yi cupped his fists in gratitude and moved to stand beside Leonard Brown, saying no more.
Leonard Brown chuckled, clapping Eugene Yi on the shoulder. "Not bad, Eugene Yi! So you’ve finally wised up—realized Zefron Ye’s been spying on your place all along, haven’t you?"
Eugene Yi immediately understood from Leonard Brown’s words that he’d known about Zefron Ye’s scheming from the start, which was why he’d sided with Joe Di.
"Daoist Joe, I have a request," Mandy Chu suddenly bowed again before Joe Di.
"Who do you want me to save?" Joe Di asked, puzzled by Mandy Chu’s request. Was there someone else in need? If it was in the Grandway Abyss, now that Zefron Ye couldn’t harm him, Joe Di feared no one.
Mandy Chu quickly replied, "Her name is Jane Yan. Before I fell, I saw her killed by another woman. Since I was able to be reborn through the Dao of Creation, I’m sure she’s been reborn here as well."
Jane Yan? Joe Di’s gaze shifted to Voidbreaker.
Voidbreaker offered an awkward smile. "I made a wrong assumption earlier. From what I’ve heard, Jane Yan was indeed killed when the Gate of Destiny opened."