"Do you know if there are other people around Nora Xiu?" Joe Di asked, his gaze full of longing as he looked at Zane Wu.
He was eager to know whether Di Wangchuan and Di Qiushui had also gone to the Wymu Immortal Realm with Nora Xiu.
Seeing Joe Di's expression, Zane Wu understood that Senior Nora Xiu must have had a close relationship with him. However, he truly didn't know about these matters, so he could only shake his head apologetically and say, "I don't know. I have always focused on my cultivation. It was only because Senior Nora's talent was so astonishing that I heard a few rumors."
Joe Di sighed, understanding what Zane Wu meant. There was no need to ask further—Zane Wu was also a peerless genius. For someone like him, aside from Nora Xiu, few others could ever attract his attention.
"Let's go take a look at the Wormhole Gate first. I wonder what kind of place it is," Joe Di said, dropping the subject.
Joe Di had already examined the jade slip earlier. It only contained a brief introduction: at the Wormhole Gate, one could accumulate merit points, and with enough points, leave the Wormhole Gate. As for what kind of place the Wormhole Gate was, or how long it would take to earn enough merit, the jade slip said nothing.
In front of the Ascension Pool, there was only a narrow path paved with black stone, leading straight ahead. The path was surrounded by restrictions that blocked divine sense; except for what the eye could see, it was impossible to know where the road led.
Although Joe Di could try to use his divine sense to outline a formation flag and forcibly tear it open, he didn't dare to act recklessly here.
The two of them walked for about five or six li before the road ahead forked. One path was extremely wide and straight, stretching far into the distance.
The other path was even narrower than the one they had just walked, and looked a bit rugged and uneven.
At the fork in the road stood two stone tablets. The one leading to the wide, straight path bore three characters: Leap Dao Gate. The other, marking the narrow passage, was inscribed: Wormhole Gate.
"We should probably take this smaller path." Zane Wu, who was following behind Joe Di, spoke in a low tone. While he voiced his opinion, his gaze lingered on the avenue to Leap Dao Gate, his mind filled with doubt.
Joe Di did not move. The avenue leading to Leap Dao Gate was unguarded, but ahead, divine sense restrictions abounded.
Though he dared not use divine sense law techniques, he could still observe through the Eye of the Way.
Activating the Eye of the Way, Joe Di immediately saw two powerful cultivators standing behind the restriction. It was clear that if he and Zane Wu dared to take the Leap Dao Gate path, their fate would likely be grim.
At the end of this road, Joe Di saw a massive arched gate. Above it, two large characters radiated Dao rhythm: Leap Dao.
Beyond the arched gate, Joe Di’s Eye of the Way was too low in rank to discern anything further.
"Let's go." Without hesitation, Joe Di headed toward the Wormhole Gate path.
Zane Wu was puzzled, but he followed without hesitation. He had thought Joe Di would at least check out the Leap Dao Gate path before turning back if it proved impossible. Unexpectedly, Joe Di went straight for the Wormhole Gate route.
Seeing Joe Di and Zane Wu heading for the Wormhole Gate path, the two cultivators behind the Leap Dao Gate looked confused. Many newly ascended cultivators would come here and try the Leap Dao Gate first, only to suffer a great loss before turning back to the Wormhole Gate.
...
The road to the Wormhole Gate was long. Joe Di and Zane Wu walked at a steady pace, and it took nearly an entire hour before they finally saw a chaotic yet distinctly divided market.
The market was chaotic because its buildings were scattered haphazardly, some well-built, others ramshackle, with no planning at all—just a mess.
Yet it was clearly divided, since this sprawling, disorderly market was split into four sectors: East, South, West, and North Market Districts.
Each sector was a jumble, but a straight cross-shaped avenue ran through the center, neatly dividing the area into four parts.
As soon as Joe Di and Zane Wu entered the market, more than ten people immediately swarmed toward them.
If not for noticing that these people carried no killing intent, Joe Di would have already drawn his Heavenly Sable Blade.
"You two must be new here. Why not join our Wayseekers Hall? We're the most renowned group in the East Market District of the Wormhole Gate. Even as newcomers, once you join, your Wormhole Gate merit will be substantial..." said a tall young man.
"Ha! Wang Xie, you only ever trick the newcomers. Friends, don't listen to Wang Xie. I suggest you join our West Harmony Society. Our merit isn't distributed equally, but it's strictly based on individual contribution—no cheating the new arrivals. I, Fang Wancheng, guarantee it on my reputation." A bearded man interrupted, actively inviting Joe Di and Zane Wu.
"I'm Eugene Meng from the South Market District. Our accommodations are the most spacious..."
Nearly everyone extended an invitation to Joe Di and Zane Wu, all of them extremely polite.
Joe Di and Zane Wu were completely at a loss, knowing nothing at all. As the crowd's chatter grew, Joe Di clasped his fists and said, "Fellow Daoists..."
Seeing Joe Di's posture, the others fell briefly silent. Joe Di took the chance to say, "Thank you all for your kindness, but we're not newcomers. We've just come down from above to investigate the Wormhole Gate. Please go about your business. When I need to ask, just answer directly."
No one expected a mere newcomer like Joe Di to claim authority from above, and disappointment quickly set in. Still, none dared show disrespect to Joe Di or Zane Wu; they simply clasped their fists and left.
"Brother Zimo, why lie to them? I think sooner or later we'll have to join a faction here." Zane Wu wasn't naive. He didn't know how far they were from the Wormhole Gate, but he understood the need to band together.
Joe Di chuckled and pointed to a massive formation screen in the distance. "Look, that's the merit scoreboard. There are tens of thousands of names on it, and everyone's merit points are clear for all to see. We're newcomers—why are these old hands so eager to invite us?"
"Why?" Zane Wu blurted out instinctively, then realized it was a bit inappropriate.
Joe Di nodded. "Exactly, why? Whatever the reason, until we understand the situation, we absolutely can't join any faction."
"I'll follow your lead." Zane Wu had already sensed that Joe Di was different. His talent was extraordinary, and he was famous as an Immortal Emperor in the Wymu Immortal Realm. Yet, because he'd spent years in seclusion, he saw far less than Joe Di did.
"No rush. Let's go check out the North Market District together," Joe Di said, heading toward the northern sector.
Earlier, people from the East, South, and West Market Districts all invited them—but not a single person from the North Market District.
The North Market District was even more chaotic than the others. Joe Di stopped an elderly cultivator who was hurrying past with his head down.
The old man looked up, puzzled, at Joe Di and Zane Wu. "Why have you stopped me, fellow Daoists?"
Joe Di handed the elder a ring and said, "Just a small token. I'd like to ask you a few questions."
He'd already used his law restriction to open the elder's ring and discovered the man was extremely poor—inside were less than ten thousand high-grade immortal crystals. For an Immortal Emperor to have so little was shocking.
Joe Di simply took out fifty thousand high-grade immortal crystals, which meant little to him now.
The elder's spiritual sense touched the crystals in the ring, and he instantly perked up. With a wave of his hand, the ring vanished. Now energetic, he looked at Joe Di and said, "Ask whatever you want, I'll answer everything I know."
Joe Di clasped his fists. "My friend and I just arrived here. Why did so many people invite us to join their groups, and all so politely?"
The elder glanced around, and seeing no one nearby, sneered, "Polite, huh? Just wait until you join them. When it's your turn to guard the Wormhole Gate, you'll be cannon fodder. Newcomers here are short-lived, just here to fill the ranks."
Realizing Joe Di and Zane Wu were newcomers, the elder spoke more freely.
So that's how it was. Joe Di asked again, "Could you tell me where the Wormhole Gate is? And when it's our turn to guard it?"