Hearing that Joe Di was truly willing to exchange the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram, Samuel Shang was ecstatic. To Samuel Shang, the Creation Brush was his most important artifact.
However, he had absolutely no objections to exchanging the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram with Joe Di. No one could take away his Creation Brush; even if Joe Di took it, it would take at least ten thousand years for him to refine it. And within those ten thousand years, Samuel Shang could summon the Creation Brush to his side at any time.
This was already giving Joe Di too much credit. If not, with the Genesis Opening Incantation attached to the Creation Brush, Joe Di wouldn't be able to refine it in his entire lifetime.
But once the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram was in his hands, he would need at most half a year to elevate his strength by a whole level.
Once his strength increased, he would simply take back the Creation Brush. If Joe Di asked for the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram, that would be fine—he'd just have to present the Creation Brush. Of course, that's assuming Joe Di's strength was still close to his own. If Joe Di's strength lagged far behind, he'd simply tell him to get lost, or suppress him with the Genesis Opening Incantation.
Despite his inner joy, Samuel Shang still put on a hesitant front, his expression clearly telling Joe Di that the Creation Brush was his main offensive treasure—how could he casually exchange it with someone else?
Joe Di laughed heartily, clasped his fists, and said, "If that's the case, City Lord, then we'll meet again. When I return, I'll discuss other matters with you."
"Fellow Daoist Joe, wait, I'll agree to the exchange. But I can only comprehend it for at most one year, so you must safeguard the Creation Brush for me." Samuel Shang produced the Creation Brush, repeatedly reminding Joe Di.
Joe Di waved his hand, "If City Lord is so worried, then there's no need to exchange. My Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram was obtained at the risk of my life. The way you speak makes it sound as if my diagram is worthless, while your Creation Brush is a mountain of gold. That disappoints me. Honestly, I'm lending you the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram because I hope you'll reach a new level, so that when we act together in the future, the help will be greater. I really don't want to stay in this wretched place any longer."
Samuel Shang gave an awkward smile, "Fellow Daoist Joe, please don't think that way. Our treasures are both valuable, and must be protected. Whether I gain any insight or not, when it's time to leave the Lost Dao Domain, I'll give it my all."
Joe Di nodded, "Of course."
The two exchanged artifacts peacefully—Joe Di obtained Samuel Shang's Creation Brush, and Samuel Shang received Joe Di's Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram.
Unfortunately, neither knew the other's bottom line. Samuel Shang's was that if Joe Di refused, he was willing to add a piece of Genesis Ironmother. Joe Di's was that if Samuel Shang refused, he was willing to add Voidmount or even Cosmic Essence.
Because both desired the other's item so much, neither side gained much advantage in the deal. Or rather, both felt they had gotten a great bargain.
City Lord, I won't disturb your study of the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram any further." Joe Di had obtained the Creation Brush and his first priority now was to leave the Lost Dao Domain; he had no time to chat with Samuel Shang.
Alright, then I wish Fellow Daoist Joe a fruitful harvest this time." Samuel Shang also wasn't in the mood to chat—what he needed most was to immediately study the ultimate Dao resonance in the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram.
He still felt his strength was just a bit higher than Joe Di's. If he could recover some more cultivation with the help of the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram, then suppressing Joe Di would be no problem.
...
As soon as Joe Di left Lost Dao City, he immediately headed for the Half-Pattern Marsh. Halfway there, he suddenly stopped. The Creation Brush was on him, and Samuel Shang could definitely sense it. If he went to the Half-Pattern Marsh now, it would mean he had lied to Samuel Shang.
As for the Ninth World, he absolutely couldn't put it inside.
Thinking of this, Joe Di immediately took out the jade slip Samuel Shang had given him. The slip marked three places, and Joe Di chose the farthest one—Nexis Bay.
Nexis Bay was not close, but with Joe Di's Rule Evasion Technique, it only took him an hour.
Joe Di didn't know what Nexis Bay was like in the past, but now there was not even a trace of the sea. All he could see were uneven peaks and mounds.
The entire Nexis Bay stretched for millions of miles, but as soon as Joe Di arrived, he knew there wouldn't be any good forging materials here. Samuel Shang was tricking him, or just sending him on a wild goose chase.
As soon as Joe Di arrived at Nexis Bay, Samuel Shang sensed it. A cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth—if Joe Di wanted to find materials at Nexis Bay, he was dreaming.
He immediately opened the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram, letting four drops of essence blood fall upon it. The surface of the diagram unfurled two Dao resonance auras, black and white. Samuel Shang swept these auras up, letting them penetrate directly into the center of his brow.
Samuel Shang wasn't trying to refine the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram, but to anchor it in place. He worried that Joe Di would pull some trick while he was studying the diagram, just as he had taken away the Creation Brush—at any moment, Joe Di might retrieve the diagram.
Samuel Shang didn't believe Joe Di couldn't take back the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram. With Joe Di's strength, before he fully refined the diagram, Joe Di absolutely had the ability to reclaim it.
By pinning it down with four drops of essence blood, if Joe Di tried to reclaim it, Samuel Shang could also activate a grand array to trap the diagram. As long as he didn't leave Lost Dao City, Joe Di would have no way to take back the diagram—unless he came again.
...
Joe Di's thoughts were the same as Samuel Shang's. He knew very well how useful the Creation Brush was to Samuel Shang, and he absolutely didn't believe Samuel Shang would really use it to exchange for the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram.
Upon arriving at Nexis Bay, Joe Di immediately took out the Creation Brush.
A sweep of his divine sense over the Creation Brush told Joe Di that refining it would not be so easy.
The Creation Brush was covered in Samuel Shang's divine sense marks and imprints of his will.
Even if he put the Creation Brush into the Ninth World now, Samuel Shang would come looking for it immediately. So he absolutely couldn't put the Creation Brush into the Ninth World—at least not yet.
If Joe Di didn't cultivate the Rule Dao, his only option would be to enter the Half-Pattern Marsh as quickly as possible, then use the Reincarnation Bridge to leave the Lost Dao Domain.
Now, Joe Di began to use rule-stripping techniques to remove some of Samuel Shang's divine sense marks and will from the Creation Brush.
Then, in an area spanning a million miles around Nexis Bay, he set up a grand array and placed the stripped divine sense and will into it.
After finishing, Joe Di immediately sent the Creation Brush into the Ninth World, then quickly used his Rule Evasion Technique to leave Nexis Bay and head for the Half-Pattern Marsh.
He wasn't worried about the trap he'd set—he was worried that Samuel Shang cared too much about the Creation Brush. If Samuel Shang suddenly sensed its aura weakening, he might summon it back. If that happened, all Joe Di's arrangements would be wasted, and it might be better to just take the Creation Brush and tear open the Lost Dao Domain.
Just as Joe Di sent the Creation Brush into the Ninth World, Samuel Shang sensed it. He immediately stopped what he was doing and looked toward Nexis Bay.
At that moment, he felt his imprint on the Creation Brush weakening without limit.
Just as Samuel Shang was about to summon back the Creation Brush, the endlessly weakening imprint finally stopped weakening and remained at Nexis Bay. Samuel Shang breathed a sigh of relief—he was sure Joe Di had set up an isolating grand array at Nexis Bay to block the aura of the Creation Brush. With Joe Di's array skills, he could manage it.
But if Joe Di wanted to refine his Creation Brush, that was just wishful thinking.
Samuel Shang sat down again, speeding up his deduction of the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram. At the same time, he paid even closer attention to his Creation Brush—if anything went wrong, he would immediately summon it back.