Boom! With just a single slash, Joe Di tore apart the protective array of Starhaven Auxiliary City.
"Who dares break my city's protective array?" an enraged voice echoed, as a gray-robed man stepped out from the auxiliary city.
"It's Joe Di, the City Lord of Starhaven City..." Several cultivators in the auxiliary city instantly recognized Joe Di; his distinctive blade made him impossible to mistake.
Joe Di's attack on the auxiliary city's protective array was felt by everyone within Starhaven City. Whether it was Qu Tong, Jing Luowen, or others, they all rushed out to investigate.
"You're Joe Di?" Hearing the cultivators nearby, the gray-robed man asked in surprise. From what he knew, Joe Di's arraycraft was impressive, but with his limited cultivation, how could he possibly tear apart the city's array with a single slash?
Before Joe Di could answer, the gray-robed man caught sight of the Fourfold Divine Cauldron set aside by Joe Di. Instinctively, he cried out in shock, "The lord's Fourfold Divine Cauldron..."
"So, it's just a puppet." Joe Di didn't bother with further questions. He stepped forward and swung his Azure Veil Blade in a single, decisive strike.
Space vanished in an instant beneath Joe Di's slash. The gray-robed man realized too late that the space he occupied was gone—he couldn't evade at all.
"Immortal Emperor..." The gray-robed man barely formed the thought before understanding: Joe Di wasn't an Immortal Emperor, but his blade had touched upon the Law of Time. In that moment, time itself stilled for a heartbeat as Joe Di struck.
Splurt! Blood sprayed as the gray-robed man failed to block even a single strike—Joe Di's blade split his brow open.
Quinn Tong and the others had just stepped out of Starhaven City when they saw Joe Di split open the brow of a late-stage Immortal King with a single slash.
So powerful! Tamor Grand, the Palace Lord of Grand Origin Palace, shuddered instinctively.
When Joe Di left Starhaven City years ago, he was only a Golden Immortal. How many years has it been? Now he can split open the brow of a late-stage Immortal King with a single slash.
Before, he thought Joe Di's advantage was only in arraycraft. Now he realized that his own early-stage Immortal King strength was nothing in front of Joe Di.
"City Lord, have you broken through to Immortal Lord?" Quinn Tong rushed forward excitedly to ask.
Joe Di smiled, "Not yet. I'm preparing to restore the Immortal Realm's fate. Once the sect masters leave Starhaven City, you'll need to support the city."
Quinn Tong patted his chest. "Don't worry, City Lord. I'll do my absolute best."
Though Joe Di had many familiar faces in Starhaven City, Quinn Tong was the one he appreciated most. Only with Quinn Tong staying in Starhaven City could Joe Di truly feel at ease.
The other cultivators, initially stunned by Joe Di's slaying of the late-stage Immortal King, were quickly distracted by his words. Loraine Puregate stared at the Fourfold Divine Cauldron not far from Joe Di, her voice trembling, "Is that the Fourfold Divine Cauldron?"
The Quadrant Immortal Continent fell into decline because the Fourfold Divine Cauldron, which anchored the Immortal Realm's fate, was stolen. Not only that, but the fate itself was stripped away and taken with it.
Now that Joe Di had returned with the Fourfold Divine Cauldron, how could anyone not be shocked?
At this moment, not only Loraine Puregate, but all the other cultivators noticed the Fourfold Divine Cauldron as well. Several sect masters were so excited their hands trembled.
With the Fourfold Divine Cauldron returned, does this mean the Immortal Realm can be restored to its former glory?
"City Lord, is this really the Fourfold Divine Cauldron?" Quinn Tong and Ian Shaw were so excited they could barely speak, their voices trembling.
Joe Di cupped his fists and spoke loudly, "Fellow Daoists, when I first arrived at the Quadrant Immortal Continent, I couldn't believe how such a prosperous land had fallen into twilight, filled everywhere with desolation and decay. It was heartbreaking and disappointing. For millions of miles, the Immortal Realm was devoid of life, with only bones and wastelands as far as the eye could see.
Later, I learned that the reason for this was the emergence of a rotten sect in our Immortal Realm—the Fatespire Sect. This vile sect produced a scum of a sect master, Emperor Magnus Fate. He stole the Fourfold Divine Cauldron that anchored the Quadrant Immortal Continent's fate and stripped away the Immortal Realm's fortune, plunging us into this twilight era.
With the help of Fellow Daoist Quinn Tong, I found the Celestial Bamboo River. Together with a group of companions determined to restore the Immortal Realm, we established Starhaven City here, hoping to gather the realm's fortune once more and ensure the Quadrant Immortal Continent could survive in the universe, giving future generations a place to call home.
After establishing Starhaven City, I left. When I arrived at Cauldron Haven, I discovered that of the four immortal continents, only our Quadrant Immortal Continent had its fate stripped away and entered twilight—the others remained intact."
A wave of sighs swept through the crowd. Many cultivators who knew of the Fatespire Sect were filled with rage.
In the Quadrant Immortal Continent, the Fatespire Sect had always been a model for other sects, revered by countless cultivators. Yet they betrayed everyone, stealing the divine cauldron that anchored the realm's fate, causing billions of cultivators to perish and leaving no place for future generations. Calling them a rotten sect is no exaggeration at all.
Joe Di continued, "I traveled through this universe for some time before returning to the Quadrant Immortal Continent. Having obtained two excellent array banners, I planned to place them here to help the Immortal Realm's fate gather even faster."
But what I didn't expect was that Emperor Magnus Fate, that wretch, still hadn't given up. He came to the Quadrant Immortal Continent a second time, trying to strip away the little fortune Starhaven City had managed to gather. Just as life was returning to the continent, it was once again plunged into destruction...
When Joe Di spoke of this, the crowd's anger finally boiled over. Several cultivators shouted, "Kill that beast Magnus!"
More and more cultivators joined the furious cries, even Quinn Tong and the others, who knew Joe Di had likely already killed Magnus, couldn't help but shout.
Joe Di waved his hand, and the gathered cultivators immediately quieted down.
Only then did Joe Di speak loudly, "You're right—I killed Magnus, reclaimed the realm's fate, and recovered the Fourfold Divine Cauldron..."
With Joe Di's words, the excitement became uncontrollable. A dozen cultivators couldn't help but kneel. The Fourfold Divine Cauldron had returned—did this mean the Immortal Realm could be restored to its former beauty? Could they finally roam and cultivate freely, rather than being trapped in Starhaven City?
Starhaven City might be the only immortal city left in the realm. Those who could live here were truly the luckiest of the lucky.
But no one wished for such narrow confines. As immortals, they longed to soar across the skies of the Immortal Realm, not remain trapped in Starhaven City.
From a dozen kneeling, the number grew to hundreds, until nearly all the cultivators were kneeling in excitement. They yearned for a true Immortal Realm—not one shrouded in twilight, nor limited to the small city of Starhaven.
Whether immortal or mortal, everyone longs for a home of their own. This truth doesn't change, no matter how space shifts.
Once everyone had calmed from their excitement, Joe Di spoke again: "Fellow Daoists, I will once more place the Fourfold Divine Cauldron in the Quadrant Immortal Continent, anchoring the realm's fate and ensuring its everlasting prosperity!"
"Eternal prosperity for the Quadrant! Eternal prosperity for City Lord Di!" As Joe Di announced the return of the Fourfold Divine Cauldron, his prestige reached its peak in the hearts of all.
Countless voices shouted in unison—this was respect from the very depths of their hearts!
If it were a more selfish cultivator, the first thing they'd do after obtaining the Fourfold Divine Cauldron would be to flee as far as possible. After all, the continent was in decline; possessing the cauldron meant supreme opportunity—who would return it?
It was precisely because Joe Di was willing to return such a treasure that everyone felt genuine respect for him.
"Fellow Daoists, once the Fourfold Divine Cauldron is restored, the Quadrant Immortal Continent should recover its prosperity at the fastest pace. I hope you won't repeat the mistakes of the past—forgetting everything for profit and falling into endless destruction and slaughter. You may be the last cultivators of our continent; you are the spark. I hope one day, the Quadrant Immortal Continent will flourish again because of us, shining once more in this universe—not falling into twilight because of us." Joe Di declared loudly.
A chorus of enthusiastic responses echoed—everyone fervently agreed with Joe Di's words.
Joe Di knew well that, despite the current enthusiasm, his words might have little effect. People were moved now simply because he was returning the Fourfold Divine Cauldron. In time, things would likely revert to how they were.
Still, saying it was better than saying nothing. As for announcing the return of the Fourfold Divine Cauldron, Joe Di had no worries at all.
He didn't know how the cauldron had previously anchored the realm's fate, nor how Emperor Magnus Fate had acquired it. This time, he wouldn't rely on array formations to protect it—instead, he planned to use his own foundational law banners to fuse the cauldron into the void of the Quadrant Immortal Continent.
Even if someone one day refines the Quadrant Immortal Continent, they won't be able to take the Fourfold Divine Cauldron—unless they possess a treasure equal to the Ninth Prime Law.