"Aiden Cheng is just too stubborn. When he saw me bring you back, he refused to come out with us." Luna Fairchild walked out, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
If Joe Di hadn’t witnessed everything earlier, he might have really believed that Luna Fairchild was saddened simply because Aiden Cheng refused to join them.
Joe Di smiled slightly. "Since he doesn’t want to come, let’s go ahead without him."
Joe Di felt impatient; he really didn’t want to keep chatting with this woman. If his cultivation had recovered, he would have already asked Luna Fairchild where the Radiant Heart was—he had no mood for idle talk.
"Mm." Luna Fairchild nodded, then suddenly looked at Joe Di and said, "Joe, maybe I should just call you Aiden. I’m worried I might slip up and embarrass myself."
Joe Di chuckled. "My name is Joe Di. If you want to call someone Aiden, you should go back and persuade your friend. I’m not used to people changing my name for me. Even if it had to change, I’d do it myself. But honestly, I’m quite satisfied with Joe Di, so I won’t be changing it."
Luna Fairchild sighed. "Alright, you really are stubborn. Forget it, let’s go now."
From the way she spoke, Joe Di almost thought he really was in a Dao companion relationship with this woman.
What surprised Joe Di was that the flying vessel Luna Fairchild summoned was actually a supreme-grade flight artifact. Even Joe Di didn’t have one—at least, not right now.
If he wanted to possess a supreme-grade flight artifact, he’d need to advance his Dao Flame. And to do that, he still needed the Radiant Heart.
"Joe, your concealment technique is quite impressive. I still don't know your true cultivation level." After the flying vessel shot out from Celestial Moon City, Luna Fairchild asked Joe Di again.
Joe Di rubbed his forehead. "My master told me this concealment technique is quite good—it came from an ancient, damaged jade slip. If not for my master's orders, I'd have no problem passing it to you. As for my cultivation, since it's not as high as yours, I'm embarrassed to reveal it."
Joe Di wasn't lying; his cultivation really wasn't as high as Luna Fairchild's. Luna Fairchild was already at the early Prime Harmony stage, while he was at best half a step into Prime Harmony.
Luna Fairchild lowered her gaze, looking a bit aggrieved. "If you don't want to say, that's fine. Since we're together, just call me Yue Shu—calling me 'Fairy' feels too distant."
Luna Fairchild spoke as if she and Joe Di were already a real couple.
"Alright, then I'll call you Yue Shu." Joe Di didn't feel the slightest discomfort. Compared to the powerful figures he'd faced, Luna Fairchild was nothing at all.
Luna Fairchild seemed very happy about Joe Di changing how he addressed her, and her speech became more affectionate. "Joe, what do you like about me? Is it just because I'm pretty?"
Joe Di pretended to hesitate, pondering for a moment before replying somewhat haltingly, "Yue Shu, you really are beautiful. Besides that, there's another reason..."
"What is it?" Luna Fairchild asked eagerly, as if she were naive and couldn't wait for Joe Di's answer.
Joe Di didn't mind and continued, "I'm from a very remote place. I came to Celestial Moon City because I heard that Palace Master Ren Jisha was so bold—he actually took out the Lunar Heart and Radiant Heart as wedding gifts for his son..."
When Joe Di mentioned the Lunar Heart and Radiant Heart, a flash of killing intent flickered in Luna Fairchild's eyes, but she quickly returned to calm.
Joe Di acted as if he hadn't noticed and continued, "I greatly admire Palace Master Ren. Whether it's the Lunar Heart or the Radiant Heart, either one is an ultimate treasure. And for Palace Master Ren to take out both, I became curious and wanted to see what the legendary Fairy Yue Shu was like."
Luna Fairchild giggled, "Is meeting me less impressive than hearing about me?"
Joe Di shook his head. "No, after meeting you, I understand why the Young Palace Master likes you so much. If it were me, I'd feel the same way."
Luna Fairchild said calmly, "But I don't feel that you like me very much."
Joe Di replied casually, "There are two kinds of liking. One is like the Young Palace Master, where liking means you must pursue and win the person—a passionate kind of love. I'm the second kind—my liking is gentle and quiet, just watching the person I like is enough. Not like the Young Palace Master, who must have a grand pursuit and marry the one he likes."
"You're quite the smooth talker. You say you greatly admire Palace Master Ren—are you very eager to see the Lunar Heart and Radiant Heart?" Luna Fairchild said to Joe Di with a chuckle.
Joe Di replied naturally, "Of course. Any cultivator would feel honored to see the Lunar Heart and Radiant Heart, and I'm no exception. But I know very well, with my status and cultivation, it's absolutely impossible for me to see them."
Luna Fairchild looked at Joe Di with meaning. "No, if you stay by my side, you might get a chance. The Lunar Heart is with me—maybe I'll show you someday. The Radiant Heart is with my husband. When my father-in-law returns, I'll talk to him, and maybe you'll get to see it too."
Hearing that the Radiant Heart wasn't with Luna Fairchild, Joe Di was deeply disappointed. If it had been at the start, he wouldn't have gone out with Luna Fairchild at all.
He hadn't come out just to see the Lunar Heart—he already had a piece of it himself. What he wanted was the Radiant Heart.
…
Luna Fairchild's supreme-grade flight artifact was truly fast, and it also made Joe Di realize just how damaged the Taiji Realm was. They traveled for days without using a teleportation array, relying only on a flight treasure.
Joe Di knew it wasn't that Luna Fairchild didn't want to use a teleportation array—it was that there were so few in the Taiji Realm that it was impossible to teleport, so they had to use a flight treasure.
After five days, the flight treasure stopped outside a valley. Luna Fairchild and Joe Di stepped out and she put away her supreme-grade flight artifact.
[SKIPPED]
After several days of silence, Luna Fairchild finally spoke. "Joe, we've arrived at Winterhold Valley. Our gathering will be held here this time. Come on, let's go in together."
Joe Di had already extended his divine sense. He was surprised to find that the rules of heaven and earth here seemed even more complete than in Celestial Moon City. On both sides of the road leading to the valley entrance were three rows of lush trees: pine, bamboo, and plum.
Even though snowflakes were still falling, the pine, bamboo, and plum trees remained lush and vibrant.
These are the Three Friends of Winter. Perhaps that's how Winterhold Valley got its name.
"Sister Yue Shu, you're here already? You even arrived before me!" came a clear, crisp voice, followed by another flying vessel landing.
As the voice spoke, another stunningly beautiful woman stepped off the vessel. She wore a green dress, her beautiful eyes carrying a hint of a smile. With every step, it was as if she glided through the air, making her a delight to behold.
Her cultivation wasn't as high as Luna Fairchild's, but she was already at the late Dao Origin stage.
Luna Fairchild replied with a broad smile, "Ruoxi, your journey was much longer than mine, yet you arrived with me. I was just lazy and left late. If it weren't for you, I probably would've been the last to arrive."
"Sister Yue Shu, who is this?" The green-dressed woman named Ruoxi looked at Joe Di, her eyes full of curiosity.
A faint blush crept up Luna Fairchild's ears as she replied, "This is Joe Di. You can just call him Joe. After hearing my name, he chased me all the way to Celestial Moon City, and now he's come with me here as well."
Joe Di sighed inwardly. This woman really had no shame. Even as she spoke, her earlobes were red, as if she was unaware of her own identity.