City Lord Xiang, I have another question. Is the Cosmic Seat Plaza outside Genesis City related to that Fourth Step cultivator?" Joe Di asked. He had asked Zach before, but Zach clearly knew less than Sean Chen.
Sean Chen shook his head. "I'm certain the Cosmic Seat Plaza has nothing to do with that guy. The Dao Debate of Genesis City is connected to the Saint Seat Plaza, which was condensed by the vastness itself. Every time we debate the Dao, we can have our Dao validated at the Saint Seat Plaza, and only then ascend to a higher level."
Although Sean Chen didn't continue, Joe Di had already guessed some things and asked again, "So is the Fourth Step related to the Cosmic Seat Plaza?"
Sean Chen's expression was natural, without any hint of deliberate concealment. He replied, "To step into the Fourth Step, you must first be recognized by the Saint Seat Plaza in Genesis City. The first step is to inscribe your name, the second is to debate the Dao, and the third is Dao enlightenment. This all depends on one's fortune and talent."
Emperor Ye was unfamiliar with the Saint Seat Plaza. He looked at Joe Di in confusion, and Joe Di nodded to him, "I'll explain this later."
Sean Chen also spoke gravely, "The Cosmic Seat Plaza isn't our most pressing concern right now. Fellow Daoist Joe, it's very likely we've been set up and sent here by someone. We still don't know who did it, but we must restore our strength as quickly as possible so we can join forces again in the future. By the way, if Emperor Ye hasn't been to the Saint Seat Plaza yet, he should go inscribe his name first."
Joe Di nodded and cupped his fists, saying, "Yes, City Lord Xiang is absolutely right. We must heal as soon as possible..."
"If that's the case, I'll take my leave for now. Let's meet again in Genesis City, shall we?" Sean Chen cupped his fists. He didn't want to stay a moment longer. Had he known Joe Di was here, he wouldn't have come out at all. Still, he knew that even if he didn't show himself, Joe Di would seek him out once he recovered.
"Alright, I won't see you off then." Joe Di also cupped his fists.
Sean Chen nodded. As he turned around, Joe Di's Azure Veil Blade Curtain swept out, stirring up twilight in the vast void!
Time seemed to freeze at this moment, transforming into twilight that everyone must face. Killing intent swept through, leaving this stretch of void devoid of any vitality.
Life is fleeting, years rush by! Once I watched flowers bloom and wither; today, a single blade seals the color of the green hills.
The vitality released by the Loom of Time swept forth like a newborn painting, and Xiang Chenchen seemed about to be engulfed by this exquisite twilight.
In just a breath, Xiang Chenchen snapped out of the twilight, and the frozen spacetime returned to normal.
Bang! The temporal curtain of the Endless Blade shattered Xiang Chenchen’s body, half of it swept away, exploding into nothingness within the void.
In that instant, the Dao rhythm around Xiang Chenchen suddenly solidified, as if nourished by the most vital twilight of creation. The half of his body that Joe Di had split instantly regenerated, and his aura surged wildly, his Dao almost becoming tangible.
Joe Di’s heart sank. He realized he hadn’t killed Xiang Chenchen, but had instead helped him. That strike seemed to have broken a rule that was corroding his Dao foundation. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to launch a second attack, as Xiang Chenchen had already recovered.
“Ha ha…” Xiang Chenchen laughed madly. He knew Joe Di might try to ambush him, but he couldn’t avoid it. Now, Joe Di’s strike had torn apart the terrifying rule that was eroding his Dao foundation. In the future, Xiang Chenchen would be the first to step into the Fourth Step.
But he had only laughed once when a giant fist suddenly appeared out of the void. Xiang Chenchen twisted his body frantically, trying to dodge the terrifying punch, but the fist was equally distorted. No matter how he twisted, he remained beneath its shadow.
Just give me one more breath, just one more breath. If he had just one more breath, he could escape. When he returned—no, he wouldn’t need to return—right now, Joe Di was nothing more than an ant in his eyes, easily crushed with a finger. That ant had helped him shatter the hidden injury left by Chi Yao, a terrifying rule that corroded his Dao foundation.
Deep inside, Xiang Chenchen was roaring in rage. He simply couldn’t understand why Ye Mo’s punch landed so perfectly, as if it had been calculated to strike just as he broke through his injury, forcing his Dao body to once again face the destruction of his foundation.
Joe Di’s sudden ambush, though unexpected, made sense—after all, they had always been enemies. But why did Ye Mo attack at the same time? He was sure Joe Di and Ye Mo hadn’t coordinated. In other words, both had planned to take him out before he left.
Everyone had agreed, even politely, to recuperate and then join forces against the soon-to-appear Fourth Step. Why? Why is everyone so unscrupulous? Even more unscrupulous than Xiang Chenchen himself?
Boom! Xiang Chenchen’s flesh exploded into a mist of blood, his whole being vanishing into the void.
He still got away," Joe Di said.
Ye Mo said, “His Dao foundation has been destroyed, and with ninety-nine percent of his body gone, recovery is impossible without millions of years. It’s a pity we didn’t kill him just now. I never expected someone so powerful could hide as an ordinary vice city lord of Genesis City.”
Joe Di nodded. “Brother Ye, if you hadn’t struck at the same time as I did, I wouldn’t just have failed to kill him—I’d have helped him instead. Your punch was perfectly timed.”
Joe Di was secretly relieved. If Ye Mo hadn’t attacked at the same time, his own strike, while shattering half of Xiang Chenchen’s body, would actually have helped him. He had truly underestimated Xiang Chenchen.
He cultivated the Dao of Rules, so he could tell that after half of Xiang Chenchen’s body was shattered, his momentum surged and his Dao aura rapidly recovered. That display was far stronger than Zhao. This man was likely the most enduring and powerful in Genesis City. Fortunately, Ye Mo attacked at the same time, dragging the not-yet-fully-recovered Xiang Chenchen back to the mortal world.
Ye Mo’s punch was perfectly timed, reminiscent of the military tactic 'crossing the river before it is finished, strike at midstream.'
This man controlled Genesis City and killed so many innocent people from the Five Elements Universe. As you said earlier, the incomplete rules of the Five Elements Universe were also his doing. Even if I die to that Fourth Step cultivator in the future, I must take this guy down." Ye Mo spoke without hesitation. After learning that Yi Mo had been rescued, his strength surged and his injuries recovered quickly.
Joe Di nodded. He felt the same as Ye Mo. He could join forces with Zhao, or with the Luzu people, but if Xiang Chenchen wanted to team up with him, he could forget about it.
Brother Ye, I have some guesses about that Fourth Step cultivator. He might also be from our Five Elements Universe." Joe Di decided to share what he knew with Ye Mo. Ye Mo was strong and hadn’t reached his peak yet, so when they joined forces in the future, Ye Mo was indispensable.
Ye Mo looked at Joe Di in surprise. "Who is it?"
I suspect his name is Chi Yao..." Joe Di repeated what Zhao had told him to Ye Mo, even mentioning the matter of the Genesis Nest.
Ye Mo pondered for a long time before finally speaking, "Brother Di, your guess is probably right. But my Dao is still incomplete, so I must perfect it as soon as possible. Let’s meet again in Genesis City. I have another friend in the Five Elements Universe, his name is Nick Ning. Ning’s strength is no less than ours. When the three of us join forces, what can the Fourth Step do?"
Ye Mo had always thought Nick Ning had perished, but after arriving in the Five Elements Universe, he had a feeling that Ning was still safe. Since Ning was safe, it meant he had also reborn his Dao, and that Dao had surpassed the rules of the Five Elements Universe.
Alright.' Joe Di replied without hesitation. 'Let’s meet in the Five Elements Universe, and then go to the Genesis Nest to pull down that Cosmic Dao Vein. That Dao Vein is very important. Maybe that Fourth Step cultivator is counting on it to break through.