In Zach You's plan, he could retrieve the River Mountain Vessel in time and then use it to tear open space and escape.
But for the first time, Zach You failed to retrieve the River Mountain Vessel. His heart sank, and before he could burn his blood essence to forcibly reclaim it, a thunderous explosion rang out.
The River Mountain Vessel collided with Joe Di's Voidmount, sending waves of Dao resonance rippling through space. In the next instant, the entire Grand Reception Hall was shredded into fragments by the impact.
Countless cultivators in the Grand Reception Hall retreated in a frenzy, rushing outside.
As the aura of death swept over, Zach You no longer cared for the River Mountain Vessel and directly burned his lifespan to escape.
"Pfft!" A mist of blood exploded as the Azure Veil Blade shattered both of Zach You's legs, but he seized the chance to break out.
Bang! An invisible barrier slammed into Zach You, knocking him out of the void and leaving his face pale and eyes lifeless.
"You can set up a trapping array without a sound..." A trace of despair flashed through Zach You's mind. He knew that if Joe Di refused to let him go today, he would never escape.
Joe Di finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried this fellow would have another trick and suddenly escape. Fortunately, he had prepared the Slaughter Trapping Divine Array in advance, blocking Zach You's escape.
Now the Grand Reception Hall of Immeasura Palace had been destroyed. Many cultivators who disliked trouble quietly left, but more chose to stay.
Many sensed that the Dao Domain's order was about to undergo a great upheaval. The Three Hidden Sects, which had always stood above all, might be completely dismantled today.
Fubu Wen, who was also preparing to flee, froze at Zach Young's words, his face turning just as pale.
Joe Di had unknowingly set up a trapping array—even Zach Young couldn't escape, so Fubu Wen doubted he could. When it came to running away, he was no match for Zach.
After putting away the Voidmount, Joe Di drew out several array flags, swept up Zach Young's River Mountain Vessel, and brought it directly into his Ninth World.
Zach Young was stunned. The River Mountain Vessel was an Innate Treasure—without refining it, no one could take it away. Even if you managed to reclaim it, there was nowhere to store it.
But Joe Di only used a few array flags to collect the River Mountain Vessel. Clearly, he possessed a treasure even stronger than the Vessel, and it definitely wasn't the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram.
Zach Young understood this, and so did everyone else. But knowing was one thing—coveting Joe Di's treasures now was courting death.
"Tell me, where is my friend Owen Zhong?" Joe Di stepped toward Zach Young. He hadn't killed Zach yet because he wanted to know Owen's whereabouts.
Zach Young gave a bitter smile. "To think I was once a dominant force in the Dao Domain, and not long ago, I even stepped into the Realm of Integration—yet I couldn't withstand a single move from you...
Before he finished speaking, Zach Young had already dissolved into endless Dao resonance, scattering into the void.
Joe Di stopped in his tracks. There was nothing he could do—Zach Young had chosen to destroy both his body and primordial spirit. In the end, Joe still didn't know where Owen Zhong had gone.
"Daoist Joe, I, Fubu Wen, admit I am far inferior to you. Please, spare me just this once, and I will repay you handsomely." Fubu Wen had seen Joe Di defeat Zach Young in one move, leading to Zach's self-destruction. He remembered how he, too, had failed to withstand a single strike from Joe, and his heart was chilled. At this moment, pride was irrelevant—his fate depended on whether Joe would let him live.
So long as Joe Di spared him, Fubu Wen would gladly humble himself. If he survived today, he would leave the Dao Domain and seek his ancestor, the Immeasura Palace Lord. Once he reached the Third Step, he would return to settle the score.
Joe Di gave Fubu Wen a cold glance. This man had reached the Realm of Integration in the Dao Domain without the River Mountain Vessel, marking him as exceptionally gifted. But Lan Ru had saved Joe before and was a decent person. Since Fubu Wen had tried to kill Lan Ru, Joe would not let him off so easily.
"Big Brother Joe..." Jane Mann called out timidly, her face full of fear.
Her eyes, once pierced by the Nirvana Mirror, had recovered, but they no longer held any spirit—they were now no different from ordinary eyes. Clearly, this was only a superficial recovery. To truly restore them, she would need a supreme treasure, which was virtually impossible.
Joe Di knew that with just a drop of Cosmic Essence, Jane Mann's eyes could be fully restored, even more perfect than before her injury.
Joe Di glanced at Jane and said quietly, "Aspiring upward is not wrong in itself. But if a person only knows to climb higher and forgets gratitude and loyalty, then no matter how high they stand, they're nothing but a walking corpse. Even at the pinnacle, they'll never truly see the view from above."
Jane Mann's heart trembled. She lowered her head, not because she understood Joe's words, but out of fear that Lan Ru might kill her.
Lan Ru immediately realized from Joe Di's words that Jane had lied to her. Jane had claimed she merely came from the same realm as Joe and had met him once before. Clearly, that wasn't the case.
"Brother Joe, thank you for saving me." Lan Ru knew Joe Di's strength far surpassed her own, and even her father's, so she no longer dared to address him casually.
Joe Di waved his hand, "It was nothing, really. If it hadn't been for your generosity back then, Lan Ru, I wouldn't be here today."
It was true—Lan Ru had been magnanimous. If it had been anyone else, they would never have wasted time ferrying mortals to a populated planet. Most cultivators would have simply killed them. But Lan Ru had gone out of her way to send those who were undergoing trials on Fairy Star to a world where people lived. For that alone, Joe Di was deeply grateful.
"Haha, Brother Joe, I knew it would turn out this way." The eccentric man laughed heartily and strode over again.
In the distance, Wu Qianxiong's face turned equally pale. He was familiar with Joe Di and had even worked with him, but out of fear of Fubu Wen, he hadn't dared approach Joe. Now he realized that Fubu Wen, a Dao Fusion cultivator, was nothing but an ant before Joe Di.
Now, as the eccentric man approached to speak with Joe Di, Wu Qianxiong, thick-skinned as he was, couldn't interrupt. Only now did he understand that behind the eccentric man's arrogance lay true ability. He suddenly wondered if the man's decision to let Wu become alliance leader had been part of a plan all along.
Joe Di said to the eccentric man, "Brother Kuang, I only hoped you'd help me out once, but you turned out to be so forthright. I'm honored to call you my friend. You seemed to have something to say to me before, but now that the pests are silent, go ahead."
Earlier, the eccentric man had wanted to speak to Joe Di, but with Fubu Wen buzzing around like a fly, he'd held back.
The eccentric man was thrilled to be accepted as Joe Di's friend. "Brother Joe, it's my honor to have a friend like you. What I wanted to say is, after you left years ago, I kept an eye on the wormhole. A century ago, a woman came through, asking about you. I hurried to the Worm Domain, brought her out, and gave her some cultivation resources."
At the time, I didn't know where you'd gone, and she wouldn't say what her relationship to you was. I could only leave her a communication bead, telling her to contact me if she needed help, or if I learned anything about you, I'd inform her right away."
Joe Di was moved and immediately asked, "Oh? What is her name?"
"Nora Xiuqi," the eccentric man replied quickly.
In the distance, Fubu Wen's heart clenched at the mention of Nora Xiuqi. He quickly lowered his head, suddenly terrified and desperate to escape. No wonder Nora Xiuqi was so extraordinary—she was connected to the even more formidable Joe Di. This time, he had truly kicked an iron plate. At that moment, his mind raced, searching for a way to survive.