The Elemental Beasts on the second level were clearly more intelligent than those on the first. After Joe Di slew several hundred of them, the rest scattered in a panic.
Is it really over? Serena Yu was still stunned. From the moment the Elemental Beasts surged forward, she hadn’t even considered fighting back. With so many Elemental Beasts, striking out would have meant certain death.
"Let’s go." Joe Di put away the Azure Veil Blade, feeling quite satisfied.
He was satisfied with the Azure Veil Blade itself. Even if someone offered him a supreme artifact in exchange, he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
"Senior Brother Joe, the strongest among the Dao Domain’s Ten Geniuses is nowhere near your level." Serena Yu let out a breath, her voice full of admiration.
No wonder Morgan Leaf isn’t interested in the Dao Domain’s Hidden Sage Discussion. It turns out that true geniuses don’t necessarily attend such gatherings. She herself was counted among the Ten Geniuses, but compared to Joe Di, she felt the gap was insurmountable. The Hidden Sage Discussion was nothing but a joke before Joe Di.
Joe Di smiled but didn’t answer Serena Yu. His goal was never just the current Ten Geniuses of the Dao Domain, but rather the strongest generation of Ten Geniuses in Dao Domain’s history. Jaden Dai and Xavier White were the true rivals he had set his sights on.
"Senior Brother Joe, the rules on the second layer of the Grand Ruins are chaotic, and everywhere are shattered rule vortices. Once you use your Prime Force, you quickly stir up fragments of the surrounding laws, making it impossible to remain here. The Elemental Beasts are unique products of these broken rules, which is why they thrive here. How were you able to mobilize your Prime Force and fight the Elemental Beasts in such a place?" Serena Yu knew she shouldn’t ask, but she couldn’t help her curiosity.
If she could do the same, her strength would rise by several realms.
Seeing that Serena Yu didn’t ask about how he’d managed to set up a defensive array without her noticing, Joe Di was relieved. He was still cooperating with Serena Yu, and if she had asked, it would have been awkward not to answer. Telling the truth, though, was out of the question.
Joe Di paused for a moment before replying, "The Dao is inherently natural. In my eyes, everything in the universe follows patterns that can be traced, and what forms these patterns are countless foundational laws. Though the rules within the Grand Ruins may be shattered and chaotic, it is still a realm governed by its own natural order. As long as you comprehend the broken laws of this space, and even grasp the foundational laws behind those fragments, everything becomes much simpler."
Of course, it sounds simple when said, but it's extremely difficult to accomplish. First, you must understand these fragmented foundational laws, then comprehend them one by one, and furthermore, you need sufficient strength. Although I can comprehend most foundational laws, my own strength is lacking. That's why I might reach the third layer of the Grand Ruins, but I may not be able to enter the fourth or fifth layer..."
"Senior Brother Di, even if a cultivator refines themselves to the utmost, there is still a limit to their lifespan. For most of us, these broken foundational laws are of little use. Rather than spending time comprehending these useless laws, why not focus on the laws needed for our own divine abilities? Or even improve our cultivation?" Xu Qianhen asked, puzzled.
Joe Di smiled, "Useless? Many cultivators who refine divine abilities know which foundational law their ability is derived from, then try every method to comprehend that particular law. But what they don't realize is that in the universe, all foundational laws are interconnected. Only after refining the divine ability do they begin to comprehend its law, which is a fundamental mistake. My Dao is to first understand the foundational laws of the universe, and then integrate them into my divine abilities."
For example, if you possess a divine ability related to spatial laws, you first need to understand the foundational law of space, then master a spatial law divine ability. Others might not only understand the foundational law of space, but also those of time or even the Five Elements. So even if your cultivation is stronger than theirs, your divine ability may not necessarily be superior. This is what I mean by the integration of divine ability laws..."
Xu Qianhen was stunned. Just as Joe Di said, when she refined a certain divine ability, she always knew which foundational laws it involved, and then tried to comprehend those needed for that ability.
"But the cosmos contains countless, even infinite, laws. How could one possibly comprehend so many? Wouldn't that leave no time for cultivation?" Xu Qianhen asked, perplexed.
Joe Di replied calmly, "That is why cultivation is a long journey. Even after exhausting a lifetime, it is impossible to comprehend all the foundational laws of the universe. But as long as we know that we are still in the process of comprehension, that is enough..."
Joe Di was speaking from a position of ease—he cultivated the Dao of Laws. Any foundational law he encountered in his surroundings, he could comprehend at any time.
But Xu Qianhen was different. What she cultivated was not the Dao of Laws. As she said, if she spent all her time comprehending foundational laws, would she even have time to cultivate?
Joe Di didn't care whether Xu Qianhen had the time to learn his way or not. He was simply sharing his own cultivation insights; whether Xu Qianhen could follow or not had nothing to do with him.
Xu Qianhen listened to Joe Di's discourse as if entranced, feeling as though he had opened a new door for her, allowing her to glimpse a fresh direction on the Dao.
To thank Xu Qianhen for bringing him to the Grand Ruins, and even preparing to take him to the Dao Fruit Garden, Joe Di did not hold back. Aside from the Dao of Laws, anything else he comprehended, he would share without reservation.
The Grand Ruins was fraught with danger, and before they knew it, the two of them had already reached the third layer of the Grand Ruins.
Much of what Joe Di spoke about, Xu Qianhen could not achieve. However, since Joe Di cultivated the Dao of Laws—a path he had pioneered himself—even within a few short months, Xu Qianhen had benefited greatly.
"So fast?" Xu Qianhen remarked, gazing at the gray steps leading to the third layer, unconsciously expressing her surprise.
Joe Di also stopped his discourse. With his current strength, traversing the second layer of the Grand Ruins—even with Xu Qianhen in tow—posed no threat at all. But in the third layer, he would no longer dare to wander so freely.
This chapter is not yet finished~.~ Please click 'Next Page' to continue reading the exciting content ahead!
It was also Joe Di's first time entering the third layer.
"Senior Brother Di, thank you for helping me understand the Dao. The third layer of the Grand Ruins is many times more dangerous than the second. I heard there are law traps here..." Although Xu Qianhen longed to hear more of Joe Di's discourse, she was keenly aware of the perils of the third layer.
Even if Xu Qianhen said nothing, Joe Di wasn't planning to continue explaining his Dao insights to her. He felt that, having received the Dao Fruit she provided, his own contributions were sufficient.
Joe Di carefully ascended the steps toward the third layer, with Xu Qianhen even more cautiously following behind him. The third layer of the Grand Ruins was far too perilous; Joe Di might not be able to protect her. If danger struck, she would have to rely on herself.
Bang! A burst of blood erupted as Joe Di had just stepped into the third layer—a savage rule distortion swept over, and despite his constant vigilance, he was still torn open by a deep gash.
Joe Di immediately led Xu Qianhen to dodge aside, preventing her from being ripped in half by the distorted laws.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Di. You've saved my life again." After Joe Di released her, Xu Qianhen was still drenched in cold sweat.
She truly found the right person in seeking out Joe Di. Originally, she had planned to come with Bai Changyi, but now she realized—even if Bai Changyi could reach the third layer, he wouldn't be able to look after her. As for her previous advice to be careful in the third layer, in the face of such danger, caution alone was useless; this was a matter of insufficient strength.
What astonished her even more was that Joe Di had just used some mysterious divine ability to move them away—she had no idea what it was. In this place where the world's laws were broken and chaotic, he could still move freely. This touched on Joe Di's mastery of divine abilities, and she really couldn't bring herself to ask further.
Joe Di waved his hand, "Since we're a team, of course we help each other..."
Before he finished speaking, Joe Di once again led Xu Qianhen to sidestep several zhang away—the spot where they'd just been standing had vanished without a trace.
Xu Qianhen stared in shock at the spot that had just disappeared, losing all interest in conversation. That collapse was definitely a trap formed by broken laws—if not for Joe Di's warning, she might have been swept away by the distorted laws.
There were only two possible outcomes for being swept away by a law trap: either being shredded to pieces by the laws, or falling into an unknown spatial domain. These law traps were the hardest to detect. Joe Di could sense them before stepping into one, which showed his understanding of the world's laws far surpassed hers.
Joe Di, however, felt a surge of excitement. Cultivating in the third layer was definitely better than the second. After entering the Dao Path, he had made no further progress; the same was true for his body refinement—after achieving the Immortal Divine Body, he had reached a plateau. Once he found the Dao Fruit Garden and obtained the Dao Fruit, he would send Xu Qianhen back to the second layer and continue cultivating in the third layer himself.
After entering the third layer, that skeletal guidance became increasingly clear.
No matter how cautious Joe Di was, after traveling for two months in the third layer, he was still covered in wounds. Once, he nearly had his shoulder torn off by the distorted laws. In contrast, under his protection, Xu Qianhen suffered only minor injuries, leaving her deeply grateful.
If not for Joe Di's guidance, she wouldn't just have minor injuries—her bones might have been reduced to dust. In her mind, relying on her own strength to traverse the third layer would be impossible without reaching Dao Origin. This Senior Brother Di was truly extraordinary; it was a pity he had caught Jiang Yan's attention, otherwise...
"We've arrived. The Dao Fruit Garden should be here." Joe Di interrupted Xu Qianhen's scattered thoughts.
"But there's nothing here?" Xu Qianhen looked at the gray, misty sands before them and asked subconsciously.
Joe Di chuckled, "If anyone could see it, the Dao Fruit Garden wouldn't have waited for us to claim it."
He cultivated the Dao of Laws, and had long sensed the fluctuations of a natural formation here. It was clear that this place was sealed by a natural protective array.
(This may be the only chapter for today.)