Just as Joe Di felt the jade disc's struggle was almost completely restrained by him, the jade disc suddenly surged with power, shattering vast swathes of cosmic laws and seeming ready to break free from Joe Di's world of confinement.
Joe Di spat out a mouthful of essence blood, his hands sweeping up endless Dao Rhythms, forcibly dragging the jade disc into his own universe.
Letting out a breath, Joe Di stepped over to stand beside Jaxon Di and Hannah Bei. At this moment, both Jaxon Di and Hannah Bei were anxiously watching Charles Bei.
A trace of despair had already appeared in Charles Bei's eyes. The Dao Law he had once stripped away was now growing stronger again, threatening to forcibly merge into his Dao Rhythm and soul. If this Dao Rhythm fused with him once more, he would never have a second chance.
In truth, Charles Bei understood well that he now had no chance left. The best opportunity was lost, and he failed to completely sever that Dao Law when he had it. Now, the law's power was growing stronger and stronger—clearly, Chi Yao had broken free from other matters.
Charles Bei slowly raised his palm, preparing to shatter his own soul the moment that Dao Law fused with him a second time. Since there was no chance for reincarnation, he would rather let his soul be destroyed than become Chi Yao's avatar again, living in confusion and servitude.
Joe Di had fought against two of Chi Yao's avatars before, and by luck, had even destroyed both. Now, seeing Charles Bei's condition, he immediately understood—this must be Chi Yao's third avatar.
The Dao Law swirling around Charles Bei was clearly Chi Yao's. Evidently, Charles Bei had tried to strip away Chi Yao's avatar Dao Law while Joe Di destroyed the other two avatars, but unfortunately, Charles Bei was about to fail.
But since he was here, Joe Di would not allow Charles Bei to be transformed into Chi Yao's avatar again, no matter what. If Charles Bei became an avatar once more, the next moment Chi Yao himself might appear before him.
From the previous situation with the jade disc, Joe Di surmised that Chi Yao must have broken free from something. If any of Chi Yao's avatars remained here, Chi Yao would surely use them to traverse time and space and appear before him.
Without hesitation, Joe Di swept up layers of Dao Resonance Laws, stacking them to bind the avatar Dao Law of Chi Yao swirling around Charles Bei.
Relief washed over Charles Bei, and the chilling feeling of being watched vanished instantly, along with his discomfort. When he saw that it was Joe Di who had wrapped up the avatar Dao Law for him, he was overjoyed and immediately began burning away the fragmented laws that did not belong to him, purifying his soul.
The avatar Dao Law of Chi Yao, bound by Joe Di, struggled ever more fiercely. Joe Di raised his fist and struck down. He couldn't defeat Chi Yao, but surely he could subdue one of Chi Yao's Dao Laws.
With a single punch, the avatar Dao Law scattered instantly. Before it could regroup, Joe Di sent forth waves of Dao Resonance, locking the Dao Law in place, then set a barrier seal and tossed it into his own universe.
"Jaxon Di greets Senior." Jaxon Di always felt a deep connection to Joe Di, though he didn't quite understand why. He was stunned by Joe Di's formidable skill. He knew well Charles Bei's strength—someone who could easily pin him in the void. Yet the Dao Law that even Charles Bei couldn't control was dealt with by Joe Di as if it were child's play.
Hannah Bei was also astonished by Joe Di's power and quickly bowed, "Hannah Bei greets Senior. Thank you for your help."
After speaking, Hannah Bei continued to nervously watch Charles Bei. Charles Bei was the pride of the Bei Family, the symbol of every member's hard work. Now, with their ancestor Charles Bei standing before her, how could she not be excited? She was deeply grateful to Joe Di for saving Charles Bei.
At this moment, Charles Bei had mostly stabilized his soul and quickly bowed to Joe Di, "Charles Bei greets Fellow Daoist. Thank you for your rescue."
For Joe Di to be able to lock Chi Yao's Dao Law was truly extraordinary. Not to mention now—even at his peak, Charles Bei couldn't manipulate Chi Yao's Dao Law. Joe Di had not only completely stripped the avatar Dao Law from around him, but also locked it away and sealed it in his own world. This was far beyond what any ordinary cultivator could do.
"Helping you is helping myself, Fellow Daoist. No need to be so polite." Joe Di cupped his fists as he spoke, then turned his gaze to Jaxon Di.
He sensed the presence of his own kin nearby and paused—only to discover it was his son, Jaxon Di.
Even Joe Di himself hadn't expected Jaxon Di's cultivation to advance so rapidly. No wonder he hadn't found him back then; by the time he searched, Jaxon Di had likely already stepped into the Immortal Realm, or even the Divine Realm.
"Senior..." Jaxon Di vaguely guessed Joe Di's identity, but he still couldn't quite believe it—Joe Di was simply too powerful.
Joe Di sighed and stepped forward, subconsciously raising his hand to touch Jaxon Di's head. But just as his hand was about to brush Jaxon Di's hair, he paused, speaking with sorrow, "My name is Joe Di..."
"Father..." Jaxon Di's guess was confirmed by Joe Di, and he was instantly overwhelmed with emotion, falling to his knees.
A thousand emotions surged in his heart. He had come searching for his mother, but before he could see her, he had unexpectedly met his father. He must tell his father what his mother had said...
A fleeting image of the long-lost Cassie Cao flashed before Joe Di's eyes, filling his heart with sorrow. He pulled Jaxon Di up, patting him on the back—now nearly as tall as himself—and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, I never cared for you even a single day..."
Jaxon Di, however, urgently said, "Father, Mother likely hasn't entered the Soul Gate yet—she's trapped by the Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe, just before the Soul Gate..."
Jaxon Di's words exploded like thunder in Joe Di's mind. He froze, and the words Cassie Cao once left behind grew ever clearer...
"Foolish child, I'm not sick—I'm bound by Heaven's Will... Unless you surpass the Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe, we're both powerless..."
"Heaven's Will will not allow me to live... If I am able to reincarnate in the future and you find me, here lies my memory of reincarnation..."
Joe Di numbly gripped a jade pendant hanging from his neck. He had been foolishly waiting for Cassie Cao's reincarnation, never realizing she might be trapped before the Soul Gate by the Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe. Nor did he consider that Cassie Cao had been schemed against by the Heaven's Will—a Heaven's Will that was, in fact, a cultivator.
"I'm sorry..." Joe Di murmured, his heart wracked with regret.
That's right—the Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe. Joe Di's gaze immediately fell upon the vast, blood-tinged river, his eyes gathering killing intent. No matter who incarnated as the Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe, or who borrowed its power to forge their Grand Dao, he would not let them go.
"Daoist Di, earlier I was refined by Chi Yao's Grand Way Principle, turned into Chi Yao's avatar, and made to control the Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe..." Charles Bei sighed, not even in the mood to speak with Hannah Bei. He had witnessed Joe Di's power personally, and yet such a powerful cultivator's Dao companion had been schemed against.
Though he knew it wasn't truly his fault, it was, after all, something he had done.
"So you were the Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe, controlled by Chi Yao?" Joe Di understood and asked calmly. He also knew Charles Bei wasn't to blame—Charles Bei, in fact, was another victim.
The Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe? Jaxon Di's hands trembled at those words. So the Heaven's Will was truly a cultivator—if that was the case, could his mother also be here?
Charles Bei nodded. "Yes. At first, the Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe was merely a Dao Law. Before it could fully merge with the Five Elements Universe, Chi Yao forcibly stripped it away and transformed it into his own Grand Way Principle. The Dao Law you just took contains part of the Heaven's Will Dao Law. I was just a puppet for Chi Yao to create avatars—his means to fully control the Heaven's Will of the Five Elements Universe. In truth, if you hadn't helped me, I would have chosen reincarnation by now."
Without Joe Di's help, Charles Bei could at best have broken free from the control of Chi Yao's Grand Way Principle and gone to reincarnate. Compared to now, standing here free from all bindings, he would never have managed it.
Joe Di waved his hand, uninterested in Charles Bei's past. Instead, his gaze fixed on the vast, surging, blood-stained river.
Seeing Joe Di's gaze fall upon the river, Charles Bei sighed, "This is the River of Divine Rebirth in the Five Elements Universe. Only, the Reincarnation Bridge has vanished. Now, every cultivator in the Five Elements Universe can only enter the lesser cycle of reincarnation, and that lesser cycle was something I could once control and interfere with..."
Charles Bei had already guessed some things—Joe Di's Dao companion must have refused to be controlled by the former Heaven's Will, which was why she had never reincarnated.
(That's all for today's update. Good night, friends!)