As soon as Joe Di arrived at the foot of Mountainview, he breathed a sigh of relief. From a distance, he saw Zane Du—though his aura was chaotic, at least he was unharmed.
Zane Du's legs from the knees down were completely buried in the earth, likely sealed by some kind of restriction, leaving him unable to move.
"Joe Di, you've come." Seeing Joe Di approach, Zane Du showed a hint of joy.
Joe Di walked up to Zane Du, raising his hand to break the restriction while saying, "I never expected Zefron Ye to be so devious. He clearly isn't your match, yet he still managed to trap you..."
"Wait..." Zane Du stopped Joe Di as he was about to act, sighing, "If you don't intervene, I'll suffer but can drag out my existence for tens of thousands of years. If you do, the Mountainview Dao Resonance will tear me to pieces instantly."
Joe Di was startled. Not only did his divine sense lock onto the area for a careful inspection, he also opened his Dao Eye to examine the situation. Soon, his expression turned grim—Zane Du's entire body was bound and pierced by a kind of Dao Resonance. If left untouched, in several thousand or even tens of thousands of years, he would be drawn deep into Mountainview. Every moment, the Mountainview Dao Resonance was dragging him downward.
Only now did Joe Di understand why Zane Du's legs below the knees were buried in the soil.
Even though he had comprehended his own Grand Way and cultivated the Rule Dao, Joe Di still could not rescue Zane Du.
"Where is Zefron Ye?" Joe Di was eager to find Zefron Ye and teach him a lesson.
Zane Du shook his head. "Even if you find him now, it won't help. You're still no match for him. His cunning is the greatest I've ever seen. Though he's stronger than me, he still waited patiently to deliver a fatal blow."
Joe Di did not refute him, as he believed Zane Du's words were true. When the gap in strength is too great, what use is luck?
Zane Du continued, "But your Grand Way is no longer inferior to Dominic Du's. Once you step into the Third Step, you may stand on equal footing with him."
Joe Di nodded. Even if Zane Du hadn't said it, he would never think his Grand Way was any less than Dominic Du's.
Dominic Du has comprehended eight Prime Laws, while I have grasped the Ninth Prime Law and even the Vanished One.
Seeing Joe Di nod, Zane Du sighed inwardly. He knew that even if Joe Di understood the Vanished One and the Ninth Prime Law, and even if he entered the Third Step, facing Dominic Du would still mean death.
But these words could never be spoken to Joe Di. Whether or not it would discourage him, Zane Du simply could not say them aloud.
"I've already seen the traces within your Grand Way. These marks are tied to your temperament. If you do not repair them, you will never have the chance to reach the Third Step." Zane Du did not elaborate further; whether Joe Di could reach the Third Step or not, facing Dominic Du would still mean death.
Joe Di looked at Zane Du and said, "Please guide me further."
Zane Du nodded. "It seems you have a great debt weighing on your heart, leaving a mark within. So, if you wish to reach the Third Step, you must first resolve this debt."
Joe Di listened intently to Zane Du's words, knowing that what followed would be crucial for his future path.
Though he knew that even if Joe Di reached the Third Step, Dominic Du would still kill him, Zane Du felt that, as Joe Di's friend, he should share everything he knew.
"Beyond the Five Elements Universe lies another cosmic domain. In that realm, cultivators pursue the Divine Path, which is similar to ours, yet different in subtle ways. Later, something happened and that universe collapsed, forcing many powerful beings to flee. Among them was a man named Sage Bodhi, who possessed an innate artifact called the Reminiscent Bodhi Seed..."
As Zane Du spoke, Joe Di was struck by a sense of surprise. Sage Bodhi—why did that name seem so familiar? Wasn't it a figure from Huaxia myth and legend?
Zane Du gave a self-deprecating smile. "I only learned these things later. When I fell, that universe was still intact. As for how to reach it, I'm not sure. Rumor has it that the Five Elements Universe contains a land of extreme cold, though I don't know its exact location. It's called the Five Elements Glacier Gorge..."
Five Elements Glacier Gorge? Joe Di's heart stirred—he knew of it. Back then, Dao Lord Bingfeng had gifted him a jade slip for survival, and that was the Five Elements Glacier Gorge.
"If you find the Five Elements Glacier Gorge and use this talisman, you may have a chance to open a spatial rift to that universe. But since it collapsed, I don't know if Sage Bodhi still survives. If he does, you must approach with humility and beg for a Reminiscent Bodhi Seed. I've never met Sage Bodhi, but his strength should not be less than mine at my peak." As he spoke, a talisman drifted down before Joe Di.
Joe Di accepted the talisman, and Zane Du continued, "If you find the Reminiscent Bodhi Seed, you can use it to repair your Dao Heart and step into the Third Step. But when you use the Reminiscent Bodhi Seed to mend your Dao Heart, you must remember one thing..."
Zane Du looked at Joe Di and spoke each word with solemn gravity. "You must remember—never retain any memories. When you use the Reminiscent Bodhi Seed to revisit your past, you absolutely must sever all memories..."
Joe Di was deeply moved by Zane Du's warning, sensing the weight of destiny and the peril that lay ahead.
He solemnly nodded, etching Zane Du's words into his heart.
With the matter settled, Zane Du's figure began to fade, his spirit returning to the void.
Joe Di stood alone, the talisman in hand, his mind filled with thoughts of the Five Elements Glacier Gorge and the Reminiscent Bodhi Seed.
He knew that the journey ahead would be fraught with danger, but the path to the Third Step and the repair of his Dao Heart depended on it.
With determination burning in his eyes, Joe Di turned and strode toward his destiny.
The world seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the outcome of his quest.
Only the faint echo of Zane Du's warning lingered in the air: "Never retain any memories."
Joe Di pressed the talisman to his chest, steeling himself for what was to come.
And so, with unwavering resolve, he set forth on the next chapter of his journey.