Joe Di was also somewhat baffled. He hadn’t even established a sect yet—he’d only spoken a name—and already there was a thunder tribulation? This was simply absurd.
"Brother Di, hurry and bring out your defensive artifact!" From afar, Jason Ren saw Joe Di still in a daze and shouted urgently.
He could already feel the intensity of these thunder arcs—just one strike would be enough to finish him. Now, nine thunder arcs were descending from the void. If he were the first to face them, he’d be reduced to ashes. Even with a defensive artifact, it would be the same result.
It was precisely because he knew how powerful these thunder arcs were that, seeing Joe Di stunned, he quickly reminded him to bring out an artifact.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The first three thunder arcs crashed straight into Joe Di, and at this moment, he still hadn’t brought out his defensive artifact. Even Quinn Su, who had been hoping for Joe Di to save Winterhold Valley, closed her eyes—under thunder arcs like these, even if Joe Di survived, he’d surely be crippled.
No one would dare try to stop thunder arcs like these; to do so would be no different from seeking death.
Crack! Crack! Joe Di could feel his bones splitting, but as soon as he activated his cultivation technique, the fractures instantly healed. His physical body had already surpassed the Saint Body—though the thunder arcs were terrifying, they couldn’t harm him in the slightest.
The cracking of his bones only made him more puzzled about what kind of thunder tribulation this was, and he wanted to know just how strong these thunder arcs really were.
After trying it out, it was nothing remarkable.
Without waiting for the remaining six thunder arcs to fall, Joe Di raised his fist and punched out. Even against thunder tribulation, Joe Di wasn’t the type to take a beating without fighting back.
Dao Rhyme surged forth, like a continuous wave of fists crashing into the void. The raging tide rolled on, one wave after another.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The endless fists collided with the six thunder tribulation arcs, filling the sky with exploding lightning. Dao Rhyme scattered, and cracks appeared throughout the void.
When the final thunder tribulation arc was shattered by Joe Di’s fist, the space around him was already thick with lightning.
Joe Di stopped. There were only these nine thunder arcs falling from the void—no more came. He merely shook himself, and not even a wrinkle remained on his clothes.
After the thunder arcs disappeared, the other cultivators standing on the Taiji Realm’s void plaza finally reacted. Such terrifying thunder arcs had actually been scattered by Joe Di’s fists—how powerful was he?
Soon everyone realized—the stronger Joe Di was, the better. Only with Joe Di’s strength did the Taiji Realm have a chance to be saved.
"Starblade Sect!" No one knew who called out first, but soon countless cultivators joined in, shouting the name excitedly.
Many cultivators already foresaw that as long as Joe Di could save the Taiji Realm, the Starblade Sect would surely become the realm’s symbolic sect.
From now on, the Taiji Realm would no longer be leaderless as before. After today, the realm would have the Starblade Sect, and it would no longer be a playground for powerful cultivators to come and go as they pleased. Likewise, it would no longer be a weak land to be refined at will.
When black mist appeared in the Taiji Realm, although no one could guess—like Lord Voidbreaker—that it was Lord Nightshade, many cultivators suspected someone was trying to refine the realm.
The Taiji Realm was a scattered mess, lacking even a cultivator army—anyone could come and push it around. If someone wanted to refine a realm, Taiji Realm was naturally the best choice.
Quinn Su had seen with her own eyes how Joe Di withstood three terrifying thunder arcs without the slightest effect, and then shattered six more with a single punch. Her heart was filled with fear.
She couldn’t understand what had gotten into Elder Jiu You, provoking such a powerhouse—clearly courting death. Fortunately, Joe Di didn’t seem to be the murderous type; otherwise, Winterhold Valley would never have lasted until today. The day Elder Jiu You was killed, he could have wiped out the valley entirely.
The more Quinn Su thought about it, the colder she felt inside. She was increasingly frightened by Elder Jiu You’s recklessness.
Jason Ren was the first to step forward, his tone now more respectful than ever. "Sect Master Di, your strength reaches the heavens. Only now, after all my years of cultivation, do I realize how narrow my vision has been. With Sect Master Di leading us, the future achievements of the Taiji Realm will surely rival those of Supreme Ease and Prime Essence."
Joe Di had a good impression of Jason Ren and nodded to him before speaking loudly, "Fellow Daoists, since I’ve chosen to establish the Starblade Sect here in the Taiji Realm, I absolutely won’t allow anyone to ruin it. Today, I’ll go investigate the black mist and do everything in my power to drive it away…"
Joe Di hadn’t even asked who would volunteer to join him, but countless cultivators raised their hands and shouted, "We’re willing to go with Sect Master Di to eliminate the black mist and defend the Taiji Realm!"
Hearing these cultivators, Joe Di was moved. Even if he saved the Taiji Realm or established a sect here in the future, the realm wouldn’t belong to him alone—it was the territory of all cultivators in the Taiji Realm.
With that thought, Joe Di declared, "Fellow sect masters, Daoists—the reason Taiji Realm is in such disarray today is because no one has stepped up to lead by example. Once this matter is settled, I plan to establish the Grand Court here in the Taiji Realm…"
Joe Di had originally thought that if anyone tried to stop him from founding the Grand Court, he’d deal with them immediately. He didn’t have time to waste here—once the Grand Court was established, there’d be a cultivator army. Even if he wasn’t in the Taiji Realm, nothing like today would ever happen again.
What Joe Di hadn’t expected was that after announcing the Grand Court, nearly everyone—Ascendants included, like Jason Ren and Quinn Su—stood up in joy, unanimously endorsing him and electing Joe Di as Grandmaster of the Taiji Grand Court.
The outcome was simpler than Joe Di had imagined. He understood that it wasn’t just because Taiji Realm was on the verge of collapse; cultivators here also needed a strong leader. Otherwise, anyone could come and claim dominance.
Even though Joe Di arrived after Luna Fairchild’s warning, she was a perfect example: not a native cultivator of Taiji Realm, yet she ruled here unchallenged. Even Jason Ren, the Moonspire Temple’s master, had to swallow his grievances. All because she came from Prime Essence World, one of its top ten sects.
Now that Joe Di had become Grandmaster of the Taiji Grand Court, the realm would never again be a place where anyone could come and go as they pleased.
Joe Di nodded and said, "There are countless details to handle regarding the Grand Court, and it can’t be completed in an instant. Hall Master Ren, Valley Master Su, I’ll need you to work hard for now—please register the sects and cultivators joining us to eliminate the black mist, as well as all the sects in the Taiji Realm. Once the black mist is gone, we’ll begin work on the Grand Court."
Jason Ren and Quinn Su responded excitedly. Usually, once the Grand Court is founded, there are ten Pillars. Since Joe Di had chosen them to help, they were sure to become one of the Pillars.
Joe Di was very satisfied and waved his hand, saying, "Now that the Grand Court is settled, our urgent task is to eliminate the black mist. Let a few stay behind to keep watch—the rest, follow me into the Taiji Realm."
At this moment, Joe Di truly commanded universal response—not a single person lagged behind; nearly all rushed eagerly to follow him into the Taiji Realm.
They weren’t cowards; the reason they’d fled the Taiji Realm was simply that no one strong enough could withstand the black mist. Now, with Joe Di leading, no one would fall behind. Of course, if Joe Di were just another paper tiger like those before him, the unity just established would quickly fall apart again.