Though Joe Di was immersed in the smooth circulation of Dao Rhythms and the explosive surge of his Divine Essence, he knew he was already half a step into the Prime Realm Stage. If he continued like this, he was certain to become a true second-step Dao-proving powerhouse.
Just as Joe Di was frantically operating his Rule Cycle, drawing in chaotic energy and divine aura to solidify his own Dao Rhythms, an intense feeling of weakness suddenly swept over him. In that moment, Joe Di sensed his cultivation and strength plummeting rapidly, and even his vitality and lifespan began to swiftly dissipate.
Joe Di was shocked in his heart. Though he cultivated the Path of Laws and had never formally joined any sect, he still knew a thing or two. This sensation was somewhat like the Great Decline, but as far as he knew, the Great Decline was only rumored to exist—who had ever heard of suffering a Great Decline when stepping into the Prime Realm Stage?
Crack! Joe Di felt fractures begin to appear in his Stellar Meridian, and even his frantically expanding Spiritual Sea started to show cracks...
To Joe Di, it was as if a tender shoot that had just broken through the soil was now trembling in the midst of a raging storm, on the verge of being destroyed at any moment.
In his panic, just as Joe Di was at a loss for what to do, a new surge of vitality suddenly appeared, beginning to nourish his cracked Spiritual Sea and mend the fractured Stellar Meridian.
The tender shoot grew ever more resilient, thriving at an astonishing pace while desperately absorbing every bit of nourishment around it...
The fractured Stellar Meridian began to heal, and the cracked Spiritual Sea gradually recovered. Joe Di's cultivation surged once more, and his Dao Rhythms became smooth and complete again.
Boom! It was as if a clap of spring thunder struck the very core of Joe Di's spirit. Suddenly, Joe Di opened his eyes and rose to his feet.
A vast and mighty domain aura unfurled outward; in this moment, it seemed as if the entire void was under his control. Even knowing this feeling was an illusion, Joe Di could not help but be overwhelmed with excitement.
He had stepped into the Prime Realm—this was truly the second major stage. At last, in this stretch of void, he had carved out a place for himself. No longer would he have to watch Jaden Dai fleeing in all directions, nor would he need to hide in the vast Grand Ruins, afraid to emerge.
Jaden Dai had missed his best chance to kill Joe Di. From now on, only Joe Di would be the one hunting Jaden Dai down. What did it matter if he was one of the Ten Dao Prodigies?
What thrilled Joe Di even more was the discovery that his Ninth World had changed completely.
When his Ninth World first took shape, it bore traces of the Ninth Law, the aura of the Sacred Yin Pearl, and the imprint of his Dao perception.
But now, all those marks had vanished from the Ninth World. Mountains, rivers, lakes, and grasslands had grown clear and distinct. The sky itself was vivid, and the familiar rules of heaven and earth...
Were these not the rules of his own Prime Realm? When he stepped into the second stage, his world was molded entirely by his will, shaped by his Dao laws, and a new world of rules was born. Joe Di didn’t even need to think—he could guess that as his cultivation advanced, the laws of his Ninth World would continue to perfect themselves.
A streak of vibrant green appeared in Joe Di’s vision, and, overcome with excitement, he stepped into the Ninth World and bent down.
The World Tree he had planted had sprouted. The Genesis Cauldron and the small segment of World Tree branch had completely fused and vanished, replaced by a tender shoot about a foot long. The sprout radiated a rich aura of vitality and the energy of creation.
Suddenly, Joe Di understood—when he stepped into the Prime Realm and his Dao was on the verge of collapse, a new surge of vitality emerged. That surge saved him, letting him once again feel the vastness of the Dao, bringing him back from the brink of death. It was the World Tree Sprout, the force of life that rescued him.
"Thank you!" Joe Di bowed deeply, his gratitude to the World Tree coming from the bottom of his heart.
As if it had heard Joe Di’s thanks, the World Tree Sprout began to sway gently.
Joe Di calmed himself from his euphoria, recalling his earlier weakness. He had heard stories of the Great Decline, but that was supposed to be a legend—would stepping into the Prime Realm truly bring such a calamity?
Could it be that his foundation was lacking, causing this situation? But his Dao and rules had no such flaw. His foundation was built upon insights gained from the vast cosmos—what he comprehended was real; what he hadn’t, he could never force, no matter the resources.
If his foundation wasn’t lacking, why had that terrifying decline struck the instant he broke through to the Prime Realm, nearly destroying him?
Just as Joe Di pondered this, he sensed a trace of discordant energy in his Ninth World, settled in a distant corner.
After Joe Di entered the Prime Realm, his Ninth World had formed mountains and rivers, and its rules of heaven and earth had evolved. This world was now fully fused with his Dao. How could there be anything out of place?
Joe Di reached out, and that discordant energy floated into his palm.
Was this a will? In an instant, Joe Di understood—it was a powerful will, in fact, an obsession.
Joe Di’s spiritual sense touched that sliver of obsessed will, and he soon realized it was the lingering obsession of the Ninth Law. He hadn’t noticed before, not only because his cultivation was lower, but also because his Ninth World had not yet completed its true evolution.
But now, with his breakthrough to the second stage, the Ninth World had fully evolved according to the Dao, and he could clearly sense this different will within his world.
Joe Di’s anger flared—when the Ninth Law still had a consciousness, it had tried to harm him. The Sacred Yin Pearl had saved him, but was shattered and ultimately fused with his Dao laws, creating a new world—his Ninth World.
He had thought that the obsession of the Ninth Law had long since vanished, but it had remained in the Ninth World, reemerging as a new, hostile will at the moment of his breakthrough. It wanted to utterly destroy him.
Fortunately, he’d planted the World Tree. When he advanced to the second stage, the Ninth World evolved, the World Tree sprouted, and once again, it saved his life.
This wretched thing—Joe Di summoned his Dao Fire to his palm, determined to burn away that obsessed will.
But just as he was about to act, Joe Di hesitated.
This obsessed will clearly belonged to the Ninth Law. Its obsession wasn’t directed at Joe Di, but at the master of the universe. Because Joe Di had ignored the Ninth Law’s intentions and built his own Dao, the Ninth Law’s remnant will now sought to destroy him, then continue its vendetta against the universe’s master.
If that’s the case, why not keep this sliver of obsession and return it to the master of the universe someday?
With this thought, Joe Di wasted no time. He cast a series of seals, binding the obsessed will and locking it away in the farthest corner of the Ninth World. Perhaps one day, he would find a use for it.
...
When Joe Di emerged from the Ninth World, he saw Ding Chi’s face alight with excitement. Joe Di could tell at a glance—Ding Chi had succeeded in reaching the Transformation Realm.
"Brother Ding, congratulations on your success in the Transformation Realm." Joe Di clapped Ding Chi on the shoulder, offering his heartfelt praise.
Ding Chi, still overwhelmed with excitement, said, "Joe, if it weren’t for you, who knows how many years it would’ve taken me to reach the Transformation Realm? Even if I did, I could never have achieved what I have now."
No one understood better than Ding Chi—by following Joe Di, he had undergone the cleansing of chaotic energy during his breakthrough. Now, his Dao foundation was far deeper than ever before.
He didn’t need to ask Joe Di to know—Joe must have stepped into the second stage. That vast aura of heaven and earth, he had sensed it long ago.
"That’s right. Even Lightning has reached the third-tier Divine Beast Realm. We’re ready for the Void Market." Joe Di watched Lightning dash out in high spirits, feeling quite satisfied.
Lightning’s cultivation speed was beyond anything Tree Brother could match. Even Blackfire might not advance faster than Lightning. If Joe Di didn’t pick up the pace, Lightning could very well surpass him one day.
Three supreme Dao veins had been heavily depleted, but for Joe Di, even if they were exhausted, crossing into the second stage made it all worthwhile. He gathered the remaining veins, summoned his top-grade artifact ship, and once again sped toward the Void Market.