Joe Di's gaze fell on the restriction outside. It was a red-haired brute, whose cultivation was at the Dao Nurturing mid-stage.
A Dao Nurturing cultivator was nothing for Joe Di to worry about. He directly opened the restriction.
The red-haired brute showed no courtesy and strode straight into Joe Di's room, clasping his fists. "Alchemist Joe, I've long wanted to be friends with you. To meet you here at Grandridge today is truly a stroke of luck."
Joe Di returned the gesture with a faint clasp of his own, but he was clearly displeased with the man's conduct. After lifting the restriction, basic courtesy dictated waiting for an invitation before entering. Yet this fellow had no manners whatsoever, and even spoke with a patronizing tone.
Joe Di had experienced all sorts of things and didn't believe this man's attitude was mere familiarity.
Seeing Joe Di return the gesture but remain silent, the red-haired brute smiled again and said, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Felix Ironridge, from Firehorn Ridge. I'm also an alchemist."
When Felix Ironridge mentioned he was also an alchemist, Joe Di recalled that he had seen this man before. Yes, during the Pill Refinement Tournament, Felix had participated as well. But Joe Di hadn't seen him among the top twenty. If he hadn't made it to the top twenty, how did he get a spot at Grandridge?
Sensing Joe Di's doubts, Felix Ironridge took the initiative to explain, "Alchemist Joe, I'm not here to enter Grandridge. I've come to make your acquaintance. Could you please put up a restriction? There are a few important matters I'd like to share with you."
Joe Di casually set up a restriction and pointed to the seat beside him. "In that case, Felix, please sit and speak."
Felix Ironridge sat down without hesitation, then smiled slightly. "Joe, in fact, during the Pill Refinement Tournament, we weren't that far apart..."
He truly admired Joe Di. Here he was, a mid-stage Dao Nurturing cultivator, and Joe Di still dared to set up a restriction and invite him to sit and talk. Even though Felix would have set up a restriction himself if Joe Di hadn’t, he respected Joe Di’s boldness. No wonder he dared to pull tricks during the Pill Refinement Tournament.
Joe Di’s heart sank when he heard this.
Felix Ironridge glanced at Joe Di nonchalantly before continuing, “My alchemy skills are only average, so after refining God Origin Pills for a few days, I have to rest. When I rest, I tend to let my spiritual sense wander, and by chance, I discovered that my spiritual sense couldn’t penetrate the area around you, Alchemist Joe…”
Joe Di’s expression remained calm, but impatience flickered in his eyes. Felix seemed oblivious and continued, “Normally, no protective array is allowed during the tournament, and even if there was, there shouldn’t be any array flags. I’m the type who likes to get to the bottom of things, and since I had a Spy Seal talisman, I used it. I found you meditating, but the divine spirit vortex above your pill furnace never diminished…”
Felix paused here, smiling as he looked at Joe Di.
Joe Di said coolly, "If you have something to say, just say it. Otherwise, I’ll go into seclusion."
Though he said this, Joe Di knew his arraycraft skills were still lacking. If his mastery were higher, no matter what talisman Felix used, even during meditation, he’d have detected it immediately.
Seeing that Joe Di seemed completely unfazed by his threat, Felix Ironridge spoke bluntly, “Alchemist Joe, what I mean is you used an array disk to refine God Origin Pills. If this gets out, I’m afraid…”
Joe Di wasn’t the least bit startled—he’d be entering Grandridge in a few days anyway. If he’d been exposed at the Pill River Competition, he might have worried, but now? He had nothing to fear. He was no longer an alchemist or disciple of the Origin Dao Sect, so what did he have to be afraid of?
“Alchemist Joe, let me be frank. I can pretend this never happened, as long as you give me ten thousand God Origin Pills, let me use your Grandridge Insight Token to enter Grandridge, and lend me your pill furnace for a while.” Felix clearly knew the value of Joe Di’s pill furnace—he was no fool when it came to alchemy.
"Are you done?" Joe Di stood up. "If you are, then get lost. Your grandpa's about to go into seclusion."
"How dare you!" Felix Ironridge hadn't expected Joe Di to ignore his threats. He suddenly stood up, unleashing a crushing aura that swept toward Joe Di.
Felix had come prepared for two outcomes: if Joe Di yielded to his threat, so be it; if Joe Di refused, he wouldn’t hesitate to use force.
In his mind, as soon as he made a move, Joe Di would give in. After all, Felix was mid-stage Dao Nurturing, while Joe Di was at most a Dao Forging cultivator. The gap between Dao Forging and Dao Nurturing was an unbridgeable chasm.
But to his surprise, just as he extended his domain, Joe Di’s Azure Veil Blade cleaved toward him.
The first time Joe Di fought Xun Qi, he’d been wary of Dao Nurturing cultivators’ strength. But after killing Xun Qi without a scratch, he realized he’d overestimated them.
Crack! Felix Ironridge’s domain was torn apart by Joe Di’s Azure Veil Blade in an instant. Felix’s face changed dramatically—he hadn’t even had time to summon his magical relic before Joe Di’s massive foot came crashing down.
Joe Di’s domain, combined with the Deathtrap Array in the room, left Felix nowhere to hide. As soon as he tried to summon his magical relic, Joe Di’s kick landed squarely on his dantian.
This was a spatial law technique…
Felix Ironridge’s mind and body were sent flying, smashing through the Wayfarer's Inn’s defensive ward and crashing into the main hall downstairs.
"Who dares to fight in Fortune Resthaven?" a furious voice roared, as a gray-robed steward landed at the doorway of Joe Di’s room.
Joe Di cupped his fists and said, "This man relied on his Dao Nurturing cultivation to try and rob my ring in my room. I used the defensive ward to throw him out."
(This chapter is not finished. Please click the next page to continue reading!)
Felix Ironridge spat another mouthful of blood; his dantian began to shatter. He was certain he’d misjudged Joe Di’s cultivation—Joe Di was at least late-stage Dao Nurturing. If he’d known, he never would have come here.
Now that he’d been injured in Joe Di’s room, no matter what excuse he had, he was clearly in the wrong.
"Joe Di, my Firehorn Ridge Sect is based beneath Voidmount. The Voidmount Master has returned. If you dare attack me, the Master won’t spare you…" Felix Ironridge grabbed a few healing pills and staggered out.
The steward had intended to apprehend Felix, but at the mention of Voidmount, he instinctively stopped, watching Felix leave Resthaven without interference.
A cultivator who enters a guest’s room in Resthaven to steal can be executed on the spot. But the words 'Voidmount' made even the steward hesitate; he knew Felix had mentioned it intentionally to deter action.
The gray-robed steward cast a cold glance at Joe Di, then swiftly left. He couldn’t do anything to Joe Di—if he did, this Resthaven would never survive.
Joe Di’s heart sank. Fearing ghosts brings ghosts. He hadn’t cared about Felix Ironridge’s words, but the name Voidmount truly weighed on him.
It was certain: if Xavier White from Voidmount learned Joe Di was here, he’d come after him immediately—he wouldn’t even bother with healing or seclusion. Luckily, Felix Ironridge didn’t know Xavier White’s true target was Joe Di. If he did, Joe Di would be doomed.
After restoring the defensive ward, Joe Di returned to his room, no longer in the mood to cultivate or refine pills. His mind was racing with what to do next.
After Felix Ironridge’s incident, it was certain Xavier White had learned he’d arrived in the Dao Domain. Now, should he still enter Grandridge?
If Xavier White blocked his way at Grandridge, he really would be finished.
Joe Di quickly decided—he had to go to Grandridge. If he didn’t work hard to improve his cultivation, he’d only be running forever. Last time, he’d made a snap decision to go to the Grand Ruins, which led to his Dao Forging breakthrough. This time, he was determined to reach Dao Nurturing.
Only by reaching Dao Nurturing would he have a chance to escape from a Second Step Dao Prover.
(That’s all for today’s update—good night, friends!)