When Joe Di and the others followed Nate Shee to Radiant Lake, they couldn’t help but admire Nate Shee’s ingenuity. Floating above the lake encircling Radiant Lake Palace was a winding floral corridor, and all kinds of Immortal Spirit Fruits drifted on the water or hovered in the air above the lake.
Everyone sat above Radiant Lake, able to reach out and take any Immortal Spirit Fruit they desired. The lake flowed beneath their feet—when it came to creativity, Nate Shee truly had a knack for it.
Beneath everyone was a garden suspended over Radiant Lake, with a maid attending to each seat. The seats shifted at any moment, yet followed a certain order—no matter how they moved, everyone could see each other clearly.
Joe Di glanced around—there were nearly thirty guests present today. Most were at the fourth tier or above of Immortal Emperor, with more than a dozen Grand Immortal Emperors, and only two or three early-stage Immortal Emperors.
As for disciples like Ivy Snow, brought by Empress Rona Snow, there weren’t many. The only exception was Joe Di—though his cultivation was only at the Immortal King level, he wasn’t brought by any Immortal Emperor. On the contrary, he had brought three Immortal Emperors himself.
The maids came by and poured a cup of Immortal Brew for each person. Nate Shee was the first to raise his glass and said, "Friends from all the Immortal Continents, I thank you for honoring me by coming here to enjoy a sip of wine and a taste of wild fruit. Allow me to offer the first toast, in gratitude for your presence."
With that, Nate Shee drained his glass in one gulp.
Everyone else raised their glasses and drank as well. Joe Di did not raise his glass, nor did Yin Wushang, Zhong Ao, and Shen Zishun, who had come with him.
"Grandmaster Alchemist Joe Di, Senior Nate is the foremost cultivator of the Four Immortal Continents and has invited us to enjoy these top-tier Immortal Spirit Fruits. Why have you not drunk?" a handsome male cultivator suddenly asked Joe Di coldly.
Joe Di fixed his gaze on the man, his expression turning cold. "You’re just a mere first-tier Immortal Emperor—what makes you think you have the right to speak to me?"
But Joe Di did have a master—Quinn Windflower (see chapters 165, 166). Quinn Windflower’s Dao partner was Vivian Ho.
This woman had betrayed Quinn Windflower, schemed against him, and tricked him into destroying his home planet. He spent his life tormented by guilt, even locking himself beneath Nightfall Starland, vowing never to leave until the land was restored.
After making that vow, Quinn Windflower had almost no chance of survival. Nightfall Starland was impossible to restore—even an Immortal Emperor couldn’t hope to fix a ruined cultivation continent.
Joe Di was deeply versed in the fundamental laws, but even he couldn’t claim he’d be able to restore Nightfall Starland as an Immortal Emperor.
Vivian Ho knew Quinn Windflower’s temperament well. After plotting against him, she locked him beneath Nightfall Starland.
If Quinn Windflower hadn’t met Joe Di, he would have ended up as nothing more than a skeleton, with no one ever knowing the real reason why.
What a vicious woman. Murderous intent rose in Joe Di’s heart. Quinn Windflower was his master, after all. One day, when he had the power, he would return to restore Nightfall Starland. But before that, this woman named Vivian Ho—he would kill her without hesitation.
With these thoughts, Joe Di began constructing one law-flag after another, saying, "Very well. Soon, we’ll see if the two of you can withstand what’s coming."
Joe Di’s divine sense rippled, and every Immortal Emperor present felt it. Yet no one realized he was setting up law-flags—they all thought he was probing their strength with his divine sense.
After all, Joe Di was only an Immortal King. If he wanted to gauge everyone’s strength, using his divine sense was to be expected.
Ivy Snow still had a good impression of Joe Di. In her eyes, Joe Di couldn’t be much older than she was, and yet he was already a Grandmaster Alchemist—a status worthy of anyone’s respect.
Of course, Joe Di had always been courteous to both her and her master.
Now, seeing how Joe Di had offended so many people in such a short time, Ivy Snow sent a worried voice transmission to Empress Rona Snow: "Master, Grandmaster Alchemist Joe Di has angered so many at Radiant Lake Palace. What should we do later?"
Empress Rona Snow smiled gently. "Don’t worry about these matters, Bing’er. But when we return, you must work hard to strengthen yourself. The Dao Discussion at Demon Garment Mountain is about to begin, and it concerns the inheritance of our Yaohua Snow Mountain sect."
"Yes, Master," Ivy Snow replied quickly. Though she was still worried about Joe Di, she didn’t ask any further.
"Let our Immortal Fruit Gathering begin, and the Immortal Exchange will follow right alongside it. I’ll go first—my item is an array flag called the Azure Lotus Banner..." As Nate Shee spoke, he produced a wooden box.
Joe Di’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Azure Lotus Banner. Was Nate Shee mad, offering the Azure Lotus Banner for trade? That was a primordial treasure—one of the Five Element Banners. He’d already gathered three; the only ones he lacked were the Azure Lotus Banner and the Golden Apricot Banner.
It wasn’t just Joe Di; everyone else was stunned by Nate Shee’s words.
Clearly, everyone had heard of the Five Element Banners. If Nate Shee were bold enough to offer the Golden Apricot Banner for trade, no one would believe it.
Sure enough, Nate Shee continued, "My Azure Lotus Banner is quite strange. It appears flawless, but I simply cannot refine it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be looking to trade it."
As he spoke, Nate Shee opened the jade box and took out an ancient, azure banner.
The moment Nate Shee produced the banner, everyone focused their divine sense on it—including Joe Di.
A profound ancient aura emanated from it, mingled with a pure wood element essence.
Was this truly the Azure Lotus Banner? Joe Di’s heart surged with excitement. Without hesitation, he infused a strand of wood element law into the Azure Lotus Banner.
Fake!
Joe Di possessed three of the Five Element Banners, and now he was certain this Azure Lotus Banner was a counterfeit. No matter how he examined it, it seemed genuine. If he hadn’t handled three of the Five Element Banners himself, he too would have been deceived. Even with his mastery of the fundamental laws, he couldn’t discern the difference at first.
Sure enough, Nate Shee sighed and said, "This banner appears to be a primordial treasure, flawless in every way. Yet I suspect it’s a fake; otherwise, with my strength, I should be able to refine it. Regardless of whether I’m right or wrong, I intend to trade this banner away."
Joe Di mused to himself: This bastard really knows how to scheme—trying to swindle others, yet making it sound so open and honest.
"Grandmaster Alchemist Joe Di, I heard you obtained the Plaincloud Banner from Xiling Yuanyi. Could you show it to everyone so we can compare?" Jed Carey, the Thundercrest Sect’s Supreme Elder, suddenly smiled at Joe Di.
Joe Di nodded. "Good point. By the way, I heard Elder Jed Carey also has a remarkable Dao partner—perhaps you could let everyone have a look and compare as well?"
"You court death!" Jed Carey suddenly stood up, his aura surging as killing intent swept toward Joe Di.
Joe Di didn’t even bother to move, replying with disdain, "You’re the one courting death, idiot."
He was certain a fight wouldn’t break out yet. If it were going to, Nate Shee wouldn’t have gone through all the trouble of hosting an Immortal Exchange.
Joe Di possessed three of the Five Element Banners, and now he was certain this Azure Lotus Banner was a counterfeit. No matter how he examined it, it seemed genuine. If he hadn’t handled three of the Five Element Banners himself, he too would have been deceived. Even with his mastery of the fundamental laws, he couldn’t discern the difference at first.
Sure enough, Nate Shee sighed and said, "This banner appears to be a primordial treasure, flawless in every way. Yet I suspect it’s a fake; otherwise, with my strength, I should be able to refine it. Regardless of whether I’m right or wrong, I intend to trade this banner away."
Joe Di mused to himself: This bastard really knows how to scheme—trying to swindle others, yet making it sound so open and honest.
"Grandmaster Alchemist Joe Di, I heard you obtained the Plaincloud Banner from Xiling Yuanyi. Could you show it to everyone so we can compare?" Jed Carey, the Thundercrest Sect’s Supreme Elder, suddenly smiled at Joe Di.
Joe Di nodded. "Good point. By the way, I heard Elder Jed Carey also has a remarkable Dao partner—perhaps you could let everyone have a look and compare as well?"
"You court death!" Jed Carey suddenly stood up, his aura surging as killing intent swept toward Joe Di.
Joe Di didn’t even bother to move, replying with disdain, "You’re the one courting death, idiot."
He was certain a fight wouldn’t break out yet. If it were going to, Nate Shee wouldn’t have gone through all the trouble of hosting an Immortal Exchange.