The plump shopkeeper looked at Joe Di and Felix Zheng in confusion. "What are you talking about? When did you ever give me anything?"
If he could kill Joe Di, he would have done so and then fabricated new evidence. But now, Joe Di's strength had far exceeded his expectations, so he could only settle for a piece of Celestial Blade Steel.
At that moment, Felix Zheng received a voice transmission from Joe Di: "Brother Zheng, if anyone asks later, just say you handed over a Flamecore Crystal. Don't mention the Celestial Blade Steel."
Flamecore Crystal was also a fourth-grade material, but compared to Celestial Blade Steel, it was leagues apart. Still, it was a fairly special material that could upgrade low-level flames by one tier.
Joe Di had his reasons for mentioning Flamecore Crystal. Not only did it have considerable value, but its name sounded somewhat similar to Celestial Blade Steel. Most importantly, there was actually one in the shopkeeper's storage pouch.
Although fighting wasn't forbidden on this ship, there had to be a reason. As long as you had justification, you could kill your opponent. Of course, this 'justification' didn't necessarily mean you were actually right. Even if you had no reason, as long as you killed the other party, you could make up your own story.
Felix Zheng's leg had already healed. The first thing he did was bow deeply to Joe Di. "If it weren't for you, Brother Zi Mo, I'd be finished this time."
Joe Di waved his hand and took out a jade bottle, handing it to Felix Zheng. "There are two Foundation Pills here—I'll give them to you."
"How can I accept this?" Felix Zheng quickly declined. Although he greatly desired the Foundation Pills Joe Di offered, Joe Di had just saved him, and he hadn't had a chance to repay the favor. Accepting the pills now would be too much. As for Joe Di taking the Celestial Blade Steel, he knew nothing about it.
"No need to be polite. You know these Foundation Pills aren't much use to me—keeping them would just be a waste." Joe Di pushed the jade bottle into Felix Zheng's hand.
Joe Di let out a sigh of relief. What he feared most was the shopkeeper claiming Zheng Feisheng had given him something, then producing a worthless item—that would have been disastrous.
The reason he gave Foundation Pills to Felix Zheng was, of course, because he'd taken the Celestial Blade Steel—something he'd never admit. He and Felix Zheng were just casual acquaintances; he'd saved him once and given him two Foundation Pills. Plus, the steel hadn't been taken directly from Felix Zheng, so Joe Di felt no guilt at all.
"I have a piece of Celestial Blade Steel here. It's also a fourth-grade material, though not as valuable as yours. I'll compensate you with this for now, and I'll think of something else later..."
Next, the crystal recorder showed Felix Zheng handing a jade box to the plump shopkeeper.
Joe Di was a level five formation master. Compared to the shopkeeper, it was like a giant versus an ant. In just a few breaths, he broke through the shopkeeper's storage pouch restriction. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, he immediately found the Heavenly Blade Essence Gold.
The Heavenly Blade Essence Gold was as large as a millstone. With a wave of his hand, Joe Di cast a concealment restriction and swept the gold into his ring. In that brief moment, a cultivator at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment reacted and lunged at Joe Di.
Taking advantage of the moment, Joe Di swept his spiritual sense through the plump shopkeeper's entire storage pouch. To his delight, he actually found a stalk of Soulglass Herb. It was kept in a jade box, protected by a restriction, and a crystal-clear filament running through it made it look especially pleasing to the eye.
Instead of getting a piece of Celestial Blade Steel, the plump shopkeeper wished he could kill the person who reported the incident.
Right now, he really didn't dare summon the ship's stewards. Since Felix Zheng had a crystal recording of giving him something, Joe Di probably also had a recording of the shopkeeper denying it. If both crystal recorders were presented, his beating would be for nothing.
Seeing the two iron hammers on Joe Di's back, the cultivator knew that if Joe Di summoned them, it would be terrifying. Now that Joe Di had stopped stomping on the shopkeeper, he didn't dare step forward.
Zheng Feisheng and the others were just as shocked as they looked at Joe Di. Zheng Feisheng knew very well how strong the plump shopkeeper was—he himself wasn't a match. Yet Joe Di, their teammate, had stomped the man into the ground with a single kick. What kind of strength was this?
At that moment, Zheng Feisheng received a voice transmission from Joe Di: "Brother Zheng, if anyone asks later, just say you handed over a Flamecore Crystal. Don't mention the Heavenly Blade Essence Gold."
Flamecore Crystal was also a fourth-grade material, but compared to Heavenly Blade Essence Gold, it was leagues apart. Still, it was a fairly special material that could upgrade low-level flames by one tier.
Joe Di had his reasons for mentioning Flamecore Crystal. Not only did it have considerable value, but its name sounded somewhat similar to Heavenly Blade Essence Gold. Most importantly, there was actually one in the shopkeeper's storage pouch.
Before Zheng Feisheng could respond, the plump shopkeeper leapt up and pointed at Joe Di, his fury reaching the limit. "How dare you attack me..."
As soon as he finished, the shopkeeper pulled out a whistle.
Joe Di knew that this whistle was used to summon the ship's stewards. Attacking a shopkeeper without cause was a serious offense.
"Brother Zheng, give me the crystal sphere," Joe Di said, reaching out his hand.
At this moment, Zheng Feisheng snapped back to his senses and hurriedly handed a crystal sphere to Joe Di.
Joe Di picked up the crystal recorder and said to the plump shopkeeper, "Go ahead and blow your whistle. I have another crystal recorder here, and it just happens to contain what Brother Zheng recorded."
As he spoke, Joe Di's spiritual sense penetrated the crystal recorder. This kind of recording device couldn't be altered, but parts of its content could be erased.
"I have a piece of Heavenly Blade Essence Gold here. It's also a fourth-grade material, though not as valuable as yours. I'll compensate you with this for now, and I'll think of something else later..."
Next, the crystal recorder showed Zheng Feisheng handing a jade box to the plump shopkeeper.
Joe Di immediately erased the previous sentence, then played the crystal recorder: "...It's also a fourth-grade material, though not as valuable as yours. I'll compensate you with this..."
With a sentence missing, the plump shopkeeper didn't notice at all. He stopped blowing the whistle. His expression grew dark—Joe Di's strength had thrown his plans into disarray.
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His gaze shifted to the ninth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator, who sent a voice transmission: "This guy is strong. If it were one-on-one, he wouldn't be much weaker than me."
Instead of getting a piece of Heavenly Blade Essence Gold, the plump shopkeeper wished he could kill the person who reported the incident.
Right now, he really didn't dare summon the ship's stewards. Since Zheng Feisheng had a crystal recording of giving him something, Joe Di probably also had a recording of the shopkeeper denying it. If both crystal recorders were presented, his beating would be for nothing.
"Since that's the case, let's just leave it at that." The plump shopkeeper, realizing that even the stewards couldn't do anything about Joe Di, simply decided to let it go.
If he could kill Joe Di, he would have done so and then fabricated new evidence. But now, Joe Di's strength had far exceeded his expectations, so he could only settle for a piece of Heavenly Blade Essence Gold.
"Celia Qi, take Brother Zheng with you. We'll talk more when we get back." Given Joe Di's temperament, if one of his people had their leg broken, he wouldn't let it go easily.
But now that he'd gained an advantage, it was best not to stir up more trouble. When the shopkeeper eventually discovered two items missing from his storage pouch, Joe Di would have a ready explanation.
"Yes, yes." Celia Qi snapped back to her senses; Joe Di's strength had surprised her too. That plump shopkeeper was formidable, yet Joe Di had stomped him down with a single kick. And the man who exchanged punches with Joe Di seemed even stronger than the shopkeeper, but he was just as wary of Joe Di.
Once the five of them returned to their quarters, Joe Di set up a restriction around the main room.
Zheng Feisheng's leg had already healed. The first thing he did was bow deeply to Joe Di. "If it weren't for you, Brother Zi Mo, I'd be finished this time."
Joe Di waved his hand and took out a jade bottle, handing it to Zheng Feisheng. "There are two Foundation Pills here—I'll give them to you."
"How can I accept this?" Zheng Feisheng quickly declined. Although he greatly desired the Foundation Pills Joe Di offered, Joe Di had just saved him, and he hadn't had a chance to repay the favor. Accepting the pills now would be too much. As for Joe Di taking the Heavenly Blade Essence Gold, he knew nothing about it.
"No need to be polite. You know these Foundation Pills aren't much use to me—keeping them would just be a waste." Joe Di pushed the jade bottle into Zheng Feisheng's hand.
He still had several bottles of Foundation Pills, all refined by Shu Di. Foundation Pills were most effective for early Foundation Establishment, but Joe Di was already at the seventh level, so the pills didn't mean much to him.
The reason he gave Foundation Pills to Zheng Feisheng was, of course, because he'd taken the Heavenly Blade Essence Gold—something he'd never admit. He and Zheng Feisheng were just casual acquaintances; he'd saved him once and given him two Foundation Pills. Plus, the gold hadn't been taken directly from Zheng Feisheng, so Joe Di felt no guilt at all.
"Brother Zi Mo still has Foundation Pills?" Sherry Jing's eyes lit up. For the first time, she addressed Joe Di as senior brother and proactively sought him out for conversation.
Joe Di chuckled, "Those were the last two pills, and I've given them to Brother Zheng. If there's nothing urgent, it's best for everyone to stay inside. I need to go back into seclusion and cultivate."
Without waiting for a response from the others, Joe Di went straight into his room.
He was certain the plump shopkeeper would notice the missing items and eventually come looking for them. If Joe Di hadn't taken anything, this matter might have ended here. But now, things were just getting started.
(That's all for today's update. Good night, friends!)