Joe Di picked up the Divine Spirit Tea handed to him by Henry Xing and took a sip, secretly marveling in his heart. This was definitely the finest grade of Divine Spirit Herb. Just this cup of tea alone was worth tens of thousands of top-grade Spirit Crystals—Henry Xing was truly generous.
Thinking of his own Starlight Tea, Joe Di directly took out a pot and handed it to Henry Xing. "Tower Master Xing, this pot of tea is something I refined myself a long time ago. I'll give it to you as a gift."
Though he called it a pot, it actually contained only ten tea leaves.
Joe Di still had over ten thousand pieces of Starlight Tea on him, and he wasn't willing to give away too much. This tea was refined using the Genesis Cauldron, which would never exist again—it had already transformed into the World Tree and was now growing in his Ninth World.
At this moment, the World Tree and Joe Di shared a spiritual connection, so he would never use it to make tea again. In fact, the Starlight Tea he had left was already among the last in the universe.
"Thank you, Brother Di!" Seeing Joe Di gift him a pot of tea leaves, Henry Xing was instantly overjoyed. He knew the tea leaves themselves weren't worth much, but this was a gesture of goodwill, signifying the establishment of friendship with Joe Di.
Watching Henry Xing put away the tea leaves, Joe Di clasped his fists and said, "Brother Xing, I’d like to ask for your help in finding someone. His name is Darren Rice, and I have some matters to discuss with him."
Henry Xing laughed heartily upon hearing Joe Di's words, "Brother Di, I do know this person. He came to the Void Market from elsewhere about a hundred years ago to participate in the Dao Fruit Tower event."
Joe Di was delighted and hurriedly asked, "Where is he now?"
Darren Rice came to the Void Market from the Void Sea. If Joe Di wanted to return to the Void Sea, he had to find Darren Rice—unless Darren Rice didn’t plan to return. If he did, then there must be another way.
"Darren Rice is in Shadowhold. He’s on good terms with Master Lowell, the lord of Shadowhold," Henry Xing said immediately.
If it were an ordinary cultivator, he might actually need someone to investigate. But for anyone who comes to the Void Market at the Half-step Genesis Realm or as a Genesis Realm Saint Emperor, Henry Xing always investigates thoroughly. Darren Rice was one of the people he intended to invite.
Joe Di hurriedly said, "Thank you, Tower Master Xing."
"Brother Di, you’re too polite. If you don’t mind, just call me Henry Xing. If there’s anything else I can help with, just say the word. I can’t promise everything, but when it comes to rare treasures and artifacts, I do have some connections," Henry Xing said, deliberately trying to get closer to Joe Di.
Joe Di smiled. "Alright, Henry, I do need a few talismans. Preferably Worldbreaker Talismans above seventh-grade…"
Henry Xing was stunned by Joe Di’s request. Worldbreaker Talismans above seventh-grade? That sounded almost like wishful thinking. Each one was a top-tier treasure—who could just hand them out? And he wanted several. Even his Void Trading Pavilion, the top establishment in this part of the void, only had one eighth-grade talisman: an Eighth-Grade Realmshatter Talisman.
But he’d already made the offer. Determined to befriend Joe Di, Henry gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Di, these things are truly hard to come by. My Void Market Trading Pavilion does have one eighth-grade talisman—a Realmshatter Talisman."
As he spoke, Henry Xing had already handed over a jade box. Though his heart bled at the loss, he knew that to befriend a powerhouse like Joe Di, he had to be willing to part with such treasures.
"An Eighth-Grade Realmshatter Talisman?" Joe Di exclaimed, grabbing the jade box and opening it. Instantly, he confirmed that the talisman inside was indeed one that surpassed seventh-grade.
The Dao resonance flowing across the talisman, together with the profound spatial restriction patterns, were beyond even his comprehension.
He’d only mentioned it in passing, never expecting Henry Xing to actually produce a true Realmshatter or Worldbreaker Talisman. This unexpected gift left him genuinely surprised.
Joe Di stood up and clasped his fists. "Henry, I truly have to thank you. This talisman will be a tremendous help to me."
Henry Xing laughed heartily, his face equally bright with joy. "Brother Di, I felt an instant kinship with you. What’s a single talisman between friends?"
Joe Di nodded. "Henry, how many Spirit Crystals for this talisman? Name your price—I can’t just accept it for free. If you’d prefer Spirit Veins or Dao Pills, that’s fine too."
Henry Xing’s face grew serious. "Brother Di, you’re treating me like a stranger. I give you a talisman and you want to pay me back? That’s like slapping my face."
Joe Di hadn’t expected Henry Xing to be so generous. An eighth-grade talisman wasn’t simple—it could even require a Spirit Vein in exchange. Yet Henry gave it away so freely. However, Joe Di remembered his ten pieces of Starlight Tea; if used wisely, their value might even surpass the talisman.
So Joe Di simply said, "Thank you, Henry. I owe you a favor. I’ll take my leave for now."
Eager to find Darren Rice, Joe Di put away the talisman and immediately excused himself.
After sending Joe Di out of the Void Market and returning to the Trading Pavilion, Henry Xing finally sighed. Making connections with such talented powerhouses always came at a cost.
But this time, the price was steep. An Eighth-Grade Realmshatter Talisman—such things were almost extinct, and each could fetch a sky-high price.
Henry Xing felt the pain of loss, but he had no regrets. Years ago, he hadn’t helped Lord Ye much, yet received a Genesis Aurora Pill in return. Such treasures couldn’t be bought with Spirit Crystals or Spirit Veins. Lord Ye had given one away without a second thought, and that was why Henry had been able to step into the Genesis Realm.
Calming himself, Henry opened the pot of tea Joe Di had given him. When he saw there were only ten leaves inside, he almost wanted to scorn Joe Di. Compared to Lord Ye back then, Joe Di seemed downright stingy.
To gift tea with such a large pot but only ten leaves—could anyone be stingier?
Henry Xing felt that his Eighth-Grade Realmshatter Talisman might have gone to waste.
Sighing, Henry placed a tea leaf into his crystal cup, then poured in boiling Divine Spring.
The tea leaves unfurled in the cup, releasing a faint fragrance. Instantly, Henry Xing sensed a distant, ethereal aura. For a moment, it was as if he were floating in endless starry skies—though the stars were hazy, their outlines unclear.
Henry Xing grew excited, realizing he’d misjudged Joe Di. Just one leaf of this tea was likely more valuable than his talisman.
Unable to hold back, Henry didn’t even wait for the tea to cool—he lifted his crystal cup and took a sip.
As the tea entered his mouth, that faint starry flavor exploded in his mind. Instinctively, Henry Xing closed his eyes; the once-hazy stars now unfurled into a vast, magnificent tapestry within his spiritual sea…
Some spatial divine abilities that had always been vague and elusive suddenly became clear. Not only that, he felt a profound tranquility within the vastness of the tea. A trace of pill toxin seeped from his body, and Henry even felt his physical form grow lighter.
Only after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn did Henry Xing finally open his eyes, gazing at his teacup with utter excitement.
"What incredible tea!" Henry Xing couldn’t help but murmur. He was certain it was top-tier. Though it couldn’t directly raise his cultivation, it could enhance his insight and foundation. He even sensed a primordial vitality within it—if he wasn’t mistaken, Joe Di wasn’t stingy at all, but truly generous.
He realized that Joe Di had given him the tea before receiving the talisman. Clutching the pot with only nine leaves left, Henry felt a surge of emotion—powerhouses like Joe Di were indeed magnanimous.
—
While Henry Xing was still marveling at Joe Di’s generosity, Joe Di had already arrived outside Shadowhold, ready to search for Darren Rice.
(That’s all for today’s update—good night, friends!)