When Joe Di rushed out of the entrance to Savage Beast Gorge, the teleportation array had already been activated. He guessed he was a bit late and didn't see any other cultivators.
In fact, throughout the history of the Savage Beast Gorge trial, Joe Di was the only one who had ever reached the innermost part. Aside from a handful of top geniuses who dared to venture into the middle section, most prodigies only hid near the entrance, seeking opportunities. Those who entered the middle section were simply searching for Phantom Beasts.
Joe Di stepped into the teleportation array and was once again transported to the Ascension Plaza.
As soon as Joe Di landed in Ascension Plaza, his divine sense swept out. There were definitely fewer than two hundred people who made it out; with five hundred entering and less than two hundred surviving, the survival rate was below forty percent.
The next moment, Joe Di felt a surge of anger in his chest, as if oil had been poured on a fire—Sean Zell was actually nailed to the giant Leaderboard Screen by Barton May.
Fortunately, Sean Zell hadn't been killed yet; it seemed they were waiting for Joe Di to come out so they could kill him in front of everyone.
Joe Di rushed forward, raised his hand, and swept out four array flags, releasing Sean Zell.
"It was Barton May..." Sean Zell's voice was weak. Joe Di nodded and said to the astonished Sherry Ann standing nearby, "Help me take care of him."
Joe Di had only just come out and rescued Sean Zell; it had taken just a few breaths. In that brief moment, everyone in the Skybox was stunned—Joe Di had managed to save Sean Zell.
It wasn't that Joe Di didn't dare to save Sean Zell, but that Sean Zell had been nailed to the Ascension Plaza ranking array screen by Barton May. It wasn't just a simple nailing—the screen was a Grade Seven Soul Bind Array. If someone unfamiliar with the array tried to rescue him and simply pulled out one of the array flags pinning Sean Zell, he would instantly die.
Joe Di didn’t hesitate for a moment before rescuing Sean Zell, proving his mastery of arrays far surpassed Barton May. Even if Barton May had the same level of array skills, there was no way he could have saved Sean Zell so quickly.
Almost at the very instant Joe Di saved Sean Zell, Barton May rushed out of the Skybox. Even Bai Hong could only follow behind him.
It’s still uncertain whether Joe Di killed Bai Shaoxiang. Even if he did, Bai Hong’s desire for revenge could only be fulfilled after Barton May subdued Joe Di. To act before Barton May would be to disregard him entirely.
On the Skybox, Lincoln An and Beckett West’s expressions grew grim. Barton May’s actions showed utter disregard for the Genius Ascension Trials. Such blatant attacks against contestants had already shattered the rules, and after this, the Trials would surely be a joke. Both simply stood up, but neither acted as impulsively as Barton May.
Both Beckett West and Lincoln An knew that if they rushed out, the Genius Ascension Trials would be ruined for good. Not only that, but the entire True Domain would plunge into chaos. The only option was to wait for Barton May to subdue Joe Di.
Barton May would never kill Joe Di before figuring out the situation.
A hunched man followed closely behind Barton May. Many recognized him as Barton May’s shadowy lackey, Gou Shang. Now that Barton May wanted Joe Di dead, his shadow would not let Joe Di escape.
Even Barton May didn’t mind; at most, he considered Gou Shang more loyal than the others.
After rescuing Sean Zell and handing him over to Sherry Ann for care, Joe Di didn’t wait for Barton May to make the first move. His Azure Veil Blade had already transformed into a blade light, slashing out.
Sherry Ann finally understood why Joe Di had entrusted Sean Zell to her care. Barton May must have known long ago that Joe Di killed May Zhiyun. The moment Joe Di appeared, Barton May came to kill him.
Joe Di attacked first—not only did Barton May go mad with rage, but every powerhouse on the Skybox and every cultivator in Ascension Plaza was stunned.
Is there really such a madman in this world? Who dares to attack Barton May first?
Even Lincoln An and Beckett West sighed. If Joe Di hadn’t attacked, when Barton May subdued him, as long as May Zhiyun wasn’t killed by Joe Di, they could have tried persuading Barton May. After that, they could have added a rule to the Trials forbidding harm to True Domain geniuses, barely smoothing things over.
But now, whether or not Joe Di killed May Zhiyun, they had nothing left to say. For a contestant to dare attack the Domain Lord of May Domain—this alone was earth-shattering.
"You little bastard..." Barton May roared in fury, unfurling the Yin-Yang Banner. It split into two terrifying energies—one yin, one yang. The entire Ascension Plaza seemed to fall under their sway; anyone whose Spiritual Sense hadn’t reached level ten found it impossible to extend their perception.
Joe Di’s Azure Veil Blade swept forth, its blade shadow transforming into a space of blade intent. Within that space, boundless, surging blade will brewed, so powerful it tore the air with a hissing sound.
The Azure Veil Blade pressed forward with unstoppable force, seeming to swallow the world whole. Yet Joe Di felt a heaviness in his heart—his blade couldn’t break through the Yin-Yang Banner’s domain. Both Barton May and May Zhiyun could wield the giant banner, but compared to Barton May, May Zhiyun was worlds apart.
Before the blade and the Yin-Yang Banner could collide, Joe Di’s Azure Veil Blade trembled—he unleashed a second strike: the Cracked Blade.
With the power of the Cracked Blade, the killing intent of the first slash transformed into a wave of endless blades, finally tearing a fissure in the Yin-Yang Banner’s domain.
Joe Di felt no joy—he knew that whether he lived or died today depended on the outcome of this battle.
His battle with Barton May could only end one way: either he died, or Barton May did. Barton May had already locked down the space of Ascension City; no matter how strong Joe Di’s Spirit Shift was, escape was impossible. Besides, he wouldn’t run—if he fled, Sean Zell would meet an even worse fate.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The force of the Azure Veil Blade and the waves of the Cracked Blade crashed into the Yin-Yang Banner’s energy. Space exploded with terrifying cracks, and the true essence shook the protective array around Ascension Plaza. Several weaker cultivators spat blood and were sent flying.
Crack! Joe Di felt his previously unstoppable blade waves grow fragile against the Yin-Yang Banner’s energy. The waves shattered, the blade momentum collapsed, and not a ripple threatened Barton May.
So strong—Joe Di could only think those words. After the Yin-Yang Banner tore through the Azure Veil Blade and Cracked Blade, its two energies locked onto Joe Di’s body from left and right.
Though the Yin-Yang Banner’s energies weakened under Joe Di’s twin strikes, they still sliced into his body, sending two sprays of blood into the air.
A storm of violent power swept in. At this moment, the best thing for Joe Di would have been to retreat. Yet he would rather let the Yin-Yang Banner tear his body apart than back down—he charged straight at Barton May.
"Huh!" Barton May exclaimed, then understood, "So the brat is a divine-level body cultivator. No wonder he’s so arrogant in the True Domain. But against me, even a celestial-grade body cultivator will fall!"
The Yin-Yang Banner didn’t split Joe Di into three pieces as Barton May expected. He didn’t mind; at this moment, a cruel smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he stepped into Joe Di’s domain space.
The Yin-Yang Banner was unleashed again, and as space froze once more, Barton May suddenly sensed something odd.
Logically, after his first Yin-Yang Banner locked down space, Joe Di shouldn’t have been able to resist. Even if Joe Di was a domain cultivator, under the banner’s domain, he’d have no chance to fight back.
But in reality, Joe Di not only struck back twice, he endured the Yin-Yang Banner’s heavy blows and stepped forward. This didn’t seem normal at all.
Unless Joe Di’s Spiritual Sense was stronger than his—but how could that be? Barton May’s Spiritual Sense was already at level ten, and in the world of cultivation, no one should surpass him.
This doubt faded in an instant. The priority was to subdue Joe Di. Yet Barton May noticed his Yin-Yang Banner’s domain still hadn’t locked Joe Di down.
No, Joe Di’s Spiritual Sense must be at level eleven. It seems he’s mastered not only Spirit Shift, but also some top-tier technique for tempering his Spiritual Sense. Barton May sensed a monumental secret hidden within Joe Di.
Watching from behind, Jue Zhan grew anxious. He doubted Joe Di’s earlier boast that no one below the Immortal Realm could withstand his kick. Right now, Joe Di was completely suppressed by Barton May’s domain—he had no chance to strike, let alone kick Barton May away.
After Joe Di was struck twice by the Yin-Yang Banner, even Jue Zhan felt despair.
He knew it wasn’t Joe Di’s fault—Barton May was simply too strong. Even a domain cultivator couldn’t land a kick on Barton May in these circumstances, let alone send him flying.
...
As the killing intent in the Yin-Yang Banner’s domain gathered once more, Barton May saw Joe Di kick at him.
Barton May sneered. In his Yin-Yang Banner’s domain, instead of trying to escape, Joe Di dared to kick him—how arrogant and ignorant could one be?
No wonder this man dared kill his son, May Zhiyun—he was a true madman. Zhiyun’s fate was sealed.
To Barton May, Joe Di’s kick was a joke. But as Joe Di’s foot struck out, Barton May’s expression changed.
Even though Barton May had first unleashed the Yin-Yang Banner, no matter where he tried to dodge, he was still caught by Joe Di’s kick—there was nowhere to hide.
"Spatial laws..." Barton May drew a sharp breath, his scalp tingling—Joe Di had touched upon the laws of space. It was terrifying.
The killing intent of the Yin-Yang Banner faded, and its domain began to collapse.
Bang! Barton May could only watch as Joe Di’s kick landed squarely on his chest. The terrifying force of true essence and Spiritual Sense surged through him—even with armor, he couldn’t withstand such a blow.
Spurt! A blood arrow mixed with bits of internal organs shot out as Barton May was sent flying by Joe Di’s kick.
...