Joe Di sat down and casually said, "Of course, feel free to ask any questions you have."
"Did you see through my true cultivation level?" Sherry Lou looked at Joe Di, her voice not leaking out at all as she spoke.
Joe Di nodded, "I'm not entirely certain, but I have a rough idea."
"Then tell me, what level am I?" Sherry Lou's tone grew slightly agitated, her voice trembling as she stared at Joe Di and asked.
Joe Di pointed to the seat opposite him and said, "Sit down and let's talk. There's no need to be so nervous. Even if the sky falls, it's not just the two of us holding it up, right?"
Sherry Lou took a breath and nodded at Joe Di, "You're right. Even if the sky falls, it's not just the two of us holding it up."
As she spoke, Sherry Lou sat down across from Joe Di, showing no sign of restraint.
Joe Di pushed aside the tea provided by Winterhold Valley, took out his own Starlight Tea, brewed a fresh pot, and handed a cup to Sherry Lou. Only then did he say, "This is tea I refined myself. Give it a try."
When Joe Di brewed tea, he never used just a single leaf. For this pot alone, he used ten Starlight Tea leaves.
Before even tasting the tea, the faint, tranquil cosmic aura began to waft out. Just from a single whiff, Sherry Lou felt a sense of ethereal clarity in her spiritual sea and soul.
Sherry Lou immediately realized this was extraordinary tea. She lifted the cup to her lips. Before the tea even touched her mouth, her mind was already refreshed, as if she had escaped the monotony of cultivation and the clamor of the cosmos.
Unable to restrain herself any longer, Sherry Lou drank the tea in one gulp. She felt an ultimate tranquility, a kind of spiritual elevation.
That ultimate tranquility entered her mouth and transformed into a vast void, even seeming to evolve into a whole new world...
Sherry Lou closed her eyes, moved in her heart. It was the first time she had tasted such fine tea. With just one sip, she glimpsed a new world.
In that moment, she felt the restrictions within her body begin to loosen, and a new vitality was awakened in her life.
"Such good tea..." After a long while, Sherry Lou finally opened her eyes and exclaimed with excitement.
But Joe Di also kept his eyes closed, just as excited inside. He hadn't expected Starlight Tea could accelerate his healing. With just one sip, his recovery sped up.
Joe Di had no intention of answering Sherry Lou's words; instead, he drank his tea in one gulp. Only then did he let out a breath, secretly thinking to himself that he truly possessed a treasure without realizing it.
"My tea really is quite good. Let me formally introduce myself: I'm Joe Di, from a rather distant place." Feeling his rapid recovery, Joe Di was in a cheerful mood.
Thanks to Sherry Lou, Joe Di discovered the wonders of his Starlight Tea, and he was naturally overjoyed.
"Charlotte Ling greets Brother Di." Charlotte Ling stood up and bowed respectfully; she already knew in her heart that Joe Di was no ordinary person.
"Your surname is Ling?" Joe Di looked at Charlotte Ling in confusion.
Charlotte Ling nodded, "Yes, my surname is Ling, and Xiaoshuang is my real name. I'm not from the Taiji Realm either—I also come from a faraway place."
As she spoke, Charlotte Ling looked up at the ceiling, as if reminiscing about her hometown.
"Have you offended someone? If I'm not mistaken, your cultivation should be Genesis Realm perfection, maybe even Dao Fusion Realm." Joe Di felt even more at ease with Charlotte Ling, and his speech became less hesitant.
Charlotte Ling stared at Joe Di in astonishment. After a long moment, she murmured, "Brother Di, can you really see my cultivation level? Could it be that you are...?"
Joe Di waved his hand, "Don't overthink it. My cultivation is much lower than yours, and I'm still injured. It's just that the technique I practice makes me very sensitive to others' cultivation levels."
After saying this, Joe Di pointed to the teapot in front of him and said to Sherry Lou, "This Starlight Tea is good for you. You can drink more of it."
"Yes, thank you, Brother Di." Charlotte Ling finally responded. She didn't stand on ceremony, poured a cup of tea for Joe Di, another for herself, and drank her tea in one gulp.
Joe Di finished his tea as well, then refilled both cups and said, "It seems something is restricting you internally. Though I can't tell exactly what it is, staying in Winterhold Valley won't do you any good."
Charlotte Ling sighed, not answering Joe Di's question directly. Instead, she said, "Brother Di, I sense an aura in you that surpasses ordinary cultivators. That's why I thought you were no ordinary cultivator and wanted to ask for your help."
Joe Di frowned slightly. The Path of Laws he cultivated was clearly far beyond what ordinary cultivators could grasp. If Charlotte Ling could sense even that, wasn't she a bit too extraordinary?
Seeing Joe Di frown, Charlotte Ling quickly explained, "Brother Di, don't misunderstand. It's not because I'm so powerful that I can sense it, but because I've encountered cultivators like you before and personally felt that transcendent Dao aura."
Joe Di didn't inquire further. In the vast cosmos, there were countless realms and voids, with innumerable strong cultivators. He had obtained the Ninth Prime Law—who was to say others couldn't obtain the Eighth or other Laws?
Not to mention others—even the Lord of the Universe, Joe Di figured that even if he reached the third step, he'd still be far from matching him.
"Go ahead, what do you need help with? I'll say this first: if I can help, I will. If I can't, there's nothing I can do." Joe Di felt quite fond of Charlotte Ling—not only were her eyes clear, but he also sensed no discomforting aura from her.
It was different with Luna Fairchild. When Joe Di first met her, he didn't feel much of a connection.
"If you ever get the chance to go to Celestial Beyond, please help me deliver a message to my friend." Charlotte Ling raised her hand and cast a restriction, then concentrated her voice, her tone carrying a trace of pleading.
Joe Di smiled slightly, "Although I'd love to go to Celestial Beyond, I don't have the cosmic coordinates yet, nor do I know which universe domain it's in. But if I ever do go, I'll be sure to deliver your message."
Charlotte Ling looked at Joe Di in confusion, "Brother Di, don't you know Celestial Beyond and the Taiji Realm are in the same universe? The only difference is the journey is a bit farther."
"Really?" Overwhelmed with excitement, Joe Di said eagerly, "Quick, tell me who to deliver the message to—and how do I get to Celestial Beyond?"
Only now did Charlotte Ling understand—Joe Di truly didn't know about Celestial Beyond.
Still, being able to help Joe Di even a little made her happy. She quickly said, "My original ring was taken, so I don't have the spatial coordinates now, but I can tell you how to get there. I have two friends—one named Ye Yimo and the other Tian Muwan. When you meet them, just say..."
Bang! A loud noise interrupted Charlotte Ling, and a striking, cold-tempered woman rushed out.
Before the woman could reach the door, Susan Ruo rushed out as well. She apologetically blocked Iris Bing and said, "Sister Bing, when we discuss the Dao together, there will be differing opinions. Let's just ignore what we don't agree with. If you storm off like this, Susan Ruo's reputation will be ruined—everyone will say Winterhold Valley treats its guests too rudely."
Iris Bing seemed to have calmed down by then. She let out a breath, her chest rising and falling twice, and didn't leave the main hall. However, she didn't return to the inner hall for the Dao discussion either; instead, she sat down at the table with Joe Di and Charlotte Ling.
Only at this moment did Susan Ruo notice that Charlotte Ling was actually sitting face-to-face with Joe Di. After her initial shock, a flash of anger appeared in her eyes.
No matter how generous she was, in her eyes Charlotte Ling was still a maid. For a maid to dare sit together with guests was simply an insult to Winterhold Valley—even if Joe Di was, in her eyes, little better than trash, he was still officially a guest.