Joe Di now stood in the very center of the pool, his entire body submerged within its depths. At this moment, endless streams of spiritual energy permeated his flesh, transforming his body and bones—even his blood was slowly being altered.
This Body Refining Pool was truly a supreme treasure. As Joe Di contemplated whether to take the pool with him, he realized that the longer he cultivated here using the Titan Body Technique, the weaker the spiritual currents within the pool became.
Joe Di immediately sensed the change—the spiritual energy in the Body Refining Pool was limited. Now that he had joined in, his rapid absorption was quickly depleting the currents that transformed flesh and bone.
It wasn’t just Joe Di who encountered this issue; the other cultivators felt it too. They distinctly noticed that after Joe Di entered, the pool’s effects diminished, growing weaker by the moment.
No one dared to cause trouble for Joe Di. Some cultivators simply left the Body Refining Pool and quickly departed.
Joe Di’s strength was simply overwhelming. If not for their reluctance to leave the Body Refining Pool before, they would have already gone. Now that the pool’s power was fading, what reason did they have to stay?
Joe Di also halted his cultivation, having discovered the cause. Beneath his feet lay a pearl on the verge of disintegration. The reason this Body Refining Pool could transform the bodies, blood, and meridians of cultivators was entirely due to this pearl. With his arrival, the pearl shrank further, and the pool itself was gradually losing its power.
Just as Joe Di reached out to examine the last fragments of the pearl, the remnants vanished without a trace.
Though he felt a tinge of regret, Joe Di did not dwell on it—he had already gained what he came for. Whether it was the Nirvana Blackstone or the rewards found in the Body Refining Pool, his harvest was ample.
When Joe Di leapt out of the pool, he discovered that only Serena Yu remained; all the other cultivators had left.
Joe Di gave a slight shake, and the lingering moisture around him vanished without a trace.
Serena Yu approached, offering Joe Di a respectful salute. "Serena Yu, disciple of the Purelight Sect, greets Senior Brother Joe Di."
Joe Di returned the gesture. He preferred not to get involved with the core disciples of these great sects. Serena Yu, though seemingly young, had already reached Dao Shaping Perfection—clearly a prodigious core disciple.
Serena Yu could tell Joe Di wasn’t particularly enthusiastic, yet she continued, "I’m friends with Morgan Leaf of the Azure Glass Dao Sect. Last time at the Hidden Sage Dao Exchange, I met Morgan. He said that true experts don’t necessarily attend the Hidden Sage Exchange. I didn’t believe him then, but now I understand what he meant."
Serena Yu was clever. Although Morgan Leaf had said the strongest survivor in the Grand Ruins wasn’t Bai Changyi, and hadn’t explicitly stated that true experts wouldn’t attend the Hidden Sage Exchange, Serena Yu had sensed from his expression and attitude that he held little regard for the event. His attendance was merely to fulfill a task.
The reason for his indifference was simple—he had met geniuses far more formidable than those at the Hidden Sage Exchange.
Hearing Morgan Leaf’s name, Joe Di nodded. He hadn’t interacted much with Morgan, but he had saved him once. Joe Di considered Morgan a worthy friend. As for the Hidden Sage Exchange, Joe Di neither knew nor cared about it; such things held no interest for him.
"Senior Brother Joe, I stayed behind because I wish to cooperate with you on something..." Serena Yu had not finished her sentence when the lightning bird began tugging incessantly at Joe Di’s sleeve with its beak.
Joe Di’s gaze fell upon the lightning bird. He hadn’t intended to make it his soul beast companion, so he had no idea what it wanted.
But the lightning bird was clever. Seeing Joe Di’s attention, it immediately pointed with its beak at the Body Refining Pool, which had lost its body-tempering effects.
Joe Di instantly understood—the lightning bird was telling him there was still something valuable left in the Body Refining Pool.
Without hesitation, Joe Di stepped back into the Body Refining Pool, his powerful spiritual sense permeating every corner of the pool.
Inside the pool, just as before, he saw bricks forged from countless materials. These might be considered treasures in the Immortal Realm, but to cultivators of the Dao Domain, they were little more than refuse.
No, if it were only these things, the lightning bird, with its discerning eye, would never have called him back in.
With this thought, Joe Di drew out the Azure Veil Blade and struck down with a single slash.
Boom! The waters of the Body Refining Pool split in two, and Joe Di’s blade tore open the pool’s bottom, releasing a dense surge of divine energy.
"A Dao Vein!" Serena Yu cried out in disbelief from the pool’s edge. Joe Di was equally elated. He had long sought a Dao Vein, and now he had truly found one.
Joe Di wasted no time. He tossed out array flags, and the Dao Vein—hundreds of meters long—was swept up and sent directly into the Ninth World. With Serena Yu present, he refrained from saying more. When alone, he planned to place the Dao Vein beside the World Tree.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother Joe." Serena Yu was genuinely envious; she could tell this Dao Vein was even superior to the top-grade veins of her own sect. It was likely a Supreme Dao Vein.
She also understood that if word of Joe Di’s acquisition leaked, he would soon face endless pursuit and danger.
"Thank you." Joe Di was deeply satisfied, and a hint of excitement colored his tone.
Back when Xu Bai Shang offered him a Dao Vein, it was only a lower-grade vein. But this one—Joe Di was certain—was a Supreme Dao Vein. He could feel it the moment he grasped it.
With a Supreme Dao Vein, both he and the World Tree would benefit immensely. It was a blessing of the highest order.
"Well done. From now on, you’ll follow me." Joe Di patted the lightning bird’s head—twice now, it had proven invaluable. The first time, it helped him perfect the Reincarnation Bridge and achieve Dao Nurturing. The second time, it enabled him to transform his bones and blood, and even obtain the Nirvana Blackstone. On top of all that, he had now acquired the Supreme Dao Vein he most desired.
"Junior Sister Serena, I must take my leave. Until we meet again." Joe Di could hardly wait to study the Dao Vein.
Serena Yu hurriedly stopped Joe Di. "Senior Brother Joe, I truly wish to invite you to join me in the Grand Ruins."
"Sorry, I’m not ready to return to the Grand Ruins just yet," Joe Di replied apologetically.
He had just come back from the Grand Ruins. Even if he were to go again, it would only be after reaching the late stage of Dao Transformation.
At this moment, Joe Di didn’t even know the true extent of his combat power. Earlier, he’d deliberately let Park Hui lock him with a spatial domain to test the gap between himself and Dao Nurturing cultivators. But Park Hui was so weak that Joe Di hadn’t learned anything at all.
If Joe Di had discovered his true strength, he would be qualified to face the second stage. If he couldn’t win, he could simply retreat, and he wouldn’t need to act so cautiously anymore.
"Senior Brother Joe, I know you just returned from the Grand Ruins. But if you hear what’s on the third level and still don’t wish to go, I’ll say no more." Serena Yu looked at Joe Di, her tone sincere.
Joe Di could only reply, "Go ahead."
Though she knew no one would come here, Serena Yu still set a soundproofing barrier. "Senior Brother Joe, on the third level of the Grand Ruins, there is a Dao Fruit Forest filled with Dao Fruit Trees. No one knows how many years they have stood, and the value of the Dao Fruits upon them is beyond measure…"
Joe Di stared at Serena Yu in astonishment. Dao Fruit Trees in the Grand Ruins? In a place like that, even ironwood would struggle to survive, let alone Dao Fruit Trees.
But if Dao Fruit Trees truly existed, Joe Di would definitely go. Why were there so few Pill Saints and Pill Gods in the Dao Domain? It was because there were hardly any Dao Fruits. Pill Saints could refine Dao Pills, but without Dao Fruits, how could one become a Pill Saint or craft Dao Pills?
Seeing Joe Di’s doubt, Serena Yu continued, "I’m telling the truth. No one else knows about this—only me."
Joe Di composed himself and looked at Serena Yu. "Junior Sister Serena, I’m just a wandering cultivator and we’re not well acquainted. Why do you want to team up with me? You’re from the Purelight Sect; surely there are stronger experts in your sect than me."
Serena Yu saluted Joe Di. "Back then, Morgan Leaf told me you were the strongest survivor in the Grand Ruins. I wanted to find you, but I never knew who you were—until now. Now I’m certain you’re the one I’ve been searching for.
If I must give reasons, I have two. First, we’re both first-stage cultivators. Second, if it were anyone else, after obtaining the Dao Vein, their first thought would be to kill me to keep it secret. But you didn’t. I didn’t sense a trace of killing intent from you. That’s why you’re a worthy friend to team up with."
There was one more thing Serena Yu didn’t say aloud: No matter how strong Joe Di was, as a first-stage cultivator, he couldn’t kill her. She had plenty of ways to escape.