Joe Di believed Zhong Ao's words to some extent. Zhong Ao was shrouded in mystery, and his origins were clearly extraordinary.
After putting away the thirty-six Prime Immortal Ley Lines, Joe Di took out a ring and handed it to Zhong Ao. "Old Zhong, you don't even have a ring. Take this one and use it. Even though you don't care much for Immortal Spirit Veins, I've tossed a few inside. You never know when you might need them."
"Thank you." Zhong Ao accepted the ring without hesitation. As a cultivator, it was unthinkable to go without a ring.
Seeing Zhong Ao put away the ring, Joe Di produced two more rings and handed them to Moria Lane and Sprout. "These contain cultivation resources—enough for you to reach Immortal King without issue. In this place, strength is everything. Without it, you're just prey for others. You both must cultivate even harder. Let's go, we're heading to Great Cauldron City."
As Sprout accepted Joe Di's ring, he suddenly remembered something and said, "Big Brother, Xiao Huang gave me a Memory Stone before he left..."
Joe Di slapped him lightly. "He gave you a Memory Stone and you didn't bring it out sooner?"
Sprout hurriedly produced the Memory Stone. In truth, he was already a bit upset that Jie Huang had taken Blackfire and not him. If Big Brother hadn’t eventually found out, he really wouldn’t have wanted to help deliver the Memory Stone for Jie Huang.
Joe Di’s spiritual sense swept across the Memory Stone, and his expression quickly darkened. The contents were concise:
“Big Brother, I received a bloodline transmission from my father saying you’ve been captured by Emperor Leon Yue and nailed to the city gate of Cauldron Liberty in Great Cauldron City. I don’t know if this is true. If it’s false, you’ll see this Memory Stone yourself. If it’s true, I’ll ask my father to intervene. Sister Moria and Sprout are too weak to help, so I brought Blackfire instead. Blackfire is about to advance to seventh-rank Immortal Fiend and can assist me a bit.
If you’re safe and see this Memory Stone, then it means my father is targeting you. In that case, you shouldn’t go to Cauldron Liberty. I’ll be fine. As for Blackfire, you don’t need to worry. Though he’s with me, he won’t enter Cauldron Liberty—he’ll just wait far away for my signal…"
"Two idiots," Joe Di muttered, speechless.
Jie Huang thought he could scheme in front of his own father with such little experience—he was simply courting death. At this moment, Joe Di was certain Blackfire had fallen into Marlon Jace’s hands. As for Jie Huang and Blackfire’s safety, he wasn’t worried.
Jie Huang was Marlon Jace’s eldest son. No matter how ruthless Marlon Jace was, he wouldn’t kill his own child. As for Blackfire, that beast was defiant to the extreme—even Marlon Jace wouldn’t dare touch it.
"Old Zhong, do you know what Bloodline Messaging is?" Joe Di put away the Memory Stone and turned to ask Zhong Ao. He honestly didn’t know much about these things.
Zhong Ao replied calmly, "It’s a way to send messages through direct bloodlines when you don’t have a Commsphere. It’s actually a kind of supernatural ability, and requires certain methods."
"I see. Let’s go to Cauldron Liberty. Everyone who owes me will pay up." Joe Di snorted.
He had asked Jie Huang to remove certain communication items, but Marlon Jace still found a way. These old monsters always have a trick up their sleeve.
...
In the North Hall of Star Demon Palace, Jie Huang sat expressionless. Even his most loyal servant, Shawn Anson, could not be commanded at this moment. The East Hall, once his inheritance, was now occupied by his younger brother Ethan Jace, forcing him to move to the North Hall. Though still the Young Lord of Star Demon Palace, his reputation was in tatters. Giving up the East Hall to his brother and moving to the North Hall—nothing could be more humiliating.
Footsteps sounded outside the door. Jie Huang didn’t need to use his spiritual sense to know his father was coming. Over the years, his father had visited countless times, but Jie Huang was resolute—he would never reveal the location of Harmony Hall, even if it meant his death.
The footsteps stopped at the door, and a tall man entered—it was Jie Huang’s father, Marlon Jace.
Marlon Jace looked at Jie Huang, who remained seated and unmoving, and sighed. "Huang’er, no matter what happens, we are father and son. Outsiders may say whatever they like, but nothing compares to our family bond. I admit I’ve made mistakes—I truly didn’t expect anyone could cure your poisoning and heal you. The reason I kept Ethan Jace’s existence from you was out of concern for your health."
Jie Huang remained silent. He knew exactly why his father hadn’t sought him out before, only doing so a few years ago. It was because his Soul Token hadn’t shattered. By his father’s logic, he should have died long ago. Since he hadn’t, it meant someone had saved him.
He had left together with Joe Di, and only Joe Di could have saved him. So his father was only trying to force out Joe Di’s whereabouts.
"And your cultivation has exceeded all my expectations. In just a few short years, you’ve reached Grand Celestial perfection—just one step away from Immortal King. Don’t worry, the Aurora Pill may be difficult for others, but it’s nothing to Star Demon Palace. When your brother emerges from seclusion, you’ll both advance to Immortal King together." Marlon Jace’s tone was full of fatherly affection.
Jie Huang swallowed the words he was about to speak. He’d wanted to ask about his mother, but if he did, he might truly anger his father and cause his mother to be imprisoned even deeper.
His father’s words filled him with disappointment. For Star Demon Palace, obtaining the Aurora Pill was easy. But why hadn’t his father given him one? The answer was clear—his brother Ethan Jace was breaking through to Grand Celestial perfection.
His father wanted Ethan Jace to reach Grand Celestial perfection first, then advance to Immortal King. Only after his brother became Immortal King would Jie Huang be allowed to attempt the breakthrough. Why not let him try first? Because his father had already decided to make Ethan Jace the heir. Only if Ethan Jace reached Immortal King first would his father have a legitimate reason to announce it.
Jie Huang suddenly felt fortunate to have met Big Brother Joe Di. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even have been qualified to be Ethan Jace’s stepping stone.
This chapter isn’t finished yet~.~ Please click next page to continue reading the exciting story!
"Aaron, Joe Di is a man of deep cunning. If he's taking you along, it's surely not out of kindness. That Joe Di harbors enormous secrets. I'm worried that once he grows in power, our Star Demon Palace will become his playground. Aaron, you're kind-hearted, no match for such a schemer. Just tell me where he's hiding. When we catch him, I promise—on your account—I’ll spare his life. As for his possessions, I won’t take a single thing; everything will be yours." Marlon Jace had repeated these words countless times, yet Aaron Jace remained unmoved.
If not for the fact that Aaron was his son, Marlon Jace would have resorted to soul-searching long ago.
Aaron Jace acted as if he hadn’t heard a word, remaining calm and composed.
Marlon Jace sighed, his tone heavy. "Aaron, you didn’t come back alone this time, did you? There was a fiend beast called Blackfire with you. That beast has now been taken away by Leon Yue. If Leon Yue manages to extract Joe Di’s whereabouts, Joe Di will surely be doomed."
If Joe Di is forced by Leon Yue to reveal his secrets, and Leon Yue’s strength rises yet again, then the first place he’ll destroy will be our Star Demon Palace.
Aaron Jace abruptly stood up, staring at Marlon Jace. "How could Blackfire be captured?"
Marlon Jace sneered, "With your paltry tricks, you think you can outsmart Immortal Emperors? If you died, you’d probably thank your killers. Just as I warned you not to trust Joe Di too much—otherwise, you’ll meet a miserable end. You and Ethan are brothers; you should join forces."
Anxiety flashed in Aaron Jace’s eyes. He hadn’t expected Blackfire to be taken. If anything happened to Blackfire, he’d never be able to face Joe Di.
As for his father’s words, Aaron could only chuckle inwardly. Die a miserable death? If not for meeting Joe Di, he would have died a miserable death long ago in Cauldron Liberty—why wait for the future?
Big Brother Joe Di is a peerless genius—would he care about the trifles of Star Demon Palace? Aaron was simply lucky to have met him.
After a long moment, Aaron finally steadied his emotions and looked at his father. "Father, I hope you won’t provoke Brother Joe. As for Leon Yue, he’s courting death—daring to seize Brother Joe’s beast companion. He’s truly tired of living."
Aaron had witnessed Joe Di’s methods firsthand. Back when Joe Di was only at the early Immortal Lord stage, he dared to nail an Immortal King. By now, Aaron guessed Brother Joe had reached Immortal King realm. Even if faced with an Immortal Emperor—so what?
"Hmph!" Marlon Jace snorted coldly and turned to leave.
He had pleaded and reasoned for ages, yet his son hadn’t listened to a word—instead, Aaron tried to persuade him.
Marlon Jace was, after all, the Palace Master of Star Demon Palace—one of the four great Immortal Emperors of Magic Garment Immortal Continent. How could he possibly fear a mere Joe Di?
...
Standing at the gates of Cauldron Liberty, Joe Di felt as if a blazing fire burned in his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Outside the city’s protective array, two people were nailed in place. Joe Di recognized them both: Chi Yuanqing and his daughter, Chi Xun’er.